By Dean Larson

Photos: Seller, Craigslist

Responsible for some of the most influential and valuable cars ever made, you wouldn’t take it lightly if Enzo Ferrari called an English car the most beautiful car in the world. But that’s almost exactly what he said when Jaguar unveiled the E-Type back in 1961, and the E-Type went on to be an international sensation and one of Jaguar’s most successful models. While it’s surprising to hear old man Ferrari bestow such a compliment on the competition, I’d say it’s even more surprising that you can buy that very same vehicle today for just $40,000 — and it even runs! Asking a little more than half the standard rate for driving E-Types, this ’69 Series II car on Los Angeles Craigslist is probably one of the best deals out there today on a classic car.

The trick to this E-Type being so affordable is of course the fact that Jaguar made a lot of them, something like 70,000 worldwide. That’s how you end up with all the style, elegance and performance of a Ferrari for the same price as a new Chevrolet pickup. But of course this isn’t the standard rate for E-Types, and your average example might go for $70,000 to $80,000, with exceptional cars asking $100,000 and up. Finding a Series I or Series II car in good condition for this price is a challenge on its own, not to mention finding a 4.2-liter Series II in running and driving condition.

This ’69 model isn’t perfect though, and the owner states that it’s a fun driver and not a show car. As such, presentation could be improved here and there and some of the paintwork is showing age. The seller has done some restoration work on the interior, but details still need ironing out, and the center console lacks its original finish. The car would probably also fetch stronger money with wire wheels and the front bumper fitted, but the owner states many original parts are included in the sale.

Unless a ton of rust or other nasty surprises are hiding on the underside of this Fixed Head Coupe, I don’t see how you could go wrong for $40,000. It runs and drives, so that should keep you motivated as you tackle the small jobs, and the value is only going to go up as years go by. Having driven a couple E-Types over the years, I’m truly astonished one can be had for such reasonable money. So please, someone go buy this so I don’t have to.

Check out the Series II E-Type here on Los Angeles Craigslist.