This is one in our club;
Sorry couldn’t get a good side on shot but I can assure you it looks good, its based on the Leyland Coupes that Broad Speed raced.
Sorry couldn’t get a good side on shot but I can assure you it looks good, its based on the Leyland Coupes that Broad Speed raced.
To close this out, perhaps, I saw the car briefly today in the garage at the owners house but due to a late change in plan only his wife was present…
First thought on seeing it was the major rust on the scuttle and screen surrounds. When I reached in through the open window and opened the badly-aligned bonnet, there was major perforation all along the top of the inner wings with the outer wings held up by the diagonal bracing bars more than anything.
The engine looked as ungainly as lumped V8s usuallly do in an old Jag but although I could reach through the window and crank the engine it did not start. There may have been an extra switch or choke type control for cold starting that I was unaware of?
The floors had previously been repaired with plain flat sheet and the front third on each side was essentially missing from rust. I assume it had been used on salty roads in the Canadian winter. The roof covering - which looked and felt more like part-hardened bondo than vinyl, was failing to hide some rust or uneveness in some areas that appeared to be breaking through.
When I tried to close the bonnet it seemed even further cocked sideways, so I only tried one slam for fear of worsening the misalignment.
The first time I pulled on the latch, the driver’s door opened and there was no detectable play in the hinges. Since I was between the door and the garage wall I couldn’t open it fully so I closed again until I’ got it ouside., In the event I never managed to open it again from inside or out.
In its defence, the car looked better up close in terms of the overall proportions. There was a hint of Mercedes SL in the proportions of the three-box shape, and by being close you couldn’t see the cheesy sloping stainless panels stuck to each side. I have a soft spot for specials, and had this been in half decent condition I might have been tempted to make a low offer and reftify the rust and the lump. In the event there was little left to weld to and by the time you stripped everything a put the shell on a rotisserie even a good body man would struggle and I’m no good.
It’s ironic that to me its worst feature - the ugly chop job - would have ended as its greatest value as a curiosity and to wind people up (Lord save us from boring cars). But in the end the special constructions that must have soaked up lots of planning and executing hours, were poorly protected and without a functioning or moderately-fixable shell it was just a fright pig.
That was a clear and objective assessment, Peter - a worthwhile comment/conclusion…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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