Hi everyone,
Just joined. Looking to find an “save” a XJ6 Series I. Always loved the looks. Had a Austin Healey Sprite and a TR7 back in high school and college. Those were replaced by a 1990 Miata. Had that for 29 years, but lost it to an accident. Time to return to my British roots as it were. It’s going to be my daily driver, something I can upgrade over time.
Anyway, glad to have joined. Been reading the posts for a few days. Deep knowledge here.
Jeff
Jeff,
welcome to the forum!
I’d hate to see you leave, but it is quite a long step from LBCs and a Miata to a Jaguar sedan, both in terms of complexity, maintenance and driving experience. A SI Jag may look antique, but in good fettle wouldn’t feel overly so when on the open road, in particular if you get your hands on a manual SWB car. Having said that my Jag is a far cry from my Spitfire, even if the power to weight ratio is pretty much the same.
On the other hand, with age comes use for a sedan and there’s no better way to take a family in comfort, style and relative safety than a series Jag … and this might be what got you into these cars.
If you’re located in one of the hotter regions of the US you might think about the SII cars, though. They have retained the original William Lyons roofline and can easily be converted to Euro chrome bumpers, but have a clearly advanced heating and ventilation system. Produced till 1978 you might find a better example of these than of SI cars. Some listers took quite some time to source a reasonably well-kept SI car even in the US.
Good luck
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec)
Hi Jochen,
Second paragraph nails it.
Your point about the more advanced HVAC in SII is a good one! Virginia can have its hot, muggy days, and cold winter day. I’ll keep that in mind. Good to know the chrome bumpers can go on the SII, as that is a look I really like.
Jeff
VA. can not only be hot, but humid. Only went through there decades ago, in July, no AC in my 50 Chev. Cooked,
Long shot for a place to look. David Boger of everydayxj is in N. Carolina. Not too awful far from you. He deals in jaguar parts, used and NOS.
But, he just might be a connection to find the S1 or SII that fits your needs. A good guy, posts here, as well.
Carl
I’m not sure where you’re located, but Here’s one in Washington State. I was looking at it for a parts car (possibly).
It doesn’t look that bad. I’ve resurrected worse.
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Carl,
Good information, thanks!
Jeff
Mark,
Interesting, looks no worse than the one in TX I have an eye on. Washington is a bit wetter than Tx, so perhaps less rust in Tx.
Thanks for sharing though!
Jef
Thursday while out on a sales call about an hour and a half north of home I passed a salvage yard…had to stand hard on the brakes and pull a U-turn! Out in front was a Jaguar. It was a Series III XJ6. I only had 5 min. but a quick check showed very little rust other than surface rust from the paint wearing away. The rockers, and around the windows looked rust free. There is some blisters above the right rear wheel arch and the body panel under the rear bumper was rusted, but that was it.
On the way home I stopped for a longer look. Looks like the PO ran into a trailer hitch and pushed in the body work between the right side head lights. Could be an issue if hinge damaged.
VIN #SAJAV134XFC423526 So it’s a 1985 with the 4.2 inline 6.
I’m going to drive back up there mid week during business hours and take a good look at the bottom of the trunk and driver and passenger floor pans for rust.
You owners of this vintage have an words of wisdom with regards to things I should look for on the next visit?
I’ll also pull a Carfax report and see what it has to say.
Jeff
I see it has aftermarket wheel well trim–that might be covering a common rust area, maybe why it was fitted in the first place.
Some general advice (which I almost always fail to follow myself): You are now considering a widely available car (unlike the Series 1). This one might be cheap, but probably no cheaper than $0.00. It will need some bodywork/painting, as you’ve already described. And that’s just the beginning. The general wisdom is to buy the best example that you can afford. The argument that you will have no hobby work to do with the car because it will be perfect is bogus–still lots to do. I wish I’d followed that advice myself.
Hi Rober,
Good to know the wheel well trim is aftermarket, I don’t care for it and it would come off.
I’m well aware of the work ahead of me if buying a Jag in this state. Joy and frustration ahead, but you eat that elephant on bite at a time (although the re-spray is a big bite 
)
Any issues with the sun roofs other than keeping the drain(s) clean?
Jeff
Now you’re talking my language.
All of my XJ6’s are clapped out POS cars. Thanks to the folks in this forum; I’ve gained the confidence and lack of common sense to pour my time and money into resurrecting.
check out the XJ Buyers guide
This is my experience when I run across an XJ cheap.
This is what I look at when I purchase a clapped out project.
There are 3 areas of work.
If 2 of the three items aren’t a concern I purchase immediately
if 2 of the three items ARE a concern - I SHOULD walk away.
if Interior is the area of concern; and I don’t have spares - I (SHOULD) walk away. Leather is expensive.
If there are rust holes, and I don’t have spares - I walk away. Unless it’s a Series I or a Series II XJ - Coupe. then I think about it a bit.
Case and point.
This car - '86 XJ6
Brakes!!! I have brakes!!! Ummm No.My point of this is these cars are layers of an onion. I bought the Series III as a trade for a Series I that was about to get lumped or scrapped. This one. the PO didn’t want to trade anymore so I ended up purchasing the Series I completely did regarding my rules. 
@Robert_Wilkinson makes a good point. There Series I’s are hard to come by and a worth considering in the State of the Series III you’ve included in the post. Where as the Series III’s XJ6’s are still somewhat common and can be purchased cheap. The most I spent on any of my XJ6’s is $1,000. and that’s the Series I. The two Series III’s were all had for under $600.00 and both of them are in much better shape than the one you’ve got in the post.
Just trying to save you from a head ache.
Mark,
That is the best insight at what lies ahead that I’ve got yet from either forum. Thanks!!!
