The 'E' Type Forum

I have a 1967 E Type Roadster that I purchased in 1972. 1E 14966 Open Headlights. I have been told that it would have come new with closed headlights. The original owner (whom I purchased from) said it came new with open. Research I have done does not always support what he has told me. Any theories?

Go to http://www.xkedata.com/cars/

Type in your car number (might as well register it there while you are there) and search for cars +/- 20 either side of yours. You will find both closed and open headlights.

Without knowing a bit more about actual manufacturing dates I can't be sure but I suspect your car is right on the cusp.

You could also look at the coupes from the same era. I have a June 1967 coupe with closed lights and had a September 1967 coupe with open lights.

On one of the E-type forums, I read that the first E-type OTS built with open
headlights was 1E14535 on January 11, 1967. There were 18 non-sequential LHD OTS
cars built after that date with covered headlights, the latest being 14656. Assuming that is correct, yours was as the previous owner said, a rare (and IMO) desirable open headlight model.

Tom

My car, 1E14988 built early March '67, came with open headlights. My PO installed a covered headlight kit. If yours did, indeed, come with open headlights, and I suspect that it did since it is only 22 cars ahead of mine, it would be one of the so-called Series 1.25 E's.