My dad has a 1964 E-type - Series 1 Roaster - original owner. He is considering selling it. It is body perfect, has a beautiful paint job, engine compartment needs cosmetic work, mechanically perfect, 73,000 miles.

Is there a way to come up with a value/sale price for the vehicle? Are there sites or lists with this type of information? Or is this an internet hunting exercise on 'for sale' sites to see what similar vehicles are selling for, which may be tough since this type of vehicle probably doesn't pop up 'for sale' very often.

Thank you for any help in getting me started.

 

you can start with searching ads in Hemmings, or Hagerty classic car values. A series 1 3.8L in good to excellent condition could be worth a lot ( 110 - 175 G) perhaps a reputable auction house is worth contacting.


A

 

Thank you Alfred. I just looked at the Hagerty classic car values site, which is very helpful. I will check out the Hemmings lead too.


As for the reputable auction houses, I don't know exactly how this works. I have heard of Barrett Jackson. Would my dad take the car to this type of place and ask for a sell-value?


Thank you.

 

I suspect that if you contact Barrett Jackson, or RM, they would describe the process, how to arrive at a price, a reserve and the fees.


Alfred

 

Thank you Alfred.


I researched the Hemmings site and this is an excellent resource!


I'll call an auction house to see how that process works. That's unfamiliar territory for me.


I now have the tools to get started.


Thank you for pointing me in the right direction. You were very helpful.

 

I just wanted to summarize my findings on how to value an E-type.


Hagerty Classic Car Value - if you have no idea how much a vehicle is worth, this is a good place to start. This put the value in the +/ $25,000 price range.


Hemmings - excellent, excellent, excellent. For my dad's car, there were a half dozen comparable vehicles listed. Excellent resource. This will really refine what the car is worth. Private sales, dealerships, and auction houses listed vehicles on the site.


Barrett Jackson was extremely helpful. You can fill out a Consignment Request Form with no obligation to consign and they will give you a free estimate. This will reveal what they think it will sell for. Their website lists comparable vehicles that they have sold in the past, but the prices were a bit lower than the Hemmings site. My guess is, because the vehicles were sold during the recession they would have been undervalued - maybe.

It probably would make sense to get a second opinion from another auction house, and I see that RM was suggested, which, after a little research I have discovered that is the Sotheby's auction house.


Somewhere in all that information is the fair market value.


Thank you again for the great help!

 

please call me I would be interested in buying (443)846-5061

 

E-types are fetching really big money in the UK and Europe at the moment. Far, far more than the $25k than Hagerty suggest, which I assume is a US estimate.

 

Certainly worth more than $25G, I thought it was a typo by the OP meaning Hagerty gave an estimate that was +/- 25G . Needs to add 100G to get closer to a true estimate.


A

 

Thank you JaguarGuy1990. My dad is still in the 'considering selling' stage. I will keep your number and let you know when/if it happens.

 

Sorry for any confusion in my post about the +/- $25,000. The values of the vehicle that Hagarty gave was in approximately $50,000 price increments based on the condition of the vehicle.


Concourse Value - $255,000
Excellent Value - $178,000
Good Value - $101,000
Fair Value - $65,200.


I did not mean to say the vehicle was worth $25,000, but that without further research, I could decide on the condition of the vehicle and come up with a value within approximately $50,000 (or +/- $25,000).

 

Like others, I also understood the price range quoted was "plus or minus $25,000" . . . the alternative was concern for your safety in that you and your Dad would have been mowed down by buyers wielding fistfuls of cash!
Perish the thought, eh?

Best wishes

Ken

 

I would say that a series 1 Roadster in good condition (stick shift?) will be worth at least $100,000. No bull honestly

 

The series 1 XKE (E-type on my side of the pond) had the iconic 3.8 Litre straight 6 engine. It cost only one 3rd of the price of the equivalent Ferrari or Maserati (£2200) and was faster. Enzo said at the 1961 Geneva Show that it was the most beautiful car he had ever seen but it only had one problem, that it did not have a Ferrari badge on it.

The problem was that it became so much in demand that the Jaguar factory had to start cutting corners to get them out quickly enough.

The Americans had a joke saying "why do the British drink warm beer? Because they use Lucas refrigerators"

Fair comment

 

Two factors influence the value - condition and provenance.

To find an original owner matching numbers Series 1 in good unrestored condition is very difficult - to find one where the original owner actually wants to sell it is moving towards the almost impossible. If the title is further suppported with documentation from the original bill of sale through all service records, it just gets better.

