West Coast Classics are proud to present a cherished example of this very striking and remarkable 1961 Jaguar Mark II 3.8L Sports Sedan.
This 1961 Jaguar Mk2 underwent a multi-year restoration beginning with a rebuilt 3.8-liter engine originally from a 1961 E-Type utilizing a 9:1 compression head from an S-Type and a rebuilt Borg Warner DG-250 3-speed automatic transmission. The car then underwent body work, and was repainted a brilliant 'Indigo Blue' which appears to be the same as the original color of the car. Most exterior trim was replaced or re-chromed. New Dayton wire wheels were mounted, as was a new gas tank. Next, the interior was redone with a new Grey Woolcloth headliner and visor covers, new carpet and underfelt, new seat covers and door panels, new door seals, piping round the doors, window seals, and felt window channel. All the interior wood was refinished. Mechanical renewals beginning with a new stainless steel exhaust system, and new springs at all four corners. An alternator kit replaced the generator. An electronic ignition module (Pertronix) replaced the points and condenser, and a new coil was added. There are two new TRW brake calipers at the front. The rear Dunlop brake calipers were rebuilt. A rack and pinion power steering unit from Welsh Enterprises was installed. The heater box was refurbished with new control cables, new water control valve. The heater core was pressure tested. All new heater and radiator hoses were installed using new stainless clamps. A new aluminum radiator and mounting hardware, a new fan, and new fan shroud were recently added. The braking system was redone using a new brake master cylinder, new brake servo (Lockheed), vacuum tank & shield & check valve & vacuum hoses, braided stainless steel flex lines, some new steel brake lines, new brake fluid reservoir. A new SU fuel pump was installed. Finally, a new bearing for the Center Mounting Assembly that is between the two drive shafts was installed. Mk II's could be had with a few options. The car has the reclining Reutter front seats, a Thornton Power-Lok differential and Lucas Fog Ranger fog lights. The car runs and drives quite nicely. The 3-speed Borg Warner automatic transmission shifts well. The engine starts easily, is responsive, smooth and powerful. The electrics all work. The car will come with a Service Manual, a complete Parts Catalog, many receipts for parts and labor for the rebuild. Among the thick file of invoices are ones for usual maintenance, renewal, and replacement such as tie rod ends, anti-sway bar bushings, sending units for water temp, fuel level, and oil pressure, oil changes, tune ups, brake fluid renewal, transmission fluid replacement and adjustment of band clutches, etc. A recent compression test shows 180,185,190,185,180,180 psi on cylinders 1 to 6.
The Jaguar Mark 2 (II) is a sports sedan which was built from the years 1959 to 1967 by Jaguar in Coventry, England as a successor to the Jaguar 2.4L and 3.4L models which were manufactured between 1957 and 1959. These earlier models later became known as the Jaguar Mark I following the release of the Mark II in 1959. The Mark II is a beautiful, fast and legendary sports saloon, or sedan as referred to in the U.S. and it came with a 120HP 2.4 L engine, 210HP 3.4 L engine or a 220HP 3.8 L Jaguar XK engine similar to the Series I XKE or E-Type having the same block, crank, connecting rods and pistons but different inlet manifold and carbs, with only two SU's instead of three SU's as on the E-Type in Europe and therefore 30HP less. The head of the six-cylinder engine in the Mark II had curved ports compared to the straight ports of the E-Type configuration and both the 3.4 and 3.8L cars were fitted with twin SU HD6 carbs. Nevertheless the performance of these small, sharp, tight sedans was nothing less than legendary with the Mark 2 gaining a reputation as a capable get away car amongst criminals and law enforcement alike with the 3.8 L model being particularly fast with its 220 HP engine driving the car from 0-60 mph in under 8.5 seconds and with a top speed of 125 mph, making it faster than 80% of all other contemporary two seater sports cars and with the car still having enough room for five adults! They were employed by the British Police to patrol the British motorways (Freeways!) The Mark 2's body lines, derived from the Mark 1, proved sufficiently popular over time to provide an inspiration for the Jaguar S-Type introduced in 1999. The original S-Type has always proved less fashionable or desirable and consequently less valuable than the Mark II and therefore less have survived or been restored.
Certain milestone cars not only epitomize their genre or era, they create them. So it was with the Jaguar Mark II, the quintessential sports sedan. The Mark I had been launched in 1955 to cater to what Sir William Lyons, known with affection as 'Mr Jaguar' and the co-founder of 'Jaguar Cars Limited', identified as the 'Sporting Compact Market'. He figured that there was a demand between the larger and more excessive Mark VII sedan and the XK140 fixed-head coupe or roadster and he was right! Demand for power in the Mark II increased the engine size in the new models from 2.4L to 3.4L and eventually to the awesome 3.8L engine which was the same 'B' head model as the Mark IX producing 220HP instead of the even faster straight port three carb version fitted to the new XK150S with 265HP and later fitted to the XKE or E-Type in 1961. With gorgeous styling to match its performance the model was an instant hit. The car boasted polished burl walnut trim and fragrant leather upholstery and luxurious wool carpeting and an enlarged glass area - particularly the side windows which lost the thicker pillars of the Mark I and a new wraparound rear window enhanced both visibility and aesthetics no end. The rear wheel skirts became cutaway spats and the grille was revised with an enlarged center rib housing the flashy Jaguar badge! As before a large leaping Jaguar mascot adorned the hood. Lighting was improved with sidelights atop the front fenders and larger tail-lights were at the rear.
With a selling price well into the range of a new Cadillac sedan in the U.S., the Mk II was an affluent car to own and Mark II's acquitted themselves in saloon car racing almost uncontested, true to Jaguar's formidable racing heritage, until the Americans led by Dan Gurney and Jack Sears brought their massive Chevy Impala and Ford Galaxie V8's over to Europe. The Mark II became renown as a real driver's car which explains its popularity as a Police car and its reputation as a getaway car in numerous film and TV stories! With most of these cars having been neglected over the years or rusted beyond repair to find an example like this one is most certainly a rare find.
This particular model was fitted with rare factory options including power steering, fog lights, radio (with please note this car's original radio replaced with a new radio) and wire wheels and the car still has its original spare wheel and jack located in their original compartments in the trunk. The interior of the Mark II boasted bucket seats in front with traditional English fold-down tea trays in their rears. The fascia was neatly arranged with instrumentation right in front of the driver with a row of secondary gauges and toggle switches lined up impressively in the leather grained center of the dash and the automatic gear selector was installed on the column. The Mark II was discontinued in September 1967
This is obviously an extremely rare opportunity to own a beautifully restored and surviving example of this 1961 Jaguar Mark 3.8L II - a perfect addition to any British car collection or an obvious choice for the Jaguar enthusiast!
