The Bargain Jaguar XKR - Cheaper AND Better Than An Aston DB7? Jaguar XKR X100 

Speaking of the English weather, it always confounded me how the country that pretty much invented rain, produced such a huge variety of roadsters.

I worked in a factory which made the trunk trim components for the DB7/Jag XK. Jaguar parts were stacked on a stillage for delivery, but Aston parts had to be individually wrapped in a poly bag before despatch, but both were the same. We learned that Ford (owning both brands) forbid sales teams from putting the two cars side by side, because the customer would see that the Aston was hand made, but on the cheaper Jaguar everything fit and worked properly.

There is a spacer behind the left foot rest that can be removed, this will give you an extra couple 25mm or so. although you probably have the seat position all the way back, lowering it will give more space. If you wanted to go the whole hog, get a small fabrication on the seat runners. I am six foot and am very comfortable in mine.

It holds its shape pretty well over the years, one of most beauty Jags bodies

Hi, I have a 2005 XKR and being 6’ 1” also I experience the same issue you mention. But after you have done a few miles in the car you notice that you are not actually uncomfortable, it’s just a different position. I drove 1700 miles last year up to and round Scotland. Never had a bad back or felt out of shape. A few miles and a few seat changes you will find a comfortable position 😊

I have a totally rust free 98 XK8 sitting on my drive, where it has sat for the last 5 years. The heater core blew and to replace is either taking out the dash or the engine, which costs more than the car is worth, but what a beautiful yard ornament.

Cracking Jaguar! A future classic at a song.. Just sold my '98 X308 XJR after 80k miles driven over a decade here in sunny Spain. Fantastic performance and, well serviced, totally reliable. Like the XKR, no other car with comparable virtues at that price! Fab video Number 27, thanks.

That is my Jaag gents had it 3 years driven it 24000 miles as a daily. Well loved and well sorted🤜🏼🤜🏼🤜🏼

Add a steering wheel spacer so the wheel is further toward you allowing the seat to be moved back enough to straighten your legs slightly but not to much of a spacer otherwise its harder to reach the controls on the column stalk racing drivers usually do this to gain a better driving position just a thought

I own my XKR for 23 years now and in recent years I had problems with an oil leak nobody was able to find. So I drove it very rarely and I thought may be it is time to move on and go for an F-Type a Masserati Grantourismo or a Porsche. During these contemplations it occurred to me, that I didn't really want another car, I wanted my XKR back to pristine working order. A guy specialized on classic cars found the leak in the timing case cover. As the replacement is quite involved it was a good occasion for a compete engine overhaul (belts, spark plugs, sim rings etc.). When I pick it up the mechanic said it was basically back to factory conditions also regarding interior and body and I really felt that I picked up a brand new car. As there were never many of them in Switzerland, they have completely disappeared from the roads years ago and today it turns more heads than many other luxury or sports cars. Now one thing needs to be said, the XKR doesn’t drive really like a sports car (thought it can be quick when needed), it is reluctant to be thrown into tight corners, braking and steering lack sharpness. But as a grand tourer it is a phantastic car whose comfort and elegance are difficult to rival.

I have a 2009 XKR Portfolio model. Of the 100+ cars I've owned since high school, it's the best by far. Fast, comfortable, reliable and beautiful, all bought for less than 30k on a 100K car when new.

Your review was very enjoyable to watch and listen to. I'd think that for a reasonable sum, you can have a repositioning to the base rails of the seat: and that would allow you to draw the seat back farther toward the rear "seats". (We know the rear seats are for luggage, and not for people older than five years of age.)

Fantastic review. I've currently got an Aston Vantage V8 and a Daimler Super Eight amongst others, and I often choose the Daimler for a blast. Real world driving makes it a joy to drive, tuned to 450, the supercharged whine is intoxicating, and the handling gets surprisingly better as you get a move on; no worries about 6' 1" space either. The Vantage on the other hand, is exceptional for either a quick blast or a longer road trip and feels surprisingly spacious. Both viable options over the XKR maybe.

Fabulous soundtrack on that car Jack. What a great drive that looks, and sounds, the seating problem could possibly be sorted out by an engineer who knows his car interiors and moves the seat back a shade. I remember many years ago looking to buy a DB7 and the dealer said he had a couple of Jags of XKR type, I said no I wanted an Aston and he said, "don't forget, an Aston Martin is just a Jag in a party frock". Seems that you have virtually proved that here, well done, oh, I did not buy either in the end but your demo today makes me wish I had gone for the Jag!

