About 17 years ago, something made me think it maybe was possible to drive a Jaguar for daily use and for commuting the 60 miles. As a daily driver, high petrol prices in combination with a relatively high fuel consumption meant it would need to have LPG fitted but I was used to this—could fit a system myself if needed.
A Jaguar would be a class higher than the cars I was used to; Jaguar made cars I always have admired, but felt they were not in reach.
In the ’80s and ’90s, a big decision point for me to consider if a car would be a reality for me, was to see how they rusted. I live in a rust country; I wanted a car to run the whole year through so its rust resistance should be good—or it should be relatively easy to repair rust to known rust spots. Rust resistance for cars of the 60s did not exist really, which is why they rusted so fast in our country with salted roads. I admired the “small saloon” (Mk1 / Mk2 / S-type / 420) type Jaguars but felt rust repair to these was too complicated.
The strip of metal between the front and rear doors meant if a repair was necessary to the door bottoms and sills (which, in my view then, every car of that type would need), it would make lining up that whole area very difficult. Lining up the bottom of the doors to the sills, to the strip of metal in between and to the front and rear wings would mean experienced skills were necessary. I did not have that, and bodywork was not something I liked much. It would be immediately visible if a repair was done in the past and not done with skills; the doors would be out of line. The later XJ type Jaguars were better—no strip between the front and rear doors, and the sill is a separate panel.
My confidence in working with cars grew. I felt I could handle the more difficult jobs. What I did not want is to be dependent on expensive car parts. I knew parts for expensive cars like Aston Martin were extreme, I did not want to be in a position having to buy very expensive parts (for example when an engine needs an overhaul). But I did feel I could maintain a Jaguar, so I started looking for one.
In my search for a suitable XJ, I initially focused on the Series One as I found these the most attractive. Ideally it would have air conditioning and tinted glass. Both these options were rare on Jaguars delivered in Europe—cars with air conditioning were almost unheard-of in the ’70s here. However, for Jaguars delivered new in the US, these options were quite common. There were not many imported US XJ Series Ones to be found in the Netherlands, and I could not find a car to my liking.
Most people I know are easily satisfied when it comes to selecting a car. My father was an extreme example; he would take any car his trustful garage recommended. I grew to be the opposite, having quite strict wishes. So while there were many Jaguars XJ for sale, none was good enough or they were too expensive. Then I saw an advertisement for a Jaguar 420. I knew this was the predecessor to the XJ, but never had it on my wish list because of the complicated doors and rust repair. But it was 15 years later now, and there had been an influx of rust-free US-sourced Mk1 and Mk2 cars, which would not need rust repaired—an unthinkable thing 15 years before.
I think the Jaguar XJ series is one of the best styled saloons ever. However, beauty is not everything. I was drawn more towards the older saloons. A 420 is the best of both worlds: the mechanics of the newer XJ combined with the older looks. I also like the fact that the 420 is a relatively unknown Jaguar. Everyone knows the Mk2 and the XJ, but a 420? The car advertised had tinted glass; air conditioning; automatic gearbox; a very nice period colour (Willow Green); chrome wire wheels, and an LPG system. Sounded too good to be true. I made an appointment to have a look.
The story was that the owner had imported the car some 8 years earlier from California. It received new paint because the old paint was bleached by the sun. The car was driven for a couple of years, and a start was made to install a LPG system. This was never finished because the installer went bust. The car was parked in a greenhouse for the next 4 years. That is where I saw the car, in a big greenhouse—just like how I found my Triumph 2000 back in 1990.
The car was very dusty, but I saw gleaming paint underneath. The repaint had not been a professional job 8 years before, however it was good enough for me. The car would be a driver, not a showroom queen. The interior was an old vinyl replacement of the original leather. This is often the case for US imported 40+ year old cars. Leather interiors just do not survive decades of sun in hot US states when not garaged. The engine did run but not too well; it seemed one cylinder was not firing. Brakes and vital electrics worked. The body only had a few tiny spots, and all doors were all rust free! I said the asking price would be fine if the LPG system were functional; the engine running on all six, and having a valid yearly inspection ticket. As it was, parked for years and some work needed, it was not worth it. I offered half the asking price. After a month I got a call: he accepted my offer!
