JAGUAR V-12 E-TYPE - A GUIDE TO AUTHENTICITY

[AussieEtype]

In the early 90s I saw an add in a local Australian Jaguar magazine advertising JAGUAR V-12 E-TYPE - A GUIDE TO AUTHENTICITY-RICHARD T.RUSS - I think it was for sale for the equivalent of about 10 pounds.

I thought it would be handy and as it was cheap I decided to buy it. Because I needed to give my credit card number I called the US number and spoke to the author - rather longer than I intended - on all things series 3. In due course the book arrived - and very good it is - with a personal inscription on the first page from Richard wishing me well with my car.

Go forward to today - the same book in worse condition than mine on ebay UK for 445 pounds (gotta learn how to put in the pounds symbol)

Googling it further - Amazon has it starting at $700 for used copies and another US site has it for $1200 US.

Hmmm - I now wonder what mine is worth in good nick with the personal inscription - but now it is worth so much I will not be able to use it with greasy fingers to see how things go or how they should be presented.

I guess it is one of the few good reference publications of its type around - not perfect and US LHD focussed but does try to cover other versions - I think it is a great resource.

Garry

[vee12eman]

Hi Garry,

Yes, the Richard T Russ book is great - easily the best Series III reference book and I value my copy highly. These books have a habit of going up and down in value as they get rare and then are re-published. Mine was bought off ebay in UK, around 5 years ago - I paid about 30 Quid (I haven't got pound signs either!) for both it and the Practical Classics book - also out of print. I also bought a new copy of the Haddock book for about the same price, which then went through the roof when it went out of print. I didn't rate it as worth the high prices asked shortly afterward and when I became short of cash for the resto, I put it on ebay - starting price of 99 pence and made 5 times the purchase price, I think it went to France. Anyway, it was reprinted (short run only) so I bought it from US, cost around $100 last year.

But, if you want to use the Richard T-Russ version and are scared of dirty finger marks, then it is now available from XKE data and also from SNG Barratt, but in electronic form on cd. SNG Barratt send to Australia with pretty decent postage - I know, I use them a lot. I think it costs about 35 pounds, I haven't got a copy so I don't know how well it works as a cd (I found the cd version of the Practical Classics book pretty poor- hence searching for the original on eBay). I suppose you can print from it, which would be useful in the garage.

I may buy it myself one day, as I am being converted to electronic versions of books, early versions were very poor, if you get it, let us know if it is worth it.

One last thing though, the book might be advertised at those prices, but is it selling? Seems the E-Type books are going the same way as the cars - rarity value is setting in and prices are apparently soaring, so everyone is trying to cash in!

Regards,

[PETE V]

I wonder if Chris Rooke's book will ever raise that sort of cash?

[vee12eman]

Yeah, it should do, 'cos I've bought all the remaining copies to make it rare!

Seriously, it's a good book so it just depends on whether supply falls behind demand I guess

[AussieEtype]

Russ's book is asking around the $700 - $1200 US at various major book outlets so I would assume it is also making similar money.

I am also into Landrovers and I guy by the name of Taylor and his reference book from the 80s was in a similar situation - often 500 pounds on ebay - I would not have liked to be the person who bought the last one before an new print run was done with a street price of 25 pounds = the bottom fell out of the market.

Garry

[Phil]

The Russ book is great indeed and very well detailed and illustrated.
I am glad I found one on ebay several years ago when still at a normal price. Will keep it 8) who knows it will go on and get more value at E 60