Vehicle Description
Chassis No. 1E32946
Engine No. 8L179994-S
Under the skilled hands of Brian Donovan and his expert team at
Donovan Motorcar Service of Lenox, Massachusetts, together with
Peter Romeo of Romeo Restorations, this Series 1 E-Type Coupe was
totally transformed, drawing inspiration from the E-Type Low Drag
and Lightweight cars that raced at Le Mans during the 1960s. The
car, starting as a stock Fixed Head Coupe, was disassembled to its
bare shell. The bodywork was meticulously finished, with an
aluminum hood sourced to replace the original steel one. Once the
hood was expertly fit to the body and joined by its sleek Lexan
headlight covers, the bodywork was refinished in silver. Inside,
seats were sourced and finished with black leather. Custom wool
carpeting with heat barrier and Dynamat were installed to ensure
passenger comfort. A complete new wiring harness was installed,
along with restored gauges, while all new trim was sourced.
Completing its sporting outward appearance is a set of 15-inch
Dunlop-style wheels, while a custom external Daytona-style fuel
filler cap is integrated into the rear bodywork.
A Savannah Race Engineering 4.2-liter engine was sourced from a
Series III XK6 that was completely overhauled with new sleeves and
upgraded with a custom "stroker" high-performance crankshaft,
Crower long-race-spec connecting rods, and custom-made pistons. The
cylinder head was overhauled, and the ports were polished to
increase airflow for the new high-torque camshafts. The engine is
fed by three Weber 45DCOE9 carburetors from a custom-made Fuel Safe
fuel cell neatly installed in the spare tire well. Dyno tests show
that this engine now produces over 300 lb-ft of torque and 283
horsepower. An aluminum radiator with custom aluminum shrouding
integrates an external engine oil cooler.
More than just a powerful engine, the restoration also replaced all
rubber suspension bushings with polyurethane replacements for an
even sportier feel. Koni shocks and a reinforced three-link rear
suspension setup help control the ride and dial in the E-Type's
handling dynamics. Larger vented front and rear brakes were sourced
from a late model XJ and adapted to fit on the overhauled
differential with a 3.77:1 gear ratio. This sportier gear ratio
offers improved acceleration and is complemented by a ZF five-speed
manual transmission. A custom integrated electronic parking brake
system has also been installed.
With the rotisserie restoration completed in 2018 after six years
of careful work, invoices for the build totaled nearly $475,000.
Only 300 test and shakedown miles were completed. This truly
no-expense-spared restoration results in a stunning example to
showcase the E-Type's true sporting potential. The entire
restoration process is documented in the accompanying digital
history file, from the upgraded engine to its lightweight bodywork
modifications. Most recently, in 2024, full nose and leading edge
paint protection film was installed. With its comprehensive list of
upgrades, this E-Type is ideally suited for use on any number of
historic motoring events, rallies, and shows, and will surely be a
standout at every automotive gathering it graces.
