Only Fools and Horses E-type for sale

A Jaguar E-Type that starred in the famous BBC comedy series Only Fools and Horses is going under the hammer. The car, a 1973 Series III Roadster, will be offered for sale at Silverstone Auctions’ Salon Privé Sale on 3September at Blenheim Palace.

The car was delivered new to Henlys of London on 11 October, 1973, and purchased by its first and only owner, a successful Swansea businessman, who has cruised his E-Type along the ‘Welsh Riviera’ with the top down for the past four decades.  

In 1981, UYP 695M was invited to star in the second ever episode of Only Fools and Horses, titled Go West Young Man, in which Boycie, the local second-hand car dealer played by John Challis, purchases the car as a birthday gift for his ‘bit on the side’. Del Boy (David Jason) and Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) then decide to borrow the car for a night out on the tiles, which naturally does not go quite as planned.

On their way home, Rodney accidentally throws a cigar pack out of the window on which are written the phone numbers of some girls, causing Del Boy to hit the brakes and another car to crash into them.

This was, of course, a staged accident with no damage caused to the car itself, which has been lovingly looked after by its owner for its whole life. This Jaguar has been known ever since as ‘Boycie’s E-type’.

Finished in Old English White with a blue leather interior, it comes with its own die-cast model signed by both David Jason and John Challis, presented in a frame with mounted stills of the car's appearance in the episode.

When asked about his time filming with the car, John Challis remarked, ‘It's only E-Type Jaguars and Adam Peaty that makes me proud to be British these days,’ paraphrasing his original line from the episode, and alluding to the British swimmer’s recent success at the Rio Olympics.

After 10 years in storage in a heated garage, this year the car was recommissioned, including new shock absorbers and battery, as well as a full service. Reading 79,000 miles, and coming with a comprehensive history file, including 16 previous MOTs, two sets of original keys, tool roll, jack and a current MoT until May 2017, it heads to auction with a sale estimate of between £75,000 and £85,000.

‘It’s one of the joys of the auction world to be able to offer a car that is rather special in every way,’ explains Nick Whale, managing director of Silverstone Auctions. ‘Not only does it have the distinction of having been featured in one of the best loved television comedies of all time, it’s also a beautiful and extremely well looked after example in largely original condition.’

To find out more about the 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series III Roadster and the Salon Privé Sale, please visit the website.