I was not going to reply because I don't know the E-type, other than my friends' E-types. But since noone has replied I'll say what I know. The 4.2 liter engine came after the 3.8 liter engine. The early E-types came with the 3.8 liter engine. My 1965 S type has a 3.8 liter engine. My 1984 XJ-6 has the 4.2 liter engine. Both those engines are considered "XK" engines because they evolved from the original 3.4 liter XK engine, an engine design from around 1945 with double, chain-driven Cams and built-in reliability, not to mention lots of power for its time. And of course, the E-type was the "modern" car that put Jaguar Cars in the map. Even today the E-type looks "modern", never looks "dated". The E-type evokes a lot of magic with car collectors and Jaguar enthusiasts. Value? Whatever someone is willing to pay. A friend sold his pristine-condition 1973 Coupe 2+2 for $23 thousand, then he tried to buy it back a few months later, offering $28 thousand, but the new owner will not sell it, and they are now not speaking to each other, the worst thing is that they are next door neighbors!! So count your blessings. You have a car that may need bodywork and paint. If you bought it to flip it and make a buck, chances are you will make a buck, maybe two. Otherwise fix it and cherish it, take it to car shows, get some trophies, they don't make 'em anymore.

 

post up pics, those things are a tight fit for a big guy let me tell you !

 

Jose is dead on with the details. You can count the convertible as double the valve of the 2+2 he described. You found a gem!

 

By the way, the 4.2 E-type started in 1965 and ran trough 1970 when Jaguar chained the E-type to the 5.3 v12 engine. The 4.2 cars are considered Series 1 and half and Series 2. The split their comes around 1967, but I'm fuzzy on the exact year.