1973 Jaguar XJ6 S1 Saloon

What a thrill it must have been to have taken delivery of a British Racing Green XJ6 in 1973. Elegant, refined and showing exceedingly good taste, this was a car that would have been very much admired.

We know little of the car’s early history, but do know that by the 1990s, the car was in the hands of a fastidious owner who carried out a rolling restoration over many years, whilst using the car as much as possible. We like that, as cars are meant to be driven, not hidden away.

The then owner also used the car for occasional wedding hire, and can’t you just see the blushing bride ensconced in those sumptuous leather seats, ready to enjoy her big day….

The last owner, an elderly chap, found that he was using the Jaguar less and less and so reluctantly decided it was time to let someone else enjoy the car. Such a familiar story, but as we so often say, his loss is your potential gain!

A classic colour for a classic British car! British Racing Green, not the most common colour for an XJ, most being finished in rather more subtle metallic hues. It suits the car rather well we think.

Although looking quite fine and dandy from afar, there are a few imperfections we should mention.

There is a small area of corrosion on the scuttle below the windscreen on the left-hand side. A relatively easy fix we would suggest for a professional bodyshop.

The paint on the roof is a bit patchy but may be improved with a good cut and polish. It is the only part of the car not to have been resprayed.

The front offside wheel arch has a little cracked paint, with the hint of some rust peeping through from below.

There is lots of gleaming chrome, most of it in good order. A few areas would benefit from some time, energy and chrome cleaner!

Wheels are fine with Pirelli P4000 tyres to the front and a pair of General XP 2000s at the rear. These are older tyres and could probably do with replacing in the not too distant future.

The interior is we are told ‘Moss Green’ in colour. It looks more olive to us, but who are we to argue?

The seats are likely to be the originals, bearing all the hallmarks of nearly 50 years of use. We note the bolster on the driver’s seat is showing signs of wear, from both the seat belt and years of the driver clambering in and out.

Elsewhere, there are patches of leather where the dye is fading. There are specialist companies who can recondition the seats, or you can buy proprietary dyes and leather cleaners online.

The backs of the front seats have been recovered in some sort of light-coloured fabric. A little odd and we would be looking to replace it.

The offside rear door has a split in the door handle.

The wood dash is intact, but the wood itself looks terribly dry. Polish and lots of it required…

Carpets are fine, but do show their age in places, with some wear to the driver’s side footwell the most obvious.

All in all, the Jaguar’s interior is still a mighty fine place in which to sit and the view from the driver’s seat is quite commanding. Slip the spindly gear lever into drive, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

The boot compartment is a little jaded in places, with a little surface rust starting to appear. Under the boot floor nestles the spare wheel, clad in an old Vredstein tyre. Tool kit is present and correct.

The under-bonnet area is not as clean and tidy as the Jaguar’s exterior. A bit of a clean up wouldn’t go amiss.

The first step would doubtless be to replace the rather jaded sound deadening fitted to the bonnet’s underside.

There is also a little light surface corrosion in places which wants nipping in the bud too.

The Jaguar’s owner in the 1990s was undoubtedly a conscientious chap. He kept a detailed record of the car’s life and it makes for interesting reading. He purchased the car in 1991 from its original owner. He carried out a running restoration.

We can see that some bodywork was carried out and the car completely resprayed, apart from the roof.

A lot of new parts were fitted too, such as the shock absorbers, front discs, stainless steel exhaust, starter motor and battery.

He also had the interior partly restored, with a new headlining and some carpets.

He helped fund the restoration by using the car for occasional weddings, a role for which it is still eminently suitable.

Since then, there is less documentary evidence of work carried out, though with the mileage covered being modest, we guess not a lot needed doing.

We can see a bill from 2015 for a reconditioned steering rack. We believe the last owner carried out routine servicing himself.

There is a huge wad of old MoT certificates which help to corroborate the Jaguar’s mileage. The last certificate expired in May 2018, though of course the car is now exempt from needing annual testing.

This lovely and increasingly rare Series 1 XJ is now looking for its new home. We would be delighted to have such a fine car in our constant care.

We have driven the car briefly and it drives well in our humble opinion.

Yes, there are a few very minor cosmetic issues that may need addressing, but we do feel that this car will impress should you be so inclined to come and view it in person. You will be very welcome.

The XJ feels modern enough that you could drive it every day, only its slightly prodigious thirst might preclude this.

We estimate the car will sell for between £8,000 and £12,000.

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