It’s about what I figured, based on the condition of the cars I’ve looked at, information gleaned from the forums, and previous British cars I’ve owned. I’m looking for a Jag project that once the car runs, goes, and stops, I can use as a mostly daily driver while doing the restoration over time. Rather than buying a new car or nice used car and making a monthly payment to a bank while watching it loose value. With this project I can make the monthly payment on my terms and watch the value increase (to a point of course). Over that time I will have a enjoyable car that clearly gets better, and at the end of the tunnel is a very nice car that will only require maintenance (as any car would), yet is more interesting, beautiful, easy to work on and less full of all this computerized BS today’s modern cars have. Short of a car killing accident, this is a car I intend to keep for decades.
Jeff
We have had our S1 for 31 years. It’s the family favourite of 5 cars (3 classics). It’s now reliable and cheap to own. It was a runner in '87 when bought. Rust in sills, floors and bottom of A pillars took it if the road for 23 years in '93. Per others look carefully at the body. Our sills were externally sound but paper thin! All the running gear and steering rack has been rebuilt and interior replaced. Long haul it’s still been a cheap car - not counting my labour. Given your intentions buy the best bodied car that you can - this is what takes them off the road for long periods - compared with second hand anything mechanical, which is a busy weekend. Good luck Paul
In order of cost
The cost to repair even moderate rust and repaint is more than the value of most XJ
The engine must turn, preferably run
Is the interior or chrome trashed.
unless reciepts can be sighted the brakes WILL need overhaul
It would make more sense to pay 10-15K for one that needs none of the above, rather than a 1-2k for one that needs 2 or more attended
Rust…
Depending on which corner of the US you’re in; rust may be an issue.
Where do they rust?
around the windows - All XJ’s
the Driver side and passenger side front floors. The cowel vent doesn’t get cleaned out, the duck bill drains get clogged; and the water dumps in through the heater fans and/or the A/C condenser is between the two front seats under the dash & console. The drainage hose comes loose, and the condensation ends up under the carpet. This isn’t an easy one to spot by just touching the carpet. because their’s foam and a rubber mat under the carpet & the rubber keeps the carpet dry. Lift up the carpet and grope.
sun roof. I don’t know if you noticed the duct tape above the wheel arch in the pictures of the Series III; but it’s covering up a rust hole. trying to keep the rain out. Classy huh! 
well that’s from the sun roof leaking. the rear drainage tubes are draining under the back seat and in the in the cavity between the cabin and the front side of the rear wheel arch. This is something that I check everytime I was the car. I open the sun roof, and the rear passenger door and run water down the sides of the sunroof rails to make sure the water is coming out the little weep hole on the body below the door latch on the rear doors. This is another one that can ultimately kill a Jaguar. If gone unchecked it will rot out the radius arm mount. which is rather important.
wheel arches which is pretty common on all autos; except with the XJ’s the drip rails and the sun roof drain into the cavity behind the front wheel. The fender (wing) has slots in the bottom to allow the water to drain out the bottom of the fender above the rocker panel. There’s an access panel behind the front wheel that can be removed by removing a couple of screws. Keep that clean. Gone unchecked; the rust will compromise the structure of your car. just like the A and C pillar rust.
trailing edge of the inside of the boot lid (trunk)
obviously the floor of the trunk (boot). pull up the carpet and unlatch the spare cover and take a good look around. I’ve purchased a XJ that you could see day light through the floor of the boot & well the front seating area was like a glass bottom boat with out the glass.
I think that’s all; that’s all I’ve run across in my years of repairing Jags.
Hope this helps
Mark
Jeffrey,
I would choose a car that is rust free and has a good interior
Rust is very expensive to repair, and if you do it your self a very long and arduous job…
I did it my self in two of my cars, took forever and I never got to really cure the malady,…
The rear valance rust is caused by leaking exhaust tips, I have the same problem on an otherwise totally rust free car.
Yes, this could be an issue…
Second most important, and expensive, is the interior, and especially the leather, It must be decent, at the very least not torn or rotted, redyeing is not a problem.
Don’t expect to find a car with the wood varnish intact.
It’s not an issue though, a big job but very feasible.
Otherwise everything mechanical is fixable, and especially with an SIII, parts are quite easy to find.
Electrics will be a big headache.
And as the others already mentioned, you will need complete brakes overhaul, probably all suspension bushings, maybe rusted tanks, complete cooling system overhaul, all fuel hoses, and hopefully not a stuck engine !
The car looks complete though and that is a good start.
When you see it again send us more photos.
Best,
Aristides
an easy one to check, especially for cars sat outside…flip open fuel fillers
drain hole gets blocked by detritus and fills up with water
the true horror of a rusted out fuel well pressing is not something you want to experience
Tony,
You are absolutely right. Your list is “right on”! Most people WILL buy the $1000 car which is junk with major issues (including rust) before they will buy a $6000 car that is all together! I see it over and over. That is why so many have continuous issues over and over because they started out with “junk”. Even when they spend thousands to get the $1000 car somewhat together, they still have a car that will never be as solid as the $6000 car! Amazing for myself who has been dealing with Jags, Mercedes and Rolls Royces for many many years!
Richard
in my opinion, the best cars are “unmolested originals”, with few owners and some provenance. The best way I have observed to obtain such a vehicle is thru Jaguar Clubs, who usually have a For Sale section. A lot of guys with XJ such as above are reaching quite an old age, and decide to sell. I have seen several such cars in our club in the last couple of years.
Excellent S1 manuals ~$AU12-14K, very little, if anything to spend.
estimate the cost of a major rebuild on an XJ would be 30k+
(I note most recent prices I have seen for good S1 manuals have risen are significantly)
