One of my favorite places to visit on Cape Cod is the Toad Hall Classic Car Museum in Hyannis Port, and if you choose to swing by, you’ll likely see a handsome red Jaguar XJ6 coupe, or XJ6C, parked out front. This 1975 Series 2 car is similar, but in tattier condition. That doesn’t bother me much as they appear to rarely – and this example appears to have good bones. The seller is a Jaguar specialist who can restore the car from top to bottom if you’d like, so check it out here on eBay with a suggested opening bid of $2K and the reserve unmet.
Really, any car utilizing a pillar-less design is going to catch my eye, and it’s no different with this tired Jag. Obviously, there’s not much love here for the problematic sedans, and while the coupe wasn’t spared the litany of engineering woes that befell this generation of Jaguar products, it’s just so damn pretty that you can forgive its faults. Well, I can – and really, I’m a sucker for anything with a lipstick red leather interior.
While this interior isn’t perfect, it’s pretty good – with gorgeous, thick carpets and a handsome woodgrain dash. This generation’s steering wheel was always a let-down, so I’d swap it out ASAP for a three-spoke, woodgrain unit. 66,000 miles are showing, which could help to explain the cabin’s preserved condition. Power comes from a 4.2L six-cylinder mill paired to an automatic transmission. The seller says most rust is superficial but would recommend replacing the rockers and floor sections.
The trunk floor is worth a picture, as it remains in outstanding condition with original silver paint still applied. The motor does turn but the seller has not attempted to fire it up. Overall, while the body will need surface rust repaired followed by a full-body respray, this vintage XJ6C is holding up better than most project-grade versions of this car. Many of us would pass on a sedan in similar condition, but this coupe deserves resurrection. Would you restore it yourself or hand over the reins to the seller?
Its very pretty. A gentleman appeared on Jay Leno’s Garage with a similar, if not the exact model a few months ago.
These cars are quite a head turner, but Jags generally speaking are a temperamental beast that require constant repair and mechanical babying. If I was in the market for a coupe, such as this, I would like it more if it did not need substantial rust repair.
I agree with “require constant repair and mechanical babying”.
My Dad had a ’68 420G, and you could only drive about 400 to 600 miles on the highway and then you would have to stop and re-tune it at the side of the road. It made long trips longer.
Driving in the city, required keeping a-tune to the sound and adjust the thing at the end of the day.
They are slightly neurotic cars but I would own one anyway. These coupes are beauties. If the Seller has good references let him do the work. There are several Chevrolet V-8 conversions out there if you have a mind for it, which will deliver less trouble in mechanicals and better reliability. If you want to keep the engine, buy an oil cooler for it which will keep the operating temps down, a constant problem with Jags among other things.
New someone was going to say that.😀
Shes a real gem and worth a restoration.
I have had 2 XK-E’s, 2 XJS’s, and my current driver, a 1995 XJ6 (pictured).
It has been an observation of mine, that people who own Jags tend to be engineers, professors and/or artists. People who own Mercedes tend to be Lawyers, Doctors and/or business people. Just seems to be a tendency, I have noticed.
Everyone classes the Jaguar with the corresponding Mercedes (I have owned two Mercedes: a 250C with a 4-speed manual, and 560 SEL). However; in my estimation, that is a false equivalency. For any given class, a heads up comparison reveals two cars priced similarly, with much the same mission, but approached from entirely different points of view. The Mercedes buyer is likely uninterested in a Jaguar, and vice versa. (I, on the other hand, try everything.)
The car that is the subject of this thread is one more of my seemingly endless bucket list cars. It is prettier than the same model as a 4-door (and that is saying something). The grabber is that this year/model was available equipped with an available manual transmission (it also marked the last year for XK-E production – many of the mechanicals are interchangeable).
If the price remains anywhere near $2000 I will be tempted to take this on (even though I have recently acquired another of my lifelong bucket list cars), and convert it to a tri-carb, 5-speed manual. Woohoo!
Hmmmmm.
Engineers understand the necessity of proper care and feeding
Professors are attracted to the complexities
Artists could care less if it runs since it’s so pretty just sitting there.
PS: The doctor that GAVE me mine showed up in a Mercedes…
@Stilbo – I’m still chuckling…. Very good…
I had to be a comedian to own it..
You know, like “laugh in the face of disaster”.
And doctors know well enough to not try to resurrect the dead.
Owning a Jaguar is like having malaria. You can cure the symptoms (by selling the car) but sooner or later you get that fever again and it starts all over.
Hardball. I guess I must be terminal then. I own four including an XK150S. Mark IX, and XKR. Jags are great if you do all the periodic maintenance, but not as forgiving as some others if you do not. The ride, handling and engines and styling are why we love them. Just not possible to compare to other marques.
Skinny bumper XJ6’s are some of the best looking cars ever made (especially the front). There was a time I thought huge bumpers actually looked better, giving the car a more solid look. In 1990 I had a choice between a 240z and a 280z, I took the 280 because of the bumpers…
Don’t…ever tell anyone that ever again.
