This lovely old Jaguar is a fully restored Series I E-Type Roadster which was paraded in front of millions of people watching the Queen’s Jubilee Pageant. Not a bad way to show off your new-old car, you’d agree.
It was commissioned by a customer who wanted an E-Type built in the year he was born, and so Jaguar Classic set about finding one. They did, finding this Series I that was constructed only two days after the client’s DOB. Wasn’t in the best shape.
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Which is why it took a full year to restore. The full ground-up rebuild started with the bodywork, now finished in a special shade of blue inspired by the Union Jack that took several months just to craft.
The interior, too, was fully reupholstered in a red inspired by British pillar boxes (sensing a theme here?), hand-finished using Jaguar Classic’s “traditional methods” (read: skinned knuckles, lots of tea, moderate swearing).
The old 4.2-liter sixer was binned in favor of a 4.7-liter said to deliver “superior performance,” matched to a five-speed gearbox. The suspension’s been uprated too, naturally, and there are wider wheels and tires, better brakes, and a sports exhaust and manifold for good noise.
Lots of modern conveniences inside, including—gasp!—Bluetooth, sat nav, and a touchscreen. Something the owner along with dancer, model and fashion designer Erci Underwood enjoyed during the leisurely drive up the Mall.
“I wanted a classic E-Type that could be relied upon for daily driving and be comfortable on grand tours while remaining authentic to the original and I’m blown away by the results,” the owner said.
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
