going to look at a 61 mk2

[BRSLimited]

I'm going to look at a 61 mk2 3.4 and am just wondering what things I should be looking out for and where to look for problem areas. The car has been stored in a garage for 25 years. From what I've been told it's a complete car. I'll find out if it runs or even turns over when I get there to look at it.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

Oh, boy. Where do you start?
First is body. That will kill you if it isn't good. Rockers, sills, rear spring boxes in body (forward of axle), take an ice pick.
Lift the carpets, stab the floor, especially under pedals. Bottom of the rockers. Inside of the sills (vertical above floor), if he'll let you, pull the spats, get a better view of the spring boxes.
Pull the spare out, lay a flashlight under the well and look inside for holes. Poke the well with the ice pick.
Do NOT try to start it. You don't know if the valves have rusted to the guides, fuel is varnish by now, lubricants need to be changed.
Look at the block core plugs (LH side of block, under and below exhaust manifolds) to see if they leak or are pushed out. Exhaust is probably rust donor.
Fuel tank may need patching..any moisture pooled at the bottom and rusts it out.
Wood....will cost you a lot to have fixed if bad. If just finish, you can do that yourself, but if it's delaminated, hang on to your pocketbook!
Leather...any good or rotted?
All the bits there? Chrome strips, leaper, lights and surrounds/

Look and post your findings, we'll narrow the parameters based on what you find!
Good Luck!
Dave

 

[BRSLimited]

I'll take a camera along with me and get some more detailed pictures of the car and whatever on it I can get clear pictures of. Thanks for the advice on the ice pick. I have no intentions of trying to start it myself if he hasn't had it running, just want to see if it will move by hand. Typical british engine if it turns it will run with some work. Where are the VIN and engine numbers located?

 

[Deleted member 8987]

VIN plate, depends.If power steering car, centre of scuttle (firewall) between heater and battery, normally oriented, gives VIN, engine number, transmission number, etc.
If no PS, open bonnet, put toes touching LF tyre, bend over LF wing with a torch, look on inner wing, just forward of heater and master cylinders (if LHD), mounted on inner wing, upside down, so you can read it when you lean over the wing!

Engine number should match number on side of block above oil filter (RH side), number on vertical upright for timing chain on head (near front plug), body number should also be stamped in the bonet release recess, just forward of radiator.

 

[BRSLimited]

What a waste of time to go look at it. does have power steering but the vin plate is in the place you said for non power steering. No idea if the engine is original but it's siezed up so kind of a moot point. The head had been off and the cams are missing, exhaust manifolds are gone, carbs gone, cam bearing caps gone. 2 other engines a 3.8 and 3.4 both siezed and head problems. 4 speed trans with overdrive junk, other heads again missing caps and cams. no carbs on any engine. As for the body I almost laughed. He told me the car was solid which I guess in his opinion means that a full grown cat can't crawl thru the holes. Inner and outer rockers both sides shot, LH floor shot, jack points shot, spare tire well shot, rear inner wheel arches shot, rear spats shot. I don't think there was a body panel on it that didn't have at least one hole in it. bumpers were there but banged up and needed rechroming. the grill was there but bent to heck. This is the only car I've looked at that I felt like I needed a tetanus shot afterwards. I didn't just walk away, I ran. And he wants $2500 for this hunk of sh*t and all the trash parts. IMO this is about $400 worth of scrap metal. No salvageable parts.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

That's why you go and look....you never know.
Mine is virtually rust-free, couple of small spots I know about and have killed.
Drove it home for about what you'd pay at his asking.
The VIN plate is an odd point in Jag judging. USUALLY that's how they are, as the reservoir is on the wing where the VIN plate is, but sometimes you'll get them in different spots, factory.
Had the engine been complete, even stuck, but with the caps gone off the heads, well, too much money is right.
Now you know what to look for next time!
Dave