Description
1978 Jaguar XJ Series 2 LWB 4. 2 XJ6 Automatic.
Only 12. 6k miles from new.
'On the button' and ready to use.
Stunningly original and rust-free example.
Matching numbers car with heritage certificate.
One registered keeper until 2019. I bought the car shortly after the first owner had passed away. I am the second keeper on the V5C.
The car was first registered on 1st August 1978 and delivered by Mann Egerton Ipswich to the first owner. The car was treated underneath with ‘Cadulac rustproofing treatment’ on 27th July 1978 prior to delivery, with the original invoice and certificate for this in the file.
The first owner was a lifelong Jaguar Driver’s Club member with a collection of classic Jaguars and he kept this XJ6 alongside them. At the time he passed away the car had covered just under 12k miles.
When I bought the car, it had clearly stood in a garage for a while due to the owner's ill health and was not running well simply due to lack of use. I set about a full mechanical recommissioning to make it ‘just so’. Invoices in the file include:
- Mechanical recommissioning with Jim Stokes Classics in Waterlooville. Works there included: Fuel tanks and fuel system drained and flushed, new fuel pumps fitted, carburettors rebuilt, balanced and tuned, new auto-choke AED fitted, new water pump and hoses fitted, full nose-to-tail service, new battery, etc, etc. All works are documented in the file. The biggest job was addressing the fact that the rear brakes were binding simply from lack of use, so the rear axle was dropped to rebuild the inboard brakes and service the diff and hubs while it was out.
- Replacement headlining due to the original having begun to detach due to ageing of the foam layer underneath the headlining cloth. This was done by Mike Thomas Trimming in Petersfield and required removal of the front windscreen, which means the windscreen received a fresh seal when it was refitted. The headrests were also re-foamed due to ageing of the original inner foam.
- I also fitted four new period-correct Dunlop Aquajets from Vintage Tyres at Beaulieu. The factory originals were still on the car when I acquired it, but I felt that it wasn’t wise to drive on those due to their age. I did keep the untouched factory original tyre on the spare wheel.
- In addition to the above, the car has benefitted from ongoing servicing and many hours of obsessive cleaning and detailing. All that the bodywork needed was a clean and a polish.
This really is one of those remarkable time-warp survivors. The originality and condition of this car is something you can just lose yourself in. When you get in, it still has that smell of a new car from the 1970s. I am a big fan of XJ6's and I had never seen a truly rust-free example until I found this car. It's an absolute delight.
The car has never been painted and never needed any bodywork. It still wears its original Squadron Blue paint, original tan interior and is pretty much exactly how it left the factory aside from the items listed above that I have replaced simply due to age rather than wear.
I have thoroughly enjoyed owning this car for past five years and I've now done everything with it that I wanted to. If you're looking for a truly exceptional example, please do get in touch.
