The XJS (XJ-S in its earlier years) was a “grand tourer” produced in England from 1975 to 1996. Three body styles were offered, including the convertible that you see here. Jaguar was acquired by Ford in 1991, but that was long after the seller’s drop-top was built with a V12 engine. The seller’s 1989 edition is a barn find that may or may not run, and she’s looking to free up the space as soon as possible. It’s available here on Facebook Marketplace for $2,500 (originally $4,500) and can be found in Ripon, Wisconsin. Thanks for the tip, “Lothar of the Hill People”.
Across three generations, the XJS saw production of more than 115,000 units, so a plentiful supply was seen back in the day. Yet, you don’t see many of them anymore, in part due to Jaguar’s quality control problems back in those days. My neighbor had one, and it was constantly in the shop. The XJS was based on the XJ sedan (or “saloon,), and aerodynamics played a role in its layout. This edition was produced during the second generation that began in 1981 and concluded in 1991.
Under the hood of this beast should be a 5.3-liter “High Efficiency” V12. The transmission should be a TH-400 3-speed automatic sourced from General Motors. Horsepower was upgraded to 263 (for imports to the U.S.), and we understand the cars were more fuel efficient than their predecessors. These were luxurious automobiles that likely appealed to buyers who just had to have a Jaguar.
The seller admits to knowing little about this car, so perhaps it came with the property it occupies. It may or may not run, but considering the hood has been removed, we assume the latter is the case. The seller is uncertain about the model year, but the title should be able to confirm that. If you’re looking for a project that may be easy (but probably not), would you take a chance on this XJS?
Barn cat 🐈
Find a Jag mechanic first….
The seller says he has the title…. but doesn’t know what year it is. Sometimes I wonder how some people have the sense to get through a day.
Ain’t that the truth!! Here is a car that had some value when it was ‘put away, wet’ in its current position… now there is algae growing on the paint! It tells quite a lot about those that owned this car…. Me? I would stay away from this one…far away….even if I was doing the work!