I'm an old mechanic who is currently restoring a mk2 ,the more I work on it the more I like it , I am pleased to see this car appeals to a younger crowd as well
The joy of classics comes from using them, not from being static museum pieces! Anything that retains the original spirit of the car is fine by me - and that does NOT include a battery and electric motor!!!!
Beautifully done upgrade/ I think it is a mistake to mess with the rear wheel arches. Sir William Lyons designed the rear wheel arches to have a smaller opening then the front ones. He used spats to achieve this. He did it in order to give more feeling of MASS at the rear of the car. When larger openings are created or when no spat type cover is used at all, (as on the Coombes cars) the beautifully rounded and sloping rear can look like an appendage.
I would like to see a Rover TC 2000(P5) done up like this car. The body style of the Rover, and yes there are many others out there. is one of the best I seen on a 4 door ,classic. A small v6 with a 5 speed transmission, wider tires (15'S) etc.
That's a fantastic car. Mk2 3.8L Cylinder heads were never painted gold though, should be blue, as gold denoted an E-Type. And the paint should come right to the top of the head at the sides, below the line of the cam covers.
Thanks! @@peterduxbury927. I don't like the changed appearance but other advantages to the owner may have outweighed that. Or, he may simply prefer the changed appearance.
That is a perfect way to ‘modify’ a classic car. Not tampering with the bodywork, just making it better to drive on modern roads. I saw a wide body MGB GT with a V8 ( not standard). 🤮
My Uncle and Aunt gave me a 1968 Daimler 250 manual for my 50th birthday. While not as fast as a 3.8 it is a delight to drive and I love it. The only modification I have performed is to put brakes from a Series 3 V12 on it and now she stops quicker than most modern cars! Next step is to modify the fuel valves to cope with the poorer quality fuel we have in Australia. She came with electric fans and a larger radiator to cope with Queensland conditions. Next mods for me are the installation of air conditioning and then a replacement of the 1970’s non standard stereo system with a more up to date, but sympathetic unit. The rest is fine. She is just as happy to sit in peak hour traffic as she is doing 75 mph down the M1 on the Gold Coast as well as being SO much fun on the winding mountain roads in the Gold Coast hinterland. I have more modern cars, as well as a few classics but this humble little Daimler is my favourite. Great review, Joe, thankyou.
The mk 1 and 2 Jags in 2.4 form were hopeless without overdrive, you have 100 cc more, have you fitted o/d to make it do 75 MPH without reving its head off. , because i would imagine the diff ratio would have been close to the 2.4 Jag ratio,
@@davidarter9670 Obviously your model must have a more suitable diff ratiio, my friends 2.4 Jag was badly in need of an O/D and now it can be a highway driver.
@@adoreslaurel maybe the 2.4 had a different diff ratio to the Daimler 2.5 I don’t know. What I do know is that the overdrive on the 2.5 makes the world of difference
I say, that unless it's some "special" model/car, there's nothing wrong with upgrading it for modern driving. But, I would always keep within the brand of that particular car except for some period correct aftermarket parts such as wheels, mirrors, steering wheels etc. In this case, unless someone really knew their Mk2 Jags, they'd newer knokw that it wasn't all 100% original. The engine swap for the larger 3.8 is perfect example in this case. Very nicely done and perfectly balanced mods.
I swear that I wanted to get the tools out, and reset those Wing Mirrors by turning 180 degrees! They just aren't right. Love the Jag in every other respect, and I've driven one of these, in the days of high popularity of 'owning something different" Salted British winter roads shortened the life of many Jags back then. Greetings from Australia.
@@johnnyboy1586 It's much more than this. I get a little scared, parking amongst other cars in Supermarket Car Parks. Shopping Trolleys should have some 'cushioning' to prevent those mystery 'dings'. It would not cost the Supermarket much to fit 'cushioning' to those wild Trolleys that run amok! If they did this, then I would be visiting those Supermarkets!! Greetings from Australia where we don't have those winter issues with salt or ice.
