Parked Since ’64: 1948 Jaguar Mark IV 3.5L

These days, you can never be too sure if the image you’re looking at hasn’t been enhanced with AI. It’s becoming a serious issue, affecting everything from the authenticity of items you want to buy and the very pictures of people you know. The good thing about automobile says with auctioneers who hold on-site sales is that you can still go and lay hands on the vehicles they’re seeking bids for, such as this 1948 Jaguar 3.5L Mark IV. Also known as an “SS Jaguar”, it is one of the foremost post-war models that came in 4- and 6-cylinder engine configurations. This example listed here on Facebook Marketplace is going up for auction this weekend in Newfane, NY.

Thanks to Barn Finds reader Zappenduster for the find. The 3.5L model as shown here is equipped with 125 b.h.p., a healthy bump of the prior years’ 2.5L offering. When these stunning cars were completed in Coventry, they typically arrived in the states via Max Hoffman’s operations in New York. As the seller points out, this is one of a relatively small known batch of left hand drive examples, clearly destined for the U.S. market. These cars came in two primary configurations, either as a sports saloon or drophead coupe. This is the latter bodystyle, and the seller claims it shows under 10,000 original miles and has been parked since 1964.

Rough numbers indicate that 407 drophead coupes came to the U.S. as export models; the seller is estimating that only 86 sports saloon-types were sent stateside. I don’t have the data catalogs at my disposal to confirm those numbers, but no matter how you cut it, relatively few of these stunning post-SS Jaguars are likely left in any sort of condition. The most appealing aspect about this model is it still captures the allure of pre-war motoring, with styling that can only be associated with that particular era, while post-war performance was becoming increasingly more impressive. The condition of this Jaguar remains quite close to time-warp, with impressive details still present throughout the interior.

While we sometimes need to skip past the auctioneer hyperbole that runs rampant in ads like this, it’s clear that the Jaguar has seen limited use over the ensuing decades since being parked. The tricky aspect of buying a classic Jaguar like this is sale prices for restored examples show a range of final hammer prices, with some lots going unsold in recent months as owners clearly look for top-dollar following a costly restoration. There’s no matching the style and poise of a car like this, and it will be welcomed with open arms to any concours field when complete. What do you think is a fair sale price for a significant project like this MKIV?