Seeing you in the interior gives me claustrophobia and i don't even have claustrophobia. Love how adorable and derpy these cars looks. Nice video. Keep up the good work.

Go for it Jack, I’m 6’ and had an XK8 for 5 years now. Love it, have driven the Grand Tour of Switzerland, Angouleme Historic, NC500 and loads more. Really comfortable and superb GT and exceptional value.

It can't be difficult to move the seat rearwards by fitting some adapter plates between the seat and the floor.

Great video Jack, as usual. I always enjoy your concise and thoughtful approach. I know you have recently had the Bismerc, but how about a Mercedes CL600 for a similar amount of money as the XKR, or possibly a Vauxhall Monaro.

These are getting very popular again and rightly so. I have a 96 xk8 and I absolutely love the thing.

On a point of information, the earlier (pre 2002) cars with the merc transmission have some reliability items that can be permanently fixed (chains, tensioners, cylinder liners arent a problem these days if the cylinders are fine cos fuels have less sulphur now, and a non issue in the states where fuel has been low sulphur for donkeys years) but the merc 5spd transmissions themselves are considered more reliable than the later 6 spd ZF box.

I recently bought an 05 S-Type 4.2. It's a fanastic car for the money, but I've had loads of trouble with it in just 5 months, and despite my average size it is still pretty cramped. That said, I would particularly love to see you get a similar era Jag. But I must admit it's so I can learn from the various fixes you'll inevitably make videos about!

I owned a xkr 4.0 (late 4.0) ,with the supersport handling pack. The tensioner and Niksail coating is maybe over stated. Regular oil changes where very important. We owned our xkr for 4 years and took it from 30k to 130k. Nothing went wrong other than couple of bushes and rear dampers. Brembo brakes are expensive thou. long runs 32mpg. Town 21. Regularly hit the limiter in germany. Great car and very reliable (for us it never let us down even in -10c

Change the seats our alter them to suit. Cracking show great work as always 👏

Good vid as always, I do like that jag. I wonder if there is a seat rail kit for taller drivers?

Great video Jack. I love my 03 model 4.2 XKR convertible. Beautiful inside and out, howling supercharger and bass growl, 33mpg on a run. Apart from temperamental electrics it is near flawless. As somebody said, a V8 muscle car in a Savile Row suit. Already a classic..

Jack don't feel bad, I recently drove my 95 year old neighbor's 1965 series 1 E-Type with a 4.2 manual... and at 6'1" I just don't fit! A car I have lusted over all my life, I just don't fit! I ended up with a 2011 Maserati GranTurismo S 4.7 and couldn't be happier. Good luck!

I have a 2004 XKR with 50,100 KM. Love it. Beautiful green w/ black/tan interior. It is my summer wheels here in western Canada.

Thanks for the Tayna discount. Second time I've used it.

NFS High Stakes brought this gorgeous beast to me, and introduced me to 90s sports cars, super cars, and exotics in general. I can't ever be more thankful to developers for shaping my taste in cars back then, since I was a kid.

XKR owner here. I’m 6’1. Just fit in fine. It does feel a bit cramped but I can drive long distances in good comfort. Fully agreed on the brakes. Very smooth deceleration. They are needy cars but worth every penny.

I own both, a 2003 XKR (a rarer 4.2 in the classic body) and a 2003 DB7. I much prefer the Jag which drives and feels like a more modern car (adaptive cruise control!). They have about the same power (400 vs 420php) however the supercharger kick makes the Jag more exciting to drive and provides better acceleration for overtaking, and the noise... The Jag is also a very reliable car, I used to use it for work and I have never had anything break. The Aston is an expensive pig to service...

We bought our 2000 XKR when a deal on a S3 E-Type fell through & prices of any E-Type increased substantially. We went for the earlier 4.0 litre car as we preferred the interior styling with the one piece seats & 3 seperate gauges. Most early XK8s & XKRs have had the tensioners & guides replaced by now & the Nikasil liners are better than steel liners. They were only an issue at the time in countries that had high level sulphur fuel. We use the XKR for 3k trips to visit our daughter & the XKR excels at this. We also use the car for club runs when it is too hot to drive our non-airconditioned MkV & Mk2. We also have a shabby X300 4.0 Sport we bought as a tow car. The X300 is even more comfortable for long interstate trips as we have yet to find more comfortable seats in any car, new or old.

