Maxim Vintage Car Shopper: 1964 Jaguar E-Type Coupe
Sometimes, a phallic symbol is just a phallic symbol.
Year: 1964
The Model: Jaguar E-Type
The Drivetrain: A 3.8-liter, triple-carbureted, 270-horsepower inline six mated to a Moss four-speed transmission with no syncromesh on the first gear (good luck!) sending power to the rear wheels.
Favorite Five Points:
1. Unlike almost every other E-Type in the world, this car has the special Dunlop racing alloys, which we much prefer. They were the wheel of choice for Jaguar’s racing D-Types and lightweight E-Types, and look amazing on a road-car, too.
2. More than any other car, the Jaguar E-Type was best in its first edition, the Series 1. Covered headlamps, a more powerful engine, a more delicate rear-lighting scheme and a small oval air-intake make 1961-68 cars the most valuable.
3. Every Vegas exotic car dealer only stocks XKE’s in Fire Engine Red or Black. We love this more demure burgundy.
4. Enzo Ferrari called this exact car—the Series 1 E-Type Coupe—the most beautiful car in the world. It is.
5. The quad-tailpipes on this iconic sports car hint at its huge—for the day—power. In the early sixties, this was a legitimate 140 mph car (if not 150, as advertised).
Quirks?
– Coupes made in 1964 have two minor downsides: the aforementioned Moss Box (without first gear syncromesh) and the smaller, less torquey 3.8-liter engine instead of the 4.2-liter that arrived the following year. To some, that’s a deal-breaker.
– Though restored and advertised as “better than new,” some of the non-stock parts, from shocks to interior mats, make this less appealing for enthusiasts pursuing ultimate originality.
Good Buy?
The price is firm, but fair if the car checks out. No haggling means a low-stress buying experience, so that when you sling into the low, black leather bucket seat, all you’ll be thinking about is how lucky you are to drive the best-looking, sexiest coupe the world has ever seen. (Find it here on Hemmings)
Photos by Hemmings