The Jaguar Mk2 was Once the Fastest Saloon Car in the World
Vložit
- čas přidán 10. 12. 2022
- Jaguar has a special place in British cultural and motorsport history. But in its lineage of mixed fortunes, curvaceous sports cars and luxury saloons, one big cat is at the centre of the philosophy of grace, space, pace - the Mk2 2.4, 3.4, and 3.8-Litre saloons.
This car is currently being auctioned by Bidding Classics:
www.biddingclassics.com/1961-...
Patreon: / twincam
Would you like your car to be in a video?
If so, contact me via the links below!
Email: twincamcars@gmail.com
Instagram: / twincam_vids
Twitter: / ed_westby
TikTok: / twincam_vids
Facebook: / twincamvids - Auta a dopravní prostředky
I'll take that over any modern vehicle. What an absolute beauty 🙂
As long as you keep well away from the 2.4, surely Lyons most foolish decision to produce.
Well said totally agree 👍.
I would take ahead of a new jag. Sad to say new jags are rubbish.
Really? It's very slow and will handle terribly.
@@sambadham1404 They handled very well as a matter of fact. The model that came after it , the x j handed dreadfully and by then the poor workmanship and quality control issues started to set in.
The new jags granted handel very well but cost an arm and leg to fix. Over engineering like " no gear lever or the electric handbrake"
are things that give unnecessary trouble and all that touch screen stuff is a pain in the hole as well as something that costs a fortune to fix.
As for the ingenium engine with the timing chain at the rear , what a joke ,there are better chains on a bike.
The chain at the rear also applies to BMW Diesels , its so stupid and it's well known what trouble they give and the dumbos at Jag had to go copy them.
That old Jag is beautiful and still going and very repairable.
There will be none of today's Jags running in 50 years. All the electrical crap will have failed and won't be repairable.
Today's cars are about built in obsolescence , engendered to last till the warranty is up and then give endless trouble.
So great to hear a young chap speak with such passion about an old car.
My dad had a number of MkIIs. I was 17 when he got the 3.8, and, yes, I learned to drive in it. I'm now 74 and still love them.
+1!!!
I worked on them back in the day, They are still a grand looking vehicle. I am 75 now, was a bad day when Leyland come along.
I have a '64 Daimler V8 version in the same colour. It's been in the family for over 40 years now and I love it :)
Such a beautiful car ! Obviously an excellent restoration.
The mk2 Jag is the most beautiful saloon car EVER made.
+1!!!....😊😊
Hi from Sydney, Australia. The boot lid light engages when the bootlid is opened & the parking lights or headlights are switched on . My Mum bought a new "giant" Jag a mk10 in November 1961 when I was 6yrs old, she replaced it with a new 1971 runout model 420G. As a 19 yr old I bought a left-hand drive Swiss 1965 4.2 mk10, I used that daily for some years & replaced it with a rare long wheelbase series 1 xj6, owning it 32 years and sold it when in 2012 & bought a 52,000mile 1 owner 1967 420G. There is no other car like a 1960's Jag the smell, feel & touch of all its components. And today when at a petrol station and I pull the bonnet open to fill window wash jar, people want to know how big & what type of engine that polished alloy "lump" is, it looks so impressive all these years later. And if you ordered a factory performance exhaust, and in non-shiny stainless steel from "neva-russ" it has the most emotive guttural, visceral sound, if it starts when almost warm on the micro fuel injector, a blip on the accelerator will see that shut down, but the looks on people's faces are priceless as it sounds like a race car is starting with the growl it makes. It sounds & looks the business, the mk2 may look nice, but it's the side kick, the little brother. An ultra-high output bronze head mk10/420G will eat it for lunch & with the factory available Koni gas shocks the car will really handle, a jaguar in sheep's clothing, the xj6 was in effect a cheapened "dumbed down" version of the mighty mk10, having owned both. PLUS, in the Brit papers it was the MK10 after a bank robbery in 1964 where a 1962 mk10 was used by 5 robbers rego AET 9, stolen from a Mr Alfred Edward Turnbull the papers called it the "bank robbers express" as that mk10 bunted & shunted an empty AEC Routemaster off & down an embankment, whilst the Jaguar eluded police, eventually they were caught. A british toymaker made a 1/20th scale friction, or battery powered set, with a mk1 police car & a blue mk10 same as used in the robbery the set being called " the bank robbers express" . I still have the mk10 part of mine, and the box having given the mk1 to a mate with a mk1 years ago. The robbery was at a bank in the Burlington Arcade where cash & gold was taken. It could have been used to kill and transport the dead as the mk10/420G has a cavernous boot that would shame some American cars from the 1960's & would shame every modern car.
I worked at Jaguar in the 1980s. There was an old chap who had to sign off the feel and sound of all the switchgear, handles, catches etc. He had the ‘feel’ for what Jaguar had a reputation for. I could imagine you spending hours with him.