I need to clear this up because there's a lot of confusion on the jag forums about the Nikasil lined bores. I have a 99 XKR100 with 56k miles and Nikasil lined bores. The main issue was that in the 90s the petrol in the UK was like that of the US - in that it had a very high content of sulpher. When the 2000's hit this was outlawed in the UK and the ''petrol today'', contains hardly any sulpher. So, If you buy a car now with a Nikasil engine that has survived that period it is absolutely fine - furthermore I have owned a late 2004 xkr100 with the steel lined cylinders aswel and can say, without a shadow of a doubt the Nikasil engine performs better (especially on the track). As long as the engine and the car have been maintained and regularly serviced you will have a car that will last forever, the highest mileage pre 2000s engine I've come across has had 237k miles, and to my knowledge is still going strong. Here is a link to a guy that explains all the info needed for the older engines, jagrepair.com/NikasilEngineBlocks.htm - Hopes this helps :)

I have always admired the charm and beauty of Brotish cars! Everything about this car oozes elegance! I own a '97 XK8 and immensely enjoy driving this car!

I've worked at, maintained and owned these cars for many years and I think they're one of the best looking Jags ever. I love the v8 powerplant, less so the automatic transmission. Current convertible version took the wife and I to south of France on holiday and was superb long distance drive.

The XKR is one of my favorite cars looks wise...in that green that the James Bond villain had in Die another day, absolutely stunning! Shame you don't fit Jack😢

Enjoyed your video very much. As an owner of a late X100 XK8-S I'm in agreement with your findings. Apart from the legroom, that is! I'm around 6 feet tall, and if I have the seat on its lowest cushion setting with a slight upwards tilt and the seat as far back as it will go, then I have no problem with legroom, even to the point where I have to adjust the steering wheel to sit closer to me (which isn't a problem, as it automatically moves up & back to allow easy exit & entry). Anyway, hope you can sort out the seat issue to your liking.

Extending the seat rails works. It is a compromise, but every car purchase is a compromise. Man that rain, .... every other video :)

These Jags are swooningly gorgeous and are aging beautifully. Buy one Jack. You'll get used to the seating position, or have someone sort the seat rails. Surely that is a possibility. Drive safe mate. Love your content. Cheers from NZ.

I love my XKR it was my dream as a single parent at the time I told my children what I dreamed of doing they all cheered and with big their blessings, I’ve had it 9 years and will never part with it

I'd look into the X150 newer model of the XKR, they aren't a huge amount different in price and the interior is not only newer design but actually quite a bit more roomy. If you want to claw back some capital from the Bentley, then a nice XKR Portfolio might fit the bill, good value, sublime cruiser and well equipped and you should be able to pick up a reasonable one in the mid teens range.

I have a 2002 XKR and a 2002 DB7 Vantage, as well as a 1995 XJS 4.0L. I drive them all, often back to back. To really appreciate the XKR vs DB7 visual differences you have to park them next to each other. Then, the DB7 looks so much better in my opinion. The XKR/XK8 looks so much larger, taller, and too far in the air. Also, i'd rather drive the DB7 as it is a perfect balance of ride and handling. If i want a more comfortable GT experience, I'd drive the XJS. If i were forced to sell one it would have to be the XKR. I would miss the sound of that supercharger though.

About 20 years ago, I saw a Jaguar parked near The Bentals Centre In Kingston-upon-Thames. I was wondering who drove it. A few minutes later, Carol Vorderman walks up and climbs in.

I absolutely love the XJR and the XKR, id have both if I could they are a well underrated GT car cant understand whatever happened they should of been top but if they had made the XKR in carbon fiber and spected it up a little I imagine it would be up there at the top.

Jack, concerning styling, I was working in Germany in 1996 doing advertising for VW. The discussion about which car looked best was resolved by a dealer who put a DB7 and a XK8 side by side and invited potential customers and those of us in the trade to decide for ourselves. My opinion was that the AM was clearly much prettier, more balanced and nuanced than the Jaguar. We were judging books by their covers, because we weren't able to drive the cars, and back then we hadn't seen an XKR, it was launched later that year. One of my neighbours owned a XJR, that car was stunning and I would choose one of those over the XKR.

