2021-09-12 12:00:45 | pauls writes:

Car to be at auction 9/21

www.carandclassic.co.uk/auctions/1968-jaguar-420-VnPX5n

Auction description:

1968 Jaguar 420

Colour Blue

Odometer 80,581 Miles

Engine size 4235

Location London

Country United Kingdom

・Underrated and rarer alternative to Mk. IIs

・Sumptuous interior for those who appreciate the finer things

・Smooth-running engine at home in town or on motorways

・Much recent expenditure on cosmetic and mechanical improvements

The 420’s history takes us back as far as 1978, when it was sold by Gidea Park Motors, a Jaguar appointed dealer, to a Mr J. Fay of Gidea Park, Romford, Essex. Mr. Fay spent a lot of money on the car and kept on top of maintenance, as shown by the thick pile of invoices dating from his ownership in the early 1980s.

The vendor bought the Jaguar from Shire Classic Cars Ltd. in Northamptonshire in 2016 and has also lavished a lot of money on it, but has decided to part with it as he lacks the time to enjoy it properly.

The Paperwork

A bulging paperwork file adds a lot of depth to the car’s past. As well as the V5, copious invoices dating back to Mr. Fay’s purchase of the car in 1978 show that it has benefitted from a lot of careful ownership throughout its life. 

The majority of invoices in its file date from Mr. Fay’s and the vendor’s periods of ownership. The car’s last MoT was issued in 2017, when it passed with no advisories. But there is also receipts for the last work carried out under the current ownership that amount up to £20,000!

Additionally, the file contains an original Jaguar 420 Operating, Maintenance and Service Handbook, the 2nd March, 1967, issue of Autocar containing its 420 road test, and a copy of the equivalent road test in Motor.

The Interior

The Jaguar’s typical ‘Mayfair club’ interior exudes class and, although it shows its age in places, at 54 years old it remains a resoundingly pleasant and comfortable place to be. The tasteful grey-blue leather upholstery is original and has recently been re-Connolised, although the front seats do have a number of splits. The rear seats have fared better, being lightly creased but completely intact.

The dash is in excellent condition and is characterised by its luxurious walnut, which presents superbly having recently been refurbished. The carpets are good although there is some dirt embedded in them, but it’s nothing that wouldn’t be sorted out with a good clean.

The switches and instruments are all in working order. The cigar lighter is fully functional and even the clock tells the right time; there aren’t many classic cars which can make such a claim! A period radio further improves its specification, although it is not original to the car.

The Exterior

Outside, the 420 is a picture of perfect beauty, its upright and dignified frontage giving way to a harmonious arrangement of curves, and finished in a soft metallic blue which sparkles subtly in the dappled light and hints at a slightly ethereal quality. 

There are some instances of bubbling underneath the paint, mainly in the offside front wing, where the paint at the wheel arch has developed a noticeable crack, and this is something the buyer will want to address in due course. Otherwise, there is not much to fault apart from some mismatched paint along the offside sill. 

The chrome looks exceptionally good, with a light patina but no evidence of clouding, flaking or pitting that we could see. Bidders will notice that this example is fitted with a Webasto sunroof, and that looks to be in excellent order.

The 15-inch Dunlop SP Sport tyres, supplied by the vendor’s own historic-tyre company, have only covered about 500 miles.

The vendor will be including an indoor car cover in the sale, so the car might benefit from some extra protection beyond what a garage will afford.

The Mechanics

From the way the engine runs, we’d suggest that this car is in excellent mechanical order. Like all well-maintained Jaguars, it purrs contentedly. It slots very easily into gear and the clutch engages imperceptibly for smooth pulling away, and the power steering means that manoeuvring at low speeds isn’t the arduous chore it often can be in a classic. This is a rare manual overdrive model, so it should be very happy on motorways.

The vendor advises that the car has been regularly serviced, and benefits from new front suspension and reconditioned carburettors. The engine is remarkably clean, which the vendor explains is down to it having been cosmetically refurbished with the head removed.

It will be noticed in the photographs that, unfortunately, the windscreen wipers are stuck in the raised position. The vendor explained that this was down to the motor having seized suddenly, but he has wasted no time in having the problem fixed and after our photoshoot the vendor spent over £20000 having the vehicle completely gone through prior to sale. We have included photographs of the receipts after we returned to see the car again recently and see what had been done.