Great video Ed. I love this car. It's beautiful inside and out.
An absolutely beautiful car Ed. I concur I would have one over a modern euro box.
Oh yes. Modern cars do nothing for me.
@@philiptownsend4026 Yes, unless you want to spend half a million+ on a modern supercar, there's nothing with 2 or 4 doors that's as absolutely sexy as a Mark II's styling. Even Citroens look like Hyundais like Audis like Toyotas.
Really?
You can feel your love!!
My father had the Mark 1 and then the 4.2 Mark X - beautifully comfortable and completely unreliable but I loved them!!!!
Absolute stunning - and once again a perfect presentation. A solid 12 on a scale to 10. 😊👌
I was at a local car auction in the early 70s and I saw one of these sell for £27.50! If I'd had the money at the time I'd have bought it. Always loved the Mk2 Jag 3.8.
Kid in a Jag sweetshop. I get you. I love Jags. I eventually need to find courage and buy (and maintain) an XJ. I've always loved the scenes from Inspector Morse or other British period crime shows with these gorgeous cars
Great video Ed, I've always believed that the Mk 2 Jaguar is the most attractive 4 door saloon ever made and I still believe it to this very day...when I was living and working in the UK way back in 1973/74 I owned a 3.8 S type Jaguar which was a great car, but very heavy on fuel which took its toll during the fuel crisis of 1973 so I had to sell it, but I still have great memories of Jaguars from that time and what great cars they were and still are if they're still going.
Probably my favorite is the 3.8 S with it's independent rear suspension, then the MKll, then 420. Have owned a 1969 E type and still own a 1965 Mark X which I feel is under appreciated as a luxury saloon car.
It's really ugly if you ask me.
@@sambadham1404 I think its looks great
@@sambadham1404 what would you call a good looking car Sam just interested to know as people's tastes differ
@@rondye9398 Yeah Ron great the MArk x and the very similar 420g , the 420 is the shorter version of the mark x/ mark 10 / 420g , and not as nice looking , the x/10 /420 g from the outside look the same , a real gangsters car very under appreciated as you say , there was one [420g] auctioned by H and H ,which had everything done to it, new dark red leather that looked like it had never been sat in , lovely new dark walnut [nicer than original wood even] , it had a bare metal repaint and an engine rebuild ,all recent ,and it sold for 21,000 pounds including auction fees , had this been a mk 2 in this condition it would have sold fr many times the price, your dead right about the s type being the most desirable of them all , the nicest example on you tube is AUTOSPORTS DESIGNS 3.4 S WALKAROUND , it is a sight to behold looking brand new , for the nicest mk 2 on YT type mk2 coombs there are 2 examples a white one being detailed and a gun metal one just restored looking spanking new ,according to racing driver and great train robber Roy james , he would always insist on the 3.4 s rather than the 3.8 s as it apparently handled better , ok they did not look as nice from the front as the mk 2 maybe ? , but they aced the mk 2 in so many ways with its revolutionary suspension and much nicer seats and interior .
The car which really turned me onto Jags when I was about ten years old; garage proprietor Uncle Alec's 1960 3.8 Mk2, in metallic burgundy, with cream leather, not just the looks or luxury, but the shattering (compared to my Father's 1939 Vauxhall 10) performance.
Seven years later, my elder brother allowed me to drive his 3.4 Mk1 on my provisional driving licence, a year or so after that I bought my own 3.4 Mk2. Fifty four years and 24 Jaguars down the line, my daily is the modified XJR which I bought six years ago.
A marque with a certain something like no other, despite having taken te wrong direction many times over the years.
Such a beautiful piece of art
I agree Rajan a work of Art , there is a guy above though says it is UGLY ! he must be insane or blind perhaps , no accounting for taste !
The introduction of the 3.8 litre Mk.2 Jaguar was a true landmark - fastest 4-door saloon in the world, with speed and acceleration that put most sports cars to shame.
Even something like the Aston Martin DB4 could only just match its acceleration.
But it’s amazing what Jaguar (and other) car manufacturers were able to achieve when you consider the absolutely crazy number of strikes being called at the drop of a hat.
The situation was already bad by the early 50s, being parodied in the 1955 film ‘I’m alright Jack’. And just got worse through the 1960s and 70s. Millions upon millions of working days lost as a result.
The country was quite literally spiralling down into poverty & decay, mocked by our overseas competitors as ‘the poor man of Europe’.
Fortunately, deliverance was at hand. Though it took some very tough medicine to knock things back into any sort of shape and/or a deliverable future.
That came in the shape of the ‘Cad’, showed early on in your video.
And without her arrival, God knows how even worse it could have got until it all just fell apart…
Ah yes I know who you are talking about, she saved us and gave our self respect back. I have her autobiography on my bookshelf.