The 2.4 MM 2 was neither fast nor expensive when produced, which is the point really. If it was enough for Morse, it is enough for me. The biggest problem is the restoration of the shell, which is a double skinned shocker to restore. After that, just love this coolest car ever.
Its like a Cottage,you put in central heating and better windows and modern conveniences but essentially you still have the classic look,good on the owner.
Why not a restomod? Very few cars are absolutely perfect and most have some sort of design flaw or shortcoming that can use improving. You keep the classic character of the original but make it stop and go better. When I was a teenager we had a gentleman in my town who had a mint perfect XJ6 with a small block Chevy V8 swap and upgraded cooling and brake systems. Cosmetically, it was a classic Jag sedan with leather and wood and grace and elegance. But when he cranked it up (and it would reliably start every time, hot or cold) it sounded like an American V8 sedan - not loud or scary - just a lovely rumble and a nice punch when you stepped on the gas pedal. I thought it was wonderful - my gearhead friends thought it was wrong. I think that when you start to alter the physical look and design to a noticeable degree, that's where I might disagree and perhaps draw a line. Name any classic car from any maker from the 60s, 70s, 80s and you'll find multiple examples of which you can upgrade systems or components to make the driving experience safer, better and most importantly, more enjoyable. Live with a 6 volt car as a regular everyday car and you'll see a reasonable case for restomods. This absolutely lovely period correct Jag is gorgeous.
IMO this is the way all car designs should have developed. Instead we have boring boxes with electronics everywhere including distracting iPads for controls designed by computer geeks instead of switches and knobs and dials and unseen software technology that stalks your every move and invades your privacy.
Id take this all day and every day over an original Mk2, keeping cars from the 60s totally original is ok if its not being used. It may be dangerous infact, great car and great presentation. Thanks.
This is a fantastic modified MK2 Jaguar, I wish I still had my MK2 1969 Daimler 250 V8. that was a fantastic engine and mine was also a Manual gearbox. Cheers Bob
Believe it or not, my first car was a 3.4 MKII. Sadly, it had been raced and was constantly, breaking down. I had to sell it when I went into the service. Fast forward 70 yrs & I'm the proud owner of a 2007 Jag S-Type.
a very sympathetic restoration and upgrades i am sure makes it a pleasure to drive without spoiling the look at all and addresses all of the issues it may have had when new, beautiful.
I bought my first mark 2 jaguar in 1977 it was a 1964 and had only done 43 thousand miles on the clock it was in immaculate condition it had been garaged and chauffeur driven from new I paid £700 for it and I would give a kidney for the car on the video 😂
I had to laugh you said that this jag stops better than your new mini but what you forgot to say is it cost four time more than the mini if you spent a shed load of cash on your mini you could make that stop better I love the Jag but it needs an automatic gearbox who changes gear today even racing cars just have paddles connected to an auto box.
Beautiful restomod! One question I've always had about these solid-axle Jags (mostly the Mk2, but also the XK120 to XK150) is how much do you notice the absence of an independent rear suspension?
Our Mk2 is a 1960 3.8 MOD that was modified for tarmac rallies back in the 1980s. The suspension has been firmed up with heavy duty springs, adjustable Koni shocks & a heavier sway bar. The engine was blue printed & fully balanced with a lightened flywheel, straight port head with 2" SUs & D-Type cams. The mechanical fan has been deleted & a thermo fan fitted that results in the car running on temperature on our hot Australian summer days. A Moto Lita wheel is fitted but the steering is standard resulting in heavy steering during low speed maneuvering but lovely feel once on the move. The lack of air-con means the car stays parked during very hot days but we have other Jags with air-con for those days. Our Mk2 is a keeper as not only does its specifications tick all my husband's boxes, it is also his favourite classic Jaguar colour of Cotswold Blue.
Ace work by the restorer. A small point, I wish they'd shortened the gear stick to the length of the one on the earlier Mk2s. And the could have made the front bumper closer to level.
