1973 Jaguar XJ6

XK 4.2L Straight 6 (Series 3)

Automatic

UD1L69957

Clear

1973 JAGUAR XJ6 Series 1 **NO RESERVE** Well, this has been a long time coming and an extraordinary opportunity for someone. You will be hard pressed to find another in this shape at this or any price these days. A search on Craigslist using Tempest will give you an idea.I've always been a Jaguar enthusiast, and this is a car I never intended to sell. I had spent ages searching for one. To find a series 1 XJ6 in such condition is not easy. I purchased the car a couple years ago. It is a true time warp of a car. Honestly,I wouldn't be surprised if those miles are original. We are so used to driving these intergalactic mileages today, however in the past 80k was rebuild time and an engine's lifespan. Other aspects of this car, as well as the tires which came on it were from a defunct company from the early 80s, were tell tales. I happened upon another S1 XJ6 that turned me on and purchased it as well on a whim as they are so difficult to come by. These are just such rare cars and a dream car of mine. In the end for whatever reason I ended up taking apart the other and began restoration of it. Way lead onto way, and I couldn't seem to stop. This is actually the better car, however I simply cannot justify two. Considered swapping interiors as this car has an outstanding interior and the other is all dried out, but I decided against it and to just let it go intact as it would be a shame to molest it. So this is rather the old girlfriend substituted for another, which in the end was actually not as good as the first ..but seemed special at the time..c'est la vie. I have too much already invested in the other so... I'm quite an evangelist when it comes to this model. Such an historically important car. The last model completely designed and overseen by Sir William Lyons. Also his favorite model. These cars will follow the E Type and Mk2 in collectability in the future. Prices are beginning to rise in the States. I suggest doing your due diligence. I've been a lifelong Jaguar enthusiast, and they have the best enthusiast following of any marque. The online resources are extraordinary. I'd attended all the meets growing up, I never had actually seen a S1 XJ before until I had received this one sight unseen. It didn't disappoint. I'm never selling my other one. They created the luxury car market as we know it today. The S1 XJ6 was far ahead of its time. Was voted best car in the world regardless of price when it came out. This was the last short wheelbase model XJ6 produced. It genuinely is a sport saloon. Typically I don't like the hood ornament on post 60's cars, but on this one it really suits it.The smaller hood ornament is also more tasteful and properly placed.1973 was a special year. Not well known, but Jaguar lowered the suspension in '73 only. The previous models (68-72) followed past saloon examples. In '73 they decided to make it sportier, lowering the suspension. Sitting beside my '72 there is quite a height difference, which is a neat thing. In 1974 of course all the changes were made as a result of US regulations ruining all car designs forever.Incredibly rare Webasto sunroof. I am always searching, for whatever reason. I have never come across another anywhere except for one parts car listed online. Legend has it the option could be ordered from the dealership and Webasto had a spot on the production line for the modification. So the story goes. Webasto did all Jaguar sunroof conversions since the 60s. Yes, they can be trouble, if bad. However this one seals like a submarine, and a wonderful ventilation option to have.As rare as these cars are, all parts are readily available and inexpensive. Almost all interchangeable with other models of the same and later periods through 1987. The enthusiast community for Jaguar is second to none. The online resources are extraordinary and can carry even the novice to completion on their own.This car has the much preferred Series 3 motor. I have never seen an other for sale with this done. It is much preferred to the original motors of the time which had issues due to poor maintenance and overheating issues resulting in block cracks. Also British Leyland quality problems. The Series 3 motor resolved these problems and is the most refined, reliable, and robust of the entire series. I'm a purist, this is the ideal option..matching numbers is a nonsense thing imo anyway.This car has NO RUST. FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT, and incredibly uncommon. No wavy body seams beneath the doors, etc. these tell tales are important and always jump out at those in the know.To find this model with the interior and body in such great shape is so rare and so important as they are the only areas that become really expensive on these cars to restore... I have really not had opportunity to do much of anything with the car. I had cleaned out the fuel lines, rebuilt the carbs, changed fluids and filters, but that has been all.It never overheated on me. Oil pressure was perfect. It did run rough due to apparent vacuum leaks as when the previous owner swapped engines many of the vacuum lines were not replaced. Easy and inexpensive to do.I have not had a moment to spend on it, and I bought another on a whim and have been concentrating on it as well as other life issues, etc. Sitting is not good for these cars so I need to let it go already. 