At some point in the late 1970s, someone decided to park this Series 2 Jaguar E-Type. A registration sticker visible through the clouded windshield shows 1978, and we see just 31,499 miles on the odometer. We have no idea why it was parked, but time has not been kind to this abandoned classic. This isn’t so much a barn find as it is a graveyard discovery.
The car was uncovered in the UK by the IMSTOKZE YouTube channel, and you don’t have to be a Jaguar enthusiast to feel some pain from the view. As the camera approaches the sports car we can easily see considerable rust and corrosion on the outside. The roof is missing, treating us to a depressing view of the interior. Nature has partially reclaimed the car with mold and moss visible on multiple surfaces, but it’s the rust that drives the spike through our hearts. Holes in the floor show this car is rotten to the core.
There’s more bad news under the hood, which is hard to open because the hinges are rotten and falling apart. The straight-six is still there, mounted between severely rusted suspension components. It’s unclear whether the engine has run in the last 40 years, but it certainly hasn’t run recently. And yet, there’s a glimmer of hope with the oil dipstick, which slides out easily and shows plenty of clean oil in the pan. It’s a stark contrast to the rest of the car, which is literally falling to pieces where it sits.
According to the video, this car was among many owned by an individual who recently passed away. There’s no location given, and the video suggests all the cars in this area will soon be shipped out to make room for a construction crew. Whether it’s all being torn down or renovated is unknown, and the fate of the cars – including the E-Type – is also unknown.
To a casual onlooker, this classic Jag is just one of many machines ready for the scrapyard. Even dedicated enthusiasts would have a hard time making the case for a restoration here. With rust everywhere, it could be too far gone to save. But, anything is possible and as commenters in the video point out, E-Type restoration parts are readily available. Furthermore, it seems this car is more or less complete, with its engine and transmission.
Is this E-Type worth saving? Jump into the comments; give us your take on resurrecting this Jaguar from its 46-year-old grave.