Oh my I have owned several of these cars. Just like everyone else I’m a sucker for those beautiful lines. An English fellow told me once you always need two Jaguars. One to drive while the other is at the mechanics.
Toad Hall is great! Went there about 10 years ago on our annual visit to The Cape and loved it. As a 2 MGB-owner, I appreciated the opportunity to see especially the B’s. He has a ’65 that is similar to the one I am (long term) restoring, so he let me take a bunch of detailed pics of various things on his. I keep meaning to go back as it’s only 20 minutes from our place.
Didn’t see mention why or when the vinyl roof was removed, weren’t they all so equipped from the factory? So, that would mean the car’s been repaired and repainted at least once, contradicting the seller’s claim.
Loved the Broadspeed racers.
“using a pillarless design”…
It’s a hardtop. When there is no B pillar you have a hardtop in 2 door, four door or wagon form. Or in some instances a hardtop convertible.
Hardtops were always the glamorous version of a car, aside from the convertible. Like a convertible with it’s windows rolled down and without the looseness, drafts or regular top replacement.
I don’t understand why people get so twisted into knots describing a well established type of body configuration.
And as well : nothing MINI sells is a hardtop, no matter what they claim.
Okay, my XJ6 Coupe Story:
1981. A doctor down the road stops by my backyard shop one morning. He asks “You work on cars right?”. I said ‘Yes’. He says “I’ve got a Jaguar XJ6 that needs work”. I’d worked for British Leyland a few years before and I’m thinking ‘Good God no no no way am I working on that thing’. Then he says “I’ll pay you $100 to get it out of my driveway”. I ask ‘Then what?’ He says “It’s YOURS”.
Towed it home, replaced a fuel pump relay, tuned it up and drove the snot outta it. Whenever it ran.
It burned more oil than gas but that was okay I guess since the RH fuel pump/ tank didn’t work so I had to refill it about every 150 miles. The headlights only worked if I smacked the fenders. And the sunroof and passenger window worked great. Unless it started to rain.
For some reason I never drove it daily as a commuter car but it was a blast driving it on Lakeshore Drive in Chicago with The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers eight track cranked up.
Until it started to rain.
RIP you British Racing Green beast…
I paid the salvage yard $10 to call me whenever they were going to crush it’s rotting body.
I brought a small bottle of champagne to toast the old girl…
I never had the “pleasure” (lol) of owning a Jag. But have worked on and driven several. I have owned Lincolns, Chryslers, BMWs, Audis, Corvettes, Mustangs, Toyotas, Nissans (include Datsuns with that) Renaults, VWs and Many other vehicles that I will not list because my iPad does not have enough battery right now.
But nothing, drives like a pre-1995 Jaguar! They just have a personality all their own. I keep getting the Jag itch. But financial responsibility keeps telling me no.
( Maybe another race car instead! That makes more sense, ya!)
Greetings All,
I have an XJ12C.
They all have issues.
Rear window mechanisms are crap. Retrofit a hot rod cable kit.
The doors, are made from section I got the front door of a four door and combining it with a section of the rear door. The first time I pulled a door panel I thought someone pieced it together after an accident, but they are ALL like that. The door skin is one piece though.
The 6’s are nice but the 12’s bring the money and the headaches.
The pie plate distributor cap hard to come by and expensive but a crank trigger and Subaru coilpacks work just fine.
Solenoids for just about everything hard and expensive if found.
Ross doesn’t a Ford small block engine fit perfectly in that car? It always seemed like the perfect combination to me. It would be both a gorgeous and a dependable car.
The engine will be the least of your problems with a car such as this. Swapping out the engine will not make the windows roll up and down any better, or keep the steering rack from leaking, etc.
Tom, while that may be true, replacing every part along with every nut and bolt might, MIGHT.
Owned a few Daimler Jags – ‘68 mk11 v8 – great motor until it threw a conrod! A ‘78 Daimler 4.2 long wheel base – great car until body rust took hold – ran this one for 10 years. Mechanically not a problem. Also had an ‘88 Daimler 3.6 – again great motor until body starting rusting. Started on Jeep Grand Cherokees then – ‘90 4L, then ‘93 4L, then ‘99 v8 4.7L – ran latter for 18 years – 205,000 miles – 175,000 of which on lpg. Great motor – but electrical gremlins & a few mechanical issues loomed and the scrapman beckoned. Now running a 2006 Porsche Cayenne S with only 50000 miles on the clock – what a beast when you have fathomed out the illogical German controls.
I do think that XJCs are great looking cars. Love this racer.
Always liked the Jag or the Benz and the bimmer
Owned an XK150 S fixed head in the late 1960’s. Most exhilarating car I had ever driven at the time, and few since then, but, had a ’56 Chevy 4 door sedan, Powerglide 6, that I used if I had to get there – like work for example. Jag finally died and I could not find anyone who could figure out why, and it went into a barn and eventually was someone’s barn find in the l970’s.