Description
Here is my Jaguar Mk 2. I bought this around 10 years ago and it's been in dry storage ever since! I've been in the classic car business most of my working life, mostly repairing/ restoring, and I bought this thinking that I'd tinker with it & use it when I retired. However, with retirement looming, and with other interests to pursue, I can't see myself using it enough, so I think it ought to go to someone who will give it the love & use it deserves.
To me the Opalescent Silver-Grey (gunmetal) paintwork with the red leather interior and wire wheels is just the best combination for a Mk 2. Add a 3. 4 litre engine, a manual overdrive gearbox and power steering and you have what many would see as the most desirable specification - and I certainly wouldn't disagree! It's what attracted me to the car. Some would say the 3. 8 is the one to have, and that's probably true if you want to go racing or robbing banks! But for normal use, the consensus seems to be that the 3. 4 is the best all-rounder. The 2. 4 is underpowered, and the later 240 & 340 models were economy models designed to boost sales.
So, what exactly do we have here? I'd describe it as a very tidy, presentable and useable Mk 2. But it's not perfect and it's not going to be winning you trophies at concours events - so if that's what you're looking for, save yourself some time and move along now. . . and be prepared to at least double your budget.
For those still reading, I'll tell you what I can. There is some history, mostly this is from the period since it was restored (mid-nineties I believe) up to around 2010, which I suspect is when it was last in regular use. There’s no recent history, apart from some items I’ve just attended to, for the simple aforementioned reason: I haven't used it and have just kept it in dry, dark storage. But in the earlier history, there is reference to the car being restored by RS Coachworks of Reading. They were well known in those days as restorers of classic Jaguars. According to the old MOT certificates I have, it was showing around 83, 000 miles at that time – it now shows around 3, 000, on its second time around, so it seems it’s done about 20, 000 miles since the restoration. There’s a wad of invoices for further work since then, one referring to the front crossmember & crow’s feet being renewed, as well as further invoices for various repairs and/ or maintenance. There is also reference to the carbs being rebuilt by Burlen Fuel Systems (Google them if you don’t know), which along with the electronic ignition, probably goes some way to explaining why the car runs so well.
I assume that the interior was retrimmed/ restored at the same time, as that is also still in excellent condition, with just a nice amount of patina suggesting light use in the years since. Incidentally, there is also reference in the history to the car having a 2. 4 litre engine fitted at some point - but rest assured, it's definitely a 3. 4 in there: the '3 1/ 2 litre' that was cast into the side of these blocks is clearly visible, and you only have to drive the car to dispel any lingering doubts - no 2. 4 ever went like this! The real-world difference in performance between the 3. 4 & 3. 8 was fairly minimal.
The car has some sensible upgrades/ modifications to make it more useable & reliable for the modern world, but there's nothing that couldn't be put back to original - although, I can't imagine why anyone would want to! These include the following:
Electric power steering.
Automatic electric cooling fan with adjustable thermostat.
Complete stainless steel exhaust system.
Aldon electronic ignition with Lucas 'Gold' coil.
Alternator conversion.
Inertia-reel seat belts front & rear.
SU 'electronic' fuel pump - does away with those troublesome points the originals had.
Halogen headlamp conversion.
Stainless steel braided brake hoses, and all hard lines appear to be corrosion-resistant copper/ kunifer.
On the road, the electric power steering is very discrete, operates silently, and you'd barely know of its presence other than the fact that you don't need arms like Arnold Schwarzenegger to turn the steering at low speeds! Usefully, there is a small rotary control which allows the assistance to be adjusted, or even turned off completely once on the open road if you prefer. The best of both worlds? The car drives very nicely, pulling well in all gears at any revs. The overdrive engages smoothly and provides relaxed cruising. The engine provides plenty of power, and the stainless steel exhaust has a lovely straight-six burble at low revs, turning into a throaty rasp when accelerating to higher revs, leaving anyone within ear-shot in no doubt that there’s a powerful XK engine under that bonnet. Despite this, it’s not intrusive at cruising speeds and you can cruise along without a deafening bellow. All instruments work and display readings around what you’d expect, although they’re not always renowned for their accuracy!.
