1979 Jaguar XJ6 4.2

Let’s start with our firm opinion: we think that this has to be one of the best examples of an XJ6 anywhere in the UK. Brave words indeed, but perfectly justified by this car’s condition.

Swansea-based independent Jaguar specialist Mistermatic bought it in 1992 from a customer, and it became the personal property of managing director John Root.

‘It was my own project and I carried out an extensive restoration to a very high standard,’ he explains. ‘The underlying basis was very solid anyway, but I went a bit O.T.T. and ended up replacing a number of body panels including doors, wings, quarter panels and the rear back valance.’

The XJ6 was repainted in Old English White and given a full Waxoyl treatment at the time, before John went to a similar level on the mechanical restoration. ‘Everything was thoroughly inspected, overhauled, restored or replaced. A genuine Jaguar factory reconditioned engine was fitted and although the odometer reads a mere 55,000 miles, the actual engine has done far less.’

Inside he decided to fit a later type SIII interior with its superior leather, appearance and comfort. ‘Whilst not for the purists this blends perfectly and is in stunning condition; it’s also of a similar shade to the original leather.’

Sadly, business commitments have meant this Jaguar has been little used since its restoration. ‘It’s remained just as a static display, and has periodically (as recently) been lightly re-commissioned with new tyres, battery and fluids. It’s with regret that I’ve decided to sell it, but it’s still as good as new and runs and drives beautifully.’

The car had a fresh MOT certificate on the 26th of June this year, and that runs until the 25th of the same month in 2020.

9 out of 10 in terms of paint, but higher in terms of metalwork. That’s pretty much as good as it gets. The pictures in our photo gallery really do this car justice, with clean smart panels and a total absence of any corrosion. We could easily spend another 200 words waxing lyrical about this car’s exterior condition.

‘Body-wise it’s nigh-on perfect,’ says John. ‘It was a good quality car in the first place. There’s no corrosion underneath and everything was re-painted, including the door shuts. It sits on the correct wheels and has unused new tyres fitted.’

Those wheels remain unmarked and the rest of the bright work (save for a pair of very slightly pitted fuel caps) is in similarly excellent fettle. Perhaps the best indicators of condition are the rear valances, which are pretty much perfect, immaculate sills and very clean door bottoms.

That mammoth boot has been re-trimmed beautifully and is complemented by a full tool set. Lifting the spare wheel reveals a nice and solid boot floor.

The later SIII leather still looks as if it’s just come from the trim shop via the herd, so plump and fresh is it. The seats cosset you like the Chesterfields in a gentleman’s club and covering long distances in this car would be an undoubted pleasure.

The carpets are very good and there’s no significant sag to the headlining (a common foible on Jag’s of this vintage). The burr walnut dashboard panels are in top condition, with excellent lacquer and there’s very little fade on the minimal amount of plastics that there is.

Lifting the carpets reveals solid floors, although there is a touch of surface rust on the front ones – a quick wire brush and a paint over to re-seal will do the job nicely.

All electrics (including the wing mirrors) work as they should and the air-conditioning blows super cool.

As you’d expect from the rest of the car’s condition it’s extremely sound underneath. There’s no road debris (as it’s not really been used since the resto) and it’s a case of very well protected panels, chassis legs, sills and floor pans.

There’s not a hint of corrosion on panel edges and it’s clear to see just how O.T.T. John has gone. Rubber gaiters and other perishable items have been replaced and the exhaust system’s replacement rear silencers still wear their ‘Bell JR188 Made in England’ stickers.

The only area where this car could still benefit from a bit of a visual pick-me-up is under the bonnet. Don’t get us wrong, it’s very clean and nicely presented, but the XK6 engine’s cam covers are a touch faded. There’s a stamp on the engine block showing that it’s a genuine Jaguar factory reconditioned unit.

‘I got just as carried away on the mechanical side of things,’ says John. ‘The only thing we didn’t touch was the rear axle. New shock absorbers, a new exhaust system, suspension bushes and ball joints were all replaced – it was a very thorough job.’

When it was re-commissioned in the summer, the fuel tank and lines were drained and cleaned. Any little gremlins (such as a small leak from the steering rack) were also tackled. ‘It runs and drives beautifully.’

Can we confirm that? You betcha. It’s a glorious executive express, smooth, balanced and with impeccable road manners. Climbing behind the wheel of this sublime XJ6 has reminded us just how bloomin’ good they were.  

There’s not a huge amount of history with the car. The included V5 shows a grand total of seven former keepers and also indicates that the Jag was first registered on October 12, 1979. John did all the works on the car ‘for himself’ and so the desire to keep all the papers was just not important at the time.

The original Series Maintenance Handbook and Clarion Cassette Receiver Owner’s Guide are both present, as is the Series III Drivers Handbook and Jaguar guarantee.

Owned by a chap who we are told can be described as ‘Mr Jaguar of South Wales’, this XJ6 is a testament to the quality his business delivers. As his own personal car, he freely admits to going over the top and says ‘god alone knows how much I’ve spent on it.’

John however recognises that if he keeps it, then it’ll remain little used. So the time has come for someone else to benefit from all of his fastidious graft. Yes, there’s very little paperwork, but the proof of this car is in the condition and, inside and out, as well as underneath, it’s super.

We stand by what we said earlier in that it must be one of the best in the country. In terms of condition it’s getting towards perfect and we’ve never driven a better one. Those factors make the £5000 to £8000 estimate seem like distinct case of daylight robbery.

One thing is for certain the next owner is going to get a hell of a lot of Jag for the money. It’s also quite rare to see a surviving saloon (rather than a Coupe), which means it represents one of the most usable and practical classics available today.

‘If the new owner has an issue afterwards, then they’re very welcome to ring me up afterwards and I’ll talk them through it with pleasure.’ What a top chap, and a top car.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located at The Market’s Abingdon HQ; 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.