4 brand new tires installed. Less than 10miles on them. I hate to use the word, however this car is incredibly solid. The stance is perfect, tracks perfectly.Body seams are all perfect. This is SO important. All doors close with a click. CLEAN , PERFECT Texas Title in my name. Sent immediately via tracking upon cleared payment in full. TERMS Perhaps I am making a mistake, however I am listing this with a LOW opening bid at **NO RESERVE**. I should be posting it elsewhere, but I will give this an opportunity here. PLEASE ::THIS IS NOT A GAME. Please bid responsibly. No excuses, no nonsense please. I treat others as I wish to be treated, and am not a difficult person to deal with. I will continue to care for the car as if it were my own throughout the process until it leaves me, remaining on top of everything and in complete contact every step of the way.I have no problem holding the car until a transport service is located. However I will not be taken advantage of..Full payment must be cleared and completed prior to any dispatch of transport or title transfer. An immediate deposit of $250 is required at auction end via PayPal.The balance must be received via Wire Transfer within 7 days of auction end otherwise car will be offered again elsewhere. This car is being sold as is without any warranty or guarantee of any sort, expressed or implied.It is being as a restoration project, in non-running condition.I am not a professional seller, but an individual with a life in another profession.Transport of the vehicle is entirely the responsibility of the buyer. _______________________________________________________________________ Below are additional details for those seriously interested. If it were me, it is what I would want. It never ceases to amaze me how sellers list vehicles with such sparse, single paragraph descriptions.Serious bidders, please do not hesitate to contact me with any additional questions. BODY Again, the body is superb. Very straight, all seams are great. This car has no rust. Rockers, undercarriage, floors, trunk, all are outstanding. Front to rear anywhere,,body is really great. There is only one ding above the rear passenger side tail light. This can be easily popped out.The car color was originally silver, repaint by previous owner. It requires a repaint. Paint flaking in areas. Personally, I daily drive my cars, and with all the nitwits about I never was a big paint guy. Sourcing a good painter on the outskirts does wonders, or even a reputable Maaco franchise or indy can do wonders and be just fine.The front windshield chrome has been removed and placed in trunk, as have the windshield wiper arms as I intended to replace the windscreen rubber. No signs of leaking, but something I intended to do. Inexpensive and with help online and that of a friend can be done yourself if desired.All chrome is fine. No pitting. All looks good and will polish up well. Nothing missing. All emblems intact.All headlight and taillight lenses are all intact and good, no cracks or missing pieces. All body seals, door seals are good. There is some flaking of chrome on the passenger side chrome bumper overrider. And the rubber boots also have cracks. The boots can be repaired with that rubber goop used for recreating tool handles, etc from Home Depot. Otherwise, many simply remove the overriders. They are held on with one bolt. INTERIOR The interior is very good. This is very uncommon. When one does come across these cars they almost always seem to be bastardized. How many have cheesy, modified, tasteless interiors..The wood is outstanding. Everything is there. For some reason the ignition switch was removed. I believe to have a key made by previous owner as the ignition key is not original, other keys for trunk and gas tanks are original. An original blank can be purchased inexpensively online. I had one cut for the other car at Home Depot for $3. The original mechanism and surround are in good condition and included. Easy to install. Nothing at all strange or shady. Carpets intact and original. No bald spots. Headliner could use some cleaning and detailing. Has fallen in the rear due to driving around with windows open. The rear support piece can be seen within photo above on rear widow ledge. Easily replaced. This is why it began to fall. All power windows work well. No cracks, scratches, or damage of any sort. Passenger vent window needs repair to mechanism. Nothing serious. Window tinting is peeling. Easily removed. Thankful it was left there though as it saved this interior.Driver's door panel is missing. All knobs and original chrome handles and bits intact and fine. A replacement is not difficult to make using the passenger door panel as template. Armrests can be found on ebay inexpensively (make an offer I say, you'd be surprised). Dyeing is easy as interior is black.There are only a couple small issue areas on driver's seat. One 3" split at seam of bottom cushion and another approx. 