1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 3.8 Roadster
Global Icons: Europe Online Friday, 30 January 2026
Chassis No. 877082
Engine No. R 4313-9
Body No. R 3565
Born from Jaguar's Le Mans dominance of the 1950s, the E-Type translated D-Type construction principles into a road car that not only replaced the XK150, but redefined sports-car expectations. Unveiled in March 1961, it stunned the world with its sleek form, unitary construction, and advanced engineering with its 3.8-liter inline-six, true four-wheel independent suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, and Dunlop disc brakes all around. With improved seating and a larger footwell for 1962, demand surged so strongly that Jaguar soon struggled to keep pace.
This early covered-headlight E-Type was completed on 11 April 1962 and dispatched on 27 April to its first owner, Dr. Harry Paul Ross of Maryland, initiating an extraordinary 56-year period of single-family ownership. After nearly three decades of enjoyment, the Jaguar was refinished in its factory-specified Opalescent Gunmetal in the early 1990s, while the interior was retrimmed in new red leather. The restoration so moved the Ross family that subsequent use was deliberately limited to use only on special occasions.
In late 2017, the E-Type was removed from long-term storage to be prepared for sale for the first time since its original purchase in 1962. The recommissioning included a comprehensive fuel-system overhaul, carburetor rebuild, cooling-system service, braking-system rebuild, and replacement of the brake and clutch master cylinders. Acquired by its second owner in 2018, the car was brought back across the pond with its next steward who continued to use the E-Type on a limited basis. As a result of its long-term storage and limited use since restoration, it is advised that the car will need further servicing before a return to the road. Accompanied by a digital copy of its original Maryland title and a Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate to confirm the original build specification of this striking early production example.