2022-10-18 13:06:58 | pauls writes:

Car at auction 10/22
themarket.bonhams.com/en/listings/jaguar/mk2/fc3be547-c39c-49f7-8431-19fb274042d ...

Auction description:
Seller
Kev1951

Location: The Market HQ, Abingdon, United Kingdom
Seller Type: Private
Odometer Reading: 96000
Engine: 3.4
Gearbox: Manual
Steering position: Right-hand drive
Colour: Blue
Interior: Beige le
Estimated Price: £12,000 - £16,000
Vendor Kevin Hackett lived in Australia for eight years before returning to the UK. However, on a subsequent visit back down under he got perusing the classifieds and… well, this lovely Mk2 was the result.

“I was just looking on the internet and saw it. The Mk2 had lived all its life in the sunshine of Queensland; it’s all original and practically like a dry-state Californian car, although it just happens to be right-hand drive. The chap I bought if off was nice and he had bought it off his friend who was an aircraft engineer and carried out his own work on the car.”

Kevin then had the Mk2 imported to the UK in 2017 and with the help of Jaguar expert (n old chap that knew them inside out) began re-commissioning it. This included fitting a new stainless steel exhaust system, renewing the suspension (although some of that was carried out by the previous owner) md having the sourcing a second-hand gearbox and having the overdrive rebuilt.

“The original 2.4-litre engine started but suffered from misfiring; we tried a few things but eventually pulled the head and found the waterways bunged up, due to the fact that they don’t use/or need anti-freeze out there.”

He promptly had his gent source and fit a rebuilt 3.4-litre unit for a bit of extra woof!

“The chap that did the work on the car had a look underneath and said that it’s perfect, all original and had never been welded. The car comes with a set of five wire wheels with brand new spinners and two brand new hubs – although, I can’t remember if the latter are front or rear ones.”

So why is Kevin selling? “We’re moving house, and into an apartment, and I’ve lost my garage storage. It’s too costly these days to put things in storage, so it’s time to move the Mk2 on.”

That means this delectable Jag is now up for grabs.

On the Outside
What would they say in Aus to sum up this car? Hmm… how about, “this Sheila’s a beaut”. And they wouldn’t be far wrong because in this hue there’s no doubt that it’s a stunner. Is it Mk2’s best colour? For us, it very well could be.

“It’s in very good condition,” says Kevin. “I’ve had magnets on the sills and they’re solid, the bottom of the doors ditto; the jacking points are all original and strong.

“On the paint front it has a nice finish although there is one small patched where it has slightly blistered, and I think that’s when we had the engine out and the car under cover during winter; I think we had a frost and the car cover stuck to it.”

As stated, it comes with that set of wire wheels, although it currently wears its body painted steel wheels with chrome hubcaps, which do look particularly lovely.

Chrome work is generally nice although there’s a bit of pitting here and there, such as on the nearside rear bumper overrider. A rear tow bar is also fitted.

It’s a car that you’ll crane your neck at as you walk away from it, just to have one more look…

On the Inside

The cabin is in very nice nick and complements the exterior very well. “The front seats have been totally renewed and are in excellent condition, while there’s a bit of patina on the rear seats. The original headlining is intact and not sagging, although the next owner may wish to replace it to brighten things up inside. Carpets are good and the dashboard wood veneers are pretty much perfect.”

The Beige leather presents well, as do the door cards. The thin steering wheel is tactile and the wooden gear-lever doubly so and even more beautiful to behold. It’s worth noting that the carpet on the transmission tunnel in the driver’s footwell has a bit of a stain on it.

Sills and door shuts are nice and clean, and lifting the carpet in the boot reveals pretty clean body-coloured metal – nice. Oh, and a spare wheel!

Underneath
“It drives fine,” says Nick. “It had been sitting for a while, so it may need a touch more re-commissioning with perhaps a brake service on it just to make sure they’re sharp.”

Up front, the engine bay is clean – although the wiring could be tidied up by the next owner. Pride of place belongs to that venerable XK unit; again note, upgraded for added woof!

It’s worth getting down on your honkers and having a look underneath, or alternatively viewing the photographs in in our Gallery below, as the Mk2’s underside does indeed look to be in spiffing original condition.

The engine fires first time and ticks over quietly, under throttle it sounds nice and throaty with an understated induction noise; the stainless-steel exhaust system gives a little touch of aural pep.
Nice.

History Highlights
The Mk2’s history file is relatively succinct. You’ll find the V5c document showing one UK owner (Kevin) since its 1st of November 2017 entry to Blighty, as well a Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate (number 60273) listing all the important numbers (chassis: 118639; engine: GB 4327-8; body: H 50979; gearbox: GB 85461 JS), as well as the original distributor (Westco, Brisbane, Australia) and date of dispatch (21st of January 1965).

Invoices include: £325.00 for a gearbox from a second-hand Jaguar 3.8 Mk2 gearbox (April 2018), £447.27 for a new stainless steel exhaust system (April 2018), £951.00 for a gearbox and overdrive rebuild (August 2019), a handwritten invoice for £3635.65 for works carried out by an old-school Jaguar expert prior to the car being shipped to the UK. This also notes the purchase price as £7800 and shipping, duty and transport as circa £2500. There are others for lesser works including consumable parts, health checks and various bits’n’pieces.

The original Australian service book is also present and shows stamps for services carried out up to 40,000miles – what a lovely thing to have.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of the paperwork to support our claim that this car has been re-commissioned to very good standard.