Muscle memory is an interesting thing. When first purchased 2018 Taurus, every time I got in meant bumping into things. Within 2 weeks or so it never happened again and there is plenty of space.

This example looks absolutely STUNNING! Such a pretty and oh so cool car. Love those wheels too and the car looks a lot more menacing in black (and with its lowered ride height? It looks too low to be standard?)

I knew these looked good from outside. But the interior is so nice too! Did look to handle well in the rain. Did not know could get them so cheap. The engine sounds great from your description in how it delivers the power. Nice to hear someone else say it is reliable too.

Hi jack good video as usual have to say i think the lack of interior room many people complain about is a bit overdone.i am 6 foot 5 and have never found either head or leg room a problem own 2 of these cars and wouldn't consider changing for a moment.

I never have problems with the driving position. I am 6' exactly, and I have driven an XKR cross continent doing 5 or 6 hours driving a day and I was never uncomfortable from the driving position. I have also owned one (convertible) for about 10 years now and it attracts plenty of admiring comments from other motorists . However it is definitely a GT car.

British summer day😂… made me chuckle. It’s not that bad actually British weather. I enjoyed it a lot.

I have a 2004 XK8 coupé and being about 6'2" it can feel a little cramped sometimes, but to me it's more of a headroom-problem. The position of my legs is just perfect - I could (and do) drive the car for hours without any problems! You really have to play around a little with seat-positions - try everything you can, the car is definitely worth it! One day you will regret not having bought one, I can assure you 😉

Top review... as always! Be great if you went straight out and drove an XK150 preferable the update. Larger cabin and to me anyway.. a better overall package. 6spd ZF, the N/A 5.0 ltr Comparable to the X100 XJR without the supercharger complexity. Stunning looks and terrific sound track. Still a GT car but with more depth.

Just like the exterior, the interior is absolutely timeless.

It'd be worth doing a tall driver customization on the seat rails...I'm 6'5" and I relate to having trouble in most of the cars I dream about. Great Video!

As they say, just adjust the seat lower and if necessary, remove it and move the bottom tracks a bit backwards.. Good video, again😊

A friend had one. We’re both 6ft 2ins - couldn’t believe he bought it! Unbelievable cramped.

I owned a 1999 convertible ...of all the fine cars I've owned ...it is ...was my favorite & I'm currently shopping for another one.

I could never live with such interior.. it looks antique

Max height for this car is 5Ft 9 . To be thinner is better also. I fit nicely in my 1997 Xk8 Coupe. Been driving an xk8 Coupe for 18 years. I am impressed with your nerve on a rainy day. I wrecked a car in the rain about 40 years ago. I wrecked a 1968 Cougar XR7 Gt. The jag Coupe is totally stunning! That car is a BEAST!! I don't blame you if you don't fit! Don't do it. It would be uncomfortable. Great video my man! Sorry it rained! Perhaps a real nice XJ could be in your future. Look on Hemmings! Thank-you!!!

At 17 my dad bought me 1969 Ford Capri in 1978.The Capri was crapi.Dad gave me his Dolomite Sprint.22 cars later,I bought an Evo X and a GTR R35.Both of those were brilliant.My latest and probably my last car is an Aston DB9.I had a laugh.👍

Really like your videos 🙃

Sounds awesome, what exhaust system/mufflers is/are on it mate? Good, straight, quick review too 👌🏼

Back in the 90s a friend of mine went for one of these and I went for a Porsche 928 GTS. Both equally capable. I'd say the Jag is the better looking of the two, but for comfort, if you're looking for an alternative, the 928 is a great choice.

I have a 2005 XJR and a 2003 XK8. I love them both. Personally I believe the XJR is the better car. It feels lighter and more nimble. I am short so leg room has never been an issue in any car. Good luck with your search.

I see there are a few suggestions regarding mods to the seat I think it’s worth a try and of course there’s content there.

Of all the cars out there needing Resto-modding, these are the cars for it.

Thanks Jack, I found XKRs too small too, great shame! Merc SL Class now but wobbly reliability 1997 on? Lexus SC 430 for a blobby & wallowy barge? Oddball British classic choices - Reliant Scimitar GT/GTE or Gilbern Invader? Lower power but lighter weight. Smaller cars as older. Some will need work, others will have been rebuilt. Enjoy the search ! 🙏🙏

Enjoying your content mate What about a cerbera ?

to be honest if you got a c215 mercedes cl55 supercharged you would be blown away, so comfortable and handles brilliantly

Always loved them. Sold loads of the XK8s when I worked for Jaguar - especially the convertible. If you want a fast GT tho, that makes a nice noise, can cover ground, is reliable and comfortable etc etc etc.... check out the S63 coupes. You'll probably say it's not British but as an all round car, very very hard to beat - nip down to Tesco or shoot down to Andalucia, the car will do both with no fuss

I am 6'3 and the later version was absolutely fine. I miss it.

