VERY Early 1961 Jaguar E-Type, XKE - Series 1 Roadster, Open Two Seater

VERY Early 1961 Jaguar E-Type Roadster Project
Flat Floors - Welded Louvers
This is approx. the 450th LHD E-Type Open Two-Seater (roadster) built - it's an early one! Of course, it is an original flat-floor car, and is less than 75 cars after the outside bonnet latch cars - and as a result, it still carries the mounting holes and bonnet bumpers for the outside latch cars.
NOTE - The last digit of the chassis number has been omitted from this auction so that the new owner will be the person who determines when (or if...) this E-Type is logged into the E-Type registry - it currently is not...
Monocoque Metalworks is assisting one of our oldest customers with the sale of this car. Our reputation for honesty, friendly customer service, and following through on our word is second to none - bid with confidence!
This E-Type is also for sale locally, and we reserve the right to sell the car at any time.
Numbers Matching! -
This is a completely numbers-matching car - all numbers have been checked by me personally. A Heritage certificate has also been obtained, and confirms these numbers as well.
Black with Red Interior - Currently silver with a black interior, this E-Type was originally delivered in black with a red interior - a very stunning and desirable color combination for an E-Type roadster! This is documented on the car's Heritage certificate, and can also be plainly seen on areas of the car that still carry the original factory paint, plus a few remnants of the original interior.
Condition -
The car is being sold in AS-IS condition - as a project car, needing total restoration. It currently DOES run smoothly, and has a working clutch and all gears have been tested and work fine. The brakes are not currently operational, and so the car has only been driven short distances to ensure that all gears in the gearbox are functioning. Two separate videos of the car running are available on request.
The body shell itself is quite solid for an E-Type of this age, but will require a total restoration, of course. The bonnet is the original welded-louver, welded-flange bonnet from THIS car.
The engine runs currently, and shows 50+ lbs. of oil pressure at approx. 2500 RPM. The gearbox shifts smoothly and operates in all forward gears and reverse - which of course also indicated that the rear differential is OK. The brakes are currently non-functioning. All components on the car are either original pieces or period replacements, and all components appear to be in good restorable condition, but the project is of course being sold in AS-IS condition, as a project car needing total restoration of all components.
Numerous Early Features -
As a VERY early flat-floor E-Type - built in August of 1961 - this car has literally DOZENS of rare, early parts and pieces - that are noticeably different than the average E-Type. Specifically:

• Original welded-louver, welded-flange bonnet,
• Wiper motor dated 6-61,
• Early (and pricey!) triple-eared air balance tube with early throttle linkage,
• "Pumpkin" painted 9:1 compresion head vs. later Gold painted heads,
• Original round brake bottles,
• Early oblong ashtray without wings,
• Super rare "double" rear decklid hinges,
• Two-piece door skins,
• Still has the outside bonnet latch mounting holes with blanking screws,
• Still has the bonnet "bumpers" on the outer edges of the cowl,
• Studs versus bolts in the bonnet carrier bracket,
• And many, many more!

