2023-01-14 10:14:02 | pauls writes:

Car offered at:

www.carandclassic.com/auctions/1976-jaguar-xj-42c-nYG5m8_aaid=a5ce63ed-6419-48b8-adb6-8692f74daf04&bsft_eid=831d0a86-e1ba-460f-9d7 ...

Seller's description:

1976 Jaguar XJC 4.2 (Triple carb modified)

Colour White

Odometer 87,024 Miles

Engine size 4235

Town Billingshurst

Seller Type Private

Location Sussex

Country United Kingdom

One of fewer than 6500 made with the 4.2-litre engine

265bhp triple SU carburettor conversion

Reupholstered in 2021

Much recent work completed by a professional Jaguar restorer

First registered in Shropshire

Purchased by the vendor, a professional Jaguar restorer, in November to tinker with and improve in his spare time

Sold with paperwork including the current V5, past tax discs and several recent invoices for work undertaken

The Interior

Fully reupholstered in 2021

Dash and wood trim in well-preserved original condition

Very luxurious specification with power fittings, radio, heated seats and more

With a Jaguar, you know to expect a certain degree of luxury, but this XJ’s interior is exceptional, especially by the standards of 1976. The list of luxury fittings just goes on and on:

Power windows

Heated seats

Heater and air-conditioning

Kienzle clock

Heated rear window

Map light

Philips radio-cassette player

Central folding armrests

As far as the sumptuous leather seats go, they’re big enough, soft enough and comfortable enough that you could almost take them out and put them around your house instead of armchairs. They just don’t make cars like this anymore.

In terms of condition, the seats are all in excellent order as the interior was completely reupholstered around 12 months ago. New carpets were fitted around the same time, and the vendor has just finished renewing all the Furflex trim. With a few creases here and there, the leather is just beginning to mellow and is, to our eyes, all the better for it. This is undoubtedly one of those interiors which will improve as it ages.

While the leather has all been renewed, the dash, steering wheel and other fittings are in lovely original condition and benefit from a very light patina. All the plastic surfaces and the wood veneer trim are in fundamentally good condition, with just a few of the marks which age and use naturally bestow on a car. While there are some who like everything to look shiny and new, we favour preserving the natural aging process which lends each car a unique character, and which gives this Jaguar such a delightful atmosphere.

We would draw particular attention to the steering wheel as it is the correct, original piece, and that’s very nice to see now that so many XJs have had theirs replaced by aftermarket wood-rimmed wheels. We were similarly impressed on looking inside the boot and seeing the original floor mat, many of which have also been lost. Not only is it still present, it’s in fantastic condition, too, and lifts to reveal a very good spare wheel.

The Exterior

Repainted in the recent past

Alloy wheels refurbished

Rear bumper newly rechromed

It’s unusual to come across an XJ painted pure white, but that’s no bad thing at all. With the contrasting black of the vinyl roof and the stylish alloy wheels, it possesses the same air of gravity more typically associated with darker colours, but it has the added advantage of standing out in a crowd.

We understand that the Jaguar was repainted at some point in the not-too-distant past, and to reflect that, it’s generally in lovely condition. However, it is starting to show its age with a few visible chips around the corners of the bonnet and boot lid, some minor cracks in the surface and one or two other small blemishes here or there. These are minor things which the new owner may wish to address in time, but they are far from being of pressing importance.

The chrome trim on the car is very nice to our eyes, displaying the same light patina which so enhances the interior while still shining brightly in the sunlight. We would mention that the front bumper has been scraped slightly at the offside corner, but this is by no means obvious.

The rear bumper is not patinated but is, in fact, absolutely immaculate. It had deteriorated a little further than the vendor considered acceptable, so he has had it completely rechromed within these last few weeks. One of the rear bumper overriders is in poor condition. Since this was not able to be replated, the vendor has bought a new overrider which had not arrived in time for our photoshoot, but which will be fitted to the car when it sells.

The alloy wheels have been newly refurbished, so they all present extremely well. In other areas, such as across the vinyl roof and some of the glass, that lovely light patina is present again.

Of course, what really matters more than appearances is the condition of the underside and it’s good news there. Even the vendor, who, as a professional restorer, knows these cars inside-out, was surprised by how good it was. One may reasonably expect to find a few grotty areas when buying a 50-year-old car but the vendor inspected it closely and found that even the areas which are more prone to corrosion were solid as a rock.

The Mechanics

Converted to triple carburettors by a professional Jaguar restorer

Runs and drives beautifully

Power steering and manual gearbox with optional overdrive

Last MoTed in 2016 with no advisories

As we have mentioned, the vendor knows his way around XJs and their engines extremely well, so when he converted the XK six to a triple-SU set-up, he knew exactly what he was doing and the result speaks for itself. This car runs beautifully with a smooth even idle; it really purrs. We are told that the conversion increases the engine’s output from 210bhp to 265bhp, so you’ll really get the benefit of it as soon as you get onto a fast, straight road.

Having spent some all-too-brief time behind the wheel, we formed an excellent impression of this XJ. The brakes work well and, with power steering, it’s so light and easy to manoeuvre that, in spite of its size, it’s probably a much easier car to live with than many smaller cars which don’t have power steering.

What really left a good impression, though, is the gearbox. Being made for the more refined echelons of society, a number of Jaguar buyers will have opted to either be driven, or to use an automatic gearbox for personal convenience. Useful though automatics undoubtedly are, we have to say that we would choose a manual if it were down to us. The gear-change is fantastically light and smooth, so it’s really no chore to have to go through the gears at all. To our mind, the manual is much more of a driver’s car, especially when, like this one, it has the optional overdrive. Again, where motorways and fast A-roads are concerned, this Jaguar really is your friend.

The Jaguar has not been submitted for an MoT since it became exempt from testing in 2016, so we do advise bidders to satisfy themselves as to its roadworthiness before taking to the road. It strikes us a very well-sorted car, though, so we don’t foresee any problems.