Iconic, beautiful, and with a pedigree that’s hard to match, the Jaguar E-Type is one of the most popular cars ever made. Purchasing one is a dream that many car enthusiasts hold dear, which has led to the Jaguar’s remarkable value in recent years. However, as is the case with most classic cars, it’s essential to approach this purchase with educated caution. It’s easy to make a mistake that could turn your dream car into a troublesome nightmare.

ECD Automotive Design a promising showing at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans, Jaguar decided to hone its racing-derived E-Type into a more refined luxury GT. The result was the Low Drag Coupe, designed by Malcolm Sayer using thin steel, unique aluminum panels, and perspex glass to reduce mass while retaining the roadster’s visceral appeal. Its powerful, 3.8-liter straight-six engine was also lighter thanks to a new aluminum block and crankcase.

Custom E-Type Jaguars: Preserving Heritage While Adding Modern Flair

These improvements, combined with a lighter body and stripped interior, saved around 250 pounds over a standard E-Type. This was enough to catapult the Low Drag Coupe into first place at Spa-Francorchamps and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, allowing Jaguar to reassert its racing credentials.

But despite these achievements, the company wasn’t able to convince William Lyons that a full-scale production run of 18 Lightweight E-Types was financially feasible. Instead, the unused chassis were shipped off to an E-Type fan who’d been holding on to them since 1974. Parrott did what any engineering whiz with a love of the marque would do and used 95% of the parts to build an all-new Roadster.