Up for grabs here on Craigslist in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is this classic 1967 Jaguar S-Type 3.8 sports sedan in very tidy condition. The car has only 59,140 miles on the odometer, and $19,500 is being asked. Thanks to Mitchell G. for the tip. These are beautiful cars, though somewhat in the shadow of Jaguar’s Mark II, which has slightly better lines—but the same motor. This example has been in the same family since 1976, and the owner says it is “in overall very fine original condition.” Red isn’t the original color, but most of the rest of it is original. The Jag has “a bit of classic Jaguar patina that only time can provide. The car runs and drives very well, and although mostly a garage queen most of the time with the family, it was used with frequency over the years
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The automatic is the less desirable choice—everyone wants the four-speed manual, which in the S was improved from the Mark II’s Moss unit, with effective synchromesh on all gears. Factory air conditioning is a rarity, and this car has it (but does it work?). The black leather interior has a driver’s seat split, but is mostly nice, as is the expensive-to-restore woodwork. The leather “smells great.” The car is loaded with power brakes, power steering, knock-off wire wheels, plus a new battery and radiator.
Says the owner, “Is everything perfect? Of course not. It’s a classic Jaguar. However, with a few tweaks here and there, it can be a great cruiser. It’s also quite solid in terms of mechanicals and body, so it could a great candidate for restoration. As it’s a 3.8 (special in the S-Type line of sedans), you could also pop a manual transmission in it and go hunt E-Types with three of your best friends.”
Everything you can see looks rust-free, and the repaint is still shiny. But there are no undercarriage shots. Not much is said about the engine, but it’s apparently a good runner.
Some 15,000 of these 3.8-liter S-Types were built, as well as another 10,000 with the earlier 3.4. The S-Type was built only from 1963 to 1968, so this is near the end of the run. The S was sold alongside the Mark II. The S-Type was introduced at the same time as the similarly styled, but much larger Mark X, which got the triple-SU 3.8 from the E-Type. I owned a big-boat 1964 X for a while, then traded it for a 1959 Mercedes 220S sedan. And that was the best deal I ever made.
The twin-carb S-Type is somewhat more refined than the Mark II, thanks to independent rear suspension scaled down from the Mark X. Jaguar in the person of Sir William Lyons thought the Mark II was past its prime, but it continued to sell well even after the S-Type came out. So, all three models were offered simultaneously.
Either as the Mark II or the S-Type, these are very refined, lovely-to-look-at sports sedans with British drawing room interiors that cost the earth to restore properly. Luckily, this one doesn’t appear to need much. Hagerty puts one of these in good condition at $18,200, so the asking price here seems fair. But maybe there’s some wiggle room.
This is one classy looking Jag. I have always liked these sedans ( saloons). Red’s a great color for it too. And I totally agree about the 4 speed. A 4 speed would definitely make it more fun to drive.
I would not rate this in good condition. While the pictures are low res, by zooming in, especially on the last one, it shows crazing on the wood dash. It will all need to be refinished. The front seat leathers are toast, as is the wilton wool front carpeting, covered over by some mats. Other things tell me this hasn’t been given much love starting with the engine compartment, and the overspray from the repaint. These are no where near as desireable as Mark II’ s but parts and labor cost the same. Therefore IMO, this is closer to a $10K car and that’s assuming everything works and the chassis looks decent. Just my 2c as a Jag guy (Mark IX and XK150S).
On the fence about the condition. The overspray is atrocious; even for a cheapie paint job. The thing is, there’s not a lot out there, and as long as the rust is at a minimum, it may be a fun car, don’t feel guilty about just cleaning it up, maybe put in a bluetooth radio, and just enjoy it, be the guy with the fun old Jag…
Give me a week end to detail that engine bay and it would look like new. Overspray is not that hard to clean up. Of course, avoiding it in the first place is the better way!
I also feel the car is a little over-described. It´s an auto and red may not be to everyone´s taste. A good inspection for rust will be necessary despite the claims. If there have been repairs, a cheap paint job doesn´t give confidence that any rust issues would have been expertly dealt with.
But, I like the S-type and a good one is maybe better than a good Mk II for less money. Only, it´s not a MKII……..
The first car I ever restored was a 60 MK II 2.4 when I lived in Helena AR in the early 70s. There is a LOT of wood in these cars…tables in back of front seats, window surrounds in addition to dash. Wood in my project was awful and I didn’t have a clue how to fix it. A friend said “there’s a guy in Holly Springs MS that restores wooden furniture, ask him. So I took the glove box door and drove 2 hours to ask for some tips. Homer Formby took one look at the wood and said “bring me the rest of it”. I took it all to him, he restored it all to like new condition, and didn’t charge me a dime! I still use Formby products every chance I get.
I have been watching this as I have two of these old Jags. S-type is a sleeper as it is technically better than the MK2 having the E-type engine and IRS rear suspension. I think it looks better than the MK2 as the bumpers are much nicer, but a little ungainly from certain angles due to the long trunk. Anyways, this one is not worth the asking price but could be a fun car that will get a lot of attention. Personally, I have a restored one that will be converted to a manual transmission, which will then be perfect for my goals! Just bought a solid parts car with a manual transmission and no rust, so once I pull the parts, it will be for sale.
Also owned a ’60 XK 150 S, with automatic, which was just fine, rowing through the gears in traffic got pretty lame in my MG. You are not going to race this, just take it for a drive within towing distance of your AAA membership. If you keep it up, it will be reasonably reliable until it just stops, and then, nobody will know how to fix it, except the guy you found near home, to which it has to be towed. But the same can be said for my Audi – if I have to go outside the metropolitan areas out west I rent or take my 20 year old Toyota, which local garages do know how to fix.
Reminds me of when Morse’s red one caught fire under the hood.
Come on guys, give this old girl a little respect. Sure, she’s wearing that bright red lipstick, and maybe needs a little help getting around, but she’s holding up pretty well for her age. Don’t try to remake or reinvent her, treat her with gentle kindness and she will reward you with a pleasant ride. She exudes fine character with a highly esteemed pedigree. Let her stretch her legs occasionally then keep her safely parked while you come out to sit with a brew and admire her classic lines. Overall, a satisfying way for her to spend her golden years.
Well put. Like you’re describing my girlfriend, not a car…😬
Someone near me has the same car possibly for sale, in Carmen Red (burgundy) with a Cinnamon interior, and the overdrive manual, for only a bit more than the ask for this. I haven’t made the phone call because I only have one garage space available, with an XJC in residence, and I don’t want to have to start sleeping in the studio loft either.
Distinctive, handsome and unique would be good ways to describe these. Pretty? Maybe not. Although I will say that she’s quite lovely and would garner praise from car people and passerby alike.
I’ve had 3 Mk 1’s, 3 Mk2’s and my Dad had both a 3.4 and 3.8 S, the 3.4 also a 4spd with OD. The 3.4S with 4spd was the most fun of all of them to drive. That IRS rear just blows the handling dept of the “regular” Mk’s out the window. An automatic, while not my first choice, would still make for a nice weekend cruiser.