Jaguar’s famous slogan certainly applies to the S-Type! I have a soft spot for these big cats; one was our family car while I was growing up in England. I remember being upset when, in the middle of the 70’s oil crisis, we had to trade it and 300 pounds for a ’68 Ford Escort because we couldn’t afford to keep the Jag on the road. I also remember my father’s patience when 8-year-old me cross threaded a spark plug in the Jag’s aluminum head! This rust free one, according to the seller at least, is available here on Craigslist in Cary, NC for $5995.
The S-Type combined the basic structure of the more famous Mk. II saloon with the independent rear suspension developed for the E-Type and larger Mk. X saloon. The front styling is very similar to the Mk. II, with the rear mimicking the smooth lines of the Mk. X. This placed the S-Type smack in the middle of the Jaguar saloon lineup.
There appears to be a large dent in the right front fender right at the wheel, and some damage of some sort to the vulnerable front fender. The MGB visible in the pictures has me thinking the owner is a British car enthusiast and the straight bumpers and grille also fuel my optimism.
A twin-carb version of the legendary XK inline six powered the S-Type. This version is sized at 3.8 liters, the same as the contemporary E-Type, although the E-Type application had a trio of SU carbs rather than the pair fitted to the S-Type. I’m a little concerned that this picture has the hood lifted from the wrong end; it implies the hood was removed for some reason and that usually means engine-out work was planned. On the other hand, the ad states that the car ran 6-years ago when it was taken off the road, so some conversation with the seller is in order.
Moving to the interior, one can see that the dash veneer is in poor condition with parts missing, and the right hand drive and automatic combination probably hurt the value a little in the US. The front seats look pretty tired, although I’ve seen amazing things done with leather reconditioning; there are certainly some panels that will need replacement.
In the rear, although the leather appears intact, it’s quite discolored and will need a lot of work if it’s to be saved. A door panel is missing as well, although it can be found in the trunk picture below.
Also visible in the trunk is a newish aftermarket fuel pump; possibly an attempt to bypass the twin fuel tanks, and maybe a quick way to determine current engine condition, although I would hesitate trying to start the engine without adequate preparation. I remember Dad had to run our car off one tank only due to a feed issue, but it didn’t stop me loving the smell of the leather and the smooth travel down the road. The seller states if the ad is still up, the car is available, so are you interested? If it were up to you, what would you do with this feline?
Car of choice for British gangster of the 60s!!
They use Beemers and Mercedes now.
Progress huh!
Andrew in England
Just the comment I was going to say Andrew – you beat me to it ! Plus I agree in respect of the interior leather smell of Jags, Jamie – gorgeous.
RickyM, Petts Wood, Kent
Lovely cars and I would love to have one….. but not this one! One can only imagine how little of that wonderful interior smell can be detected through the layer of mildew accumulated from sitting in a field for the last six years. That kind of storage has undoubtedly also wrought havoc with most of the mechanicals and underside of the chassis. Sad!
First car that I ever went 100mph in. I was a 10 yr old back seat passenger, smiling from ear to ear with my eyes glued to the speedo. That was where my need for speed began.