2022-03-28 10:58:19 | pauls writes:

Car at auction 3/22
themarket.bonhams.com/en/listings/jaguar/mk2-34/799a3a0c-d30a-40c8-8cec-23dc33bf ...

Auction description:
Location: The Market HQ, Abingdon, United Kingdom
Seller Type: Private
Odometer Reading: 59168
Engine: 3.4
Gearbox: manual
Steering position: RHD
Colour: Opalescant Silver Blue
Interior: Blue Leather
Estimated Price: £30,000 - £40,000
First registered on 19 May 1966 and supplied new by Henleys of London (through Coombe Bridge Garage) to the first owner in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, this wonderful Opalescent Silver Blue MKII saloon was not only finished in arguably the best colour for the model, but was also fitted with an overdrive on the manual transmission, making it an excellent continent-crushing saloon.

Whilst the earlier history of the vehicle has sadly been lost to the sands of time, it underwent an extensive bare-metal restoration during the latter part of the 1990s, as evidenced by the extensive expenditure and hand-written invoices and history, which have all been included in the ‘documents’ section of the gallery below.

Whilst in the care of our vendor - the tenth registered keeper of this executive ‘big cat’ this MKII has continued to be cherished, taken to shows, enjoyed on the weekends and kept garaged throughout its time with the vendor, ensuring it has been kept in top condition.

Notably, this is also a wonderfully original example of the breed, having been only upgraded with the fitment of a wood-rimmed steering wheel and seatbelts in recent years, though the original black steering wheel is included with the sale of the vehicle, should it be more to the next owner’s tastes.

In recent years, the car has benefitted from a major service in 2015, along with a new water pump and stainless steel exhaust back box earlier in 2013. In 2019, a new clutch slave cylinder, reconditioned radiator and seat belts were fitted, whilst in 2021 the car benefitted from a service, and a new brake master cylinder.

In terms of aesthetics, the wonderful interior of this particular MKII was completely re-upholstered in 2012 at a cost of £4,770 including new seat covers, headliner, door cards, headliner and rear boot panels.

On the Outside

Resplendent in Opalescent Silver Blue and still commanding an impressive presence to this day, one can only imagine the kind of gravitas that this high-class executive saloon would’ve held during the 1960s.

The bodywork on this particular example is in fantastic condition, with only one or two alignment issues noted on the bottom edges of the doors, along with the bonnet being slightly offset to the offside of the vehicle, which should be a simple enough fix to remedy.

The paintwork is also in excellent condition throughout, showing very little in the way of wear-and-tear, virtually no signs of any scuffs or corrosion, and any particularly notable marks have been documented in the gallery below. We did note that in some lights, there appears to be varying shades of paintwork on the body - most notably the difference between the NSF wing and the NSF door, though looking straight-on this difference is minimal and it was virtually impossible to photograph.

As far as we could see, barring a couple of older chips along the bottom edges of the body which have started to ‘bloom’ there were no signs of any bubbling or corrosion on the bodywork or around the wheel arches.

Elsewhere, the various chrome trims, details, bumpers and the iconic ‘leaping cat’ mascot on the bonnet are in excellent condition, retaining a mirror-like finish and only the most minimal signs of tarnishing around the window trims.

All four wheels are in fantastic shape, with no kerb rash noted and are wrapped in a mixture of Avon and Dimax tyres, with both front and rear wheels paired up accordingly with Dimax on the front, and Avon on the rear.

On the Inside

Whilst the re-trim of the cabin took place around 10 years ago, the leather, trim work and overall feel of the interior is still remarkably fresh, having clearly been cosseted in the years since its overhaul.

The leather bench seats - both front and rear - are in exemplary condition, with only some charming light creases and patina noted, and no rips, tears or damage that we could see during our photo shoot. The carpets are in a similarly fantastic condition - having been protected by temporary rubber over-mats - as is the headliner, which shows no sign of any staining or sagging.

Elsewhere, the wooden inlays to the dashboard, door cards and various other areas are all in fantastic shape and present wonderfully, with no noticeable lacquer damage or heavy marks to speak of.

Naturally, there are a few usage marks / patina visible to the high-traffic areas such as the shifter and its gaitor, the steering wheel and the door pulls, though it is all in-keeping with a cherished, classic vehicle.

In the rear, the luggage compartment is in good condition, though there are a few stains and scuffs noted, particularly towards the outer edge of the carpeted section.

There is some bubbling/scabbing noted on the ‘lip’ of the boot, though lifting the carpets reveals nothing that would be cause for concern, and the aforementioned imperfections are hidden when the boot lid is closed.

Up ahead of the driver, the various dials and gauges are all in full working order.

Underneath

The phrase ‘on the button’ is often bandied around in this industry, but that really *is* the case with this MKII Jaguar. Turn the key, press the starter and the XK engine fires immediately into life, no cranking, no struggling, nothing. Remarkable!

Out on the road, this executive saloon really is a true joy to drive, with no untoward behaviours or quirks noted during the photo shoot. The steering is direct and tight, the clutch action reassuringly direct, and even the gearshift action is very good for a car of this era, with all four gears engaging well.

Sadly, we were unable to test the overdrive functionality on our short test drive, though the vendor reports that there are no known faults with the vehicle, so this shouldn’t prove to be an issue.

Being super picky, the cowl of the steering wheel appeared to rub slightly on full right lock, whilst there was a very slight bearing-type noise noted from the front end on idle, though this did not appear to be concerning in its nature.

Looking at the XK engine, the block and ancillaries have been cleaned up well, though there are a few spots of fluid misting and a couple of minor drips that we noted, which is consistent with recent servicing history noting a few leaks.

Underneath, the chassis looks to be in good order, with only the expected ‘bloom’ and surface corrosion as you’d often find on a car of this vintage, but nothing that screamed out for immediate remedy or attention in our opinion.

Evidently, our evaluation is pretty much ‘on the money’ as the most recent MoT exam - dated 25 May 2021 - shows a clean pass with no advisory items.

History Highlights

Included with the vehicle is a rich history from the mid-1990s onwards, with numerous hand-written invoices and documents explaining the parts fitted and the works carried out during the restoration process at the tail end of the 1990s, along with numerous photographs of the bodywork being carried out.

The V5 is present, showing nine former keepers, there are a handful of MoT certificates, old tax discs and the owners manual, along with two sets of keys.

In more recent years, there are invoices for servicing, remedial works, clutch slave cylinder and brake master cylinder fitment, vehicle inspections from 2013 and 2018, and other documentation, all of which is available to view below.

Finally, the all-important heritage certificate is present, confirming the original specification and early history of the vehicle.