1968 JAGUAR

• Built with modern day fast road driving in mind

• 3.8 litre XK engine fitted with ported E-type head and uprated camshafts

• Getrag five-speed gearbox

• Power assisted rack and pinion steering

Synonymous with the swinging 60s the Mk. II Jaguar is undoubtedly one of the most admired saloons of all time. It is a quintessential piece of not just motoring but British culture too.

This Jaguar 340 is far from a standard car. The last owner set out to build this ultimate Jaguar Mk. II around eight years ago with a truly ‘money no object’ approach. The aim was to build a tastefully modified car with modern improvements and a focus on modern day use with the option to perform some spirited driving, when the time was right. The total build cost was around £40,000 at the time, which of course would be significantly higher today and makes this a very hard car to replicate.

The original 3.4-litre engine has been replaced with a 3.8-litre unit, fitted with straight port E-type cylinder head, 300 degree duration camshafts, twin HD8 carburettors, six branch stainless steel exhaust manifold, electronic ignition, high flow oil pump, high torque starter motor and 10" clutch with lightened flywheel. In all, it sounds great, feels great and looks incredible from a presentation perspective. The engine is performs exceedingly well alongside modern cars on the road, thanks to excellent torque and power. The gearbox is five-speed Getrag 265 unit with 3.31:1 diff ratio, again it is a wonderful setup for modern day road use. Stopping power comes in the form of four pot E-type front calipers with ventilated disc brakes, the rear brakes are uprated with two pot XJ6 rear calipers. Power assisted rack and pinion steering has been fitted, giving much better steering feel and useability. Last but not least, an uprated alternator has been fitted with aluminium pulleys to keep everything in check.

The metallic grey bodywork presents in excellent order with fantastic shut lines and straight panels. Jaguar Mk. II larger chrome bumpers have been fitted, making the car virtually identical to an earlier Mk. II visually. Moving inside, the cabin has been trimmed in beautiful high quality red leather, presenting in superb order and walnut veneer throughout. The car has only covered around 3,000 miles since being completed and is now available for a fraction of the build cost alone. It is ideal for those who want a Jaguar Mk. II to drive and enjoy without the limitations of 1960’s engineering, which can hold these cars back somewhat in standard form.