Helm’s Jaguar E-Type Restomod is a Glorious Vision
Trying to improve on the perfection of the E-Type is an almost arrogant endeavor — but Helm is up to the task.
From Jaguar’s own E-Type 60 Edition, to the stunning creations of Woodham Mortimer, to this randomly Bond-themed but undeniably gorgeous one-off, I’ve covered quite a few E-Type restomods of late. Of course, I don’t mean to suggest I’m bored of these babies. Far from it, as the proliferation of interpretations on Coventry’s masterstroke has been a windfall of beauty. To paraphrase a quote about iconic impressionist Claude Monet, “the art world didn’t know it needed 250 paintings of waterlilies — until they were there.”
Basically, that’s how I feel about the E-Type, and I’m still holding out hope for a factory electric version. So I was thrilled to stumble across another take on the model from the United Kingdom’s Helm. As I’ve said before, trying to improve on the perfection of the classic coupe is a lofty — almost arrogant — endeavor. But from the pictures of this glorious effort, it’s clear that the wizards at Helm are more than up to the task.
For gearheads of any stripe, such exquisitely rendered vehicles are the stuff of dreams. So in that way? There can never be enough of them. Unfortunately, Helm is only building 20 of these machines — but what machines they are. Each takes approximately 3,800 labor hours to assemble, and at the end of the project, no part of the donor Series 1 is untouched.
To increase rigidity, the chassis is fortified with steel, while the bonnet and door skins are replaced with handmade aluminum versions. Under the hood is Jaguar’s venerable 3.8-liter I-6, which along with being polished to the point of pornography, has been tuned to produce around 300 ponies. Power gets to the ground via a five-speed manual gearbox, and as you’d imagine, the brakes and suspension have been replaced with robust modern kit. So this machine will far outpace any Swinging Sixties-era example.
But performance is really secondary here, as it’s level of detail which makes the Helm E-Type sparkle. Legendary leather smith Bill Amberg designed the interior, and the result is a cabin that’s so awash with buttery hides you can almost smell from the pictures. Virtually every touchpoint has been treated to his handiwork, and the minimal elegance hides a bevy of modern improvements, including additional insulation, a heated windscreen, air conditioning, LED Lighting, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Befitting a luxurious grand tourer like the E-Type, there’s also a set of matching luggage, which tucks in beautifully under the barn door rear hatch. Of course, this level of craftsmanship and attention to detail doesn’t come cheap, and prospective Helm E-Type buyers should expect to pay around $600,000 for the privilege of owning one of these jewels. Here’s hoping at least some of those lucky folks actually exercise their big cats, as keeping something this beautiful hidden would be a crime akin to locking away a Monet.
Photos: Helm