At this level, minor cosmetic flaws will reduce bidding by many times more than the cost of rectification. The vehicle should be offered in the best possible cosmetic condition to maximise the value.

Graham

 

+1 to what Graham [GGG] says . . . but even beyond condition and provenance, which includes paint colour and trim coz some original combinations are far more in favour . . . that detailed documentation of original import and sale documentation, detailed service, spare parts and maintenance documentation, even bulging photo albums . . . is incredibly valuable. In the case of our Series1 sale we estimate it formed about a 30% premium.

Even so, which Series1? And I don't just mean fixed head coupe or open roadster. Y'see . . . beyond those 2 obvious body styles, there were no less than 3 variants and values vary enormously by virtue of rarity and buyer preference -

• the original and very rare "flat floor" variant with 3.8L XK engine, generator and positive earth, Moss box, and external bonnet locks, as displayed at Geneva Motor Show;
• the next, and early production "drop floor pan" variant with internal bonnet locks, but otherwise unchanged 3.8L XK engine, electricals, Moss box and still with the "spartan" cabin fit-out;
• the final Series1 production variant, again with "drop floor pans" and internal bonnet locks, but now with 4.2L XK engine, new all synchro box, alternator, negative earth electricals and upgraded interiors.

To anyone entering the now stratospheric E-Type market, either buyer or seller, I recommend you get rare book finders to get you Jenkinson's brilliant book on all variants . . . it's long out of print, but well worth the hunt. Reason?

A "flat floor" Series1 variant of impeccable pedigree (#6, IIRC) was sold here by private treaty about 2-3 years ago after "expressions of interest" were lodged at a start price of AU$250,000. It is believed the successful buyer wanted it to complement his equally impeccable, genuine D-Type. That E-Type's value today? Perhaps A$500K?

By comparison, a "ready for restoration" Series1, complete but untidy, of unknown history or with non-matching numbers and with little or no documentation, would be hard pressed to fetch AU$25,000. The sad part of this price is that this more affordable entry to an E-Type, may call for a AU$75,000 resto . . . but still end up valued at only AU$60,000 or so.

Edit : Can't believe I overlooked the one factor influencing value far more than most . . . where and how your Dad has "lived" the car and which market the car will be offered into.

Best wishes . . . and here's hoping Dad's Car goes to an enthusiast who will maintain and use the car . . . rather than just possess it for trophy cred.

Cheers,

Ken

 

SmittyXXR - yes, stick shift


GGG - yes, matching numbers. The Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate also verifies my dad is the original owner. Title shows date of purchase (1964) and my dad's name. I don't know if he still has the original bill of sale, but Hemmings has a record of the purchase with his name. My dad has a photocopy.


cat_as_trophy - I don't know the terms 'flat floor' and 'drop floor pan' or 'external bonnet locks' and 'internal bonnet locks'. I assume these terms refer to the engine(?) I have photos of the engine and could try and figure it out. If I can't tell by the photos, I can ask my dad. It is a 3.8L, which narrows it down to two variants.


Thank you all.

 

Don't sell it

I don't care what other members say about the variants, I accept that they know a lot more than me. But to my mind a rust free series 1 convertible with a manual gearbox and the 3.8 litre straight six engine is just stratospheric in value. Get it restored to showroom condition with originality and keeping all original parts and you could be talking about $250,000. Personally I would not sell it for $1 million

 

No . . . nothing to do with either engine, 3.8L or 4.2L . . . terms used to describe variants are what they read. My bet is that you have dropped floors and internal bonnet locks, or have you never raised the bonnet / hood? Check out some pics and all will be clear. Your assurance of a 1964 3.8L is interesting and suggests you live in US where it is common to quote year of delivery rather than manufacture. Reason? Ours was a '64 also, and very definitely a 4.2L as were, IIRC, all other '64 manufactured E-Types.

I'm not being pedantic . . . sincerely trying to help you, because I agree with others that you could be looking at a valuable example and obviously need help. My recommendation is as follows. If Dad decides to sell, get well informed professional help . . . or, at the very least, assistance of a nearby expert enthusiast who has neither the finances, nor friends, to cloud otherwise impartial advice. Why not PM your JaguarForums Regional Co-ordinator?

Best wishes,

Ken

 

If you haven't already got a copy, Jaguar E-Type - The Definitive History by Philip Porter answers all the questions on design and development.

Originally published in 1989 and long unavailable, it has recently been reprinted.

Graham