MODIFIED DOWN UNDER

I first encountered Alan Baker’s US-spec left-hand drive Series I E-Type at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival in December 2018. The car had pride of place on the South Australian Jaguar Drivers’ Club stand, and understandably it was surrounded by a crowd of enthusiasts. Once I’d finally elbowed my way to the front and got a glimpse, I could appreciate why. This E-Type FHC is quite simply immaculate; and although it’s not in exactly the same Series I spec in which it left the factory, its numerous alterations and upgrades help to make it one of the most interesting – and one of the most rewarding to drive – examples of its type.

The car originally left Browns Lane, Coventry in early 1964, destined for the USA where it would be sold to a Ronald G Brady via the local Buick dealership in Long Beach, California. The E-Type stayed in Ron Brady’s ownership for some years, until eventually being sold to Arizona-based Anthony Gomez. The history of the car then