Jag Mk2..Deal or No Deal?

[AN5Sprite]

So long story short: While visiting with the in-laws over X-Mass I strike up conversation, as I do every year, with my wife's uncle about his car "collection". I don't want to go into it much beyond the fact that he has well over 100 cars. To the outside observer, ie me, he has a hoarding problem so it's a rare occasion when he offers to sell something (anything) but he offered me his 1960-something Jaguar Mk2. (I think he said it was a '62). He described it as complete, a "project". Claims that the motor and trans are rebuilt and sitting in his pals shop all ready to go. (I have my doubts)
I ran out to have a look at the car and took a few pics that I'll share later. I'm only familiar enough with Jags to know the different models and a few basic facts, but not any specifics. I'm 90% certain that I'm NOT going to buy the car because I suspect it's too far gone to be viable for me to handle, but then again the price is nice. I'm wondering if it's worth buying even if I hold onto it for a while before I have the money to do much to it? If not, is it worth buying to part-out? What is the going rate for a 3.8 Litre, auto trans parts car? (assume worst case scenario)

 

[vivdownunder]

The bodies are complex, prone to rust in hidden spots and very expensive to repair. They rot around the jacking tubes beneath the sills, front frame rails, crow's feet bracing inside the front fenders, above the headlight liners, in the rear inner fenders, the sills, along the bottom of the trunk lid etc.

The walnut veneered dash and door cappings are costly make good, as is the leather trimmed seat facings and console. I'd want to see receipts for any engine rebuild to verify that it was done by a competent shop.

I owned a rare special factory order 3.4 manual overdrive with chrome wire wheels, which started to show the first signs of rust bubbles here and there. The lowest of three quotes for rust removal and a respray was over $20K, subject to variation after the paint was removed. So despite a 10 year love affair, off it went. Recently a friend, who does no work on his cars himself, shelled out $100K plus for a full rebuild of his 3.8 Mk2. Despite being Concours, we doubt it's worth much over $50K.

Here, manual overdrive Mk2's are well sought after, but there's not much interest in auto's. I imagine parting out a car could be a long winded business before it's all sold.

Viv.

 

[jessebogan]

I have a MK 2 3.8 Manual OD parts car. I got it cheap due to non economically repairable rust. I needed it for the manual OD parts for a conversion of an automatic car. I have more that recouped my initial investment selling off parts I don't need. This car was originally a 2.4, late 67, so it had "ambla" seats which looked good, and sold quickly. I have sold a lot of small bits.... There is a market for the parts, but I have a storage spot, and am in no real hurry to get it done. In the end, including selling off the trans conversion, this will return me a good profit off of the investment.

My story, your milage may vary.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

Depends on how much rust and where. And, how much he wants for it.
If you can fix some of the spots, the rockers are good, strip it in your garage, smooth it up, Maico it to keep it dry, stick the drivetrain back together and drive it.
I got mine at a price I could afford....rockers solid, bit of bubbling in the bottom corners of the doors, got a plan for that, runs good, fun to drive.

I've gotten over 3-1/2 years of use out of it, I'm happy.

 

[AN5Sprite]

I didn't get a chance to get under it cause I was in my good clothes (the one pair of unstained jeans I own) and we were pressed for time. From what I could see it's pretty bad. Plus I couldn't find a vin tag...where is that supposed to be? it's not in the engine compartment. My sense when I was standing in front of it was that I wanted nothing to do with it. 24 hours later and I already started romanticizing the thing. It's too bad, 'cause I doubt he'll sell/give it to anyone else. In 5 years the whole thing will be consumed by the Raspberry bush thats around it.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

Hopefully the headlamp assemblies, grille, leaper, centre bonnet chrome (and short piece in front of said leaper) are in da boot.
Depends....all are open bonnet. Some are, lean over left wing, tag mounted upside down just before firewall, on inner wind, some dead centre in firewall, between battery and heater. ALL should have the VIN stamped in the bonnet release recess, right on the flat spot behind the grille.

Look at the visors. Early MK2's had recessed into headliner visors, later had "normal" stand-alone units. In da boot, lift up the lid for the spare.....if there is a spare in there, see if the toolkit is laid inside the top of the spare. Remove toolkit and spare....lay your flashlight under the boot (on the trailer), look in the spare well, see how much light you can see.

Cardboard covers, left and right, left side hides fuel pump.

Looks like fun.

 

[AN5Sprite]

Here's a couple more pics. The deal, at the moment is; He wants to get back what he paid. $300. I can borrow my fathers truck/trailer so I just have to cover the gas for the 1k mile round trip. It's my in-laws so I have to go back there anyway, so it's not like an extra trip. To me the deal rests on the condition of the motor. I'm figuring that even if the car is a loss, I can part it out, make back my investment and keep the motor for a future hot-rod project...

 

[AN5Sprite]

This is why I didn't get too deep in da boot...

 

[AN5Sprite]

more...

 

[Deleted member 8987]

Has power steering....but, bad news, that's a GM air cleaner in the boot, and what looks like a smog pump...so the parts that are there aren't necessarily for there. I see a GM starter, in addition to a Jag starter, I see a torque converter and an AC compressor, maybe two of them.
I don't see, in the resolution provided, a clutch master. Therefore, this is a 3.8 with an automatic...and how did the engine and trans get "rebuilt" with the TQ siting in the boot?
This is an EARLY MK2.....has the Maltese Cross in the steering arm (rotted and separated)...IF you plan on driving it, put in the later shaft assembly. That one will kill you if it falls apart on the interstate.
My Grandad's MK1 had that...and fell apart in Palm Springs.....and he was able to wait for the interstate to curve left and stop at the side of the road.

 

[AN5Sprite]

Thanks TOC, it's good to have a second pair of (knowledgeable) eyes. I figured most of the stuff in the boot was not related to the Jag. Some of the stuff was obviously labeled GM and the other stuff I figured was a 50/50. One other thing that struck me about the car was that the rear wheels looked shoved way up in the wheel arches. At the time I assumed that meant frame troubles. Now that I know the car has no frame (there's a good 2 part doc on mk2's on the youtubes) I'm thinking it's still a bad sign....You bring up a good question about the motor. I'm 99% sure he's BS'ing me about the motor and I always have figured that since the first conversation. I'll see what happens, I'm in no rush to waste much time or money on this car, but I figure it's worth letting it play out...

 

[Deleted member 8987]

Complete, $300, you'll get more than that out of it in parts.
Heck, there's a couple of things even I need....if it's got reclining seats...
The rear spring set up is odd by US practice. The leaves....front half sit inside the unibody box section, the rear connected to the axle. One of the issues with rust on MK1 and MK2 is those box sections rot out, and the car drops.
However.
Not sure how much tonnage is actually IN that boot. Other than the two boots.
The big generator with the power steering pump on the back isn't exactly light..or heavy.
Torque converter is heavy...as is the flywheel. Couple of AC compressors, couple of starters, bucket of something....and that TQ is sitting ON something, as is the grille. Could be just a bunch of iron back there.
Funny the things you see....the brake fluid reservoir is gone...but the bracket is there...the heater motor...almost looks like a resistor in the upper right as you look at it....fusebox cover is gone, but the regulator is still there.
Be interesting to haul it out, EMPTY it out, and get it on a rack to see what it really looks like.
Dave

 

[billspit]

Don't mean to sound like a poo poo head, but if a guy that nevers sells anything is offering to sell you this, I would be very leery.