There is no question that Jaguar’s Series I E-Type is one of the most beautiful automobiles ever designed, and its performance was on a par with its appearance. Today, examples have been added to many of the world’s most significant collections, but a precious few have been loyal partners to long-term owners – and are all the better for it.

The purchase of a new Jaguar Mark II Saloon in 1965 changed the course of the consignor’s life, and that of his wife. The introduction to the lively Jaguar community in Northern California in the mid-1960s led the couple to become officers in their local Jaguar club, establish lasting friendships, embark on countless adventures, and in 1968, it led them to the very special E-Type offered here.

The consignor reports that this Cream over Black Roadster was first owned by a member of Thailand’s royal family while attending Stanford University in the San Francisco Bay Area. The prince is said to have enjoyed the car particularly in light of its limited interior space, giving him time a bit further away from his bodyguards. Before returning home, the prince sold the Jaguar in 1968. It was joyously acquired by the consignor, who was elected president of the Jaguar Associate Group that year, while running his own architectural practice. Soon after his purchase, he upgraded his new prize with a set of five new Borrani wire wheels, which remain on the car today, giving it an aggressive, competition-style presence.

The E-Type became the car the young couple would take on countless rallies throughout the western states, enjoying its open-air design through majestic destinations such as California’s Yosemite Valley and Lake Tahoe. When it was not earning a trophy at a local Jaguar meet, it also served as a carpool shuttle – in the days before seat belt laws – for as many as four elementary school-aged children at a time. All along the way, the owner recorded every tank of gas in spiral notebooks, accompanying the car, and calculated his average mileage at the bottom of each page.

In late 1994, the E-Type was retired to the couple’s garage, with 112,749 miles, still wearing its original paint, as it does today, according to the consignor. 22 years later, having befriended exalted E-Type authority Dave Ferguson of Images Auto Body in nearby Campbell, California, the Jaguar emerged from its dry storage and was mechanically reworked, while maintaining its original character. Invoices on file show that the gearbox and suspension were serviced, and the Jaguar’s original engine was renewed, top and bottom as necessary. In addition, an aluminum radiator was installed, the carburetors were rebuilt, and the dash received a new wiring harness.

Following the car’s return to the road, the owner and his wife have again enjoyed open-road adventures in the E-Type, but now in his 53rd year of ownership, and well into his eighties, they have decided that it is time to let another fortunate enthusiast take over ownership. Still registered on its 1968-issued license plates, this is a very special E-Type, one that has enriched its owner’s life since he was a young man. In thanks, he has made sure his car survived the years intact, much as he has himself – with stories to tell, and new adventures ahead.

*Please note that this vehicle is titled as J671E13271.