Strikes were never called at the "drop of a hat " ,your comments betray a total misunderstanding of labour relations in the latter half of the 20th century , british workers wanted the same rights as the workers of western Europe that they were just not getting , my uncle was a skilled foreman for British Leyland and was treated like crap , and to hint that thatcher was some kind of deliverance is just insane , the damage she did to Britain selling off its resources to the highest bidder , there is a doc on yt showing what Norway did with its oil and gas resources and what Thatcher did with ours its criminal , she treated the working class like crap ,closed nearly all the mines with no back up plan because they were not making money AT THAT TIME , yet within a couple of years paying stupid sums for foreign coal [ from Columbia mined often by children ], take a look at the advances of France Germany and even Spain in the 80s ,and then take a look at Britain , she achieved nothing , it actually took her years to get out of recession , she only won the next election because she won a war , and as for backing Britain ,when people would ask for Government funding for fantastic innovations and inventions [ that other countries have since cashed in on ] she wanted to know how much this was going to bring in NOW , things like fibre optics , oh and just in case people aren`t convinced , it was THATCHER who suggested to Edwina Currie that Jimmy saville should take over Broadmoor . No doubt right now you think Nato stance on the ukraine and the Zelensky dictator himself are all of a noble cause and that neither NATO or ZELENSKY are responsible for antagonising Russia what with surrounding European Russia with Nato and Dictator Zelensky facilitating this and repressing ethnic russians , what has this got to do with Jaguar ? , about the same as your rant on Thatcher being god for us !
And with her arrival (just a little while after the Mk II) the British motor industry never looked back, going from strength to strength - Dutton, Morgan, Toyota, Honda, Nissan ...
@@philipchurchill6508
Rather a lot to swallow there, so let’s just concentrate on a few items.
I see you don’t dispute ‘millions upon millions’ of working days lost to strikes - through the 50s, 60s & 70s.
And they WERE literally called at the drop of a hat - there’s plenty of footage showing strike votes being carried outside in the yard, on a show of hands.
Usually at the behest of some rabble-rouser with a megaphone.
Whilst we’re at it, and we’re talking about rabble-rousers, give us your summation of the celebrated ‘Red Robbo’, a sleeper agent for the Soviet Union if ever there was one.
He did a huge amount to destroy BL - in fact, it seemed to be his sole aim - are you proud of that?
And also give us your solution to the ‘poor man of Europe’ badge that had been quite rightly fixed to this country for years.
More strikes? More industrial chaos? More winters of discontent?
Somehow, I don’t think so. As I said, the country was spiralling into poverty & decay, and what had caused it in the decades previously was certainly no solution to getting ourselves out of it.
By the way, what I said about Mrs T was not a rant.
Just a calm recollection of facts, as you’ll see if you can read it again, objectively.
If anything was a rant, it’s your semi-hysterical post, shooting off in all directions at once, but coming up with no substantive rebutting of the points I made - or solutions to the dreadful malaise that gripped the country…
Not sure about your last sentence We know how much worse it got (BJ) and it has fallen apart (Brexit).
Ed, as a child from the 60s, I remember the ads of the time for Grace,Space and Pace, with a photo showing the Mk2, Mk10 and Etype respectively. As you say, a truly beautiful design and a dash layout which beat anything then available.
If you’re a fan of the Mark X, then keep your eyes peeled… 😉
An absolute work of art. I've only ever had Italian or Japanese cars but give me an early Mini Cooper and a MK2 Jag and I wouldn't want anything else, I'd even be happy with a rough one like the car featured in "Withnail And I" (great movie)! Many thanks Edward for a wonderful presentation.
Did you know that in Japan there are a stack of Minis. There seems to be a very lively subculture and support for these wonderful vehicles. Narrow roads in some areas make them the ideal vehicle to have.
Great video as always, lovely car. I always love it when you get excited by the car you are talking about.
Ed it's s difficult to praise your videos enough because they are miles ahead of any of other similar attempts in the web. Yours are superbly researched, excellently scripted and presented: slick, friendly, informative and professional.
I was lucky to have an XK 140 DHC which blew a diff when a student and which being in the middle of an oil crises made it undesirable and I swapped for a Triumph Herald with which I wrote off a coal wagon near Ullswater due to its awful rear tuck under suspension when cornering hard.
Later in life I got a Mk 2 3.4, my pride and joy but cost me an absolute fortune. Yet its superb handling, comfort and style was enhanced by a Home Tune Jag fanatic who played around with the needling and on a rolling road produced 220BHP as well. Having driven a 3.8 of similar horse power, I like the 3.4 characteristics better as it was more revvy.
Sadly with all else, I lost it and am now car-less.
But thank you for such super memories and your mint video.
I also enjoyed the Landie video and having had both a smokey turbo 90 and later a V8 Disco.
May I wish you and yours every Blessing of Christ's birth and a continued, stunningly healthy, happy and successful 2023!
