1965 Jaguar Mk2 3.8

• UK-supplied, right-hand drive, 3.8-litre MK2 with a manual gearbox and overdrive
• Comprehensively stripped and restored over a period of two years, costing c.£50,000 in total
• Superbly finished in Opalescent Gunmetal over Bordeaux leather, a classic combination
• Less than 1,000 miles covered since rebuild
• Numerous considerate upgrades to improve performance and usability
• Matching numbers throughout, as confirmed by Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate

This lovely Mk 2's previous owner was somewhat of a Jaguar aficionado, and had enjoyed the car between 1996 and 2016, using it sparingly as part of his modest collection. The car was known to our vendor for around ten years prior to his purchase and he had often expressed an interest in owning it. 

The opportunity arose in 2016 and with 55,535 miles on the odometer, our vendor shipped the vehicle, along with an impressive collection of NOS panels and spare parts courtesy of the prior owner, off to those knowledgeable folks at The Splined Hub, who stripped the car down in its entirety and rebuilt it from the ground-up, addressing any issues that they found along the way.

Whilst it certainly doesn’t do justice to the level of work done, a brief overview of the restoration process shows that the shell was stripped, dipped and then re-sprayed in the correct Opalescent Gunmetal, whilst the interior was also completely re-upholstered in Bordeaux Red, including new seats, new carpets, fresh veneers, a Moto-Lita steering wheel and a retro-style modern stereo resulting in a Mk 2 Jaguar that looks virtually factory-fresh and benefits from improved creature comforts.

The wheels are an entirely new set with the correct knock-off hubs, sitting on a set of matching tyres that have covered less than 1,000 miles since fitting.

Under the bonnet, the engine was fully stripped down and upgraded with 9:1 compression pistons, electronic ignition, a set of electronic fans were fitted to keep the car cool in modern traffic, along with a full negative-earth wiring conversion. The braking system was also uprated with four-pot front brakes and 22mm vented-discs.

Included with the vehicle is a plethora of photographs documenting the restoration process, along with every invoice and receipt from the restoration itself, totalling around £50,000. In addition to this, the Jaguar Heritage Trust certificate is present, confirming that the Mk 2 has been restored to the correct factory specification, along with confirming that this is, indeed, a numbers-matching example.

Presented in outstanding condition throughout, this 1965 Mk 2 Jaguar is a true collector’s piece, but one that can also be used and enjoyed without the usual reliability fears associated with cars of this era. A classic sixties Jaguar sporting saloon and a wonderful example of the breed.