Overview -
Overall, this is an EXCELLENT early E-Type project - and an EXTREMELY RARE E-type as well! These early cars are becoming more valuable every year - this car is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and an investment-grade E-Type.
If you have the desire to own an E-Type from the early days of production - Summer of 1961, and what some call the "pre-Production" cars - then don't let this opportunity pass you by! If you could go back in time and walk up to the Jaguar display at New York, London, or Paris in the Spring of 1961 - and ordered your new black roadster right then and there - THIS E-TYPE is what would be delivered to you a few months later! THIS was the car that stopped the hearts of the entire motoring press - and the world - in 1961!
In Conclusion -
This is a flat-floor, welded-louver, Series 1 E-Type roadster - built in the Summer of 1961 - with a chassis number BELOW 500 - that is 100% numbers-matching and already confirmed with the Heritage Certificate - in the stunning and desirable original color combination of black/red - and is 99% complete, original, and currently RUNS!
Shipping -
Monocoque Metalworks has helped several enthusiasts ship E-Type projects overseas, and am experienced in the process... I would be happy to help you in this regard, including safe transportation to the shipping port in Elizabeth, NJ in an enclosed trailer for a modest fee.
For anyone who loves and appreciates the early cars, THIS is the one you have been waiting for - DON'T MISS IT!
Call to discuss if you like - (443) 907-2287 in the US - ask for Chuck
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Monocoque Metalworks is 'THE SOURCE' for E-Type Body Shell and Bonnet Panels!
All Monocoque Metalworks panels are patterned, fabricated, AND installed right here in our dedicated E-Type monocoque restoration facility! Manufactured to the highest standards possible, based on patterns created on site from original pieces, and delivered in fresh, bare cold-rolled steel - Our panels have no equal - and are 100% guaranteed to exceed your expectations!
• Bonnet Panels - ALL Inner mudshields and diaphragms, ALL bonded flanges, plus rust repair panels and more!
• Sill Panels & Gussets - Sill Closing Panels, Internal Gussets, and our "hidden subframe" monocoque strengthening kit!
• Tunnel Panels - Every single tunnel panel from the firewall back to the IRS assembly...
• Rear Wheel Arch Panels - Perfect rear wheel arch repair panels, including every internal panel within the rear wheel housings...
• Covered Headlamp Conversion Panels - Specializing in covered headlamp conversion flanges and kits for converting your Series 1.5, 2, or 3 E-Type to Series 1 covered headlamps!
• Series 1 Tail Conversion Panels - Complete kits available to convert your Series 2 body shell to Series 1 configuration!
• ORIGINAL Panels - We have a large selection of original bonnet panels, wings, roof sections, rear hatches, decklids, and more!
• Many MORE! - Our patterns and tooling for the E-Type are COMPLETE! We can produce just about anything you need to properly repair your E-Type Monocoque body shell!
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Monocoque Metalworks - Google Us!
If you love E-Types, our online "Blog" entries will BLOW YOUR MIND!
Strap yourself into the passenger seat of our E-Type adventure! Our Blogs contain hundreds of E-Type stories, and OVER 12,000 full-size, high-definition photos!
• E-Type Monocoque Body Shell Restoration - Follow the restorations of wrecked, rusted, and even incomplete E-Type monocoque body shells and bonnets from start to finish. Our blog entries include STEP-BY-STEP descriptions and photos of every single panel of the E-Type shell being fabricated and replaced - on dozens of E-Type restorations!
• E-Type Bonnet Restoration - You will be AMAZED by the high-resolution photos of wrecked bonnets being restored and straightened by an expert panel-beater!
• E-Types in Action! - Ride along as we explore E-Types (and many other great vintage machines!) at Car Shows, Auctions, Restoration shops, Racing Teams, and even private collections!
• Custom Racing and Aluminum Panels - Join us as we completely rebuild an original Jaguar racing aluminum bonnet heavily damaged in a vintage race, and continue to support that racing team with all of their aluminum E-Type body repairs throughout several seasons - as they continually push the envelope on how fast an E-Type can go!
• E-Type Barn Finds! - Get into the action as we hunt down and rescue E-Type project cars and parts! Our detailed photographs will give you a front-row seat as we drag E-Types out of forests, fields, the back rooms of shops, and yes, even barns! You will be AMAZED at some of the E-Type cars and parts we have discovered, rescued, and found new homes for!
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Jaguar E-Type Project Cars and Parts - Bought and Sold!
If you are looking for an E-Type project to restore, your search may be over!
At Monocoque Metalworks, we often find GOOD E-Type projects - and then find them GOOD homes with GOOD people! In fact, ALL of our past buyers AND sellers have remained close friends! THEN, we stick with you as a partner in the restoration, providing technical support throughout the duration of your project!
• E-Type Project Cars FOR SALE! - Our interaction with countless E-Type owners, restorers, and shops and suppliers puts us in touch with many orphaned and incomplete project cars. We rescue these E-Types from being parted out or scrapped, and bring them back to our warehouse, where they are combined with parts and pieces from our large stock of original parts to be a complete project car - ready for a new home!
• Our E-Type Projects are RESTORABLE! - Too often, we see E-type projects being offered that are, quite literally, unrestorable… Many times, cars that have been burned, wrecked, or are rotted beyond the point that is economically feasible to repair are sold to an overly optimistic restorer, only to have their dreams (and their bank account) shattered - when they find out they have purchased little more than a title… Here, we make sure you KNOW what you are getting - AND what you are GETTING INTO!
• Our E-Type Projects are COMPLETE and CORRECT! - Like everything else we do, rescuing orphaned E-Types is a labor of love, NOT a "get rich quick scheme"… Therefore, we work hard to make sure our project cars have the proper pieces for their Year, Series, and Model. We also pull together a project for you that is as complete as possible, but also DON'T "pad" the project with worn out, unrestorable parts that should always be replaced, like radiators, exhaust systems, etc. In addition, we serve as an invaluable resource throughout the build, helping you decide WHAT pieces to purchase new, and WHERE to source them!
• Our E-Type Projects CAN BE created to suit YOUR vision! - While we try to make all parts and pieces correct for each project, we can also tailor the project to suit your needs. For example, if you are building a high-performance driver, we can assemble your package with the better-performing Series 2 brakes, etc. Building an all-out racer?.. No problem! - we'll sell you a project that has just what you need for that and nothing more - and adjust the price accordingly!
• E-Type Parts and Pieces for sale! - As our business has grown over the years, so has our stock of original E-Type "used" parts. A lifetime of dragging home every E-Type and E-type part I could find has left us with a warehouse of original parts that is bursting at the seams! Most of these pieces will be used to complete the partial and orphaned E-Types mentioned above, but others are available to complete YOUR E-Type!
• E-Type Project Cars and Parts - WANTED! - If you have an orphaned E-Type project car, remains of a past Parts Car, extra spares left over from your restoration, or even a running & driving E-Type that needs a new, GOOD home - give me a call! Everything that gets dragged back here is stored indoors until it finds a new home - ON AN E-TYPE - that makes it ONTO THE ROAD! Take a look at some of our blog stories about the places we go and the people we meet in our search - then give us a call. I GUARANTEE you'll be pleasantly surprised by the honesty, sincerity, and ENTHUSIASM we put into everything we do! - Chuck Hadley
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Monocoque Metalworks - (443) 907-2287 - Chuck
Google Us! - for more info, more photos, and more E-Type metalworking knowledge than you can possibly imagine...