Favourite Jaguar

[SL]

After reading the post in F1 I thought let us to see who
has the bigger fan base among 10 tenths readers, Italian Ferrari or British Jaguar.

This post is here in competition with the "Favourite Ferrari" post, probably a few posts below this one!

Maybe we will see if there could be the sea of BRG at Silverstone for next years GP to rival the red of Monza.
Or just maybe encourage Jaguar to drop F1 and make an overdue sportscar return to Le Mans.

To get things moving. How about a Union Jack E Type as Mike Myers ?

Personally I would have to have a D Type, green naturaly.

Simon

PS maybe also a 246 Dino, as a second car of course.

[TimD]

There's a Union Jack liveried E-Type "Shaguar" racing in British historics this year. I saw it at Silverstone a fortnight ago, when it wound up in the kitty litter on the exit of Copse.

"Oh, YEAH, Baby!"

Favourite Jag? E-Type Series 1 Coupe. In royal blue or gunmetal grey. Certainly one for the lottery win shopping list.

I have to say, neither the Ferrari or the Jaguar would be my first choice. If I can't afford the holy grail (four-and-a-half litre Bentley) then I am determined to have an Aston Martin DBS or V8 Vantage before I'm too past it.

[jarama]

How about an XKD Type, long nose, Le Mans liveried?. Sublime.

[yelwoci]

My fav' Cats in order

XKSS
XJ13
SS100
XK120C
D
E-Alumin Racer
SS1
XJR14
Finally the XK8 Prototype


IanC

[Slowcoach]

XK120 roadster - gorgeous curves - actually on p222 of July Classic and Sports car there is a small picture of one for sale - silver with red leather - it looks fabulous . But I am in total agreement with TimD-Astons are the only way forward. A late DB4 for me ..... but....and TimD please don't hate me....I have a 1972 DBSV8 and all I can say , even after 4 years, everytime I take it out and break the speed limit , WOW! If you're ever out in my neck of the woods (essex) you'd better call in.

[TimD]

Slowcoach!

Hate you? A fellow enthusiast with such impeccable taste?

Au contraire, mon brave. You are now officially my best friend!

I've bored too many people too often on this forum with how let down I was when I tried a Ferrari, but there was no such letdown last year when I got my hands on an early DBS for a morning.

It was a 1969 Vantage six, being openly sold as in need of work, and it was by far the best fun I have ever had behind the wheel of a car. It was a wonderful experience finding a nice stretch of motorway, unsullied by cameras, and giving the car a chance to clear its throat.

All perfectly legal, officer - honest!

Best of all, the vendor knew what his car could do, and was keen for me to find its potential. When a BMW M3 - yes, an M3 - baulked us, I had the sublime delight of turning the tables on it, flashing the lights to get it to shift, and leaving it eating dust. That paid back many BMWs for many impatient moves in my driving career.

I concede that country lanes are not an Aston's chosen specialist subject. Any hot hatch could give it real trouble on the twisty bits. But for an effortless trans-continental tourer, I can think of nothing better.

Except the V8, of course...

It was a real wrench to have to face facts, and realise that my budget would run to the purchase price, but not the light restoration that the Aston deserved. I had to turn it down. I reckon I've still got another £7k of saving to do before I can get the keys to my own example.

I'll sign off now. I'm just out to rob a bank....

[Slowcoach]

Well TimD at the risk of us monopolising SL's thread and turning it into an Aston forum - great stuff ! Did you know its the AMOC meet at B.H. this w/e (looks like I'm going to have to pull out of my Silv. debut as the parts havent arrived to finish my motor in time) so I will probably take the old girl out for a rumble (and the car!) round the M25 there instead - let me know if u r going . And for those others of you reading and thinking "whoa , way too expensive" - no way ! For the same money as a middle of the range Mondeo you can have a DBSV8 - tax-free , cheap classic ins. , juicy I'll admit but what u spend on running costs you'd have lost on the depreciation IE a 1.8 LX Mondeo costing £16,000 will only be worth £5,000 after three years (WHAT CAR) You'd have to have been very unlucky to spend £11k on your Aston in that time - unless u do a helluva alot of miles p.a. OOPS....back to the thread what about a nice practical 3-door hatchback....an E-type ! Hopefully I'm preaching to the converted ...............

ps good luck with the Bank job but avoid Barclays - they never have any cash!

