Beautiful Garage Find: 1969 Jaguar XKE
Take a trip back to 1973 with this exceptionally well-preserved XKE roadster.
When you think of barn finds, the image that likely pops into your head is a dirty, dusty, decrepit wreck in need of some major TLC. That’s almost never the intent of the owners who put them away in the first place, though.
It’s not very common, but occasionally, people put cars away for decades at a time, and do everything right. The endless forward march of time cannot be stopped, but steps can be taken to preserve things and slow their eventual decay.
After putting just over 25,000 miles on this 1969 Jaguar XKE roadster, the original owner parked it in a garage 1973. There it remained for 45 years, until the original dealer bought it back. As you can clearly see in these photos, they must have done something right, since this E-type looks nearly perfect.
Words like “time capsule” get thrown around a lot in regards to cars like these, but it’s never been quite so accurate. We’re frankly shocked by the condition of this car. Running or not, it still wears its original paint and the original interior looks simply amazing.
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We’d much rather have an engine rebuild on our hands than a repaint or a trip to the upholstery shop. Especially considering the original color combination of British Racing Green over a beige interior. With the combination of whitewall tires over wire wheels, this is exactly what people picture in their minds when they think of a Jaguar E-Type.
Even considering the completely locked-up running gear, this still represents an invaluable restoration tool. Every bolt, nut, fastener, and marking is as this Jaguar left Coventry in 1969.
Hidden away in a garage all these years, we’re glad that this beauty has once again seen the light of day. We hope that the next owner fixes the engine and adds plenty more miles to the odometer.
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