The market for cars that are not perfect is pretty small. No one wants to work on cars anymore, it seems, or no one has the guts to do it. Fine by me, because for little money I can afford to buy a car that otherwise would be much more or too expensive. I changed the spark plugs when I arrived later to pick up the car, a very easy task on a XK engine. This did it; the engine now ran smoothly on all six cylinders. Followed by my father in his car, I drove the car home—or so I thought.
A few miles out, I saw the temp gauge going into the red. I stopped, but the engine was cooking already—steam clouds under the hood. I was a member of the “Wegenwacht”, and their recovery truck picked up the car and delivered it to my home. Not a good start.
At home I found the cause of the overheating: the fan shield, mounted to the top of the radiator, had caved in, probably by someone leaning on it, and kept the viscous-coupled driven fan from spinning.
The cylinder head was removed, something I already had planned because it would need hardened valve seats installed (LPG is harder on the valve seats). The head gasket was gone. Everything else checked, I acquired the missing parts needed for the LPG system. On my Triumph 2500, I had installed a sophisticated LPG injection system which was more effective than an old fashioned basic LPG system. But the Jaguar has a larger and more powerful engine, I reckoned this would be more than enough for me even with a simple LPG system installed.
A big plus of the 420 is that it has a decent cooling system. Many British cars have quite frugal cooling systems; the Mk1 and 2 and S-type Jaguars are known for having too-small radiators. Not the 420; I never had cooling trouble. Another advantage of the 420 over the others is that the power steering is quite good, the same as used in the later XJ and much better than the power steering system in a Mk2.
The 420 replaced my blue Triumph 2500 as the commuting car to the office. This was mainly a motorway trip, so I installed a proper radio. The door rubbers were not their best, so there was a bit more wind noise than is normal—which is why I needed good speakers! There are chromed speaker grilles on both sides of the gearbox tunnel, behind which I mounted modern speakers.
After the first year I was fed up with the exhaust. It had needed repair to two or three spots already and now was getting louder. I invested in a stainless steel replacement, one of the best things I have done to the car.
It is a very easy car to live with: the automatic transmission; power steering, and good view out of the windows. I like the old fashioned details like the toggle switches; the big steering wheel; opening quarter lights in every door; auto selector on the column, and large, comfortable seats with built in foldable arm rests. A quick car back in 1967, it now is not really fast compared to modern cars, but it still feels quick. Brakes are excellent, as is the soft suspension.
Ever since owning the car, I was on the lookout for a good used leather original interior (seats and rear bench). They should be around as there have been many cars scrapped because of rust. American-sourced cars usually have good bodywork; European-sourced cars usually have good interiors. After about 5 or 6 years I saw a “wanted” advertisement from a 420 owner looking for a modern ’90s XJ interior, with electric seats and such. I wondered what he would do with his current interior so I asked. It turned out he just acquired a 420 which he wanted to use as a daily car. His 420 was a UK car originally which was fully restored years ago. In his view, daily use meant the old furniture had to go. Clearly he and I had different ideas about what was good for a daily driver. Each to their own; this meant I was able to buy his old interior a few weeks later. This was in good original condition without any rips or cuts (just a small spot on the rear bench). I am very happy now to have this interior in my car.
The car has been pretty reliable. Just the usual maintenance to the engine; brakes, and suspension; nothing major has needed replacement yet. No problems on the electrics; everything works. Even the handbrake works fine—which is good because the small handbrake calipers are hard to reach, as the car has inboard rear discs. A disadvantage of the styled rear wheel arches is that it is not easy to remove the rear wheels. I am lucky to have a car lift; I am not sure the jack would get the car high enough to remove a rear wheel out on a roadside (and I’m glad I never had a puncture on the road). That said, I had a frightening experience about 2 years on in my ownership.
On the motorway, doing 100 km/h (60 mph) or so, I heard a soft rattle and the steering wheel began to shimmy a little. I slowed down and used the next exit which luckily for me was just upcoming. Checked around the car, the left front wheel had many spokes loose! It was amazing the others still were capable of holding the wheel together. I shudder at the thought of what might have happened if the wheel had fully disintegrated at speed. A call to the “Wegenwacht” and an hour later the car was picked up. In my garage I took off all wheels and checked every spoke. I bought a number of stainless spokes at a wheel specialist and replaced every spoke which was broken, looking dodgy or rusty. Took the wheels to the wheel specialist to be balanced and make sure they ran true. Since then I always checked the wheels every week or before a long trip by rattling a screw driver to each spoke. They should all have the same “ring” sound to it. If not, the tension is less and examination would be needed.