Upon bringing the car out of its period of ‘hibernation’, the following work has been carried out to bring it to a useable condition:
The fuel system has been stripped and cleaned. Fuel pump stripped, cleaned & tested. Carbs stripped & cleaned, checked & reset float levels. Cleaned out the glass filter bowl in the engine compartment. Flushed the lines through. Also, an extra filter was fitted between the tank and the pump, to prevent any debris from the tank being sucked into the pump or blocking the lines. In my experience, it’s not uncommon for old cars to have debris in the tank – this extra filter just mitigates against that.
The brakes have been checked and fresh fluid bled through the system. All pads have minimal wear. The handbrake actually works very well, which is by no means a given on a Mk 2!
All front suspension subframe mounts have been renewed: a couple of them were passed their best, so it made sense to replace all four while I was at it.
The wire wheels have been refurbished.
All major (legally required) electrical items checked and any faults rectified.
New fuel tank sender unit fitted.
New spark plugs.
New heavy duty battery.
All fluid levels checked & topped up as necessary.
As stated, the car presents very well I would say, but it’s not perfect by any means. Without documentation, I can only guess at what was done when it was restored, but suffice to say it’s an older restoration which is showing signs of age in some areas. The paintwork looks pretty good generally with a good, even shine. But up close, you can see signs of age. There are some blisters here and there, mostly pretty small, around panel edges or the chrome trims, where moisture can get in over time and cause paint to lift. Typical examples in the photos. There are also a couple of blisters at the lower rear corner of the passenger side rear door – also visible in the photos. These are all typical foibles on a Mk 2. In this case they’re pretty minor and aren’t visible from more than a few feet away. Considering how long ago the restoration was, I think it’s standing up well.
The chromework is mostly pretty good, but not perfect. There is pitting on some pieces, mostly the usual suspects (tail lamp plinths, screen trims, etc). On the whole, it’s presentable. See photos.
The wire wheels have been refurbished, as mentioned, and are fitted with matching, correctly rated 185 HR 15 Vredestein Sprint Classic tyres, which appear to have just about the full amount of tread showing. The spare is also a Vredestein, and nestled within it is the original, complete toolkit.
The underside appears to be solid with no evidence of any significant rust present. Yes, it’s had its share of welding during its life – you won’t find many original UK cars that haven’t – but it appears solid now. As mentioned, the front crossmember & crow’s feet have evidently been replaced. Sills & jacking points appear solid.
The car is mechanically sound. The aforementioned work on the fuel & ignition systems has resulted in an engine that runs very sweetly and starts on the button, hot or cold. Doesn’t smoke or rattle, sounds just like a proper XK engine should. Doesn’t overheat. There are a few drips of oil underneath – some from the area around the rear of the engine, and also from the differential casing. Again, this is pretty typical of these cars – unless you get one that’s been recently rebuilt, you’re probably going to have a few leaks – they’re sixty year old Jags!
Gearbox is the four-speed with overdrive on top. All works as it should as long as you understand that you can’t rush the gear shifts with these ‘boxes. No undue noises from transmission.
The interior is a very nice place to be! Obviously retrimmed, it now displays just a nice amount of patina – not new, but not significantly worn or tired-looking either. To me, it’s the ideal interior, as it’s not so perfect that you’re afraid to use it, but it’s still good enough to be a very nice place to sit. Fitted with the optional reclining front seats complete with fold-down picnic tables. The wood veneer is simply beautiful to behold, with a deep, even gloss - I daresay as good as any you’ll find, even in recently restored cars, and certainly better than many tired-looking, dull and flaky veneers you’ll find in many cars at this price-point. The leather, too, is extremely good, with just that bit of patina, but no significant wear. To me, the interior of a Mk 2 is the heart of the car, it can make or break a car and it takes skilled craftsmen and many thousands of pounds to trim one to this standard. So it’s something you should always consider when looking to buy one of these iconic models.
Please bear in mind, when comparing prices, that the cherished number 'PRY 136' on this car is transferable, and is probably worth at least £2K.
History file & V5 present, along with a manual and a few other bits. Historic registered so tax & MOT exempt.
