2013-11-21 12:26:48 | Lofty writes:

In auction at Bonhams 1st December 2013

www.bonhams.com/auctions/20934/lot/35/

1961 Jaguar E-Type Series I 'Flat Floor' 3.8-Litre Roadster
Registration no. 128 YUH Chassis no. 875103 Engine no. R1137-9
£130,000 - 150,000

Its accompanying Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Certificate confirms that left-hand drive chassis number '875103' was despatched from Browns Lane on 27th June 1961 bound for Jaguar Cars, New York. The original colour scheme was opalescent dark green with Suede Green leather interior, which the car retains. Its first owner is listed as G E Kling of Dayton, Ohio.

George Kling owned the cement manufacturing company, Moraine Materials. According to correspondence on file, he bought the Jaguar on a whim after seeing a newspaper advertisement in the local paper announcing the new XKE Roadster at the local dealer, J-V Motors. It was the second XKE sold in Dayton.

Approximately two or three years later, with the odometer showing 3,374 miles, Mr Kling drove the car to the home of Dayton industrialist, George Walther, for cocktails. George Walther's company was a major manufacturer of steel wheel assemblies for the trucking industry. Their race team, 'Dayton Steel Wheel Specials' competed in the Indianapolis 500 for over 25 years, though with little success. Mr Walther showed interest in the Jaguar and offered to buy it if Mr Kling wanted to sell. Mr Kling confessed that he did not fit in the car very well and would sell it for $1 for every mile shown on the odometer. A deal was struck for that amount. After driving the E-Type infrequently himself for several years, George Walther put the car in a storage barn at his family's marina/race-car shop. It sat there with several Duesenbergs, Ferraris, assorted Indianapolis cars, 'unlimited' hydroplanes and other Walther family interests. The car was retrieved from the building after George Walther's death and subsequently passed via his son, D'Arcy, to John E Higgins, President of Lexus of Dayton. It subsequently came to the UK and was purchased by the current owner from the highly respected marque specialists, JD Classics, circa two years ago. Since acquisition the car has been kept in professional storage.

Effectively unused since 1965, although it has been MoT'd, this very early E-Type retains matching numbers and is completely original and un-restored – a rare find indeed. Representing a wonderful opportunity to acquire an unmolested example of the Jaguar E-Type in its earliest and purest form, the car is offered with aforementioned documentation, current road fund licence, MoT to June 2014 and Swansea V5C document.

2013-12-02 09:32:21 | Anonymous writes:

Link to auction results...

www.bonhams.com/auctions/20934/lot/35/

2013-12-05 00:25:57 | pauls writes:

Auction results:
Lot 35
1961 Jaguar E-Type Series I 'Flat Floor' 3.8-Litre Roadster
Sold for £186,300 (US$ 305,083) inc. premium