Rides from the Readers: 1973 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
Hagerty readers and Hagerty Drivers Club members share their cherished collector and enthusiast vehicles with us via our contact email, tips@hagerty.com. We’re showcasing some of our favorite stories among these submissions. To have your car featured, send complete photography and your story of ownership to us at the above email.
Today’s car is a 1973 Series III E-Type Roadster. The third and final series of Jaguar’s lithe sports cars, the 1971–74 cars came exclusively with a 272-hp, 5.3-liter V-12 that, thanks to its aluminum construction, actually weighed less than the time-honored XK six-cylinder version. Jaguar chose to drop the two-seat coupe for these model years, offering only 2+2 coupe and roadster models that shared the same wheelbase. Series Three cars are most easily recognizable by the enlarged oval grille, which added vertical hatches for a flashy, slightly toothier appearance. Of course, that V-12 is a pretty good aural cue.
This particular Series III Roadster belongs to Paul Karofsky and is especially dear to him for two reasons. First, he grew up around the sleek British rides, experiencing his maiden Jaguar voyage in his father’s Mark II 3.8. Karofsky’s first Jaguar of his own was a 1976 XJ-12L that, naturally, required some loving attention to avoid overheating. Karofsky was a committed Jaguar lover when he received the featured Series III roadster for his 40th birthday, as a present from his wife. That’s a pretty good second reason, in our books. Karofsky kept the 12-cylinder beauty for 25 years, savoring it on the weekends and letting more humble wagons do the kid-hauling. Now he enjoys a 2020 F-Type convertible—the 16th in a long line of Jaguars.