Hi Jack, I had one of these and at 6’4 don’t recall having any issues with the seating position or space in the front. Rear seats were pretty useless though.

I loved my XKR. Great to drive and really comfortable (I'm not anywhere near 6ft). It does shread tyres, though. Without ragging it, I still went through a set of rears almost every year and they're not cheap. It does drink like a fish, too, so running costs are not exactly in the frugle department. But that's missing the point of this car. I'd stick with the Bentley, which I have now, having grown up a tad. Thanks for sharing.

Lovely looking car. The successor of this model is actually even nicer looking. I'd love you to drive one of those newer XKR:s. It's like Britain equivalent of Porsche 928 GTS. Just more modern and faster. Cheers.

Stunning cars, always fancied one. I'm guessing the rear seats wouldn't be used so would it be possible to move the front seats back by a few inches?

you could consider another aftermarket sport seat. This could give you the room to be more comfortable and there is nothing wrong in terms of looks if you just put in driver seat that is fitting for a GT cruiser like this one....I do agree with only buying a car that is comfortable enough.

I own a 1998 XK8 and I am 6' 2". I am comfortable driving long distances, though I agree that there is limited room to move about once situated. I will also admit that my legs are relatively short for my height which is where the difference probably is (I was comfortable in a first-generation MX-5 / Miata for long periods too). I would really like you to review/compare/contrast this featured late-model XKR (X100) with an early XKR (X150). Here in the US, the price difference between a late XKR (X100) and an early XKR (X150) of similar condition and mileage, is rather small. I am curious if you will find the X150 to be more comfortable or not. On an unrelated topic, I would love to see you do an episode on a 1977-1982 Peugeot 504 Coupé. Thank you for providing such entertaining content.

Hi Jack, great video as always. May I ask: Do you really live from making YT videos? Is it a full time thing? Because you own such great and expensive cars. Thank you!

I watched this a couple of times, couldn’t decide which engine it has. The car is a beauty, but if it has that old SOHC Jaguar V12, no thanks. Glad you like it. If I were you, I’d investigate moving the seat track rearward.

This is the most beautiful car for the value. Period . I always loved this car.

The biggest problem of X100 is that it was a big succes in Jaguars history, so the production numbers are very high, so in the moment the cars are highly underrated. For me it is an iconic GT as great as the E-Type, I bet the prices will get as high as for the E-Type in 10-15 Years. Proud owner of 2002 coupe thinking about buying a convertible.

You comment on the values of straight 6 and V12 DB7s being similar. A significant reason for this is that the DB7 is easily maintained on a DIY basis and cheaper to have maintained professionally. The V12 by contrast has twice as many long life expensive spark plugs and coils on the plugs that can develop a misfire. When that happens the inlet manifolds have to be removed to change the plugs and coils. A job that takes you into 4 figures for parts alone.

GET ONE!!!! I'm 6"2 and had an '03 for 4 years, drove it across France several times and never had an issue. It's the only car I've owned that I would buy again. Is a bit thirsty though.....

My sympathies. At 5 ft 8 ins, I fit great in my XKR and I love it.

I have a 2000 XK8 convertible. The only thing I would consider replacing it with is a similar era XKR.

I'd always thought that the styling had aged very quickly, despite that basic berlinetta shape being the iterative basis of all Jag and Aston coupes to this day. Maybe it's been long enough that it can come around for a second round of cool again.

A custom shop can relocate the seat tracks to give you a couple of extra inches of room.

Lovely voice on that thing. And the car doesn't sound bad, either.

I'm not as tall as you I've had my xk8 for 19 yrs now and wouldn't swap it for anything . For me its fabulous. The looks the drive .and yes the shire britishness of the car . They have this car right .

Great Car. You might consider the later X150 XK/XKR I have a 2012 XK 5.0 and at 6ft 2" I have loads of space. a 2009ish XKR would give you pretty much the same car but more room and still a stunner looks wise. They are rare as hens teeth in America, but I'm sure there are lots to look at in the UK. I absolutely love my 2012 XK!

