I’m sort of new to Saloons but not Jags. I have 6 right now and have had many in the past - E-types, Series 1,2 and 3 XJ6’s and XJ12’s and some XJS’s - but the only Saloon I’ve had prior to my new aquisition was a Mk 10 without an engine.
I recently got a genuine ‘barn-find’ 1960 3.4 MOD Mk2. It’s fairly complete but the best part about it is there is very little rust. It spent it’s life in Nebraska and from what I can tell it’s literally been in a barn since the 70’s - I can confirm the barn part because of the pieces of hay and barn smell that still lingers The tires still hold air but are quite dry-rotted and are definitely pre-metric 70’s rubber.
The interior is black vinyl and that’s what I wondered about. It looks original or like an old kit and I’ve read that vinyl or Ambla was the base level interior later on but is does it make sense that a 1960 Mk2 would originally have had a vinyl interior?
The thing that really makes me wonder about it is that the little balls that should hold the picnic tables up are not there and there are no holes for them in the vinyl that surrounds the tables…
Anyway, I probably won’t be doing much with this car for several months because I’m just finishing up one of my Series 1 XJ6’s but I’ll be lurking around here too now so just wanted to introduce myself.
Thanks @Breen60 & @DaveMoore . It does look very much like an original interior - especially the rear seat arm rest - so it’s probably from another car as you say. I kinda doubt anyone made a vinyl kit for Mk2 but I guess it’s possible.
I have a late (1966 LHD US Spec) MK2 with a black Ambla interior. I was always told that towards the end of MK2 production the US dealers were specifying Ambla to keep costs down, not sure if this is true? 1960 does sound to early to not have leather.
Thanks @DavidMK2. Do you happen to have any pictures of your interior? Googling doesn’t really differentiate between vinyl and leather mk2 interiors when searching for images.
Are the backs of your front seats vinyl all the way down to the mounts?
I’m kinda leaning toward keeping the seats the way they are because they are in amazingly good shape. The only damage I find is some heat/uv drying of the area of the back seat top near the rear window.
In the USA (perhaps Canada as well) there was a 1967 model year saloon badged as a 340 that had an ambla interior. There were also some other cost cutting features as the car was an entry level model just below the S Type and 420. It was fitted with the thick bumpers and disc wheels, power steering and a 3.4 liter XK engine, overdrive was still optional with the manual gearbox as was an automatic. Picture shows car with the Fog Ranger auxiliary lamps. This information from a factory USA black and white sales flyer. Jaguar’s sedan range in 1967 was a bit confused as there were probably some left over S Types, selling along with the 340, 420 and 420G.
I am just deconstructing a MK2 3.8 ex USA which I think is early sixties as it has recessed sun shades and is also vinyl seats with working picnic tables. It all looks original and also has straw in various nooks and crannies but I think this was the mice. I am selling the seats as I want leather and adjustable backrest etc. I cannot understand how you could sit on vinyl in California with no A/C.
If you have vinyl seats with picnic tables, these were not fitted that way from the factory. Later cars made in 1967 had vinyl interiors but no picnic tables.
Hey, that’s great Mike. Happy for you. Those are neat cars.
You have 6 cars?? haha
My first car was a 66’ 3.8 Mk2 I restored as a kid in high school, pre internet days…
God how me and my dear ole father drove all over the place to get parts.
Somehow I found someone who had seats for sale for a “Mk2”…and they were actually for the later 340 as mentioned above…basically the later model which became more an economical version, ambla upholstery, slim bumpers… alongside the , 420, 420G and “S” saloons…until the xj6 came out and consolidated everything
Anyway, I swapped out my broken leather for those ambla seats…they did have picnic tables.
Must be a similar situation you have there or you have a later 340. I’d be sure to check out the numbers if you haven’t. Do you have the slim bumpers too?
Not a bad thing, per se…to find original style seats and not some funky setup is always a big big plus…leather or not.
My 1963 3.8 Mk2 has red vinyl seats, picnic tables and appears to be original. The factory paint was medium grey metallic. It had P/S, A/T and chrome wire wheels and was sold by a Rolls Royce dealer in Santa Monica Ca.
That’s interesting. What a dream color combination. Mamma Mia…
I had same specs.
I wonder if it was an option on the S1 XJ6 as well? I have seen a couple with outstanding, original in appearance in every way, and claimed to be all original cars too.
But I digress.
That power steering contraption on the rear of the dynamo really was something.
They are apparently rare as can be now and expensive as Hades if you find one.
Definitely worth the electrical motor upgrade these days no doubt.
I remember having to fabricate that slotted drive key piece on the rear of the dynamo(generator) that connected the two…that was a thing…hah.
Thanks Paul! Yeah 6 now. I really shouldn’t have bought it but I have a serious Jag-addiction problem.
A Mk2 is a helluva nice ride for a high-school kid… The closest I could get to a Jag at that time was an English bike – a black Raleigh Record Ace 10 Speed
It’s definitely a 1960 and the numbers match. Fat bumpers. It’s a serious project and the engine is very seized with rust in the cylinders but the body’s not rusty which is the most important thing in my book.
Whew, you sure do! You just finished the S1 XJ!
Yep, many of us are bizarre kindred spirits.
May not be as fun to work on as the XJ though. Boy, even then I recall how I needed to contortion myself to get to things.
That’s great there’s little rust. Hope the wood is alright.
There are so many more options today and upgrades available than when I was doing it in the early 90s.
Yes, I was. Have always been…
My father surprised me. We came across it while on some Texas road, some British car garage. $5k.
One of the mechanics rebuilt the motor for me “on the side” within his garage…took a year or two while I waited in agony…
As I dwell on it all, all those times, I wonder what I enjoy more, these damn cars or the memories associated with them.
Be careful and have fun.
Look forward to reading updates on your progress…
The tires still hold air but are quite dry-rotted and are definitely pre-metric 70’s rubber.