Jaguar XJS Enthusiasts' Club (XEC)

All down one side, the once red paintwork was now tinged with green mould. Being a red car, after the neglect over the years, red had become pink and, in places, nearly white. There were also a number of holes in the bodywork – things weren’t looking good externally. The interior, however looked okay – better still when I saw the manual gearstick and the odometer reading just 35,000 miles.

“Hmmm, what’s the story with the XJ-S?” I asked the builder.

“She’s been sat there for 5 to 6 years, totally untouched, and is about to be sold to a couple of blokes who are taking it banger-racing – why, are you interested?”

“Me? No, I’m after a TVR. Seems a dreadful shame though” and went on my way.

Anyway, I’ve always really liked the XJ-S and it bothered me that this wonderful old car was going to end her days in a (probably quite successful) banger-racing career. So, being an old sentimentalist, I went back a couple days later and had another look. I already knew that the manual gearbox alone was worth a few quid, coupled to which, it turns out that she’d only ever had the one, titled (Lord) owner. Also, in the glovebox was a fully stamped up full Jaguar service history.

Paul, the builder, said “Thought you’d be back!”

I asked Dave, a mechanic I know, to come across and have a general look over the car, by now hoping he’d say the car would be suitable for a project – he did.

So, a deal was struck, the car was put onto a trailer and taken to Dave’s garage. Now up on the ramps, we could see that the underside looked good. We fitted a new battery and everything worked! After a quick clean up of the injectors, the motor fired up too – things were looking promising, so I gave Dave the nod to carry on with the idea of getting a new MOT.

About 3 months, and not an inconsiderable amount of money, later Dave phoned to say that the car was MOT’d and can I come round pick it up – brilliant, what a great day. So I arrived with my son Josh to take the XJ-S home and, my first drive in the car too! We got about two miles down the road before the car came to a stop… Turns out the fuel pump had given up, so we had to be towed home. When we got home, the headlight fell out and the air slowly turned blue as I contemplated what I’d just spent a fair sized chunk of my “TVR fund” on.

Anyway, over the next few months, the car became a labour of love and we grew to understand each other a bit better. There was much time, money and language spent on the fuel system as the six year old petrol had managed to contaminate everything. Eventually, with the help of a local Jaguar expert, we got the big cat purring beautifully.

The time had now come to look at the car’s exterior. Whilst at Dave’s garage, Lee who shared garage space with him and who specializes in bodywork and paintwork said he’d like to carry out the respray.

Over a few months, Lee had the car in for a full body restoration and respray. He managed to keep all the original panels except the bonnet which had only gone in the corner where the securing latches are located. At the end, the car came out looking like a brand new XJ-S, Lee had done a magnificent job and, with the wheels done and the chrome polished, the car looked astonishing.

The Jag is now a much loved member of the family! I adore driving it and love the effortless performance – that straight six is a really flexible engine.

I love the car so much now, that I couldn’t bear to part with it in order to get the TVR! In fact, I’m trying to persuade my brother Richard – who also adores driving the XJ-S – to buy the TVR, and so have access to both – ideal!

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