eBay Find of the Day: 1965 Frua-bodied Coombs Jaguar E-Type prototype
Click above for a gallery of the 1965 Frua-bodied E-Type Jaguar
In 1965, a Jaguar dealer named John Coombs got an idea for an exclusive model. He was doing well selling modified Jaguar Mk 2 sedans, and asked Italian coachbuilder Pietro Frua – yes, the man behind this Camaro – to rework a red E-Type as a test lure for cash-heavy customers. Pietro shortened the car by 30 cm, changed the nose and tail, and repainted the whole lot silver. The car lured hardly anyone, though, and the one Pietro made is the only one that was ever built.
After having been around the world and down the tubes cosmetically, the bespoke Jag has undergone a year-long restoration down to its nuts and bolts, and it is currently for sale on eBay. Although we agree with Coombs – and the invisible customers – that the car isn't as pretty as the standard E-Type, it's still a one-off piece of Jag history with a good story. At the time of writing the bidding is up to $41,400, and you can check it out in the gallery of photos below.
Gallery: Frua-bodied 1965 Jaguar E-Type
[Source: eBay via BringATrailer]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
dukeisduke 2:55PM (4/28/2009)
Was this car re-engined in '66 or '67? The 4.2 first appeared during the 1966 model year, and those cars are referred to as "Series 1-1/2 cars". The Frua additions? Ugly (except maybe the headlight covers).
Reply
chuck goolsbee 4:02PM (4/28/2009)
The 4.2 actually appeared in late 1964. The "Series 1.5" car (which Jaguar never officially acknowledged) did not appear until late 1967, when the Series 1 was modified to meet safety regs (open headlights, rocker switches on dash replacing toggles, recessed interior door handles, etc.) Series 2 appeared in late 1968, with a pretty significant restyle.
I suspect you are thinking of the 2+2 model, which DID appear first in 1966.
--chuck
Steve 3:21PM (4/28/2009)
Hideous beyond belief. Way to ruin one of the worlds prettiest cars.
Reply
StickShift 3:32PM (4/28/2009)
I don't think its THAT bad. The rear styling isn't that good looking, and the grille looks too Alfa, but the shortened length works nicely.
Reply
another_one 3:52PM (4/28/2009)
Please tell me this "designer" was *ahem* unemployed after these atrocities.
(but it does give us something to talk about and collect).
Reply
BoxerFanatic 5:12PM (4/28/2009)
This designer went on to design the 1967 Chevrolet Camaro.
chuck goolsbee 4:07PM (4/28/2009)
This car has been sold many times before, but this restoration is relatively new.
This car is not really a one-off, as their is an OTS (roadster) version of the Frua E-type as well. It is currently just a rusty hulk on a shelf in Switzerland, so it likely not worth restoring unless for some reason this car trades for a price in excess of $100,000. Unlikely though given how unappealing it is.
Frua FHC: http://www.xkedata.com/cars/detail/?car=1E21041
Frua OTS: http://www.xkedata.com/cars/detail/?car=1E11078
--chuck
Reply
glifan 5:12PM (4/28/2009)
I bet that if somebody in Dubai tried to make a gilded E-type Britain would declare war on the UAE (rightfully so).
Reply
Aldrich 5:52AM (4/30/2009)
In case you didn't know, Pietro Frua is amongst the most legendary in names of the Italian coachbuilding names. He's right up there with Giugiaro, Michelotti, Pininfarina, Bertone and Scaglietti.
That said, he's more famous for his work with Maseratis.
Reply