Description

1964 Jaguar MkII 3.4 MOD

A cracking example of this sporting saloon with various performance upgrades; louvred bonnet; Coombs spats; power steering; RS handling kit; 2" carbs; gas-flowed head; Brantz Tripmaster etc. 

Built in February 1964, this lovely Jaguar MkII 3.4 manual overdrive comes with a large history file extending back to 1990 and has had just two owners in the last 21 years. A much-cherished machine, it has been considerably improved and upgraded over the years and has always been in light regular use, 21 old MOTs charting the gradual rise in mileage from 55,760 in 1990 to today’s total of 89,500 miles.
In 1994 at 66,885 miles it received a major bout of expenditure which included a full engine rebuild with new pistons and a reground crank etc, new front and rear suspension springs plus a host of other mechanical jobs. In 1997 it was treated to a full bodywork restoration including a bare metal repaint in dark metallic blue when a louvred bonnet and Coombs-style rear wheel spats were also fitted. All the brightwork was rechromed at the same time and the underside was wax coated.
In 1998 it was sent to RS Coachworks of Reading for various upgrades including rack-and-pinion power steering; a lead-free cylinder head which was gas-flowed and fitted with larger inlet valves and valve seats; a gas-flowed inlet manifold bored out to accept the 2" carburettors which were also fitted; Jaguar XJ Series 3 electronic ignition; uprated 4-pot front brake calipers; uprated suspension with RS Handling Kit; Mota-Lita steering wheel plus various other improvements with bills for this lot amounting to some £8,900.
In 1999 the car was bought by a German gentleman living in Newbury who kept it for 10 years and appears to have used it in both England and in Germany with various bills on file covering this period amounting to some 3,400 Euros (all in Deutsch, naturlich). Our vendor acquired it from him in July 2009 to join a collection of classic cars and has continued to maintain it carefully ever since, covering some 7,000 miles during his 11-year ownership. Apart from routine service items, recent expenditure has also included new leather seat covers, new carpets, new headlining, new sealed beam headlights, new exhaust and a new set of MWS stainless steel wire wheels shod with new Vredestein 205/70/15 tyres which cost £2,252.
The vendor has also used the car on several regularity events – hence the Brantz timing equipment under the left side of the dash – and reports that it has proved very reliable and competitive, winning several trophies along the way.
Documentation includes a V5C, records of all previous owners back to 1984, 21 old MOTs from 2019 back to 1990, many invoices and photos, a Heritage Certificate issued by Jaguar Deutschland and operating instructions for the Brantz Tripmaster. The original Jaguar toolkit is also still present in the spare wheel well.
A particularly good-looking MkII with some useful upgrades, this wonderful sporting saloon will surprise many modern cars with its pace, while its grace and space remain as intoxicating today as they were at launch over 60 years ago. We like it a lot!
MODEL HISTORY
Undoubtedly one of the greatest saloon cars of all time, the Jaguar MkII was launched to huge acclaim in 1959. The top-of-the-range 3.8-litre model had stunning performance from its 220bhp straight-six engine and could embarrass most sportscars of the day, leaving them trailing in its 125mph wake. Keeping everything under control were servo-assisted disc brakes all round, coil-and-wishbone independent front suspension and a leaf-sprung Salisbury rear axle with optional limited slip diff. Inside was beautifully trimmed in walnut and leather in the finest Jaguar tradition.
A huge success both on road and track, the MKII was quick to dominate contemporary saloon car racing in the hands of drivers like Stirling Moss and Roy Salvadori. No wonder it also established itself as the ultimate get-away car. With room for four burly gangsters and a big stack of loot, no Sixties’ bank job was complete without a MkII fishtailing its way from the scene of the crime – hotly pursued by another one that the cops were forced to use to keep up!
In the middle of the range was the 3.4-litre which featured the superb twin-cam 3,442cc XK engine, as used in the previous 3.4 Saloon and the XK140/150. The 3.4-litre was a particularly sweet engine with excellent performance that was nearly a match for the 3.8 (210bhp and 120mph top speed). Production of the MkII 3.4 ended in 1967, although a cheaper version, the 340, continued to sell until 1969.
For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com