CMC unveils long(ish)-wheelbase Jaguar E-type

One Jaguar E-type enthusiast approached world-renowned Jaguar restorer, Classic Motor Cars Limited of Bridgnorth, to build his ideal usable car - and CMC made some interesting modifications to make his dream come true. The left-hand drive 1968 Jaguar E-type Series 1 4.2 receives a lengthened floorpan, and a matching bespoke trailer.

The car, extended to the specifications of Paul Branstad, the car's owner, who lives in the USA, has been stretched by four and a half inches during a major restoration carried out by CMC. Along with the stretch, the roof line has been raised by 1.25 inches above the driver's head and the boot floor lowered and reshaped to build in a 20 gallon fuel tank. 

The car has also been built with a host of CMC’s upgrades that range from air conditioning to power steering, upgraded brakes, five-speed gearbox, suspension and handling upgrades. During the rebuild Branstad, who intends to travel widely, requested a trailer to be built. CMC built this from two E-type rear ends joined together.

The trailer is connected to the car via a removable tow hitch, which locks into position through the revering light aperture. The reversing light hides the hitch mechanism when the trailer is not in use. This is another first for CMC and the world of Jaguar.

The E-type has been named 'the Kaizen' by Branstad, and takes its name from one of Toyota’s founding principles, Kaizen, which means 'understand the imperative to make continuous improvements and then get to work.' Branstad said that he had named the E-type in this way because he thought that the original Jaguar designer, Malcolm Sayer, would have approved of what he wanted to do to the car while preserving its essence.

He added, 'The stretched E-type I conceived sits between the Series I and the subsequent vehicles produced after the merger and formation of British Leyland, when the design of the cars underwent several transformations into the Series 2 2+2 and Series 3 V12.'

Nick Goldthorp, Managing Director of CMC, said: 'The car is phenomenal to drive. This is the E-Type that Jaguar Cars should have built. The extra space makes all the difference and actually alters the whole attitude of the car.'