Old Jaguars are certainly one of the riskier projects you can take on, but it’s not all that hard to find cars owned by enthusiasts who have made the right investments from a maintenance perspective. As many of us know, replacing the sometimes needy V12s with a domestic V8 is a popular way to get more miles of enjoyment out of a vintage XJS, and the seller of this pairing of a 1985 XJS and a 1989 Vanden Plas sedan here on craigslist is looking to find a new home for both cars. The sedan is equipped with the rare TWR body kit, and the seller claims it was ordered this way from the factory.
The seller is looking for $50,000 for both cars. This number took my breath away at first, but the Vanden Plas really does seem like an absolute stunner of a car. The TWR equipment is one of the grayer areas of Jaguar history, as we’ve seen plenty of XJS coupes equipped this way in the past. Often times the question is whether it was a factory-built model or if someone added the TWR ground effects at a later date; I’m not certain if there’s ever been a clear answer on how to verify authenticity, but I do know I have never seen the stately Vanden Plas equipped this way. It also sports some very distinctive wheels which the internet doesn’t have much info on, apart from likely being associated with one of the aftermarket companies involved in supplying parts to Jaguar in the 80s and 90s.
The seller claims that this Jaguar came “…off the lot” with the TWR kit attached, which could mean a few things: one, it was done in-house at the dealer. Plenty of European auto dealers would use parts from the likes of AMG (Mercedes), BMW’s Motorsports group, and others to create one-offs that used the most sought-after factory tuning parts of the day. However, there were also plenty of well-heeled owners who could order a car any way they wanted if they had enough pull with the manufacturer, so anything is possible. This Vanden Plas is equipped with a period-correct car phone, a wood-rimmed steering wheel (likely a Nardi), and interior trimmings that remain in excellent shape.
The XJS is equipped with a 6.2L E-rod LS3 and a 4L65E automatic transmission. The install looks very clean, and while the asking price is strong, the attention to detail here seems good. The seller notes that it is a genuine 59K mile car that has original paint and interior, and that the engine bay was painted as part of the swap. While the exterior isn’t perfect, it seems like a respray might make sense, especially considering he is including an unpainted original TWR kit to go with the sale. With a fresh paint job (and, in my opinion, a different wheel setup), this XJS would be absolutely dreamy and the combination of both cars represents an epic 80s Jaguar garage if you’re a fan of the marque. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Rocco B. for the find.
2 cool 😎 cats 🐈. Nice eye Rocco.
XJ40 are the worst XJ6’s for reliability. North American models came with 4.0l engines. XJS with a Chevy engine are around $15k or less. If he gets that type of money for them, it will be a miracle.
The wheels and tires on the XJ-S look ridiculous to me. I’ve always preferred the wire wheels, that seemed common this car for awhile.
I’ll take the XJS and pass on the square cat. Those wheels gotta’ go.
While if I were in the market for a different car I would not be a buyer for both of these, particularly at 50K, I must admit that the XJS kind of strikes my fancy. The engine swap appears to be very well done and I would think that LS makes that big cat a blast to drive. I also don’t really mind the wheels. Kind of a neat car.
Is the LS3 the V-8 that’s going to send Chevy into bankruptcy a second time?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/gm-recalls-887k-trucks-and-full-size-suvs-due-to-defective-6-2l-v-8s/ar-AA1DN7Cs?ocid=BingNewsSerp
Far from it, scottymac.
Any car with automatic seat belts is a hard no for me every time. Wheels on the XJ-S do not look right for the car. Price for both cars seems about double what it should be.