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This Month's Featured Milestone

Jaguar XKE

Photo Collage by Bob Horgan

Jaguar XKE: An Appreciation

By: Patrick Smith

          It is perhaps the one Jaguar that’s recognized and admired by car afficionados and casual enthusiasts alike. The XKE or E-Type, as it was also known, hit the sports car world with the force of a meteorite. The stunning design screamed speed and was capable of 150 miles per hour as a coupe. The aging XK150’s replacement was popular enough to run from 1961 to 1975. The E-Type proved to be a competitive SCCA car and established a valuable export market for Jaguar. Let’s examine the E-Type in detail to gain a better appreciation of how this model changed motoring history.

          The E-Type was a mid-year model that debuted in March, 1961, at the Geneva Auto Show. Jaguar had profited from racing the D-Type in the 1950s and used this knowledge to create a fabulous sports car. The E-Type used monocoque construction and was enveloped in sleek aluminum panels by designer, Malcom Sayer. The slippery shape of the body clearly demonstrated Sayer’s belief in aerodynamics playing a role in styling. American cars, by contrast, first showed serious aerodynamic influences in 1969 with racing-derived models such as the Talladega and Dodge Daytona.

          The Type-E engine was a 3.8 litre inline six borrowed from the XK 150 S. With 500 less pounds holding it back, the 265 bhp coupe was truly fast. The earliest E-Types were the fabled “flat floor” versions so called because of the lack of foot wells. Produced from March to June of ’61, these are the most prized E-Types among collectors for their pristine design. Series I sales were strong with 7,820 roadsters and 7,670 coupes. A great number of them were sold to America. You simply couldn’t get a better deal for your money in the traditional sports car market at the time.

          Of course there were some faults. Early E-Types were prone to door hinge seizures. A service bulletin suggested oiling hinges every 5,000 miles to prevent binding. Early hinges without slots machined in them had to be drilled to allow lubrication to reach the hinge pins. This problem was eventually rectified after October of 1963. The cooling system wasn’t able to handle city traffic for long and the early seats were uncomfortable for driving. A 4.3 litre inline six replaced the 3.8 in 1964. The Series I E-Type ran from 1961 to 1968, although fans beg to differ.

          Jaguar incorporated running changes in production cars. To please the safety critics in the increasingly important US market, the perspex headlight covers were deleted and a different lighting system meeting US specifications was added. A number of E-Types with the small air intake opening and uncovered headlights were produced. Like the true Series I cars, they had three windshield wiper blades. These running change cars are called Series 1½ by Jaguar enthusiasts.

          The 4.2 litre engine debuted in 1964. Although it was larger, the performance was unchanged because of weight gains. One positive change was the switch to a full flow oil cleaner system starting with engine number RA.4975. The improved lubrication brought the inline six into the modern age. One last change to Series I was the addition of a long wheelbase 2+2 model, adding rear seats and a rear door. The 2+2 allowed small families to enjoy the sporting life. At the same time an automatic transmission option was added on the 2+2 series.

          For 1969 Jaguar introduced E-Type Series II. This car had a larger air intake for better cooling, two windshield wipers, and twin Zenith Stromberg carbs instead of three SU units for American cars. The interior switches were rocker style instead of the allegedly dangerous toggle switches. American sales changed the car. In order to meet demands for air conditioning and satisfy the upcoming federal emissions standards, Jaguar scheduled a much larger engine to replace the 4.3 litre. Power had been diluted and a bigger engine was one way to fix the problem.

    In the fall of 1970, the Series III debuted with the audacious 5.3 litre V12 and a new set of chromed wheel discs to supplement the traditional wire wheels. Only the long wheelbase 2+2 chassis was available. It made the roadster heavy but performance was still very good. Instead of 140 mph, you’d reach 128. Critics sneered at the car’s ability to compete, suggesting the average E-Type was used to steer wealthy doctors through their mid-life crises. Jaguar answered these taunts by racing E-Types late in the 1974 SCCA production championship. Mike Mueller took 1^st place in Seattle that year and Bob Tullius almost won Watkins Glen before his shifter broke. They returned in 1975 to win the SCCA championship. The Series III were available in roadster, coupe and 2+2 form. A chromed grille, larger tires, new bumpers and a larger hood bulge identified the V12 E-Type at a glance.

British Leyland had taken over Jaguar during the sixties when engineering and quality control issues hampered the V12 E-Type. While it’s true a V12 couldn’t match a Series I coupe’s top speed, it’s wrong to suggest the V12 is unworthy of the respect given to the 3.8 litre. A properly sorted V12 with the right gear ratios can put the fear of God into any doubting Thomas. They were two different animals. The Series I was pure sports car without any concessions for comfort or mass marketing. The Series III delivered the goods while meeting pollution control demands. The E-Type groomed the V12 engine to lead the charge in America in the new XJS released in 1976.