1.5 gouge at bolster. Easily repaired with one of those inexpensive repair kits. Again, black makes things easy. Otherwise Seats are all in outstanding condition.There is some balding of the felt at the B-Pillar as seen in photo. Not a Jaguar specific item of course, and inexpensive and easy to locate/replace. ELECTRICAL All the wiring is really good. Nothing really needs replacement. No botched jobs. All original.The charging system works well and correctly. A solid 14+ the last time driven. Interior lights work.All gauges work accept for tachometer. Not a gauge problem, a simple electrical issue. These run off the coil. Simply hot wiring directly to coil and it works. Simple wiring issue. Jag-Lovers website can explain in detail. Not difficult. Gas gauge is not functioning though. It's not the gauge. Someone did try to do some bypass trick behind the gauge because they didn't like the switching fuel tanks, nothing serious or difficult, not some nasty botch job, but I simply haven't looked at it and cannot express further. Headlights and taillights work, brake lights work. Brights work. One front headlight is not however, it is a simple wire connector issue just there in the open behind the headlight bucket seen with bonnet open. Someone used a crimp connector and it came detached. I played with it once and it came on when connected..Just little things like this is all..otherwise all is really good electrically.Oh, I rebuilt distributor. Replaced wires, cap, rotor. DRIVETRAIN All original. Again, the motor is from a series 3 XJ6, which is really desirable. I have only ever seen one other available for sale on the Bring a Trailer site not long ago. That's it. Installed by previous owner.NO leaks of any sort. I replaced cam cover gaskets and everything looks good. No leaks of any sort at front or rear engine seals..important. No transmission leaks or rear end leaks, no brake leaks. Again, tracks straight, perfect stance. Very Important.Original Borg Warner 12 transmission. These are bulletproof. Shifted well. Needs vacuum line to the intake too. The original aluminum tube it connects to at the firewall is perfectly intact, one only needs some 3/8 hose to connect it to manifold. No whining or grinding or anything out of sort from the driveline, rear end, or transmission. Nothing at all strange. All shocks are good. Front shocks are good, need new little donut bushings at the top where they enter the engine compartment. Those always seem to go. Inexpensive and easy to replace. PLEASE NOTE: On the underside of the bonnet, this is not rust, but adhesive from the old sound deadening stuff. Easily removed with wire brush drill attachment, aftermarket replacement found on Amazon inexpensively.Original air cleaner box, those 2 engine bay cross supports, A/C compressor, exhaust heat shield, that black heat transfer pipe which connects over motor from exhaust to intake area are included with the sale and will be packaged away within the trunk. The ball joints are good, top and bottom. The engine bay should be detailed while all is out and clear.I'm a big supporter of POR15, I highly recommend. I drive my cars yet also do things well. It is hard as a rock and dries without brush strokes. White, black and silver are available.Rear suspension is good. Important...All bushings and bearings are good. Front and rear suspension. Trailing arm bushings, etc. Brake hoses good, Lines good. Brakes are stiff, as is the pedal, so I believe it is a vacuum leak as it is missing its hose connection to the intake.Gas tanks are good, however the driver side tank does leak at its drain plug as the seal needs replacement. This is easy to access and inexpensive. Can be sourced anywhere. The engine had never overheated on me, but it is losing water. The radiator has a leak and an original Series 1 XJ6 radiator is included which is in good condition and ready to install after painting. Easy to install. 2 bolts in the bottom, and 4 at the top to remove the cross brace..that's it. Will be boxed up and placed in the trunk.This is all I really know or can think of. It is an outstanding little project for someone.