Man purchases cheapest driving Jaguar E-type S1 in the US with a huge surprise inside
- This is the cheapest driving Jaguar E-type S1 in America
- The 1966 car was in great condition
- A surprise in the trunk made it even more covetable
Published on Feb 01, 2025 at 10:00 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Jan 29, 2025 at 3:27 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
A Kansas-based YouTuber purchased the cheapest driving Jaguar E-type S1 in the US – but he was in for a big surprise.
He had always dreamed of inheriting a car collection from his late grandfather.
So when he received a call about a 1966 Jaguar E-Type 4.2 Series 1 he had to pinch himself.
Plus there’s a cherry-on-top surprise hidden inside the trunk.
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The cheapest Jaguar E-type S1 in the US
Described as being the cheapest running example in the USA, the 1966 example set him back just $69,696, Tyler Hoover of Hoovies Garage tells us.
Cheap, but not as cheap as when the E-Type was introduced in 1961, costing $5,000.
However, to put that in context, it’s equivalent to around $50,000 today – meaning it was a luxurious ride with celebrity fans including Steve McQueen and Frank Sinatra.
By 1966, the E-Type’s engine had been upgraded to a larger 4.2L motor boasting 266 horsepower – and driving comfort had gone through the roof.
The main difference between the Series 1 and its Series 2, and Series 3 E-Type successors is, perhaps, its iconic design and performance.
The surprise hiding inside
The car was lovingly maintained with painstaking restorations over the decades, including its non-original floor pans and a repair to cover minor rust that had accumulated.
Under the hood, the car’s engine is revealed to be the original matching 4.2L inline-six, which, despite a little great build-up, is in great shape.
The driving experience is described as mind-blowing, with the car being fast, comfortable, and a joy to drive.
“The best driving experience of any car that I’ve driven of this era, ever. Ever,” Hoover says excitedly.
As things keep getting better and better, inside the trunk they manage to track down a vintage toolkit.
Including Thor’s hammer to remove the wheels as well as other spare parts and manuals – it certainly adds to the car’s historical significance by confirming its originality and authenticity.
All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
