Popular Post Rugd1022 Posted December 27, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted December 27, 2014 (edited) 'Out with the old and in with the new'.... I sold the Rover P5B Coupe a couple of weeks ago in order to scratch a long held Jag 'itch', resulting in the purchase of this '70s 'big cat' - a 1973 Series 2 short wheelbase XJ6 4.2 manual / overdrive. With only five previous owners and documented history to back up the 59,600 miles on the clock, power steering and electric windows, it's a bit of a find as '70s Jags go. They only built the SWB S2 for around twelve months, with most (something like 90-95% I think) being automatics so this one is relatively rare. It's not perfect but is a lovely thing to drive. The interior needs a good clean up but everything works and the ride is sublime for a forty year old car. The original 8-track stereo is still in place but I'll probably fit a CD player out of sight, the manual gear change is very smooth and there's plenty of poke, although it's running a little rough on idle at the moment - the carbs might need looking at but generally all seems well. There a few very small blemishes in the paintwork but having had the carpets out already it's clear it's never had any welding done at all and it is remarkably solid all round. The history is interesting, the chassis number makes it a November / December '73 build but it wasn't registered until 1st March 1974. In between these dates it went from the factory in Coventry to Belfast on 14th January, but somehow passed on to it's second owner in Dumfries on 22nd February, a whole week before actually being issued with it's Scottish reg' number 'PSM 262M'. In view of the initial delivery to Belfast it's possible there may be a military connection somewhere. By 1988 it had been given another number, '876 XHY' which it kept until 2011, when it regained the 'PSM 262M' mark. First thing I'll be buying for it is a set of the correct period plates, the reflective white and yellow type with raised digits in black plastic, then a decent set of floor mats to protect the original carpet which is still in good nick considering its age. The wooden dash could probably do with re-lacquering but that can wait for now. (PS : a belated Happy Christmas / Happy New Year to one and all, I've not been on the forum for a while!) Edited December 27, 2014 by Rugd1022 25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Is that a body in the boot? Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted December 27, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 27, 2014 Looks brill Nidge. Jags have always been a "tempting secondhand buy" as Which Motoring Magazine put it nearly 40 years ago. Your experience with classic cars means you should be the ideal sensible, realistic buyer, while some of us would get stuffed by such a purchase. I hope it stays as lovely as it looks now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 id love a jag, either an E type or a mark 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69843 Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 (edited) Sadly didn't get a photograph of it, but a replica Allan Moffat RX7 just decided to cut out on the highway outside my place, making a fair racket as it did. By the time I grabbed my camera (about 10 seconds), they had managed to fire it back up, shaking windows as they did, and drove off. Edit: A replica of this: Edited December 27, 2014 by 69843 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted December 27, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 27, 2014 The back-end of a car is seldom the best bit, but sometimes..... Le Mans Classic 2014 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69843 Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Good on the Lotus Cortina for getting in with the exotic metal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Looks brill Nidge. Jags have always been a "tempting secondhand buy" as Which Motoring Magazine put it nearly 40 years ago. Your experience with classic cars means you should be the ideal sensible, realistic buyer, while some of us would get stuffed by such a purchase. I hope it stays as lovely as it looks now. Cheers Ian - you're probably right mate, buying something like this forty years after it was built can be a risk, but having wanted one for so long I've already done the research many times over, so knew what to look for and just as important, what to expect (there's still plenty to learn though!). The XK engine is pretty much bullet proof but when the time for a rebuild comes it's sure to be expensive. I think I got lucky with this one though because of its low ownership / mileage and general condidtion, and even luckier in a way that it doesn't appear to have been 'a Friday afternoon job' like so many of them when it was actually built. Given the amount of strikes and general absence of build quality at Browns Lane in 1973 / 74 / 75, it's a wonder that any decent Series 2 XJs arrived at dealerships fit for sale to the general public, let alone a relatively rare manual one with several other nice options ticked from the start! I've just been down the garage to have a 'sniff' and start her up - even with the dreaded and much maligned AED 'autochoke' it always fires up first time. A lot of old XJs have had the AED replaced with a manual set up but so long as it works ok I'll keep the AED on this one. I just need to get it taxed and I'll be able to get it out and go for a proper old waft - the taxation class still needs changing over to 'historic' so I don't have to shell out for it. It was advertised as a 1974 car but as I said above it is definitely a late '73 and with a letter of proof from Jaguar Heritage showing the actual build date it should be a doddle to change it over. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Nice! The only XJ nicer would be a V12 Coupe...... A friend of mine owns the one featured in “Classic Car” from years back. Best, Pete. