The Car

The Jaguar XJ6 Registration Number D533ERW featured here was registered on the 6th of May 1987 and used by Jaguar Cars Ltd for about 18 months as a company vehicle and was lent to Euston Films in 1988 for use in the filming of "Minder". On the 24th of May 1989 it was sold by the Evans Halshaw Jaguar dealership in Birmingham for £16800 to an engineering company in Nuneaton. It was taken to the Jaguar Service Division at Browns Lane Coventry on the 8th of November 1990 for unknown work. It passed through two more owners and had a cherished number plate transfer before being sold to a gentleman in Kent on the 25th of July 2002, he used it daily until its last MOT ran out in the summer of 2004. I bought it in January 2005 with the intention of carrying out the restoration that I'm writing about. Having now covered over 150,000 miles its not surprising the amount work required to get the car into good condition.

Click on images to enlarge.

After inspection I have found some serious structural rust which will be cut away and new repair panels welded in. Note the later alloy wheel centre caps.

Both A pillars are in a bad way requiring removal of the (cracked) windscreen and repair sections welded in. This will be particularly challenging.

Both sills will require replacement as there are holes in them but the rest of the underside seems to be solid. (Right) The front bumper is fitted with optional headlamp washers but there are four jets and all other XJ40s that I know of have two regardless of square or round headlamps, this is another feature of the car that interests me.

Surprisingly the boot lid is in very good condition. This is a very weak point on Jaguar XJ40s.

The interior is in a poor state with saggy headlining and peeling lacquer on the walnut veneer. The leather and electrics are in good condition though. Options fitted include electric seats, air con and an uprated stereo system.

The engine and gearbox is in sound condition requiring minor work but there is serious corrosion on the bulkhead. This too will be very difficult to make a repair. It was converted to run on unleaded 95ron petrol by Jaguar at some point.