RE: Jaguar XJ12 Coupe: PH Heroes

[Numeric]

Lotusgone said:

julianm said:

My memory tells me it was the rather radical CAR magazine which drove it to Eastern europe, broke it (gearbox) but still declared it the best car in the world.
I am astonished to find I have remembered something & you can read the entire article here!

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/features/car-culture...

Thanks for the link - a very interesting article, and not just regarding the car either. If I can find the corresponding article in Motor, in one of the boxes in the garage rafters, I'll try to upload it. (a search in ebay uncovers that it was the 30 April 1977 edition)

Edited by Lotusgone on Tuesday 7th August 11:53

Having looked at the article I could almost shed a tear for my beloved Motor magazine - so much better than the far too crass Autocar I always thought - any chance I could be left in your garage for a few days to reminisce on a lost youth??

[grumpy52]

I fitted music systems in them when they were new , saw the race versions in the day .
Then worked on various cars over the years .
This was the last one .

[Daveyraveygravey]

This article is incomplete, shame on you. No mention of the racing version, or pics!

[cookie1600]

Daveyraveygravey said:

This article is incomplete, shame on you. No mention of the racing version, or pics!

Rude not to show a few piccies then eh?

[Thomo97]

My grandfather had the straight six Daimler version. Absolutely loved that car as a kid. My Mum ran it for a while when he stopped driving until it failed an MOT with an epic print out of all of the things that needed addressing. Then sold to a friend of the family for the princely sum of £1,500. No idea whether he then went on to do it up properly. Still fancy one as a quality weekend wafting wagon ...

[craigjm]

I am doing a restomod on one now. Hopefully finished end of year and back on the road spring. It’s on here under readers cars. Ignore the wheels

[rtz62]

Which magazine of that era had a pic of a 5.3C facing towards the camera at an angle, with a lady wearing a long evening dress next to it?
The photo itself just oozed class.
What always amused, and still amuses me, is that era of car having ‘head restraints’ that were always positioned somewhere low down between the front passengers shoulder blades; whatever’s were the designersthinking of...

[Turbobanana]

rtz62 said:

What always amused, and still amuses me, is that era of car having ‘head restraints’ that were always positioned somewhere low down between the front passengers shoulder blades; whatever’s were the designersthinking of...

You do know they adjust, right?

[dinkel]

s m said:

[j4r4lly]

cookie1600 said:

Daveyraveygravey said:

This article is incomplete, shame on you. No mention of the racing version, or pics!

Rude not to show a few piccies then eh?

Both the road car and this race version as just so effortlessly right. I had a BRG 4.2LWB saloon for a while and a friend had a bright yellow 4.2C which I really coveted. When they are running right they are a joy to drive and the 2 door styling is breathtaking. I love these images and was amused to see a caravan wastemaster strapped into the passenger side of the car....... what on earth is that for???

[dinkel]

Stunning!

[craigjm]

rtz62 said:

What always amused, and still amuses me, is that era of car having ‘head restraints’ that were always positioned somewhere low down between the front passengers shoulder blades; whatever’s were the designersthinking of...

William Lyons stipulated with the XJ that from the outside the seats must not be visible from above the waist line

[cookie1600]

j4r4lly said:

was amused to see a caravan wastemaster strapped into the passenger side of the car....... what on earth is that for???

For when Adrenalin turns brown.........

[theJT]

I adore these things. I always thought it was a terrible shame that Jaguar never made an X300/350 era version of this car. I always thought that was the most beautiful era for Jaguar styling, and the supercharged V8 in a 2 door version? Bliss. I've seen a few pictures that suggest Jag actually came very close to building this, but for some reason decided against putting it into production.

[rtz62]

Turbobanana said:

rtz62 said:

What always amused, and still amuses me, is that era of car having ‘head restraints’ that were always positioned somewhere low down between the front passengers shoulder blades; whatever’s were the designersthinking of...

You do know they adjust, right?

See the answer below re Sir William Lyons
And yes of course I know they adjusted but they would STILL have been useless as a head restraint unless you have some weird body sizing...
Anyhoo, imho this is THE best looking Jaguar ever, in my eyes even better than a C, D or E type.
Personal preference would be to have the 5.3 but reality suggests a well-sorted 4.2 with triple carbs, some head work and a more modern 5-so gearbox etc etc would be the way to go

[unsprung]

craigjm said:

I am doing a restomod on one now. Hopefully finished end of year and back on the road spring. It’s on here under readers cars. Ignore the wheels

are you the bloke who posted his coupe on PH a year ago or so... with the body yet to be worked on? or with primer? (I no longer remember)

man, that car was gorgeous... as is yours

this coupe, its long bonnet, lithe pillars, and shapely tail are just perfect for a tasteful restomod

[Nerdherder]

s m said:

s m said:

Good Harry's Garage episodes on his one
Nice they did some manuals with the V12

https://youtu.be/vy5t8ttmC1o

This was part one of the Harry's Garage review of his V12 Coupe in case you've not seen it

https://youtu.be/7TMgIkx40tI

This is the same Harry Metcalfe that started off EVO mag after Performance Car died a death

We all know Dirty Harry.

THE full fat Jag imho. Ace.

[Jerseyhpc]

Quite wonderful. The vinyl roof was needed to hide the ripples as it flexed apparently.
Don’t care.

[LuS1fer]

I still have the brochure from when the V12 was released - it has layer on layer of acetate pages that slowly strip down the engine.
It was then I knew I would never want one, way too complex and 11mpg...oh, no thank you.

I always thought the XJ to be an awkward coupe, trying to tap the American penchant for 2 door coupes when, ultimately, it was like dressing a Duchess in a mini skirt.

[craigjm]

unsprung said:

craigjm said:

I am doing a restomod on one now. Hopefully finished end of year and back on the road spring. It’s on here under readers cars. Ignore the wheels

are you the bloke who posted his coupe on PH a year ago or so... with the body yet to be worked on? or with primer? (I no longer remember)

man, that car was gorgeous... as is yours

this coupe, its long bonnet, lithe pillars, and shapely tail are just perfect for a tasteful restomod

That’s me