Rob
A very enjoyable tour of this wonderful car. In the very early Seventies I owned a 1961 Jaguar Mark II in white with grey leather. It had the 3.4 motor and a four-speed with overdrive manual transmission. When it ran, it was a fire breather. Fifty years hence my friends still heckle me about my beautiful Jaguar, which was essentially a lawn ornament. If you made a list of the top 100 things that car could do, running under its own power would barely have cracked the list.I blamed Lucas, Prince of Darkness. When it was running, however, it was very attractive and exotic to young women in Florida.
Two things: First, as has been pointed out, the little handles on the back of the front seats were to pull open the little tables, which weren't really big enough to be very useful. Second, the rear wheel arches on this car have been extensively modified (radiused). All production Mark II Jaguars had spats, which covered up the top of the rear wheel, for no apparent reason. The open rear wheel wells on this car render it much more attractive than the stock production cars , in my opinion. It also looks faster and more predatory with the large open rear wheel wells. This design flaw was corrected in the XJ6, which was beautiful but was no Mark II.
The main difference between the Mark II and the S Type was that the S Type had independent rear suspension (similar to that on the E-Type if memory serves) and a longer, arguably less attractive boot. Much later I had a 1985 Jaguar XJ6, which was a beautiful car with electric windows, rocker switches, air-conditioning, automatic transmission, and a much less attractive instrument panel. The Mark II was very masculine; the XJ6 was not.
Incidentally, my main heckler regarding my Jaguar Mark II drove a Volvo P18 sports car, which was even more unreliable than my Jaguar, although my car was nine years old and her Volvo was brand new. At least my Jaguar was beautiful, classy, and elegant. Her Volvo was none of those.
In fall of 1968, three of us undergrads were looking for a vehicle and answered a post on the campus bulletin board (a physical one, not an online one!). A grad student was selling his 1961 Jaguar 3.8 sedan, just like this one except British Racing Green. He was asking $500 but we convinced him to accept $480 ($160 x 3). It had everything this one had, electric overdrive on 3rd and 4th gears, fold down picnic trays in the backs of the front seats, hand cranked sunroof, tan leather interior. In the trunk was the rather comprehensive owner’s tool kit with spanners (not Colonist’s “wrenches, of course), a full factory manual, brass hammer to remove the knockoff hubs, even a rather large piece of leather to match the interior in case repairs were needed as well as two pieces of walnut to repair any damaged trim. We drove that car on many trips from Chicago and Indiana to the east coast, freezing our butts off (British heating systems do not function well in Great Lakes winters!). Unfortunately on one winter trip to Boston the car’s rear disc brakes (at a time when American cars had barely heard of front discs!) froze and locked up. I was the chief mechanic for the Jag but was in Kansas that trip, so faced with a huge repair bill ($250) my partners sold it for $250 salvage. 😰 But it was so sweet while we had it.
Caution - always carry a flashlight if you are going to check the oil after dark, because it’s almost impossible to find the dipstick opening at night!
I bought a Warwich Grey 1968 340 a couple months ago. True barn find. Looking at this video I can't wait for my restoration to be complete. Truly stunning cars!
My father owned a Jaguar 3.8S. Must of been a later version, because it looked a little different, a little more modern and it was fast. Running down the Hiway at 120mph and feeling like you were doing 75mph. Beautiful car and I never figured out why Jaguars sedans had the tables in the back of the front seat.
Donald,
they were known as picnic tables.
@@iareid8255 In that nice of a car and kids in the back seat?
I think the S type has the Jag IRS.
@@984francis I really don't know about that, never owned one my self, But he owned 2 Jaguar XKE's a Mark 10 and that 3.8s. Don't think he liked the Mark 10 that much, we didn't own that one for very long. Now that one I barely remember, I was 5 or 6?
The hook at the back of the front seat is not for coat but can be pulled and opened as
a picnic table
those twin carburetors and "their little filters" actually had either a monstrous muffler look-a-like air cleaner or one with a double horn that obscured half the top of engine and most of the lovely cam covers!
My Dad lusted after a 3.8 with wire wheels .
This was in the early 1960s , when the UK was transitioning from Empire and into The Space Age, mini skirts and acid.
Initially My Father was going to buy a MK 7 but came home with a MK1 2.4. Sedate luxury.
A British Racing Green MK1 3.4 with modified engine and full racing extractors followed rapidly .
120 mph down the A5 in Shropshire!!!
He gave it to his brother and with my Grandfathers help bougt a MK 2 3.4 with low miles and custom seat belts from an aircraft for £1000 quid.
Fast trips to London down the new M1 ensued with clandestine trips to Liverpool on the side.
In thise days motorists had a Sunday drink then drove home at 100 mph in The Jag.
