A Legend Reborn
Jaguar E Type 3.8 Series 1 ‘Flat Floor’
Ron Russell
From rural mishaps to concours triumphs, the extraordinary life of one of Britain’s most beautiful cars.
Few cars in automotive history have achieved such mythical status as the Jaguar E-Type — a machine so breathtaking in design and performance that Enzo Ferrari famously declared it “the most beautiful car ever made.” More than six decades after it first turned heads, the E-Type remains an enduring symbol of style, speed, and British engineering brilliance.
Today, one particularly special example — chassis AXA 324A — resides proudly within the Moulsdale Foundation in Glasgow, its story as compelling as its silhouette. Beneath its long, elegant bonnet lies a piece of motoring art powered by a triple-carburetted, six-cylinder Jaguar XK engine. This masterpiece of engineering features a cast iron block, a light alloy twin-cam twelve-valve head, and a crankshaft forged from high-tensile steel.
Unlike many of its contemporaries, the E-Type’s brilliance lay not just in its beauty but also in its innovation. All models were equipped with independent coil spring rear suspension, torsion bar front ends, and four-wheel disc brakes. The car’s semi-monocoque structure was revolutionary for its time — far lighter than traditional body-on-frame construction — and with the engine positioned behind the front axle, the car achieved near-perfect weight distribution at 51:49. The result was sublime handling, balance, and precision — a sports car that didn’t just look fast but felt it.
The 3.8-litre variants, like AXA 324A, offered an interior that was pure sophistication, with leather-trimmed bucket seats, an aluminium centre console, and the distinctive Moss four-speed gearbox — famously lacking synchromesh in first gear. Even the low, curvaceous windscreen required three small wipers instead of the usual two, such was the attention to design detail.
Despite being built in 1962, this particular E-Type’s official date of registration is 1992, marking its return to British ownership after years abroad. What followed was a transformation every bit as remarkable as its design.
From Ditches to Distinction
The E-Type’s early life was less than glamorous. Originally owned by a gentleman farmer in Fife, known for his fondness for late nights at the local pub, the car became a regular victim of his escapades — often discovered in a ditch the following morning. Over ten chaotic years, the once-beautiful Jaguar suffered countless bumps and scrapes until, battered and bent, it was eventually sold for the princely sum of £5.
Over the next two decades, the car changed hands five times, yet none of its owners took on the daunting task of restoration. That all changed when Billy Cuthbertson, a lifelong Jaguar enthusiast and skilled engineer, learned of the car’s existence. Alongside his close friend John McAleese, then Chairman of the Jaguar Drivers’ Club Scotland, Billy decided to rescue the neglected roadster from obscurity.
For three years, the two men dedicated themselves to an exhaustive restoration, devoting over forty hours a week to return AXA 324A to better-than-new condition. Billy’s wife, Ann, affectionately dubbed the E-Type “the other woman,” as the project consumed countless evenings and weekends. But their efforts paid off — the result was nothing short of spectacular.
A Life on the Road and in the Spotlight
Once restored, AXA 324A was no mere showpiece. Billy and Ann used the car for everything — from shopping trips and holidays abroad to tours of the Scottish Highlands. Its celebrity status grew as it appeared at prestigious events including the Silverstone Classic, Prescott Hillclimb, and three Jaguar Drivers’ Club anniversary trips to the Geneva Motor Show.
One of the car’s most notable achievements came in 2015, when it was specially invited to the Hollywood Palace Concours D’Elegance, where sixty of the world’s finest cars gathered for charity. AXA 324A triumphed, winning Best Sports Car, with the award presented by Ian Callum, then Jaguar’s Director of Design.
As the Cuthbertsons departed the Palace, still elated from their win, Billy recalled waving to a man by the gates — only to realise it was HRH The Duke of Kent, himself a former E-Type owner. It was a fitting encounter for a car that had not only survived but excelled, embodying the very essence of British motoring prestige.
A Home at the Moulsdale Foundation
Today, the car’s legacy continues at the Moulsdale Foundation, where it stands as both an icon of design and a symbol of resilience. The Foundation, established by David Moulsdale, has supported hundreds of charitable and philanthropic endeavours over the past 35 years, donating to causes across the UK and internationally.
Displaying the E-Type within the Foundation’s collection is more than an act of preservation; it’s a tribute to craftsmanship, perseverance, and passion — qualities that mirror the Foundation’s own ethos.
From a muddy field in Fife to a Concours d’Elegance in Hollywood, AXA 324A’s journey is one of revival and recognition. It remains a car that not only defined an era but continues to inspire awe today.
