2014-08-16 16:55:32 | pauls writes:

Ebay item 8/16/14
www.ebay.com/itm/151380637644
Current bid US $10,600 reserve not met 21 bids 5 days left in auction.

Sellers description:
This is a show car. Four years to build, it was custom designed and built to tow an antique Chris Craft on a car-matching trailer. The car began life as a 1955 four door salon, Mark VII, Jaguar. Today it is a two door convertible. The idea was to build a car that might have been a "concept car" by Jaguar in 1955. In those days, Jaguar had no four seat convertible.

The external car itself is essentially the same as when new except 1) it is a convertible, 2) the wheels are custom designed and built - even the tire valves are on the inside, 3) the bumper guards were removed, 4) the tail lights were replaced and faired, and 5) there was added a mahogany feature on the sides to match the mahogany of the boat (a "woodie"). Dimensionally it is exactly the same. The color is also custom, "metallic rosewood".

Under the skin, however, there are many changes. The front "clip" was removed from the original Jaguar and replaced with one from a '90s Ford Mustang with disc brakes. The engine is a "tricked out" V8 taken from a '96 Lincoln and rebuilt for torque to pull the trailer. The transmission is a 3 speed automatic C6 from a Ford 150 truck for the same reason. The rear axle is a posi-traction unit with disc brakes, also taken from a Mustang, to give the car traction if it had to pull a boat out of the water. The frame of the car is reinforced and includes a mechanism which allows the frame to be adjusted if door jambs get out of alignment. (This has never been necessary.) Inside the trunk the Jaguar "kidney tanks" were removed and a single fuel cell was installed. Inside it was lined with the same leather and carpet used in the interior.

The interior of the car is done in authentic Jaguar glove leather and maroon carpet. The rebuilt power front seats are from a Mustang while the back seat is the cut down original. The center console (the Mark VII had no console) is from a '96 Jaguar coupe while all the burled walnut and ash on the doors and dash are original to the car. The hydraulic top is fully lined on the inside. The air conditioning is after market "Hot Rod".

The car does not have an emergency brake. Although easily installed, it was overlooked during the build. Also, the car does not lock. Thinking was that the car would seldom be left alone for long periods of time.

How is the car to drive? For city and local driving it is great fun. And although it will easily get to 70 MPH, it is not a quiet ride. It is a show car. Not recommended for long trips. Steering radius is shallow, but it parks easily. Most importantly, and perhaps surprising, it should not be used to pull heavy trailers for any distance. After being in many shows and winning trophies for the effort, we came to find out that the Mustang brakes were simply not strong enough to stop the car and trailer quickly, even with surge brakes on the trailer. Pulling a light trailer would be OK. The car does have rear load lifters taken from a Chevrolet RV.

We have been showing the car/boat/trailer for nearly 6 years and for personal reasons must now sell the car along with two other cars I own. It cost over $110,000 to build the car and would have been more except that I bought the car itself for only $5000 when I found it rotting in the Nevada desert.

2016-06-14 22:03:20 | Rob Reilly writes:

Car returns to ebay, description pretty much the same, current bid $10,100, 9 days remaining, 10 bids, reserve not met.

2016-06-15 15:46:16 | pauls writes:

URL for auction:
www.ebay.com/itm/Jaguar-Mark-VII-M-Mark-VII-M-Convertible-/152128327130
Seller nvjg3n7s, 1k miles. Same location.