After some more years, the company I work for had a reorganization which meant I was not required to be at that faraway office every day. I could work from home now most days, and go once or twice per week to a local office. There were frequent trips to offices abroad. This all meant I did not need to commute the large distances anymore. In the summer I used the TR4, or if the weather was not that good I used the Jaguar. But I became more reluctant to use it. It began to rust a little, and it needed a little more attention. The kickdown never worked well and in the end did not work at all anymore. On the 420, the link from the gas pedal to the kick down switch on the auto box is hidden nicely between the cylinder head and the bulkhead in a very narrow gap, impossible to reach or adjust.
The Jaguar was used in two special, similar occasions. Twelve years ago I chauffeured the twin daughters of a colleague to their gala end-of-school party. The ladies in nice dressed arrivrf in a nice car at the school.
And six weeks ago, I was asked by my neighbor if I had a nice car to drive his daughter with her two friends to their gala. Of course! Happy to drive them to the occasion. There was a queue, many upper class modern cars (Ferrari; BMW; Bentley, Tesla S); interesting transport (tractor, fire engine), and some nice classics (’50s Buick; DS; ’60s Charger, 2CV). Amazing that the two occasions were 12 years apart.
The 420 has long been considered as the least-collectible of the Small Saloon Jaguars, the Mk1; Mk2; S-type, and 420. They are all lovely cars. The Mk2 is almost everybody’s top choice. I have grown more towards the slightly more austere, ’50s-style Mk1. But I quite like the S-type, as well. However for a stylish, sleek, fast, comfortable, easy, dependable every day car, the 420 is the best choice.
Further reading:
Curbside Classic: 1967 Jaguar 420—The Big Cat’s Best Kept Secret
Of the smaller Jaguars from this era, I actually prefer the 420 over the others. I’m also fond of the Mark X; it’s the frontal treatment that really grabs me. This theme of course made it to the new-for-1969 XJ, which is always the first mental image I conjure up when someone says “Jaguar”. The color on yours is phenomenal, and the wire wheels look great on it… I’m usually not all that fond of wires, but they just work so well here!
In my eye, this would have been the perfect car to be chauffeured to and from high school graduation (or any formal event) in. A friend of a friend’s mom hired a stretched limo for her graduation, so we rode around in a late 1980’s Lincoln Town Car rendered in white. It was okay, but white Town Car stretches seemed to be the de facto formal car of the era, so it didn’t feel particularly special.
I worked for a short stint at a British car repair shop in Tucson, appropriately named British Car Service, circa 2010-11. I wasn’t there for long before I was lured in by the charms of the XJ, and ideating buying one for a daily driver (my commute was 30 miles each way). Most of the ones under consideration were Series III XJ6’s, and though I knew I’d be getting myself into a more complex and maintenance intensive car compared to what I was driving at the time, I figured that would be offset by me working at a specialty shop. Most of the more seasoned mechanics and the shop owner ended up talking me out of it in the end. I occasionally kick the idea around to this day, though the wisdom I’ve gained tells me to save up a bit more money to buy a nicer and well maintained example to start with. It’s awesome that you still own yours after all these years!
It is amazing how many people try to talk you out of a supposedly difficult car. Of course, these people all drive sensible modern Toyotas, boring as hell. And they go to car shows to dream of these classics, if only…
… if only they would have had more courage and have the experience themselves!
Ha ;
Dion ;
I’m ‘living the dream’ as I own and maintain several vintage vehicles, as one ages out this becomes progressively more difficult .
-Nate
I could swear that I had a Matchbox car identical to the above Jaguar. I’m talking the early 60’s with the go-slow wheels as opposed to HotWheels. I think it was blue.
The 420 was introduced in 1966. Matchbox modelled the bigger MkX in 1964, initially blue, later a golden brown colour. Airfix made a 1/32nd scale plastic kit for the 420 soon after it came out, in 1969. A rare kit, though being plastic it won’t rust like a real one.
My collection includes a blue MarkX from Corgi in approximately 1/43 scale. Think I’ve had it since new. It was an attractive design to me in the mid sixties and I still think it is handsome sixty or so years later.
