Woodham Mortimer Will Build the Jaguar E-Type Restomod of Your Dreams

By John Coyle - July 29, 2020

While it’s no easy feat, this British restoration shop proves it’s possible to improve on perfection.

It’s one thing to look at a majestic creation like the Jaguar E-Type and imagine how it could be improved. But to look at a majestic creation like the Jaguar E-Type, imagine how it could be improved, and be gloriously, unmistakably, correct is another thing entirely. That takes the kind of eye most mere mortals just don’t possess. Fortunately, rare as they are, those folks do exist. And from what I can tell, about 60 of them are working at Woodham Mortimer.

As for evidence, look no further than this stunning E-Type restomod. Because while the British shop’s effort would fail any concours-level inspection for originality with flying colors, it’s an absolute triumph. There’s not a hair out of place on this cat.

Now recently, I’ve written about an electric XK120, practically begged Jag to make zero-emission powertrain kit for its classics, and drooled over an E-Type packing a Mustang engine. So regular readers might be slightly surprised at just how true to the original Woodham Mortimer’s fantastic bit of kit is.

Overall, this machine feels like something the factory would have done back in the Swinging Sixties, if the brass could have jacked the E-Type’s price to the stratosphere, and workers could have slowed production to a glacial pace.

At its heart isn’t an electric motor or a modern LS-based block, but a heavily revised version of Jaguar’s silky smooth in-line six. Bored to 4.7 liters, the engine now delivers a formidable 400 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. Fuel is delivered via a bank of three Weber carbs, which along with the ceramic coasted headers and custom exhaust, help ensure this gem of an engine sounds as good as it looks.

The potent six-pot is mated to a bespoke five-speed manual transmission, and the drilled pedals in the custom pedal box look perfectly placed for heel-toe footwork. Given that race preparation is one of the shop’s specialties, it’s a good bet this baby has been driven in anger, and I’d love to hear a hot shoe snap off a few rev-matched downshifts.

To assure the big cat is sure-footed, there are adjustable Gaz coilovers and vented disc brakes at all four corners, along with a limited-slip differential from PowerloK out back. The wheels are 15-inch Dunlop units with knock-off hubs, and wouldn’t have looked out of place at Lemans six decades ago.

As you’d expect, the interior has been given a complete overhaul too. Every surface in the cabin is slathered with gorgeous red leather and Alcantara, the custom seats are designed to offer support during spirited driving, and modern inertia-reel seat belts have been tastefully integrated.

While I loved the thin-rimmed steering wheel in my old XJ6, I generally prefer the feel of something beefier in my hands, and the period-looking tiller in this cabin looks right up my alley. Even in pictures, the level of craft on display here is otherworldly, and I can’t even imagine what it must be like to drop into this cockpit and turn the key.

The bodywork has been stretched to accommodate wider wheels, but the extra millimetres aren’t really as evident as the taut, aggressive stance. Seriously, this cat looks ready to pounce on any open road it’s set loose on, and with a good driver at the helm, it’d bet it’ll give plenty of modern sports cars a run for their money.

Currently, this car is for sale, and there’s no price listed. Because if you have to ask, well, you know. If for some reason — like you’re certifiably crazy — this car isn’t everything you’ve ever wanted rendered in steel, Woodham Mortimer is ready to build you something that is. There’s a host of other classic hardware on the site, like this patina-wearing XK120, some gorgeous old Minis, and even a wild Rover race car from the 1980s.

So if you want to go down a rabbit of hole of awesome British hardware, you should definitely check out Woodham Mortimer’s site. The pics of the in-progress restorations are positively indecent.