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanuts Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 1973 Jag XJ6 #12.jpg just needs a joanna lumley look like draped across the bonnet and its a winner love the description of going for a waft 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 'Out with the old and in with the new'.... I sold the Rover P5B Coupe a couple of weeks ago in order to scratch a long held Jag 'itch', resulting in the purchase of this '70s 'big cat' - a 1973 Series 2 short wheelbase XJ6 4.2 manual / overdrive..... Oh my God, he's turning into "Arfur" Daley.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted December 28, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 28, 2014 Oh my God, he's turning into "Arfur" Daley.... Now now just because he has got his 'desired' car and you haven't........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted December 28, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 28, 2014 Oh my God, he's turning into "Arfur" Daley.... If that's how you think of the original owner of Wild Swan Publishing I'm surprised you buy his magazines (yes, he drives a Jag) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Oh my God, he's turning into "Arfur" Daley.... ''Oh my good Gawd, Terrrrryyyyy....!!!" Her indoors sends her regards, know what I mean. Now then squire, can I interest you in two dozen smoke damaged fire alarms? A mere pony to you my son, and I'll throw in some used batteries 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Sidecar Racer Posted December 28, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 28, 2014 Sorry Nidge but I prefer the Rover , I busted to many knuckles working on XJ6's And not 40 year old one's , but N and P plate ones when new , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Looks like a sawn-off Bristol. For that, it would have to be a 404.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Thought I'd give the old Rover a run today and took it shopping, guess what while in a queue of traffic waiting to park the car behind flashed a lady who was waiting to reverse out of a parking space who with out looking around reversed out straight into the Rovers wing. Stupid sod "Oh I didn't see you I thought because the other lady flashed me it was OK to back out" followed by the obligatory silly giggle. Lucky it was low speed and should pull out but who needs that sort of hassle just before Christmas Good news the Rover is booked in on the 5th of Jan to have the damage done on the wing the insurance have given the OK for a local classic friendly body works to do it, I know the garage owner and he's rebuilt a few old cars so I know he knows what he's doing. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Now now just because he has got his 'desired' car and you haven't........ If I ever get hold of that Citroën CX, I shall become Erich Honecker.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Back to Jags! Always wanted a Jaguar so when the X Type appeared we bought a S/H 2002 with the bigger engine. AWD was a sell here in Washington State and it only had 12K on the clock. Latterly we found out why it was turned in so soon - just about everything went wrong that could go wrong. Luckily we had extended repair policy and after replacing a lot of expensive bits, the car performed admirably for ten years. Then a computer went and cost 2K to fix followed by a transmission problem that the dealer estimated at 6K. So we donated it to the cats and dogs home for a tax break and bought an Acura TL.. Some say the X Type was not considered a 'proper Jaguar' but when it was good, it was very, very good. Happy New Year Brian. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanuts Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Back to Jags! . Some say the X Type was not considered a 'proper Jaguar' but when it was good, it was very, very good. Happy New Year Brian. it wasnt it was a Mondeo in a posh frock to coin a frase "all fur coat and no nickers ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 it wasnt it was a Mondeo in a posh frock to coin a frase "all fur coat and no nickers ! I had a 2.0D X type as a company car for four years. I had always wanted a Jag but ended up hating this car - would never go near another Jag! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 I had a 2.0D X type as a company car for four years. I had always wanted a Jag but ended up hating this car - would never go near another Jag! Wasn't the X type really a Ford Mondeo in drag? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted December 29, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 29, 2014 These days most cars are platform cars (including some seriously expensive ones from Bentley and RR). If done well the concept works, but it is annoying when you get in a car and it's shared DNA with cars a lot cheaper is quite obvious. We had an Audi A1 which is essentially a VW Polo/Skoda Fabia/SeatLeon in an expensive suit and despite being fully aware of its platform underpinnings thought it was an excellent car. That said, there is no escaping the fact that you are basically paying a large premium for nicer cabin plastics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Mmm, reminds me of the last couple of Saab 9-3s that were supposed to have Vauxhall Vectra underpinnings. Or at least they did until Saab decided to re-engineer them.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted December 29, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 29, 2014 When we replaced the A1 we got my wife a VW Golf, initially we looked at the Audi A3 but the local Audi dealer subjected us to probably the most demeaning retail experience of my life and we walked out. Had a look at the Golf and bought a 1.4TSI with DSG box which is an incredibly accomplished car. The 1.4 turbo with cylinder de-activation and DSG is not that far behind the TDI and is quite warm in terms of performance, the DSG gear box is outstanding. Sorry for talking modern cars. On older cars I'd still love a Citroen DS, I'd also love a Lancia Monte Carlo which is probably far from being a sensible car to want but I always remember as a boy thinking what a glorious looking car it was. A quirky one I'd like is a Subaru SVX, the coupe they made a few years ago which was expensive in its day but a very interesting car. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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