I love your enthusiasm on this Jag report, like a small boy who just found the keys to the sweet shop. My love of Jags was already bubbling with the D-Type and XK 140 when my family made a visit to my Aunt, Uncle and cousins in Yorkshire. My Uncle Morris had a car sales and repair business and he had a Mk2 3.8 from his stock at home that weekend. He took myself and my cousin Bill for a run out which I will never forget as it was the very first time I experienced 100+ mph on the road (legal at the time). Fabulous!
Thanks for reminding me ED. Great work. 😂
I was 12 years old when my father bought one . He taught driving in that car. It was 4 speed. 3 month later, I was driving that car professionally speaking.
I had a MK2 in the late 60s. It was powerful in those days just flick the overdrive off and overtake other cars then flick it back on with a big grin on my face ! Wonderful.
I remember my dad demonstrating this, but as a passenger, one couldn't really feel the same effect as the driver.
Many years later, taking our recently purchased XJ6 out for a spin, I entered a freeway, and put my foot down to accelerate, and it changed down a gear and took off like an absolute beast.
It was a total surprise, as I had not driven an automatic before this.
Absolute fun.
Father had a mkll 2.4 pale blue metallic with matching interior. Beautiful car.
Drove them as Patrol Cars back in the sixties. The best cars we ever had. Awesome.
When my dad was selected for advancement to commander (USN) he planned to buy a Mk 2. Sadly, before the Mk2’s delivery he was killed in a flying accident. I’d still love to get one. They always make me think of my dad and of course Inspector Morse.
What a beautiful example of the mark. Your enthusiasm does you credit. As an old man, growing up in this era, this was one of the cars to drool over, along with the Healey 3000 mk 3. In fairness most of the criminals who used them we not using their own. Great vid.
Always thought this was the most beautiful car ever built.
that jag is stunning and the colour is the best
Compared with the ugly trash being foisted off as cars today,this one is a gem. This lad's enthusiasm makes you want to buy every car he demonstrates! What a salesman!
The "Iconic Browns Lane" factory is now a housing estate and an Amazon warehouse.
In the early 70's my dad and his friend moonlighted as a car tuning business specialising in multi-carb engines. We had one of these Jags parked behind the house for a few months (I think the customer forgot to pick it up) and us kids used to sit in the back and pretend we were royalty🧐.
We owned a '67 Jag 340 (3.4 liter with faux leather) for a time. It was a fabulous car to drive. We had the 3 speed Borg Warner auto trans but with an electric overdrive which gave quite good mileage. The design of this car is one most beautiful renderings of a luxury sedan ever done!
Back in the 80s I saw a perfect one at a British car meet in Portland Oregon. The man with it was the chauffeur of a wealthy family, and was gifted the car when he retired. He was the only person to ever drive the car.
Had he driven the Frank family?
@@billolsen4360 don’t have a clue, that was 35 years ago.
Young man, you are quite an orator. This is a well researched and informative video. Thanks very much, and a huge thanks for not ruining it with crappy background music while you're talking. I don't know why some creators feel compelled to add annoying background music throughout the video.
The BBC must take you on as a presenter. Raymond Baxter would be very proud of you.
Thanks mate, that’s exceptionally kind of you to say 🙂
I had a 1958 MK II Right hand drive, 2.4 Lt. between 1966 and 1975. The most beautiful car around at the time and I loved driving it. But like a beautiful girl friend it was constantly unreliable but the positve being I became a good mechanic. Loved that car!
I was an apprentice mechanic in the 1960s for the local Jag dealer, who was also Rover, Citröen and Singer. I liked the style of the Mark 2, but I never - then nor since - worked on, or saw, a Jaguar that I would have wanted to own. It's just a personal thing, but I spent too many hours on them on the wrong end of a spanner.
They were bad enough to work on back then, but now, they are frightful. I retired three years ago, after twenty years as an AA vehicle inspector. During that time, I encountered modern Jaguars and consider them over-designed nightmares.
One of the most beautiful cars ever.
+1!!!!😊😊😊😊
You are one of the best .. I love your clear and concise descriptions of classic cars.
Thank you
and well done !
Thanks mate :)
Well actually, contrary to TC's commentary, the Australian Ford Falcon XY(1971) GTHO Phase 3 was the fastest 4 door in the world in that era, well till maybe the Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9 turned up, pending gearing , some 5 to 10 years later (I vaguely remember reading that the GTHO came with 4 or 5 different gearing options on their Top Loader 4 speeds). The phase 3 came standard with a Australian made 351 Cleveland with all the hotup bits like forged pistons, solid lifters, 780 Holley 4 barrel, trailing rods on the rear suspension, 15x8 inch alloy mags, Detroit Locker 9 inch diff, Top Loader 4 speed, etc, etc, etc, & won Bathurst. Which at time was a Group E Series Production Touring Car race; I think the only non factory mods allowed in the race series were tyres & shockies, but they had to be road legal.
