1962 Jaguar Mk.II 3.8 Manual/Overdrive

Rarely do cars given a facelift look as good as the models they are intended to replace, but with the Mk2, Jaguar put paid to that particular theory. William Lyons, whilst not a trained draughtsman, was a bit more hands-on than most men in his position when it came to the final design of his beloved Jaguars. At one point the team in the drawing office developing the later XJS, were left 'twiddling their thumbs' until Sir William was happy with the rear-end and it wasn't until Stan Keyworth managed to scrounge a Ferrari Dino 246GT and dropped it up to the Lyons family home on Gibbet Hill that the matter was resolved. The car was parked outside the bay window of the breakfast room for Sir William to stare at and 'Hey Presto' the back of the XJS came into being (have a look at a Dino and an early XJS). And so it was with the Mark 2, which was altogether a more modern and stylish car with a brighter interior and more balanced looks that most of us still admire. The 3.4 and 3.8 were the super-saloons of their day with the 3.8 being the fastest saloon in the world at the time. The Jaguar Mk2 was voted 'Car of the Year' when launched in 1959 and would form the mainstay of Jaguar's saloon production until 1967.Registered on 12-04-1962 this Jaguar MKII 3.8 Manual/Overdrive is an original right-hand drive UK car still powered by its original engine and has been enjoyed by just three owners. It has been subject to an earlier quality restoration with dozens of receipts from various marque specialists. The original colour was changed to an unusual but very flattering Jaguar Heather and the interior has been superbly re-trimmed in Grey leather with grey carpets and grey floor mats. The veneered dash and door cappings are finished to a very high standard adding to the general ambience of the cabin making it a really nice place to be. The shut lines look good, the boot and engine bay are remarkably tidy and the whole car sits absolutely squarely on the correct, painted wire wheels. It comes complete with an original and now rare tool kit. The car will be presented to auction with a full MOT. Whilst the colour combination may not suit everyone, we think this well restored MkII looks just right, and at least it will be easy to spot on the North Car Park when you leave the NEC after the Classic Car Show.