Much to my delight, Airfix has rereleased the 1/32 420!
Gotta find a set of 1/32 wires as that’s how my maroon car is equipped.
Also, the blue Jaguar Matchbox was a different model than the #28 MK X.
The blue Jag 3.4 (#65a) was an earlier version of the of the #65b red 3.8. Not called a MK II for some reason, but it was the MK II bodystyle.
What a beauty! The Jaguars really are an interesting conundrum, sportier than many might immediately give them credit for in the non-obvious parts of their range, plenty of luxury, and saddled with a bit of a reputation that isn’t always all that warranted. Sort of like Alfa Romeo, kind of.
There’s a dark green 420 in town that I see semi-regularly in quite good condition, it’s always a treat to look at it. And of course I love your wagon as well!
Thanks Jim. The reputation of Jaguar has shifted a lot since the 70s or so. Then, they were the envy of many, a sleek looking, fast, comfortable car for the rich. I fear the introduction of the X-type has not done much to hold on to that old reputation. Must have been hard times for the Marketing department.
Love the photo of you and your father discussing the Jaguar.
It is a wise person who treasures the love and wisdom of their elders. And it is a grateful parent who has the opportunity to see their offers of love and wisdom acknowledged and accepted by the young.
Not all sons, daughters, and parents have the opportunity to experience this type of exchange.
I was recently driving on a warm sunny day behind a gentleman in a top down XKE on a quiet country road. Perhaps the Jag had a new set of springs, or perhaps my low seating position in the Miata gave me an odd perspective, but the Jag seemed too high, too narrow, and too small to be (in my mind) one of the most beautiful cars in the world.
I guess objects of beauty, human or otherwise, might all have a “bad” perspective if studied to excess.
But I cannot imagine there are any bad perspectives of your beautiful 420.
My father tried to understand why I would buy such an old car. Why wasn’t I happy with the dependable Subaru (visible behind the Jaguar)? 🙂
Besides your automobiles, your whole series thus far, has been a work of art. Both very well written, and presented! Very impressed by your technical skills, and creative tastes. Thank you for sharing your passion with us!
A very handsome Jaguar. Love the colours, gives it so much personality. A refreshing change from the typical black.
Back in the late 1970s and early 80s, a retired gentleman and his wife who lived near my parent’s farmhouse, owned one of these. A very rare sight in rural Ontario, Canada. Never saw it winter-driven, but always a pleasure to see it drive by regularly, during the summers. Very sleek for a sedan.
Thank you Daniel!
As for my technical skills, I am one who always is willing to try things. One nice thing about those old British classic cars is that usually there is a comprehensive factory workshop manual for them – describing and picturing the mechanics in detail. This helped me often in the past to understand how things wok.
What a lovely car! Jaguars don’t often come to mind when I think of something as a maintainable old daily driver, but I can certainly see the attraction. The interior looks like a great place to spend time and the driving experience must be great too.
It looks like these used the B-W automatic? I would imagine it would have worked reasonably well with the strong 6s in these cars.
I will join the chorus of readers who love the color combination.
It has the Borg Warner Model 8. Works well in the car.
The color is Willow Green. A neighbor has an E-type convertible of the same year (1967) in the same color. When I just owned my 420 I noticed the new Fiat 500 were available in almost the color!
This car doesn’t have a bad angle, and those wire wheels add a sporty twist, like running shoes worn with a tailored suit . The rear seat looks more spacious than I would have thought. The dashboard epitomizes my idea of British luxury, What a beauty!!
I like these proportions much better than the larger Mk X or 420G. And the color is perfect. Interesting that it was a California import, as I don’t recall many of these here. Mk2’ s, even MkX’s and E Types, and of course after 1968 the XJ, all seemed more prevalent. Of course the 420 was only sold here for a few years.
A Mk2 anecdote: in 1964 we lived in England for 6 months, and I remember being sick and the doctor made a house call in his Mk2. I was impressed as our doctor in California, who still made house calls even for a few more years, drove a Beetle. The Jaguar seemed very exotic by contrast.
The 420 was an in-between car for only two years. Was it really necessary? It was added to the portfolio of Mk2, S-type and 420G.
What a beauty ! .