In fact Australian made 351 Cleveland engines also came in later De Thomaso Panteras, although also with options for 4 twin webers, both in downdraft & cross over sidedraft form, internally, however, the engines, as standard, weren't as robustly tuned. But maybe they also had GT & GTHO equivalent option packages.
Check the speedo reading on this pic:-
assets.primecreative.com.au/s3/cougar-assets/tradeuniquecars/2014/11/12/75276/speedo-off-the-clock.jpg
1971? That’s three years after these were discontinued 🤣
The 3.8 Jag Mk2 launched in 1959.
@@TwinCam fair enough, I always took the Mk 2 to be a mid 60's vehicle. BtW I love your taste in cars. I had a couple of Austin 1800s & still wish I'll get a chance to have a Morris Nomad. I've also had a few Leyland P76 4.4 litre V8s, complete with BW Single Rail 4 Speeds & Power racks. They have an alloy engine like the Buick/Rover 3.5 litre V8, but they're 4.4 litres. They in fact have the same deck height as the related cast iron Buick 340 & 350, so the cranks out of one of them will fit..
Had a couple of HR Holdens & a VG Chrysler Valient with a 265 Hemi
I remember driving a Mk 2 manual but noticed it seem to change gears like an auto when I flipped what I thought was the blinker lever. It didn't take long for me to realise what I thought was the blinker lever was actually for the Laycock-DeVille Overdrive. Apparently, when doing up old English cars one can get a Laycock Deville overdrive cheap from Volvo wreckers as just about every 200 series Volvo has them.
It's a pity Jaguar never put the 4.5 litre Daimler V8 in them rather than the 2.5. incidently the Daimler V8s had a layout just like the Chrysler Hemi V8 regards pushrods, rockers & valves. Of course the whole reason why the Daimler variant of the Mk 2 only came with the 2.5 V8 'hemi' & not the 4.5 V8 'hemi' was because it was faster than the Jag 3.8 variant (they tested the configuration), & that was unacceptable to Lyons 'who would not have it'.
These Jag's and the Rover V8's were as good as anything you could buy back then. What happened to the British car industry.
one of the most beautiful cars ever. Just wonderful.
You can’t beat an old school Jag😊
+1!!😊😊😊😊
About the time Iwas in Form 3 at Prep School (Holmewood House), one our neighbours in Tunbridge Wells bought one of these - he he owned a new car dealership & a few electrical goods stores in Kent. George Faulkner, was a rally driver & had one a couple of 2nd & 3rd positions in the Monte Carlo Ralley. He picked up even more, when he purchased his Jag Mark 2. Oh.yes, that car could really fly, in an era when we thought yo Ph was fast - his daughters used to yell from the back seat ‘ so Ron up Daddy’ and he did! On Pembury road, just north of the town, close to where we lived, in Sandown Park. It was pretty top hole for an 11 year old to be in the car when he did.
I think the mk2's styling is its strong point and epitomises the cat like looks. It really looks like its going to pounce even standing still. Yum
There might exist today some handful of saloon touring cars that have similar or better technical characteristics than the JAGUAR MKII but every one lacks the PEDIGREE this car has!! It is the King of all!!,GRACE,PACE,SPACE!! no other Touring car has its PRESTIGE!! A real"Gentleman cars"!!! Thank you for sharing this video!! Greetings from Argentina
Now you’re talking Ed, that car is the ultimate vehicle. Priceless.
Great car and great video. Thank you 🏁
Those iconic lines. Wow! Excellent presentation and story telling as usual.
Thanks Kevin, very kind of you to say :)
Thank You for the great Video !
The MK II and the S-Type are such beautiful cars in details.
I recently seen an old S-Type and was truly amazed by the design and details like the doorhandles.
This is a Car U can put in your living room, a piece of art.
The Daimler V8 Saloon is also unique, with a 2,5 Litres V8 !
As a Youngster I once sat behind the wheel, in an MK II, and it made me fall in love with Jaguar !
It is that Jaguar combination of luxury and sitting as low as a sportscar, in a Saloon car.
I have the luck to own a X308 XJ, that also offers that psychedelic mix of luxury and musclecar power.
Ian Callums MK II restomod also very nice.
Greetings all !
I don't know if they are still in business, but back in the 80's a company called 'Vicarage" would take of these beautiful old Jags, fully restore the bodywork and then subtly modernise them mechanically so that the finished article was more fit for modern road conditions. Far too expensive a process for my (ever shallow) pocket alas, but a Vicarage MK2 would still be my perfect money no object car ... and doesn't maroon paint perfectly suite a old Jag somehow?
