Hey, I will hopefully be buying a 1986 XJ6 Vanden Plas. The car belonged to a very close friend of mine who died a couple of years ago. He adored the car but it has been unmoved and on flat tires for a while now. Apparently the family were able to get it started but it has not been driven. It seems to me that the car is actually probably in decent condition for an old Jag, both in looks and works. He certainly took great care of it before his health failed. The car is sex on wheels: gloss black, wire wheels, wow!

They do not know what to do with the car. They said the most they had been offered was $1,000 but that even that guy later backed out. Someone then offered them $100. The hood ornament alone is probably worth more than that! I sent them a couple of links to eBay Motors ads where people were asking over $5,000 for cars that sounded similar. I'm hoping to get some photos from them.

This is a very friendly situation and we're each trying to do the right thing. No one is concerned about the money, really, but I wonder if anyone knows how we might put some kind of value on the thing. I refused their price of $1,000 as too low!

One other thing: those wire wheels. I think they were original to the car but none of us is sure about that. (He bought the car new.) Could that be?

The car is on the east coast and would have to be taken out here (to Idaho) on a truck. I got a price of $950 for that from Smart Auto Transport, which was less than I'd expected. That seems okay, I guess, but I don't know anything about the company or the moving process.

Any help in getting the poor old kitty a new home would be more than welcome!

Mark

Submitted by bob5837@roadru… on Mon, 11/23/2009 - 03:09

David. et. al.

Here is a teaser of my Mark X (I widened the rims by 1" and have wider tires). I will post some photos soon but will start aother "Mark 10 Restoration" forum.

Submitted by bob5837@roadru… on Tue, 10/27/2009 - 19:18

Richard and Mark,

My girlfriend jokes with me when we take one a Jag out on a date, "well honey, we're leaving home in a Jag but I'll bet we won't be coming home in a Jag..."

Not sure if I would take a maiden voyage in an unkown Jaguar across country. Many things can go amiss.

Submitted by gasrma@hotmail.com on Tue, 10/27/2009 - 16:51

Hey - why ship it? As long as you can get an insurance binder, why not drive it across country? What better way to bond with your new toy? YOu can put the $500 you save into new seat covers!

Submitted by bob5837@roadru… on Tue, 10/27/2009 - 15:09

Hi Mark,

First, the 1987 XJS did NOT have square headlights - that was a later model. If you saw a 1986 and 1987 side by side it would be hard to see a difference. The 1987 model is special in the fact that it is the last year Jaguar produced its famous XK engine AND it pre-dates the Forduar cars.

For new burl dash and center console prices contact Tony at Madera Concepts, Goleta, CA for prices. Madera Concepts is official wood repair station for Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Mercedes, etc. in USA. The restore wood for almost any year Jaguar, etc. Phone (805) 962-1579.

Also, I recommend that you "resize" your pictures to a small size (400 x 600, etc.) before posting them.

Good luck with your car.

Submitted by markzimmer@fro… on Tue, 10/27/2009 - 13:09

More information!

The car was bought used when it was one year old. I remember now that my friend had planned to buy an XJ6 but he waited a bit too long. When he saw the 1987 XJ6, which I think was the square-headlight version, he wanted nothing to do with it. He wanted the former look so much that he looked for and found a used 1986 XJ6. The wire wheels were on the car when he bought it.

The car is in much better shape that I thought it was. It runs and is drivable. Unfortunately, although the outside looks good, to me at least, the interior has some problems: the console and front seats are toast. I don't remember how many miles are on it. I'l try to attach photos of each side of the car, the front and back views, each of the two seats, the console and one of the wheels. I don't know if the forum will let me put them all into this message so I might have to send six.

I'm really not looking to make the car a showpiece. I just want it to look sharp from, I don't know, ten feet? Twenty? It's basically for me to style around town in.

The price of the car is now zero, but it would cost me about $1,000 to get it out here. I'm prepared to put, say, $5,000 or so into the car, but I don't know how much that would by me as far as the interior is concerned. I know that wood inlay has to be pricey, if I can get one at all.

I have a very good mechanic locally who has a very big shop and does a lot of work on vintage cars. When I called him about the car he said "It's an XJ6, right? Not a 12? The 6 is a whole lot easier to deal with." As it happens, there is an XJ12 in town, owed by the widow of a very formidable Brit who used to live here.

Okay, now I'll try to post the pictures.

I'm not planning to make this The price of

Submitted by bonnettoboot@e… on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 23:12

Mark, ask Robert if he will sell his! The fact is the XJ sedans were all nice cars and my preference is the series 1 But I have had a number of series 2's & 3's and in fact still have 4 3's in "storage" waiting for them to become desireable again. The fact is even with a running car I cannot get a Jaguar breaker to give me anything for one, In fact he said he doesn't even want them if I paid him! And these are California cars, Unfortunately there is little if any value in the car you describe. Except perhaps for the wire wheel hubs. In the 70's in LA we fitted so many cars with wires as a "non factory" option. I rather like the look!

Submitted by bob5837@roadru… on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 21:23

Mark,

A couple years ago I bought a 1987 XJ6 for $1500 knowing for starters it needed to have the transmission rebuilt (cost $1400). I'm in California so I had to get the car "smogged" for another $1200. Then I had it repainted, completely reupholstered, new brakes, new tires, steering work done, radiator work, rechromed the wheels, new walnut burl dash and console, etc, etc. to the tune of about $18,000 when I was all done.

I drove the car for aboout a year before it came up with a burnt piston. I just finished a total engine rebuild (valve job, new pistons & rings, bearings, etc. for several more $$$$$$.

I love the car and I am fortunate that I can afford to spend the time & money needed to keep it running and looking good. Next year I plan on showing the car in Driven Class.

I am also just finishing restoration of a 1964 Mark 10 3.8 Sedan, the biggest Jag sedan ever made. Biscuit interior, BRG paint.

Next summer I am going to do a complete body-off restoration of my 1953 XK120 roadster. That's REALLY going to be a fun project.

Enjoy your 1986 XJ6. And for heaven sakes - get rid of the wire wheels!!! Maybe you can trade them to someone for the real deal. For sure yoy can get original XJ6 rims from a junk yard that specializes in Jags.

Good luck! Post a picture of your car when you can. Here is a picture of my XJ6.

Bob

Submitted by dougdwyer1@com… on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 20:32

Mark, used Jags don't hold their value well, and the rough economy only worsens things. Hate to say it but $1000 is about typical for a Ser III that hasn't been used for a couple years and is "probably in decent condition."

An extra nice one might fetch $5000 these days and a truly mint condition one might get $10000 IF the seller waited for the right buyer came along. But, what your describing sounds pretty average, to be honest.

The Ser IIIs are terrific cars. I drove one for years. Most used ones need quite a bit of TLC to really bring them up to standard, though...and many buyers know that.

Wire wheels were not a factory installed item. They were added-on somewhere along the line

Cheers
DD