1965 Jaguar Mk2 3.4

While the new UK V5C document declares 1 January 1965 as when this Old English White Jaguar Mk2 3.4 with all-synchromesh manual overdrive gearbox was first registered, we think that’s a generic date for a car that was born at some point during that year. What is known is that, with the A prefix on the chassis number, this was a Complete Knock Down (CKD) kit of parts which went to South Africa to be put together by the Car Distributor Assemblies (CDA) facility located in East London. There is a CDA assembly plate in the engine bay that backs this up.

Not much is known of the Jag’s history on the other side of the world, although the vendor, Clive, was told that it was restored a number of years ago. He’d been looking for a Mk2 for a while and was ideally after a 3.8. However, when a classic car dealer, who Clive had dealt with in the past, got in contact to tell him about this 3.4-litre one, it seemed almost as good - a manual overdrive version that was still relatively fresh from restoration in a country where the climate was rather kinder to old British cars than that of the UK. ‘I was told that the panel gaps were particularly good,’ Clive reports. Thanks to the small matter of a very nasty global pandemic though, he couldn’t get out to South Africa to view it himself, so bought it unseen. That was in January, but Covid delayed things still further, meaning it didn’t arrive here until the summer, and there was a further break while the DVLA got its act together registering it for British roads - that finally happened in July, with the plate ETL 220C being issued.

However, while all this was going on, Clive got a call to say that an almost identical Mk2 had been found - except that this one was in the 3.8-litre manual overdrive form he’d wanted all along. He decided that he simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity, so snapped that up - meaning that his new 3.4 was suddenly surplus to requirements. There’s only room for one Jaguar in his garage, and it’s the incoming 3.8 that has won that spot. Hence why this 3.4 is now for sale with The Market, so soon after its arrival back in the country that initially shipped it to the far side of the globe as a CKD kit 56 years ago. 

Clive is right about those panel gaps. They are very tight and uniform throughout, and probably just as good - if not better - than when the car was bolted together. The Old English White shade sets the car off well, and there’s little to fault with either the body or with the paintwork. There are a few blemishes here and there - remember, the restoration is a few years old now - with some marks on the front offside wing, but that’s about as far as it goes. We’ve included a lot of high resolution shots of the exterior in our gallery, so you can check things out for yourself.

One anomaly that should be noted is that the bootlid does have a ‘3.8’ badge affixed. There’s also a ‘3.8 Litre’ crest at the top of the grille too. However, this is a 3.4-litre car, but we won’t tell if you don’t.

The chrome is also very good - and what a lot of it there is on one of these - and while there are some occasional imperfections in the sparkly stuff, overall, it’s really very good. Body-coloured steel wheels with chrome hubcaps are fitted rather than the usual wires, and are very presentable. They’ll certainly be easier to keep clean too, as anybody who has lost hours of their lives to cleaning chrome spokes will testify to.

The tyres are Hifly HF201 205/70 R15 items - not the most expensive or high performance of brands, but they’re all matching, free from any damage, and with plenty of tread left.

The red and walnut veneer interior just perfectly complements the Old English White exterior - it is a classic combination. A thoroughly good job seems to have been done during the restoration; the upholstery is 'as new' and stunning, the carpets are excellent and there's no visible wear to the timber, although some small flaws can be found if you look closely. 

The wood has obviously been refurbished well, although the top of the dash has seen some damage from the South African sun, no doubt intensified by that large front windscreen.

No radio is fitted, so whoever buys this car will have their choice of whether to go for a period or modern unit. We definitely think a proper 1960s’ transistor unit would enhance this cabin though, as well as provide the ideal accompaniment to the XK engine’s rumble and snarl.

Inside the boot, the carpets and sidewalls are holding up well. There are a few areas where whatever has carried in the past has left some faults - some missing paint on the walls, some flaws on the fabric - but in general, it all checks out well. Lift the false floor and you’ll find what looks like some areas of original paint surrounding an old Continental spare wheel, which looks like it has undisturbed for some time. Being a 185/55 R15 item, it is a different profile to the road wheels.

The engine bay hasn’t been as well-detailed as the rest of the car, but we feel that some valeting would easily pay dividends. So there are some areas where the Old English White looks - well, old and a little less white than it once was. There’s some mottling apparent on the aluminium parts such as the rocker covers and the SU carburettors, while a few other areas display surface rust.

Clive admits that he has barely driven the car since it arrived in the UK. When it reached these shores, a water leak was evident, so the top hose and thermostat were replaced. Then a fuel leak became apparent, which was traced to the rear carburettor float. That’s also been sorted. However, the Jaguar does seem to start, drive and stop as it should, although it seems to be running a bit rich. Clive puts this down to the low octane fuel common in South Africa, and feels that some adjustments to the carbs to make them happier drinking British fuel would help.

There isn’t a great deal of paperwork. It’s largely confined to documents relating to the import of the car plus invoices for the parts that have been fitted since it got here, such as the black and silver pressed numberplates, the carburettor float and associated bits, and the new thermostat. However, all the import admin has been carried out, so the Mk2 is fully ready for use on British roads.        

As a Jaguar Mk2 3.4 with manual overdrive transmission, this is only a small step down from the most desirable 3.8 spec that Clive has been lured to instead. Having been restored within the last few years in a warm, dry country and still looking very good because of that, this example of Jaguar’s smart and swift sports saloon is a fine specimen of its type. We’ve estimated this one as likely to go for between £19,000 and £29,000, which is a fair price range for something of this quality, inside and out, and given the ever-rising values of Mk2s, likely to be a worthwhile investment. Having left Britain so many decades ago, this is a car just crying out to be driven and enjoyed now it’s back in its homeland.

Viewing is always encouraged, and as stated this car is located at THE MARKET HQ near Abingdon; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’