Nice to hear it took to Yeoman Duty well, that’s critical for me ~ anything that can’t be daily driven goes on down the road .
-Nate
Had to lookup “Yeoman Duty”. 🙂
Not sure about your last remark. The Jaguar cannot be driven daily? I have used it as my daily car for a couple of years.
I think Nate means that if it’s not capable of being used daily, he “sends it down the road,” meaning that he sells it. 🙂
Great Jag!
Just so Aaron ;
It’s a work of art just sitting still, I can’t imagine not driving the wheels off it .
-Nate
To bicyclists, wire spoke issues are not to be taken lightly. I would imagine the same applies to auto wire spoke wheels, as well.
In that regard, the author took the exact correct course of action by having his car towed home the moment he became aware of the problem. Attempting to drive on a wheel with a loose spoke, if it’s like a bicycle, would likely have been a very short (and dangerous) trip.
It scared the hell out of me. I never took much attention to the wheels but after that incident…
When in HS, local business man had red Jaguar (XKE?) Convert. One HS teacher and coach had first Mustang (also red). The JAG was so much more exciting. The Jag owner’s father, attorney and bank president for years drove a big, black 59 Jaguar Sedan. Only car that impressed me more was black 58 Cadillac Sixty Special owned by another local business man. 🎵THOSE 🎶WERE 🎵THE 🎶 DAYS!
A very nice story, I know that with the right attitude a vintage Jag could be a viable daily driver. I know a guy that has a similar car that has been treated to a LS1 engine/auto transmission transplant, Wilwood discs all around, re engineered suspension,and redone body, paint and interior. He added Navigation and a mount for his laptop, as he uses the car in his business. He goes to client’s locations and does analysis and estimates in his car. He drives it every day.
I loved my ’97 XJ6, it really was a special car, and I drove it on several vacation road trips. However I spread myself too thin with two more Jags and lost my enthusiasm for the work they all needed.
As a child, I used to observe door bottoms that never properly aligned with rocker panel tops, in manufacturer’s press photos for new cars. Particularly, in Detroit iron from the 1970s, that featured long doors. I learned from a young age, that domestic makers gave themselves plenty of leeway, with fit and finish. They never bothered to adjust the doors for photo shoots, or touch-up the subsequent pics. One influence, why I later became very good at photo-editing, and Photoshop. lol
You are putting a lot of heart, and detail, into your series. A great permanent, online legacy for you, and your car collection!
In the 1980s I owned a couple of 420 saloons, a Mk X, and about a half dozen Daimler 420G limousines. When I first bought a 420, it had a dark red vinyl interior, and at first I figured the car had been re-upholstered from the original leather to vinyl. On obtaining the BMIHT chassis info papers, I discovered the car had the OPTIONAL all vinyl interior.
Yes the vinyl interior cost additional money. My second 420 had a blue vinyl interior, again it was original to the car. When I found my Mk X saloon, it was maroon with a maroon vinyl interior. As the material and sewing indicated it also might be an original vinyl interior, I wrote to Mr. Clausager, the BMIHT archivist, as I had gotten to know him well from doing research at the museums extensive archives. I asked him if Mk X cars were also available with vinyl, and he said yes, at extra cost!
Mr Clausager indicated that probably 95% of vinyl interior Jaguars were exported, and the largest number of vinyl interior Jaguar saloons went to the USA, in hot/dry climates where leather seating didn’t last long in the hot sun. And yes, my Mk X had come from southern California. That car was eventually used as a parts car due to accident damage underneath.
I had bought the Mk X to use the factory A/C unit in the trunk, installing it in my 1968 Daimler 420G limousine, as that car was basically the same car with an extended coachbuilt body by Vanden Plas. the Mk X also gave up it’s front wings, hood and trim parts to a 1975 Daimler 420G limo that I bought after it had been wrecked. That limo was a former British Embassy car, with all the rear compartment body panels hiding 1/2″ Kevlar armoring [but it had standard glass!] That blue car was the limo used by Queen Elizabeth II during the USA Bicentennial in 1976. I restored it fully and ended up selling it to the Washington DC Grand Hotel, as all of the Grand Hotels worldwide used at least one Daimler 420G limo.
So while the photos of your beautiful 420 show a beautiful interior, it may have actually come from the factory with a vinyl interior. You might want to get a chassis report from the BMIHT to find out!
