This 1964 Jaguar E-type FHC is a matching-numbers Series 1 3.8 liter example on offer by the brother of its recently deceased owner. This is a black plate California car that has been in the hands of just 3 Bay Area owners from new. Documentation from Jaguar confirms this car was built in December 1963, finished in black over red with engine #RA4771-9. Purchased by the seller’s brother in 2007, he drove the car every week while performing a rolling mechanical restoration. It now runs a fully rebuilt engine with high compression pistons, sport cams and Borg-Warner T-5 5-speed transmission designed to offer both improved performance and reliability. This is a well-maintained Series 1 E-type that has been a regular participant at local Bay Area drives and Cars N Coffee meets for many years.

The car was purchased new by Mr. F. Bellchi of Richmond, CA in February 1964. Mr. Bellchi sold it to his next door neighbor, Mr. Goshay, who had wanted his neighbors car from the day it arrived and Mr. Bellchi had promised to sell it to him when it was time. The car has never rusted and retains a nice mix of original and restored components finished in its correct black over red leather interior.

Chrome is straight and shiny with light surface pitting. Paint is a mix of original and partial resprays performed over the years. Sheet metal is straight with good panel gaps, though it appears that minor bodywork was performed on the passenger side in the past. Note excellent and scratch-free glass all around.

Red leather seats have been reupholstered and the seller says the interior strikes a perfect balance between restored and original. All gauges, lights, switches and electrical accessories work. Additional cabin photos are viewable in the gallery below, and highlight specific areas such as the luggage compartment and dash in detail.

The car has been upgraded with Wilwood disc brakes and the engine has been rebuilt over the course of the last six years. Now fitted with higher compression XK Unlimited 9.1 compression pistons with a .020 overbore, performance cams and more, the seller says his brother focused on reliability and the new owner can be confident taking it on tours and rallies immediately. The 5-speed conversion employs custom modifications to the input shaft and output flange for proper fit and offers much improved drivability – the car cruises easily at 70 MPH turning around 2,000 RPMs.

The car is very clean underneath year old with a newer stainless steel exhaust. The rear suspension was completely rebuilt last year, and more recently the front suspension was just gone through. Additional chassis shots are visible in the gallery, several of which give a better glimpse of the upgraded Wilwood brakes. This has been a regular at the annual New Year’s Day Anti-Football run and other drives around Marin County.