Rare classic E-Type Jaguar found rusting in a French barn is restored to pristine condition
The Series 1 3.8 Litre Chassis No. 860015, one of six examples displayed at the Scottish Motor Show in 1961, is now worth £300,000 after a ‘nut and bolt’ restoration
Auto design icon Enzo Ferrari called it "the most beautiful car ever made."
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| Starting block. Discarded rust bucket, found in a farm in France |
A classic British car left to rust on a French farm has been restored to its former glory is now worth £300,000 and will return to the spotlight at next week’s London Classic Car Show.
The E-Type was one of the most visually striking cars in automotive history. On its release Enzo Ferrari called it "the most beautiful car ever made."The design was as innovative as it is attractive, as the E-Type’s chassis was built more like a racing car of the era than a regular road car. It’s no surprise then that E-Types, especially early examples dating from 1961 and 1962, command huge prices on the rare occasions that they come up at auction.
But this particular example, E-Type fixed head coupe Chassis No. 15, was discovered in a barn in Cernay, east France, in late 2013. It was more chicken coop than racing coupe, rusted, missing many vital components and covered in farmyard muck.
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| Rare Jag going through the restoration process |
But heartbroken car enthusiasts will be relieved to hear that it has since been treated to some much needed repairs by restoration company Classic Motor Cars of Bridgnorth (CMC).
Nick Goldthorp, Managing Director of CMC, told the Daily Telegraph: “We found Chassis No. 15 at end of last year in Cernay, a town close to the border with Germany about two hours away from Paris.
“It had been owned by the same person since 1976, who dismantled it probably some 20 years ago and that is as far as he got.
“Unfortunately, the car was left unattended in a barn until we found it, very rusty and corroded – there was even a bird's nest in the rear quarter.'
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| Restored to it's full glory |
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| Old Worlde Luxury |
“We carried out a full nut and bolt restoration, which proved to be quite a challenge due to the sorry state in which it was found.
“No detail was too small and extensive work has been carried out in the paint and trim shops so that the car can now boast its original colour combination of pearl grey exterior and light blue interior, being the only one produced in those colours in 1961.
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| Thorough bred engine |
“After restoring it to its former glory, we thought it was only fitting that the car returned to the centre stage 55 years later and what could be better than the London Classic Car Show.”
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| Fully restored |
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