My dream car too Gary , a "brand new " mk 2 ,with all mechanical upgrades ,brakes engine tuned ect, but I would still want the old fashioned interior not one of these mk 2`s with the 90s style seats and dash ,yeah as for vicarage I remember lookin and there is very little online but there are other companies doing the whole thing they did and more , there are a few nice examples on you tube, the coombs mk 2 jag , a nice grey one and a lovely white one being detailed , there is also a lovely S type [ very similar ] which looks brand new on Autosport designs , type jaguar 3.4 s walkaround . Vicarage were a bit too pricey , the 420 g [ very similar, the very long more gangster looking one ] can be picked up for a song nowadays at a fraction of the mk 2 cost , there was one online that sold at h and h auction for £ 21,000 [ icluding fees ] it had everything done to it Gary , the inside was all brand new proper walnut [jaguars original wood was not always the best ]and dark red leather that looked like it had not been sat in it must have smelled new , also it had an engine re-build ,and bare metal re-paint , sometimes the 420 g was called the mark 10 or mark x , but these were not as powerful . I think though the xj and daimlers from the 70s and 80s were also lovely ,and these can be bought quite cheap , the DAimler double six vanden plas being the most lovely , I think I will be dreaming of jaguars tonight ........................
Guessing you liked that car Ed!😀 Best regards and keep going, Paul.
The jaguar mk2. So good even a 90s nissan cosplays as one.
I’ve driven a mk2 jag and it’s an unbelievable machine to drive not to mention rapid, one day I will own one but for now rover p6 it is
Great looking cars always have been always will be.
Not really a Jag. man but I could put up with that. 😆 The gleem on that woodwork. WOW. Beautiful restoration.
The red paint on the Jag is gorgeous, it's like eye candy. A few years back I sold my 67 XKE, after watching this vid, I wish I had it back. NOTE: When removing the oil cap on a HOT engine grab the oil cap with a wet towel and the cap unscrews much easier--the cap will shrink a bit in the hot valve cover. When talking about a van for the bodies, that would be a vintage Ford Transit? Ed being from Lancashire, have you hit the rollercoasters at Blackpool Pleasure Beach? It's good to be a electrician when owning a Jag, Lucus Prince of Darkness electrics. Thanks to Ed for another fine watch.....
I had the Mk1 2.4 litre, and it was pure magic. Manual with overdrive and top speed according to the speedo was 125 mph. Lovely beast and from memory it had the huge steering wheel (which was adjustable) but no power steering. Interesting stuff but it stuck to the road with very good high speed corner/handling.
I did drive a few Mk2's but fell in love with the Mk1 (first love).
The example you display here is a beautiful car, my Mk1 had a valve radio, AM and shortwave. I loved riding in the rear passenger seats with the reading light. A bit more room than this vehicle.
Thanks for this I really enjoyed the video.
I love watching the Mk1's racing at Goodwood. Mr Bean and his big Mk7 or 8 whatever it is.
Such enthusiasm. Keep it going.
Thanks Ed. What a beautiful car and I must admit that car really suits you.
Metallic red has to be the best colour on any car. Great video.
I have the 3.8S in pristine condition and would not let go for any reason. I love it so much
In 1966 aged sixteen, I had recently left school and started work as a trainee in a local factory. The manager, who lived in a higher universe than me had a Jaguar. I had no idea that he even knew I existed. Imagine my surprise when he appeared at my elbow and asked whether I would like to accompany him to another factory in a town some fifty miles away. I had only previously been in a car about twice in my life. All I remember is that he was very friendly. And it was wonderful to watch the speedo effortlessly go way over sixty miles an hour. When I got older I came to realise that some older men enjoy the company of a good looking young boy. At the time nothing like that even crossed my mind. I later found that he wanted me to work with him as his personal assistant. It was apparently voted down as inappropriate.
The colour is just perfect. Beautiful machine. I'd gladly drive it
What an immaculate example of this wonderful car!
The MkII 3.8 was basically the Lotus Carlton of the late 50’s and early 60’s.
The legendary theatre organist, Reginald Dixon, owned one of these in the early 1960s.
When i was 10 my dads best friend said we got to go to town, hop in and i show you a real car!!!... He gave it a good thrash and its one of my favourite memories. Till then my dads rover 2000 was cool but this 3.8type S was another level. Metallic blue, black leather, wire wheels.. PERFECTION
Love the MK2 such a beautiful and stylish car , my late father had a 3.8 s in the 70"s
+1!!!😊😊😊
What a pleasant surprise to see my favourite CZcams car channel reviewing the Mark 2 Jag! I'm actually thinking of buying one and this video has made my mind up! 😊 Great review as ever and your passion for this beautiful beast comes across! 👍👏 👏 How about doing a review of the Citroën DS Ed? I'd love to hear what you'd have to say about that!
One correction: Those "little hooks" on the backs of the front seats are in fact handles for pulling open the picnic trays. My 1965 3.8 Mk 2 had standard seat belts from new. It was one of the most reliable cars I ever owned. So were my XK 140 fhc, 420G and X300 Daimler.