I really should get a BMIHT report for it.
But I am quite sure it had a leather interior – the rear seat was still leather when I got the car. It was not in a good condition, deep cracks all over and hard leather. Knowing that the front seats always wear away first, these probably were in a very bad condition – hence the replacement covers.
My 420 also had the rear air con unit behind the rear seats. You can quickly recognize cars fitted with this by looking at the shelf behind the rear window: a AC equipped car has a big outlet in the middle.
They are lovely cars indeed. I had a ’62 barn-find (literally) Mk 2 3.8 4 spd in the early ’90s and sold it before restoring it as I’d concluded they were very expensive cars to restore properly. I regretted doing it as it was gorgeous Navy dark blue with red-leather interior, a spectacular combination, but reality intervened and $ was made.
Missing it, around 1994 I went to look at a white ’68 420 at the Jaguar dealer near Frederick (MD). It was a very nice low-mile (70k maybe) and well-taken-care-of car, white w/ black leather and did have a/c and automatic. The salesman was an Indian or Pakistani “gentleman” and probably the most rude and arrogant salesperson I’ve ever dealt with. After a short and successful road test and hearing an unrealistically high price I’d had enough of his attitude, said, “sayonara”, and departed in haste with little regret. It would have been nice to own one though.
It is still possible to pick up really good cars for not much money.
You are lucky to live in the US. In Europe few cars sold here new did have the niceties all US delivered cars seem to have: tintel glass, chrome wires A/C.
Very nice, and what a fetching green colour as well! Looks like once again you’ve gotten good use out of your classic, and transporting young people to their galas is also a perfect use for this car.
So we’re up to 15 now, how high could this number possibly go???
A couple more Doug!
What a cool car! And yeah, the color is dreamy. Almost bought a Willow Green one. Fully agree the 420 is a bit of a hidden gem.
You have a similar philosophy to what I buy and bought. I never want perfect.
The leather in mine’s been replaced. Sure, it looks nice and all but if I found the right set of original hides with that nice worn in look, I’d trade!
Mine has been heavily mechanically updated with a modern German alternator, a new HEI distributer, a modern ac & heating system, and tons more.
It’s a non-standard color. A deep purplish maroon. Looks sorta crappy up close, but I could care less. The kicker is that it’s a 4spd. w/od. That’s really why I bought this one. Plus being a southern (US of A) car, there’s zero rust.
Love your story. Love your car!!!
Thanks Dave. Good to hear from a fellow 420 owner! I never felt the need to change the dstributor or alternator as they still work well. For the AC and heating system however… the pneumatic system needs some work but Iam determined to get this working again as it should be.
Hi to the owner
If you have a BW8 auto trans, and it fails to kick down, a few of us have come up with the following solution
Place the vehicle in drive, and floor the accelerator, when it is doing about 60kmph, pull the auto trans lever into the “‘L” position, while keeping the throttle floored
This is a scary thing to do, but it did not over rev
What it does is apply absolutely maximum hydraulic pressure inside the valve body, and it would seem forces the kickdown valve piston to move more freely in its bore to the position that activates the other valves
Voila, kickdown after 20 years of not having it !
Thanks Tony for the tip! Very scary as you say but I think I will indeed try this.
Hallo Dion
Ik ben de degene waar je de auto van heb gekocht .
Deed me toen zeer om “haar” te verkopen
Maar nu zie hoe de auto is geworden ,hoeveel liefde en
Kennis je erin gestopt ben ik maakt me toch blij
Onwijs week plezier en veilig kilometers met de oude dame !
Grt
Andre
Hallo André, wat leuk dat je hier reageert! Ben nog steeds erg blij met de auto en hoop hem nog lang te mogen bezitten.
Mocht je interesse hebben ik vind laats nog wat foto,s
Van “de oude dame” toen ze net uit Amerika over was
Hoi Dion
Mocht je interesse hebben ik heb nog wat foto’s
Van toen “de oude dame” net gearriveerd was uit Amerika
Heel graag! Kan je even een mailtje sturen naar rodebureaustoel@hotmail.com ? Kunnen we via gewone email verder praten.
Dat lijkt me hartstikke leuk André!
Kan je een mailtje sturen naar rodebureaustoel@hotmail.com ? Dan kunnen we via email verder praten.