Description
Now here's a funny thing. Since the 1980's we have had big six cylinder saloon cars, five of which have been Senators. The one I enjoyed most even over the well appointed 24 valve version was our very early Senator B which was light, fast, smart, quiet, agile, smooth and comfortable, economical even over a huge mileage with only routine servicing.
This one is not like that.
Even pushing 40 and tired, this Senator B is a beast.
It came to me 10 years or so ago from a long term owner with a story that it had been modified when new by TWR for the police, possibly an Irish force. The paperwork supported that it had indeed been heavily modified by TWR who replaced the 3L Vauxhall engine with a tuned 4L Jaguar motor, 5 speed manual box, lowered the car, giving it lots of bespoke performance fittings. But the police story didn't sit right as the base car was above the right spec and I couldn't see that the police would spend this kind of money modifying and lowering a car so that whilst being very fast as a chase car, it couldn't even get up a kerb without grounding.
Enquiries with DVLA and with someone who worked at TWR and remembered the car, established that the car was originally registered F337 SPH in 1989 with the first keeper being TWR Special Vehicle Operations Ltd in Kidlington, then Jaguar Sport Ltd in 1991, as a development car for Vauxhall who it was said were considering closer involvement with Jaguar.
As part of the dispersal sale of TWR the modified car went into private ownership with Three Pigeons Garage, Oxford and several further owners, one of whom changed the registration to MJI 6227 simply as a cherished registration transfer.
It came to me with a bit of MOT, but imho not at all roadworthy with fluid leaks, brake problems and some corrosion. I concentrated on repairing urgent jobs, servicing, stabilising the condition and working out what all the modifications were.
During these 10 years a chunk of time has been lost to illness and my collection of projects has grown (don't they always) so I have agreed to let "some" go.
This car is unusual and deserves a proper sympathetic restoration and to be with a collector. It will cost some money and time but there's nothing here that is beyond the wit of man to fix, with Senator and Jaguar spares being easily available and everything accessible and straightforward. In the right hands, much of this could be done by an enthusiast with some help from specialists as needed.
Even ordinary Senator B's are scarce now. After a long gap TWR are back.
Would't it be fun to go to an event in this car with it all done and park it next to a new generation TWR Supercat... Everything is there, apart from the old carpets/ soundproofing in the footwells and boot which have been removed and binned to keep the areas dry. External plastic sill trims have been removed to allow for cleaning and airflow. The OZ split rims and ancient tyres are included although the car sits on slave wheels at the moment making it easier to get work on. The refitting of the cooling system with a modern radiator is incomplete but it's easy to see everything and to judge the level of work required. Some peeling paint and filler has been removed with the bare metal waxoyled and there is more to do.
So a seriously fun and unusual project.
