2006-11-25 19:37:18 | Lofty writes:

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Seen on eBay, November 2006. Ad reads:

"For sale at auction is a wonderful and rare find. An original California black registration plate car, stored for 15+ years in Fresno California. It appears from the overall condition that the car has operated in this dry climate as well. No rust damage. If you are contemplating a restoration of a MKII, then know that most of the money you spend will be in eliminating the rust in the body! Here is a rare opportunity to avoid that expense.

As a Dry California car, it was equipped with the very rare air conditioning combined with a factory optioned 4-speed transmission.

Please read all of the text as we have attempted to thoroughly and accurately describe this find.

True Mileage is not known.

Mechanicals - This car is very complete 4-speed with Air

The engine and all the mechanicals are very complete down to the original air cleaner. Some hoses have been replaced but most everything else is original in engine bay. Engine does run and sounds quiet, normal, and strong. Oil pressure is normal. The fuel lines are gummed up, so we ran it from a gas can. The Trans shifts thru all the gears standing, however, the clutch hydraulics are not working, but the transmission seems to operate normal. Entire brake system is complete, but the pedal does not work, only the hand brake. Suspension components have no signs of damage but as is to be expected the rubber parts are weak.

The front clip and suspension appear trouble free and straight. The rear axle and associated equipment is all there and does not indicate anything abnormal. The bottom side of the car is straight and free of rust damage. There is surface rust in places, but no bubbles and such.

The air conditioning system seems to be complete. You can see the evaporator in the boot and compressor in the engine compartment. We did not test its operation, but it has been many years since this car was run.

All numbers match the plate.

Original California Jags from this era have an additional tag indicating the manufacturer and the year manufactured. These tags were place by the factory on California delivery cars only. It will be a small tag near the main VIN plate. This car has its original tag "J63".

Body and Exterior - Clean and Straight

A 3.8 MKII Jaguar that is virtually damage free and totally free of rust damage. Even the trunk well, doors, and rubber seal flange areas have escaped the ravages of time and rust. It appears to be the original paint. The paint is faded in areas, but actually polishes up on a couple of areas we tried. A repaint would really be best. The car retains ALL its original panels including sills floors and fenders. The lower parts of the doors are free of any signs of rust blisters. You can put your sheet metal shears and welder away since no panel replacement will be needed. The chrome needs redone, but it is not bent, its all there, and can redone without reconstruction. The boot is dry and has no rust. The chrome is all there including the hard to get windscreen surrounds. They will need to be refinished, but none is missing or severely bent or damaged.

Interior - Very complete with original leather

The interior is complete and all the wood will refinish easily without any major veneer work. The seats are the original leather and as you see in the photos, will need to be redone. Its all there. Most of the carpets pieces are there; The driver side floor mat is missing. The instruments are untouched and original. This Jag will require a complete redo inside, but a very good position to start from instead of hunting for lost bits. The original radio appears to be fitted.

Summation - What a great place to start!

MKII Jaguars have established their place as the most beautiful four door car in the world. With every passing year the purity of the lines and design become more and more evident. With a dozen companies throughout the world specializing in improvement and upgrades to this model you can either restore to show, or upgrade and modify to use as a reliable driving car. This particular car is a Jaguar restorer and body man's dream. A wonderful find for restoration. Anyone that has taken on a rusty car knows the expense and compromise involved in bringing it back. Here is an opportunity to start with a clean slate. Disassemble, renew, and reassemble. The MKII is a very popular Jaguar to restore for the many positive properties it contains. The same brilliant engine as the E-type, the lovely body design, and the very inviting and visually stunning interior.

We have been Restoring and repairing British Cars for many years and know these cars well. Restorations on MKIIs can be difficult if the car has been abused or rusted. This car has been cared for, driven, stored, and now ready to be restored. Its hard enough to find a good one, harder yet to find one that is an original four speed with Air. If you have any questions, call us or email and we will help in any way we can. Good luck and happy bidding."