The Series 1 Jaguar XJ6 was a car that redefined luxury motoring, with performance and agility that blew its rivals into the weeds. 

At the top of the range sat the Daimler Sovereign – leather trimmed with walnut veneers, it was one of the most luxurious cars of its day as well as a terrific car to drive. 

There really aren’t many left – less than 20 still taxed according to DVLA data. But here’s one that could bump those numbers back up by one, having recently emerged from a 34-year lay-up. It’s a genuine barn-find – a phrase that seems to apply to anything that’s been off the road for bit but in this case is entirely genuine. 

Furthermore, it’s remarkably together and complete. A terrific opportunity for a competent restorer to create an absolute gem.

First registered in 1971, the car spent most of its life in an around Blackpool and Cleveleys. It is currently registered to the vendor in East London, who is logged as its 5th owner. However, the last three have been him, the gentleman he bought it from this year and the probate lawyers who were dealing with the second owner’s family will. So in essence, it has had two keepers from new, one from 1974 until 2021. 

The car belonged to a couple in Lancashire who used it sparingly, as documented by a hand-written log of every fuel fill-up and oil top-up/service up to 1985, when the mileage recorded was 30,435. It currently reads 31,956 so is most likely genuine. In 1988, following the death of the owner, it was driven into an outbuilding at his home along with a leisure boat that he and his wife used for holidays. And there it remained until his wife passed on last year, under a pile of rugs and blankets (see photos in the galley). The car and boat were bought together by a boat collector earlier this year and the car passed on to the vendor, who is well connected in Jaguar circles. 

As well as a few garage receipts and official handbooks and documents, the Daimler comes with a collection of old tax discs and a selection of fascinating artefacts including a genuine ‘Tax in Post’ excuse, a raffle ticket for a draw that happened in 1981, a library ticket in the name of the original keeper that expired in 1985, an advert for the Rio Dance School and a document from the AGM of the Cleveleys Working Mens’ Club in 1985. Pieces of social history that money just can’t buy.

The cabin of the Jaguar is lovely – if you’re going to restore the car, then the interior needs treating sympathetically as it currently has a gorgeous patina to it. The leather on the driver’s seat is worn, but in the same homely way as a favourite Chesterfield sofa or similar, and there are no cracks of damage. The door cards have seen some DIY repairs and the carpets are worn slightly, but this is a really nice cabin nonetheless and to over-restore it would remove some its charm. 

Among the highlights are excellent veneers, some wonderfully period Britax seatbelts and a Radiomobile Stereo 8 eight-track player.

The Daimler looks really straight at first glance, making it easy to see its overall potential – there’s nothing missing, all of the panels are complete and should be easily salvageable where required. 

It will need some work, though. While the floors and inner arches are solid, the rear outer arches have clearly been repaired and filled at some point and there is rust in both front wings and around one of the fuel fillers. We’ve seen them far, far worse and the inner boot floor and inner wings appear pretty sound. 

So yes, the car will need some work and a complete respray (which won’t be for the first time, as it was originally red), but it’s a great, complete and seemingly solid place from which to start.

The owner hasn’t started the Daimler, but he has had it connected to a battery and checked that it turns over freely, which it does – that’s good news as it means the engine hasn’t seized. It will, however, require a full service and overhaul – there’s a good chance that renewal of the ignition components and some fresh fuel will be enough to coax it into life, but it comes with no engine or gearbox guarantee and obviously the vendor cannot vouch for its mechanical condition. It also needs a radiator.

This is a terrific opportunity for someone to bring a genuine brand-find Daimler back to its former glory – it’s a lovely old thing and is remarkably complete and well-preserved for a car that essentially disappeared for 34 years. It deserves a sympathetic restoration, and with the fabulous bits and pieces that come with it, it’ll make a fabulous showpiece once completed.