(first posted 7/1/2015. Image improved by Chris Cieslak) Yes, I’ve been on a two-door sedan jag lately. And to really enable my current habit, CC Contributor Don Andreina has sent me a photo of the ultimate two-door sedan, the extremely rare Jaguar XJ6-2D. This is a true unicorn. Why? Sadly, because almost all of them have been butchered and converted into XJCs. What a crime. But an original XC6-2D was the closest thing Jaguar ever made to an American-style stripper two door sedan. In fact, it was a bit too much like one.
The XJ coupe was scheduled to arrive 1974, right into the dark days of the energy crisis, which hit Europe even harder, with car-less Sundays and a reeling economy. Jaguar decided that it needed a low-cost entry-level XJ model, and looked to the US for inspiration. It cobbled up a two-door sedan version of the coupe, and fitted a push-rod overhead valve cylinder head for the storied KX 4.2 six. That cylinder head looks very similar to the one from an old Chevy Stovebolt/Blue Flame six, which went out of production in 1962. Others more in the know say that Jaguar simply scoured junkyards in the US for old Chevy six heads, but that’s never been proven, as the casting marks have been carefully doctored. A single small SU H2 carb was fitted, with a 90 degree adapter to the Chevy intake manifold, which yielded 92 hp and “sufficient” torque.
Jaguar dug into its warehouses, and found some old Moss three-speed transmissions, and a column shift mechanism was adapted from one of the older BMC saloons. Overdrive was an option, to maximize fuel economy. A bench seat was fitted, covered in what was Connolly’s only attempt ever at making synthetic leather. Rubber flooring was standard, but Wilton was pressed into service to whip up some fake-wool optional floor mats. The dash was covered in Di-Noc fake wood applique. Steel wheels and hub caps that look suspiciously like Chevy units complete the package. And of course, no vinyl top, which actually cost Jaguar more, as they had to fill and sand the inherent imperfections in the coupe roof.
In typical Jag fashion, the XJC and 2D were a good year late getting into production, and by 1975, petrol (and the economy) was flowing freely again. So the 2D was a met with huge sales resistance, and the plug was pulled after just three months. Hence the rarity.
Rumor has it that there were even two or three XJ12-2Ds built, with aluminum front end sheet metal, for an aborted Super Stock drag racing assault by Jaguar, but so far, none have been found.
I’ve only seen one XJC in person. You don’t see many of these these days.
Amazing. Never heard of this two-door sedan model of Jaguar. I remember being surprised when I first read about the introduction of the stripped down Cadillac Calais in the 1960’s (a Cadillac with crank windows??) but this one beats the Calais. Connolly vinyl?
The coupes were reasonably popular in SoCal – at least I remember seeing a few of them around Beverly Hills and the west side back in the day.
It sure looks nice.
A fairly rare model even Jaguar decided to put the sound deadening on the outside of the roof,
This is a new one for me too. I never knew that Jaguar made a pillared coupe out of the XJ. On the production XJC, the vinyl roof was supposedly necessary to cover up some body seams.
Yep, beat me to it. I love how CC gathers all the collective intelligence for obscure car trivia. How many other people in the world know (or care) about that interesting fact?
Ha ha. Nice try!
You are three months late with this one.
That’s exactly what I was thinking!
I’ve seen these before, but it’s been quite a while ago__mid to late 80s__and I don’t remember if it was an XJC 6 or 12, as I’m certain they made both.
Definitely a gorgeous car, but ol’ PN’s pulling our collective legs with that tale, lol!
Good photoshop work also.
More photoshopping?
They were indeed available in 4.2 and 5.3 formats.I cannot recall any being ordered or sold in Tasmania.I remember reading that those Jaguars had substantial issues with the sealing of the side glass.Nevertheless they were and are a beautiful design.
+1. It looks REALLY cool, though. As I was reading it, I was thinking “well this sounds plausible but why is my B.S-o-meter pegged at 9.8?”
Is this the only car that ever looked better as a four door?
No. I had a Skylark that looked better as a 4-door.
Mavericks look better as four-doors.
GM Colonnades, early Falcons, Pontiac Phoenix, Ford Focus 5dr. vs ZX3…it’s quite a long list…
Second gen and arguably first gen Corvairs… maybe didn’t look better but certainly didn’t look any worse; only different.
My brain is short circuiting at the very idea of a 4 door looking better! But then, there ARE those pesky 1st gen Valiants. ‘Better’…maybe not. But Im gonna call that one a toss up.
Ginormous ’70s broghamtastic land barges definitely make more sense as 4 doors, Ill allow that.
