2025-08-11 17:31:37 | pauls writes:

Car at auction 9/25

www.handh.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-1963-jaguar-mk-ii-38/

Auction description:

10th Sep, 2025 Kelham Hall | Newark, Nottinghamshire

1963 Jaguar Mk. II 3.8

Benefiting from a comprehensive £80,000 restoration

Estimate £45,000 - £55,000

Registration No: SSL 364

Chassis No: 1S57197DN

MOT: November 2025

Extensively restored from 2016 - 2019 at a cost of some £80,000

Uprated to ‘fast road’ specification as part of the works including a five-speed gearbox, upgraded brakes, fuel injection, and power-assisted steering

Just 4,000 post-refurbishment miles covered

Valued by the Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club in 2018 at £150,000 for insurance purposes

Presenting excellently and offered with some 700 restoration photographs!

This outstanding Mk. II is understood to have been supplied in RHD form to South Africa, but it was imported into Britain in April, 1999, and it has had just four owners since. Previously painted red, it was bought by the vendor in 2016 and promptly became the focus of one the most exhaustive cosmetic and mechanical overhauls we have ever encountered, costing the vendor a total of some £80,000. With the intention of making the Jaguar one of the jewels in his “curated classic car collection,” it was subjected to a bare-metal strip-down and rejuvenation, documented in more than 700 photographs, with the period-correct Dark Grey metallic chosen for its new colour. The work included the installation of a replacement engine, as the original had a cracked block.

It is not just our opinion that the car has been completed to the highest standards of presentation. Graham Searle, Official Insurance Valuer of the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club, provided his own summary: “This vehicle has been subject to a complete rebuild of all aspects to concours standards, plus careful uprating of brakes, suspension and gearbox to make it more drivable in modern traffic. In my opinion it would be extremely difficult to replace in this condition and the only option would be to purchase another car and build to this standard. Therefore, in my opinion the car would need to be insured for £150,000 to properly cover any replacement.”

Searle’s comments followed a more detailed report issued by independent motor claims assessor and consulting engineer John M. Kemp, who wrote: “The vehicle has been extensively and tastefully restored and renovated by a renowned specialist body repair garage. Many parts have been renewed and restored. These parts include new glass and trims and all chromium trims and fittings. The braking system and the steering and suspension system have all been uprated and renewed as needed. The gearbox has been overhauled and uprated to a five-speed unit. All other mechanical units have been restored and overhauled as needed. The bodywork is in a factory, as-new condition as it has been lovingly renovated to what we consider a concours condition… The car is in outstanding condition and it is unlikely that it could be replaced if lost or destroyed.” Kemp likewise attached an insurance value of £150,000 to the car when finished, noting that the interior was a work in progress at the time of inspection.

Further upgrades included conversions to electronic ignition, fuel injection and power steering. On the cosmetic front, the interior was refurbished with no stone left unturned. It was retrimmed with new Oxblood leather upholstery, plus new carpets and headlining, while all the walnut trim was meticulously revived, and the whole ensemble is very tastefully set off by the presence of a period-correct HMV radio converted to modern DAB internals. Externally, new chrome-plated wire wheels complete the car’s head-turning appearance. Concerning the rest of the chrome, the vendor sadly experienced some difficulties with the platers and bidders will note that there are some imperfections, however these are understood to be the only known faults with the car.

The extensive work has served to make it a genuinely useable classic for the road, potential concours credentials notwithstanding. To prove the point, the vendor has not shied away from using it, having covered some 4,000 miles since the work was completed. Suffice to say, he has not shirked on maintenance and the Jaguar has been MOTed annually since 2022, despite being exempt from testing. Unsurprisingly, it has passed every time with no advisories and is offered with a certificate valid until November this year. Should bidders require any further satisfaction as to the quality of the overhaul, they may wish to browse the 700-plus photographs! We do not exaggerate when we say that this is a unique opportunity to acquire an exemplary Mk. II.