[TimD]

I've just started an Aston thread so as not to hijack this one!

The sad thing about Jaguars is that they are so affordable that people are able to abuse them mercilessly. I've heard of at least a dozen XJ-S coupes being killed this year in the name of banger racing, including one coachbuilt Eventer hatchback.

And the weekly toll of XJ saloons on the dirt tracks of Britain is a crying shame.

I would certainly drive a Jag if the right one came along, and having seen XJ-S models for less than £2k, they are deceptively affordable. Sadly, the work that would be required to bring one up to scratch would cost far more than the car would ever be worth. So once these lovely cars get to a certain state of disrepair, they rapidly become junk. Especially if that lovely V12 hasn't been properly maintained.

Thank heaven that the era of the E-Type as a cheap bit of flash has now passed.

[KC]

My favs would have to be racing versions more than the road cars. The XKSS in full race trim is a marvelously designed car, also, the Silk Cut XJR series of cars.

[Neil C]

D type, early E-type, XK120, XJS in top trim, even the early Mark series sedans. Where would I begin? The only Jag I ever owned was a '72 XJ6C. It had a blown engine so I rebuilt it w/ high compression pistons. BRG of course. The sad part, I lost it in my divorce!

I have to admit that the S-types are a classy bit of retro design with nice fit and finish and enough in the power/handling department to satisfy my mid-life-crisis need for a bit of flash.

Right now at Ford HDQ, there is a 1954(?) Green Goddess, built by Daimler (not Daimler Benz) in England, later bought by Jaguar. It is a behemoth sedan with a straight 8. Concours condition. I guess only 4 or 5 were built. Anybody know anything about that Marque?

[Graham]

Bit late, I know, but this is that E-type Tim mentioned...






XJ13 is my favourite cat. DBR1 is my favourite Aston. Not sure about the Ferrari - they're all numbers and I can't tell which is which. Anyway, that CanAm one that was sold for £1 million recently.

[Diabando]

Daimler....a real one...silver...delicious!!

[elephino]

Favourite Jags are XJR-15 (and XJR-12 and XJR-14), TWR XJS (practice at Bathurst went: out of pits, round the mountain a few times, park it till next practice), XK120 and XJ13.

[Neil C]

Originally posted by Diabando
Daimler....a real one...silver...delicious!!

Yes, it is silver and black. How did you know?

[Diabando]

Neil...I didnt know, but lets face it, there is only one real colour thas suits a Daimler

[enzo]

Favorite Jag ? For me that's easy - a 1959 XK150S Roadster - 'cause I've got one ! Bought it 30 years ago for $500, restored it & drove it every day for 10 years. Would you believe that the electric overdrive still workes ? ( Must not have been Lucas !) It now resides in my parents barn in the Northeast awaiting a second restoration. With my schedule, I'll be retired before that happens !

[Graham]

Enzo,

Any pics of your car?

[enzo]

Pictures ? Yes, probably back in some boxes in my parents attic. Unfortunately, I don't get back there too often anymore - once a year at best.

I actually haven't even seen the car since '80 ! After graduating from my second round of college, I put it up on blocks, filled the engine, trans & rearend up to the brims with oil, wrapped it in plastic & built a shed around it. It's still there ( I hope !), but God only knows the condition - I've noticed chipmunk holes dug under the walls & I can just imagine the number of nests in there now ! I'd love to get it out & restored again - it has the sweetest sounding engine & goes like a bat out of hell !

Does anyone here know how to verify the year ? There was no title with it, but the registration said '59 ( never talked with the real owner - the car was left for 2 years at a repair station in San Antonio, Texas after the owner decided that he didn't want to pay the bill ! I bought it from the station owner for the amount of the bill.) I've never been able to get any info on how to read the VIN to verify that it truely is a '59. One Jag semi-specialist that looked it over thought that it might be a '58. Any info would be appreciated !