Yes, so you could spread the Grey Poupon without making a mess!
Wow,!!! What a presenter,,just loved every minute of this folks 👏👏🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Fantastic Video Ed, what a stunning car, you have sold this car for me.
Really interesting video. Thanks. Nice to hear the viewpoint of another generation. No longer the Wardour Street Bentleys. And you are right. Sir William was indeed an artist. That was what made Jaguars so appealing. And the fact that there was a genuine race bred engine in all the Jaguar saloons really placed them head and shoulders above most of the opposition
Not all Mk2 Jaguars were born equal. For 6 months in the 80s I had a 1960 2.4. That steering wheel is big because it’s the same one fitted to non-power assisted models, like my 2.4 was. A few years back I hired a 3.4 for a few days and that was non-assisted as well. My 2.4 was slow and ponderous. It had a Moss 4 speed gearbox which had a slow, long-throw change, and no synchro on first gear. Mine also didn’t have overdrive. For some reason non-overdrive Jags had the indicator stalk on the right side of the steering column which was normal for British cars up until the mid 70s, when according to my recollection Ford began a trend for adopting the ‘continental’ pattern of putting the indicators on the left, but an overdrive Jag (like the 3.4 I hired) mysteriously shifted the indicators to the left and had the overdrive switch on the right, where the indicators used to be.
Great classic car and top class presentation as always
That reddish brown exterior tone really sets off the lines of this car. My uncle had a '64 in bronze & I loved it as a 9yo, of course.
My mate Billy Morrison had one of these back in the 70s. We did Stoke to Glasgow in 3 minutes!!
Love the rear roof-lines of the MK2 and the old MK9s'. Four months ago...wonder what the final bid was...
Excellent video on a lovely and desirable car! However, recently I came across a very early Mark 1 Jaguar over here in the States. So early it had the bent gear shift. This one had the full fender skirts (spats?) and it was about as close to a four-door XK120 Coupe with those skirts as you could get. It was stunning. With a 2.4 it does have a bit less power, but will still do the ton,
I understand though that the Mk 2 had a unitary body while the Mk 1 had a separate body on chassis setup. Or maybe the difference wasn't so black 'n white.
my dad had a 61. no internet, no manuals, it was never put back on the road but it was a true beauty and those little "loops" in the back of front seats are pulls, there's a little table there!
Great visual quality, stunning car, what a design , what a review.
Thanks mate :)
Blimey, Inspector Morse has had a good makeover!
Fantastic video Ed. I think you need some alone time after that beautiful Jag. 😂. A stunning car.
Great video well done
Beautiful car and a nice review . Just one thing I’ve got to point out unless somebody else has commented. The crome handles on the back of the front seats were not for hanging things off but to pull open the shelves for the rear passengers to put their coffee or tea cups on. My dad had one from about 66 to 71. I can still smell the cigar smoke just watching this video.
Absolute tour de force, wonderful video, wonderful car!
As an aside, and to show how far things have progressed, back in the day AA members planning a trip could use the AA's route planning service. You wrote to the AA, told them where you were going, and in due course your typewritten itinerary, bound into a small booklet, would drop through your letterbox. Google Maps is rather quicker but lacks that personal touch!
My father bought a device which was the 1960s version of satnav. It consisted of a plastic base upon which were mounted two rollers. On one roller was fitted a roll of paper and this was attached to the spindle on the take up roller. Ahead of your journey you would write your route directions on the paper roll and as you progressed use the crank on the take up roller to advance the paper and reveal further instructions! At least you didn't have to worry if the volume was high enough to hear the directions clearly ...
When they were young, my father had a grey one of this Jaguar and my mother had a red one. As a hobby, they'd drive local rallies, with my father as driver and my mother the navigator, and it was her Jaguar they drove in. My father would also race in the local Monte-Carlo style races, again in my mother's Jag.
My grandad had 2 of these - Hugely impractical for a hotel owner who also had a Great Dane! The dog had the back seat and destroyed the leather while we sat on the front armrests! Happy days of no safety legislation! My Nan threw cigarette ends out the window and they came back in through the sunroof! I was far to young to drive it but apparently it was like a tank
Haha! Your comment Reminds me of my 2003 XJ8, I have a big hyperactive Labrador!😆 Fortunately nowadays there are Dog hammocks, I load up with cushions underneath it to further protect the seats and have door protectors to protect the wood! So far so good! The destruction of those back seats in Mk2(and indeed mine) would've broken my heart! 😆
Beautiful car my favourite Jaguar along with the E type.
In late 60’s my boss in Great Yarmouth used to lend me his 3.8s to drive to Liverpool at weekends to see my fiancé. My best memory was driving over The Pennines from Stockport to Chesterfield , putting my foot down and overtaking six cars on a long steep stretch as though they were standing still. Nothing on the road could touch it.
Great video.. 👏