My Latest Distraction 1960 Jaguar Mark 2 Sedan.

Well my latest Money Pit purchase is this 1960 Jaguar Mark 2 Sedan, 48,000 original Miles, 3.8 liter Automatic, LHD.
My Wife has always wanted one, and I told her I would look for one for her. But finding one that met her wants, and wasn't either a rust bucket or restored out of our price range took about 10 years.
Her requirements were only that it had to be Left hand drive, and it had to be a Automatic trans car. Also it could not be Blue, Green, or Black, and had to have either a Red or Tan Interior.
A few weeks ago this "ran when it was parked in 1985" due to a rear brake issue the the owner had bought the parts for, but never got around to installing. It has more rust than I would like, but it is all original with a very nice red leather interior, and all the interior wood is also in nice shape.
I did manage to get the engine running (and it runs very well at idle) after cleaning out the carbs, and installing the cleaned and sealed gas tank, and putting in a new Battery. 40lbs of oil pressure at idle, no smoke or weird noises. But I think the transmission is toast, it leaks oil from just about every imaginable place.
Here are a few pictures. It was originally Sold in western NY, and came to MI in 1968, the previous owner purchased it from the daughter of the original owner in 1977. It has some rust in the front fenders (wings) and the left rear 1/4. Also 2 of the 4 Jack pads are rusted. But the trunk floor and floor boards are solid. It also has a cheap Earl Sheibe Paint job from the 1970's. But it is presentable.

 

Some interior shots

 

That's awesome. So neat that your wife wanted a vintage car. Got to encourage that kind of behavior.
The car looks like a real beauty. I hope you are able to enjoy it together for years to come.

 

I don't know, if that's so "neat". I've always tried discouraging wives away from vintage cars. Especially, from mine.
How automatic is it, that no shifter is to be seen?

 

It is actually a column shifter, and just to be weird it is on the left side of the steering column, and the turn signal switch (that is broken due to the previous owner forgetting the shifter is on the left side) is on the right side. They just move the RHD steering column to the left side, so the levers are reversed. Plenty of little things to get used to.
But for a 1960 model it has quite a few advanced features for the time, along with Power Steering and Brakes, it has 4 wheel disc brakes, a telescoping steering column, and a low fuel warning light.
Here is a shot of the broken turn signal lever, the gear indicator is on the top of the column, and what looks like the turn signal lever on the left side is the gear indicator. It still shifts clockwise, but it is odd in that you "lift it" to shift out of park.

 

All depends on your perspective.

 

Guess who's going to be your wife's chauffeur. At least, that should save your Jag from even further damnage

 

Nice purchase. Always had a dream of buying my dad (he was from England) a Jaguar. Sadly, never got the chance.

That should be a nice driver. I believe the auto trans might be a Borg-Warner unit.

 

Krash, we have alot in common, my father drove a 63 E-type for about 4 years in the late 60's, so the sound of a nicely tuned straight six always brings back good memories. It was the only Foreign car or Sports Car he ever owned.
The Transmission is a 3-speed BW. It is mostly automatic but it has what is called an intermediate hold feature, that locks out 3rd gear for climbing hills. You can see the switch on the left side of the dash on the last picture I posted. If the trans is infact no good, or continues to leak after some simple gasket or seal replacements, it will probably get replaced with a TH700. There is a kit available to install one, and the OD would be nice while on the highway.

 

Those were the standard choices, among Brit automakers. Those Rovers equipped with the aluminum Buick 215s also had them. Later on, Jaguar was buying Turbo Hydramatics

 

Well I finally got a chance to go thru the paper work that came with the car, I found the original owners title transfer paperwork dated 5-18-1960. From Long Closed Sholz Pontiac Buick Jaguar of White Plains NY. I was kinds shocked it was sold at a Pontiac Dealership! I then went on line and found a few examples of License plate frames on Fleapay and bought the best looking example for Leaper as a Christmas Present!
I think I will repaint the Blue areas Red to match the interior. I think it is of Late 1960's vintage not late 1950's but I didn't seem to care.

 

I agree!

 

I seem to recall, there were first owners of very late Fifties/early Sixties cars (especially one of my J.H. math teachers, who had one on his '60 Chevy, from the Everett Chevy dealer at that time) that had ones that looked like this one. So I'd say you're hitting this one outta the park.

 

Virtually EVERY dealer in So Cal was using license plate frames like that even back to the early 50's, I think. I didn't even know that some dealers in other parts of the country applied little nameplates to the vehicle itself until some time in the 70's..... You also started seeing some dealers switch to plastic frames (not as sturdy) in the 70's, too. Probably a cost thing. Those metal frames must have been costing them $1.25 each by then.........