Enzo Ferrari called it "the most beautiful car ever made" - E Type Jag

BJL

BJL

Member
Messages
1,364
I had a new 4.2 coupe in 1970 (H reg) in red with beige leather. Lovely car for its time but sadly it held the road as if on iron wheeled roller skates. OK when dry but in the wet it was treacherous with the back end stepping out whenever it felt like it. Admittedly I was only 24 and drove like I had stollen it until I terminally rolled it on a greasy road whilst braking too quickly after spotting a Ford Zephyr busting a gut to keep up. The flashing blue light in the middle of its roof did it for me.
Of all the E types the 1970 open headlight version of the 2 seater 4.2 Coupe was probably the best of the bunch. I tried a V12 but didn't like the contorted body shape necessary to house the two tiny perches in the back plus 9 mpg didn't make me too eager either.
Engineering wise it was silky smooth compared to the DB6 I'd had previously which felt very agricultural in comparison.
The drop head feels much smaller (all in the mind) partly because unless you are 5 foot 6 inches tall your head stick up above the windscreen which looks odd.
Cars like the DB6, the E Type and the Healy 3000 are to my mind best left in the nostalgic bucket list.
 
BJL

BJL

Member
Messages
1,364
Hi Phil,
The 1963 to 1968 cars are the sought after ones I believe as collectors like the purity of the original but having never driven one I'll take your word for it.
 
azapa

azapa

Member
Messages
1,300
BJL said:
I had a new 4.2 coupe in 1970 (H reg) in red with beige leather. Lovely car for its time but sadly it held the road as if on iron wheeled roller skates. OK when dry but in the wet it was treacherous with the back end stepping out whenever it felt like it. Admittedly I was only 24 and drove like I had stollen it until I terminally rolled it on a greasy road whilst braking too quickly after spotting a Ford Zephyr busting a gut to keep up. The flashing blue light in the middle of its roof did it for me.
Of all the E types the 1970 open headlight version of the 2 seater 4.2 Coupe was probably the best of the bunch. I tried a V12 but didn't like the contorted body shape necessary to house the two tiny perches in the back plus 9 mpg didn't make me too eager either.
Engineering wise it was silky smooth compared to the DB6 I'd had previously which felt very agricultural in comparison.
The drop head feels much smaller (all in the mind) partly because unle
Cars like the DB6, the E Type and the Healy 3000 are to my mind best left in the nostalgic bucket list.
Click to expand...

Much appreciated comments, and a good chuckle on the flashing blue light - must have been both traumatic and embarrassing at the time!

As a Sunday afternoon pootler, to gawp at parked in the garage, I can not see why to avoid. I would certainly never expect it to drive or perform well. Or, for that matter, to go down in value.

I have located a nice one for sale here (I live in Chile), intriguingly covered in dust, and jokingly valued by it's owner at 136kUS$...

It's far south so have not seen it yet, and have no idea what model it is, but interior pictures show a manual box.

IMG-20181128-WA0052.jpg
 
T

TimR

Member
Messages
2,731
I dunno man...
They are a strange mix somehow. On the one hand, sleek and streamlined...very much of an era...On the other, kind of "sit-up and beggy", sort of dorky looking, with a strangely vertical screen angle..!?!:cool:
 
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azapa

azapa

Member
Messages
1,300
You lot give British cars a hard time.... Maclarens need sending back to Woking for a battey change (Benny) from any where in the world. And now, etypes are ugly, girly and sh1t (roller skates FFS :)

This must be an Italian car forum?!
 
alfatwo

alfatwo

Member
Messages
5,517
And never ever drive them in the rain:eek: as there absolutely horrendous in the wet, best just park up, blag it and call the tow truck to take you home..

An Alfa 1600 GT Junior for me any day!

Dave
 
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