	This Month's Featured Milestone Jaguar XKE Photo Collage by Bob Horgan Jaguar XKE: An Appreciation By: Patrick Smith It is perhaps the one Jaguar that’s recognized and admired by car afficionados and casual enthusiasts alike. The XKE or E-Type, as it was also known, hit the sports car world with the force of a meteorite. The stunning design screamed speed and was capable of 150 miles per hour as a coupe. The aging XK150’s replacement was popular enough to run from 1961 to 1975. The E-Type proved to be a competitive SCCA car and established a valuable export market for Jaguar. Let’s examine the E-Type in detail to gain a better appreciation of how this model changed motoring history. The E-Type was a mid-year model that debuted in March, 1961, at the Geneva Auto Show. Jaguar had profited from racing the D-Type in the 1950s and used this knowledge to create a fabulous sports car. The E-Type used monocoque construction and was enveloped in sleek aluminum panels by designer, Malcom Sayer. The slippery shape of the body clearly demonstrated Sayer’s belief in aerodynamics playing a role in styling. American cars, by contrast, first showed serious aerodynamic influences in 1969 with racing-derived models such as the Talladega and Dodge Daytona. The Type-E engine was a 3.8 litre inline six borrowed from the XK 150 S. With 500 less pounds holding it back, the 265 bhp coupe was truly fast. The earliest E-Types were the fabled “flat floor” versions so called because of the lack of foot wells. Produced from March to June of ’61, these are the most prized E-Types among collectors for their pristine design. Series I sales were strong with 7,820 roadsters and 7,670 coupes. A great number of them were sold to America. You simply couldn’t get a better deal for your money in the traditional sports car market at the time. Of course there were some faults. Early E-Types were prone to door hinge seizures. A service bulletin suggested oiling hinges every 5,000 miles to prevent binding. Early hinges without slots machined in them had to be drilled to allow lubrication to reach the hinge pins. This problem was eventually rectified after October of 1963. The cooling system wasn’t able to handle city traffic for long and the early seats were uncomfortable for driving. A 4.3 litre inline six replaced the 3.8 in 1964. The Series I E-Type ran from 1961 to 1968, although fans beg to differ. Jaguar incorporated running changes in production cars. To please the safety critics in the increasingly important US market, the perspex headlight covers were deleted and a different lighting system meeting US specifications was added. A number of E-Types with the small air intake opening and uncovered headlights were produced. Like the true Series I cars, they had three windshield wiper blades. These running change cars are called Series 1½ by Jaguar enthusiasts. The 4.2 litre engine debuted in 1964. Although it was larger, the performance was unchanged because of weight gains. One positive change was the switch to a full flow oil cleaner system starting with engine number RA.4975. The improved lubrication brought the inline six into the modern age. One last change to Series I was the addition of a long wheelbase 2+2 model, adding rear seats and a rear door. The 2+2 allowed small families to enjoy the sporting life. At the same time an automatic transmission option was added on the 2+2 series. For 1969 Jaguar introduced E-Type Series II. This car had a larger air intake for better cooling, two windshield wipers, and twin Zenith Stromberg carbs instead of three SU units for American cars. The interior switches were rocker style instead of the allegedly dangerous toggle switches. American sales changed the car. In order to meet demands for air conditioning and satisfy the upcoming federal emissions standards, Jaguar scheduled a much larger engine to replace the 4.3 litre. Power had been diluted and a bigger engine was one way to fix the problem. In the fall of 1970, the Series III debuted with the audacious 5.3 litre V12 and a new set of chromed wheel discs to supplement the traditional wire wheels. Only the long wheelbase 2+2 chassis was available. It made the roadster heavy but performance was still very good. Instead of 140 mph, you’d reach 128. Critics sneered at the car’s ability to compete, suggesting the average E-Type was used to steer wealthy doctors through their mid-life crises. Jaguar answered these taunts by racing E-Types late in the 1974 SCCA production championship. Mike Mueller took 1^st place in Seattle that year and Bob Tullius almost won Watkins Glen before his shifter broke. They returned in 1975 to win the SCCA championship. The Series III were available in roadster, coupe and 2+2 form. A chromed grille, larger tires, new bumpers and a larger hood bulge identified the V12 E-Type at a glance. British Leyland had taken over Jaguar during the sixties when engineering and quality control issues hampered the V12 E-Type. While it’s true a V12 couldn’t match a Series I coupe’s top speed, it’s wrong to suggest the V12 is unworthy of the respect given to the 3.8 litre. A properly sorted V12 with the right gear ratios can put the fear of God into any doubting Thomas. They were two different animals. The Series I was pure sports car without any concessions for comfort or mass marketing. The Series III delivered the goods while meeting pollution control demands. The E-Type groomed the V12 engine to lead the charge in America in the new XJS released in 1976.