One to Buy: ex-Briggs Cunningham 1963 Jaguar E-type 3.8 Lightweight
Although Jaguar had supplied a handful of competition-prepared ‘ZP’ E-types to special customers for 1961, a more comprehensively uprated Lightweight version was developed for 1963 in order to counter the threat from Ferrari’s rule-bending 250 GTO.
A dozen of the new cars were built by Jaguar. They came with lightened aluminium bodies, an aluminium hardtop, uprated suspension and a fuel-injected, dry-sumped aluminium block 3.8-litre 300bhp straight six engine with triple Weber carburettors. Close-ratio four speed Moss and five-speed ZF gearboxes were variously used.
Thanks to their exploits during the 1963 season where they frequently outperformed Ferrari’s 250 GTO on British soil, the Lightweight E-types have come to be regarded as the ultimate iteration of a true automotive icon.
Today, one of these sensational machines is currently on offer at the William I’Anson showroom in Gloucestershire: chassis S850664.
The second of three Lightweight E-types originally delivered to noted American sportsman, Briggs Cunningham, chassis S850664 was UK registered 5114 WK and made its competition debut at the 1963 Le Mans 24 Hours where it failed to finish owing to gerabox failure.
After its outing at la Sarthe, S850664 returned to Jaguar’s Browns Lane factory at which point the Le Mans hood was replaced and a five-speed ZF gearbox installed. The car was then exported to the US where it scored an eleventh overall and third in class at the Road America 500 mile United States Road Racing Championship event. This was followed by fourth overall and fourth in class at the Bridgehampton 500km, a round of the 1963 World Sportscar Championship.
S850664 was subsequently retired from competition duty and delivered to Briggs Cunningham’s renowned motor museum in Costa Mesa, California. Since then it has resided in some of the world’s most highly regarded collections.
Reprinted below is William I’Anson’s description:
Ownership of this iconic car reads as a veritable ‘who’s who’ of both the motorsport and collectors’ car world and it is without a doubt one of the most important of the rare and now legendary Jaguar Lightweight E Type. As you look into the history of these true racing thoroughbreds, and this car in particular, it is easy to see why they have remained one of the most sought after cars of all time.
This is not only regarded as one of the most original of the 12 cars built, sold new to one of Jaguar's most important clients Briggs Cunningham, it is one of the most iconic cars to ever leave the Jaguar Factory.
Sold new to the famous privateer Briggs Cunningham as part of his Works backed, three car team for the 1963 Le Mans 24 Hours.
Raced at Le Mans by American star drivers Augie Pabst and Walt Hansgen.
Raced for the Cunningham Team at the 1963 Road America 500 by Walt Hansgen and Paul Richards and a week later at the Bridghampton 500 by Briggs Cunningham himself.
Retired to the Cunningham Museum in California in 1963 where it remained for a number of years before passing through several distinguished collectors including Sir Anthony Bamford and Sir Paul Vestey to name a few.
Extensively researched and documented over the years by some of the worlds most prominent Jaguar and racing historians, it is accompanied by an extensive history that includes correspondence and invoices from Lynx, vehicle histories written by several authors, magazine articles, and an original developmental test report to Cunningham team manager Alfred Momo and the Jaguar factory written by test driver Bill Kimberly.
Having avoided constant development and race preparation, it thankfully has remained remarkably original. It is not just the fact it has retained its original factory issued aluminium bodywork and matching numbers alloy engine, but what is even more impressive is the presence of all of the finer and specific parts and details that can be lost over time.
Ferrari came calling with the GTO and Britain answered conclusively with the E-Type Lightweight. So, whether you want to return to the track, take to the open road, or grace the lawn of some of the most prestigious concourse worldwide, this fabulous car will surely stand at the forefront of any collection it is lucky enough to grace.
