VIN: 88561
Engine: R1937-9
Excellent restoration candidate. Body panels are all original in overall good condition for the age of the car. Exterior is in gray primer. Engine head and block are original to the car and matches the data plate. Car has not run in many years Odometer reads 33,000 miles and is probably accurate. Very good glass. Chrome appears original and quite good. Interior dash, console and aluminum panels very good. Overall a very original car.
Very few coupes were made in 1961 as most of the early production cars were roadsters. Of the initial batch of 500 e-types, 385 were LHD roadsters and only 20 were LHD coupes. The car was titled as a 1962, but the serial number makes it either a September or October 1961 production date. I requested a Heritage Certificate which will confirm the manufacture date. The Certificate will be available with the car.
Some of the unique features found on this very early car: Flat floors, weld in louvers, early style round brake reservoirs, early style trunk lid hinges, original Blaupunkt tube radio, bonnet buffers on the firewall, oil engine pan without ribs, early style cigar tray without top wings, flat dash cover, area behind seats without indentation, early style grab handle, aluminum radiator, plus more.
How many earlier examples than this car are left? My guess is very few are left. One must assume that at least 50% have been lost due to rust, accident, neglect, fire, etc. Remember that at one time these were simply old used cars and many were junked. Of the ones that remain another 50% are not with their original engine, or were converted into race cars (coupes were popular racers at the time) ... or received an American engine. This leaves us with perhaps only about 15 cars earlier than this one still with their original engine still surviving, perhaps less. Of those many have been fully restored, which make this un-restored car one of the last survivors in original condition.
It is very difficult to find a very early e-type that has not been molested or has not already been completely restored. This rare and unique car deserves a proper restoration. If you plan to restore an e-type, might as well start with one that is original, rare and unique.In the end you will be glad you did.
SOLD