Yes, that is why I asked this…when I looked at this car I thought “You know, this car actually does look better as a 4-door” and then wondered to myself if it is unique in this…. I know it’s subjective but really I can’t agree with any of those answers;
Pontiac Phoenix? That doesn’t look good no matter how you slice it!
Perhaps the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow? I like the sedan more than the 2-door Corniche version
I disagree with every last one of these examples.
But the 4 doors that do look better than their 2 door counterparts are W123 and W124 Mercedes Benz. Both look off compared to the sedans to me.
Yes, I have read about these somewhere. The most incredible thing about them was that they would start and run reliably, in all kinds of weather. I think that the sales people were really afraid of this getting out, for fear that after initial demand was met, sales would plummet to near zero since all of the satisfied customers would keep their cars for decades instead of trading in 2 years, hoping for a better one.
Lol, excellent! 😉
That’s because BL moved production of the 2D from Coventry to a place with the most loyal workforce and highest level of quality control in all of Britain – Longbridge!
These were also specced out with a Delco AM radio. The radio delete option simply replaced it with a Lucas unit.
“What a clever delete plate – it even has a dial indicator. But what are all those wires coming out of the back?” Hahahahaha – best comment yet, Chris M!
LOL!
Discounting the one-off coupe built on a SS100, I think the XJ6C is the best-looking Jaguar ever; I’ve decided I’ll never again be in the market for a car this big, but they still get my attention.
The story had me going for a minute until I got to column-shift.
I knew,column shift,bench seat etc.From a man who has owned and driven Renault,Peugeot and Citroen,the XJ6 and 12 Jaguars were one of finest handling and ride cars ever built.A blissful driving experience.
A clever bit of fun, but still one of the greatest and nopst beautful cars of the 1970s.
Mine is is dark redm black vinyl roof and a V12
The vinyl roof was factory on these, I remember seeing these when they came out, beautiful looking car
What about the stripper 68 Road Runners with the troublesome Perkins diesel engine?
Brilliant ‘find’ Paul (and Don)! Absolutely made my morning! 😀
You got me on this one…..
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-Nate
It was always my understanding that these were primarily for the Canadian market, as a direct competitor to the Chevy Biscayne. But the market was of course changing at that point, and the Canadian Biscayne was discontinued after ’75. I know, hindsight is always 20/20, unless you have astigmatism. An uncle (by marriage) who was 1/4th Canadian had one, but he was too cheap to spring for the optional overdrive. Huge mistake. The splash oiling system on these just couldn’t get the job done. The first motor was replaced under warranty at 120 miles, at no cost to my uncle, but it soured him on Jags permanently, and he ended up replacing it with a ’58 Studebaker Scotsman Brougham..
hehehe. Scotsman Brougham. Comes with extra-deep door pockets.
April Fools Day a bit late-or early?
Paul didn’t even give us a hint with a little “originally posted 4/1/2015” byline. I’m sitting here thinking, “wow, they really scoured the junkyards looking for heads off a stovebolt six?” Given the chaotic production methods at Jaguar, I could believe almost anything. Good fun…
Hahaha…
Jaguar raced these in the European Touring Car champion ship against the BMW 3.0L CSL Coupés.
The cars were run and developed by Broadspeed, the house-tuner of Leyland.
They ran the Jaguar XJ12 Coupe
another pics
And another one
Jaguar XJ 5.3 C V12 Coupe drive review Series 2 from Harry’s garage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TMgIkx40tI
He has even more curbside classics in his garage.
@ Rammstein:
I saw the Broadspeed cars in action many, many years ago (and also the TWR car at Bathurst) and always assumed that they used the 5.3L engine. But now this website leads me to believe that they must have had the aforementioned 6 cylinder one in order to compete on an even playing field with the 6 cylinder BMW racecars of the day. At least the column shift in the Jags would have made egress and entrance easier for the driver changes during pit stops due to the increased front legroom.
One learns something new every day and these really are strange days indeed!
RB
Odd, it’s not 4/1 or even 4/20. Now I get it, Oregon’s first legal day.
I have always maintained that the second generation Corvair looked better as a 4 door hardtop than as a 2 door model.
Another excellent, thought provoking article, Paul.
I saw a CC XJC (unfortunately the hardtop model) a couple of years ago, I think it is in the Cohort. Never been lucky enough to see a 2-door sedan model myself…
Should have been posted on April 1st.
XJ One Fifty.
The actual XJ hardtop coupe was a beautiful machine, even though it had it’s failings. I
don’t get all the fascination with stripper models. I’ve had a couple, not really that interesting or satisfying.
Methinks Herr Niedermeyer is having a little fun at our mutual expense. Either that or he’s forgotten to change his calendar, and thinks it’s April 1st. Worth it for all the comments, though – I really enjoyed them!