I had an x100 and X150 XKR coupe, both great value, great looking cars, excellent mile munchers, and both were pretty much trouble free, I prefer the classic styling of the X100, but the X150 I found to be a better car overall, I preferred the seats and seating position, and it feels like a more planted machine.. but, if I were to buy one again… probably be the X100.

I'm 6ft tall and well built, I have no issues fitting in my XK8. Currently, the XK8 X100 is an absolute bargain- relative to what it offers- luxury GT motoring and tremendous style. The XJS no longer makes any sense- they are now expensive, and inferior to the XK8 in just about every respect. Perhaps some of those people who wanted an XJS will start to look at the XK8, demand will increase and with it prices? XK8 v DB7? It's a no-brainer- the Jag wins hands down because it offers the same style of motoring for less than half the price of an Aston. Last year, you could buy an i6 DB7 for £25k- now they are £30k and the V12 is more expensive still. In Sept last year, I purchased a lovely 1997 4.0 in Antigua blue- a rare colour. The car has some very interesting history associated with it- it was owned by Jaguar and used as the display car at the 97 Earls Court Motor Show. It's had the timing tensioners done, and it has also had steel liners and a deep service on the gearbox- under the Gold Seal scheme. This work was carried out barely 20,000 miles ago, and the car had just turned 100k when I bought it. It has full service history, all the original handbooks and documentation, stacks of receipts and service history, and it has a Stage 1 Adamesh exhaust- which sounds rather glorious. It has released more of the V8 growl, without sounding brash. I'm contemplating having the Stage 2 system fitted to remove the crush pipes over the rear axle. That releases 15-20 Bhp apparently- so it's a cheap and worth while upgrade. I'm interested in converting the car to manual- Swallows Racing do the conversion- using a six speed X-Type manual box. That releases between 60-70 bhp which the auto eats up. So, the exhaust combined with a manual transmission would completely transform the performance. I also own a very 'interesting' 1984 Capri Injection- which I've owned for nearly 29 years. It punts out 290 Bhp and is 400 kg lighter than the XK8- seriously quick machine with 60 mph coming up in around 5 seconds. So, when I want some excitement, the Capri gets deployed! The other classic I own is a 1971 P6B 3500- which I've grown to adore over six+ years of ownership. That ride quality is superior to the XK8, it sounds glorious with a large bore stainless exhaust system, and it's beautiful to drive. It's amazing how much attention the P6 generates at petrol stations, carparks and on the road- there is plenty of love for them out there!

Hello Jack! I am 6"2' and have bought a Final Edition XK8 two years ago. I fit the car perfectly fine with loads of leg room. Tried an X150 series car from 2007 and couldn't find a comfortable driving position with it, lack of leg room being the problem there. Maybe lower your seat all the way down and recline the backrest a bit. That should help to find a bit more room for you. It really would be a shame to pass on a car you really like.

Jack, love that car too, the supercharger noise just makes you want to play ... well maybe not in those conditions. As mentioned, you could lower the seat to fit comfortably ... or get your legs shortened 😂 Another car, would be the Maserati 3200 / 4200 or the later XKR , you could also pick a Mercedes CLK AMG or even a Sl AMG, you've also got the BMW 645i. Of the lot WKR or Maserati, looking forward to seeing what you go for

With some cars it is possible to give extra room bei modifying the seat rails (removing them, replacing them with special aftermarket ones,....). Maybe there is room for improvement with the XK as well.

Get one. Get an extra front seat and make it fit you. You could drop the height and push it further back for leg length.

XKR X150 would be an idea for you, fits me wonderfully with tons of extra room, as someone who is 6’3+, however, the 99 xk8 also fits me comfortably, your seating position looks a bit weird, there is a removable foot rest pedal for taller drivers, made a huge difference

I'm well over 6ft and I don't fit. As much as I love Jags of this age the one thing everyone complains about is rot. Even if you can't see it on the outside, you'll find it eventually. Even cars that look great will be hiding tin worm unless they've been restored, and restored properly. A good welder and a good body shop are essential. (I still love them though.) The later model looks even better and has more room.

Why not get the seat pushed back a bit. The roof is a bit higher back further by the looks of it. I’m short and always had to raise my driver seats on metal tubes.