1960 Jaguar MK2 Early 3.8L, Auto, Restore

Description

1960 Jaguar MKII MORE PHOTOS (AND UNDERBODY) ON THE CHICAGO CAR CLUB WEBSITE. TOO MANY PICS FOR EBAY. Desirable Very Early MKII Left Hand Drive, 3.8L, Automatic, LSD, Power Steering 51,370 Miles Indicated Very Original “Barn Find” - Stored Since 1983 Excellent Restoration Candidate VIDEO WITH LISTING “Grace...Space...Pace” VIN: P210773 BW (773rd built) Body: S001781 Engine: LA1936-8 We purchased this ‘60 MK2 Jag from a gentleman in Iowa. He had purchased a run-down old farm at auction, and eventually stumbled upon this Jag in one of the property’s barns. Not a... car-guy himself, he did a bit of Google searching in an effort to figure out what the car was, then reached out to us so we could come to the rescue. The car had been off the road since 1983, seemingly parked when still a nice, relatively low-mile car. Of course 35 years is quite a while to be laid up in a barn, but the car did survive and is now being presented as an early, well-spec’d example that is in need of restoration. While obviously in rough shape, as a restoration project this car has a lot going for it. First off, it’s a very early example. The 773rd one built, this car comes from the first year or so of production. The car retains its original engine and transmission, the top-of-the-range 3.8L I6 and optional, additional-cost Automatic. A relatively advanced performance car upon its introduction in 1959, the 3.8L MKII boasted over 200hp, a limited slip differential, four-wheel disc brakes, and optional power steering. And four doors! Having been parked for good in 1983, this car has sat undisturbed since. While it will need a good bit of work, it is great to see that this car has never been picked apart, shoddily restored, or anything like that. The panel fitment is excellent, and the door close is one of the smoothest, most satisfying we’ve ever felt. Exterior: - The car has been repainted once before, from the original red to black. There are a number of areas where the black is peeling away to reveal red paint underneath. Original colorway is red on red with red steelies and polished hubcaps, which we love on these cars. - Body is in good shape with the exception of the extensive rocker rust on the passenger side. No significant dents, scuffs, or anything of the sort. None of the typical roof dents, unlike many cars that are barn-stored for such extended periods of time. - Polished surfaces are nice throughout. No damage, not too much for oxidation. - Wheels are in nice shape, with no damage. Just some oxidation. As opposed to wire wheels, this car came with factory steelies and polished hubcaps. Hubcaps were stored in the trunk while the car was in long-term storage, so they survived in excellent condition. Tires obviously are bad, but will hold air for long enough to transport the car anywhere. - Glass is clear, crack-free, and appears to be original throughout. - This car is totally complete, never picked apart. Hard-to-find bits are present and intact, important for a to-be-restored example like this one. Interior: - Original interior is in pretty impressive shape. Driver’s seat bottom has flaked away, but overall condition is quite good. Please defer to the photos, but it’s clear that this was a very nice car when parked 35 years ago. - Odometer reads 51,371. Unfortunately we do not have any documentation to verify that this is correct, actual mileage. However, looking at the condition of various wear items, we do think that 51k is more than likely correct. - Carpeting is original throughout, though tired. It started shedding and crumbling when we vacuumed it. - Wood throughout the interior, presumed original, is intact and cleans up well. - Inside of the trunk was a pleasant surprise. Spare well looks good, with just a little bit of rust dead center. Original full size spare on a whitewall is in great shape. Toolkit is complete. Car will also come with the original owners manual. - We put a battery pack on the car, and many of the powered systems came to life. Headlights, taillights, fogs/indicators, and license plate light all are functional. Interior is much of the same; interior lights are all good. This includes the dash and gauge lights, column light showing gear, glovebox light, B-pillar and C-pillar lights. The Smiths Radiomobile powers on, lights up, and we can hear it turn on, but no music plays. Wipers are functional, even the wiper sprayer pump is functional. So much for old British electronics being unreliable! Under the Hood / Underbody: - So, the mechanical side of things….We put power to the starter but we were unable to get the car to spin over. We took the valve cover off for a look, and the timing chain and cam are intact. Nothing glaring in there. Certainly looks like a car that “ran when parked.” While not running, we have been able to confirm that this is at least the original drivetrain. - Frame is solid. Very much structurally sound. There is some factory undercoating peeling off the frame rails that you’ll see in the photos, but absolutely no through rust on the frame. There are through rust holes at the forwardmost corner of the passenger floor, as well as a hole under the rear seat just off center to the passenger side. Clean Illinois title in hand. With any further questions, requests, or to discuss purchasing, please reach out to Jake at 773-273-8257.