Quite a few sports car makers rely on the images of wild animals as their mascots: Ferrari has the prancing horse, Lamborghini employs the raging bull. Jaguar Ltd. was christened with the moniker of the irresistible, wild feline; perhaps no other manufacturer's products are quite so aptly named.
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A limited production Grand Touring Coupé for the well-off gentleman, based on the most successful Jaguar in history, the beautiful XJ sedan, this elegant, pillar-less hardtop was the last automobile design Jaguar's founding father William Lyons himself supervised, capping off his decades-long tenure at the helm of the distinguished British marque in high style.
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According to literature, only 3,900 left hand drive XJ6 Coupés were built during three years of production; the 1977 Jaguar XJ6C presented here, VIN *UH2J53689BW*, is among the last of its kind. Sold new at BAUER MOTORS in Costa Mesa, Calif., it was acquired by its second owner in 1985 as an appropriate vehicle to take the wife to her weekly bridge game.
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Though less than 10 years old at the time, the engine soon needed mechanical attention, a not untypical scenario for Jaguars of the Seventies. Thusly, the owner embarked on an open-checkbook, no expense spared quest to enhance performance and reliability and commissioned Los Angeles' INTERJAG specialist garage to perform a professional conversion to domestic V-8 power. A 350 cu.in. Chevrolet engine, bolted to an ART CARR-prepped TH400 automatic transmission, was expertly installed with the exclusive use of INTERJAG parts. In the 25 years since the car was converted, its Lady owner drove it a mere 4,000 miles. Today, the odometer shows an amazingly low 49,396 actual miles!
Original, 1977-issue California six-digit blue-and-gold license plates gracing prow and stern of the Jag are still current.
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Looking very pretty from any angle, especially with the side windows completely lowered, the XJ-C acts like a magnet for admirers of beautiful automobile design. Being a life-long Southern California citizen, its coachwork has remained 100% free of corrosion.
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Cat's paws are excellent, original, chromed, artillery-style wheels, shod with radial whitewall tires of the size 205/75R15 and capped with stock dog-dish hubcaps embellished with the Jaguar emblem.
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Engine compartment is as clean as a whistle. Note INTERJAG's fan shroud and fresh air intake. V-8 truly looks like it belongs here. Car is equipped with 4-wheel power disc brakes, power steering, and ice cold air conditioning. It features a B.A.R. sticker and easily passes California's stringent smog inspection.
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Jag's wonderfully glossy Greensand finish, a great period color original to this car, looks resplendent. Apart from minimal signs of use, there is nothing to report that would cause sleepless nights for even the most fussy collector. Everywhere we looked during our inspection, the low-mileage status of this Coupé was confirmed. Bumpers, chrome, glass, weatherstripping: everything looks terrific! Just the side-window-to-top rubber seal has deteriorated, a common occurrence on this model. We have ordered a new set and will have it installed before the car leaves our showroom.
Black EVERFLEX roof is in pristine condition.
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Another highlight of this vintage Jaguar is its sumptuous, Cinnamon-colored interior.
Let's have a closer look!
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Majestic cockpit features original accoutrements, including instruments, switchgear, and steering wheel. Real maple wood shows a craclée patina to the varnish, dash top and lower surround are free of heat-induced splits.
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Even the factory Am/FM/8-Track stereo is original to the car, and it works! A box of 1970s tapes--remember KISS, Yes, Johnny Paycheck, and Barry Manilow?--is included.
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You might be pleased to learn that CONNOLLY, for years the World's leading manufacturer of top-quality automotive leather, chose only hides from healthy and deliriously happy cows grazing on protected areas of the Scottish highlands.
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Commensurate with the cars low mileage, excessive wear and tear are notably absent; the craftsmanship so abundantly displayed here is simply priceless.
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Wide doors facilitate easy access to the back seat. Like a luxurious rail car, the rear compartment offers all the amenities even the most fastidious passenger would expect: center arm rest, storage pockets in both side panels, electric window controls and ventilation outlet in the console all add to the ambiance of wellness this classic British luxury automobile masterfully delivers.
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Ready for a test drive?
Sure, but let's have a quick look at trunk and undercarriage first.
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You might not expect to find this much luggage space in a Coupé; the XJC's trunk is downright cavernous. Perfectly preserved black WILTON wool carpeting is factory original and free of stains, smudges, or tears, just like the HARDURA side panels. Which raises the question: was anything transported in this trunk, ever, other than a bag of golf clubs, perhaps?
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Remove the carpet and a wooden partition, and you'll find the spare--note pristine condition of this area.
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Perfect, rust free, all original spare tire compartment. Unused spare rim fitted with the original N.O.S. pinstripe whitewall DUNLOP ER70-15 tire.
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Unmolested, all original rockers are laser straight.
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Front and rear valances are of reference quality.
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Often hampered by the factory's insufficient rust prevention and consequently beset with myriad corrosion problems, the only term to describe the floorboards of this exceptional Jaguar coming to mind would be "like new." There has never been an issue; this car has never been driven in inclement weather and has never spent a night outside. It doesn't get any better! |
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Monday, February 1st, 2010--when we took all of these pictures--was a perfect day to take the Jaguar for a drive. We had a few errands to run; a 20-mile freeway jaunt would be part of our cruise.
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It's a joy to be seen in the classic Jaguar Coupé. Rolls-Royce always comes to mind when attempting to assess the overwhelming sense of well-being felt while chauffeuring this fine machine. We firmly believe the XJ Coupé to be in a league with the equally rare Corniche Coupé. This particular Jag sounds like an XJ6 and drives like an XJ6 . . . even cognoscenti of the marque would never detect the conversion without opening the bonnet!
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My car is my castle. This one starts, runs, drives, handles, and brakes wonderfully. All-independent suspension is supple, power rack-and-pinion steering precise, 4-wheel power disc brakes stop this Motorway Flyer as authoritatively as you would expect from the technology's pioneer. Except for the clock, all gauges and lights work, and are properly calibrated. Befitting a low-mileage car, there are no squeaks or rattles.
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33 years after it was sold new, this elegant Coupé is still a very prestigious automobile. Don't be surprised if you see an XJ6C valet-parked in the front row of a fine Beverly Hills restaurant or hip Hollywood nightspot. A vintage Jag like this one is living proof that impeccable style and taste for the finer things in life never falls out of fashion.
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On the freeway, the Jag is whisper quiet and ultra smooth, even at speeds approaching 85 mph.
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Returning home in Jaguar's "Corporate Sports Car" (as it was called in contemporary advertising), we are utterly satisfied with its performance. Here's one vintage car that runs as good as it looks!
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In the tradition of distinguished British marques featuring powerful drivetrains Made In The U.S.A., like Bristol, Gordon Keeble, or AC, this Coupé is a big, powerful sports car for the family man, the finest business express imaginable. With its finely preserved, sumptuous interior and unmolested coachwork and chassis, this California blue-plate Cat represents a rare opportunity for the knowledgeable enthusiast to acquire one of the finest, low-mileage LHD examples of the XJ Coupé in existence.
Addendum:
We sold this Jaguar early in 2010 to a customer in Florida.
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