Lot 551: 1968 Jaguar Mk2 3.4-Litre Saloon

One of the most readily recognised cars of the 1960s, thanks in part to countless appearances in films and on television, Jaguar’s seminal Mk2 saloon set the standard for the class throughout its entire production life and today remains highly prized by enthusiasts. A progressive development of the Mk1 - Jaguar’s first unitary-construction saloon - the Mk2 made its debut in October 1959. Slimmer windscreen pillars and deeper side windows greatly enlarged the Mk2’s glass area, while the deletion of its predecessor’s full-sized rear wheel spats allowed the rear track to be widened, a move which increased roll resistance and stability. Otherwise, running gear remained much the same as before, with independent front suspension by wishbones and coil springs, a leaf-sprung live rear axle and Dunlop servo-assisted disc brakes (optional at first on the Mk1 but standard from November 1957) on all four wheels. A redesigned dashboard, with speedometer and rev-counter ahead of the driver and minor gauges grouped in the centre, established Jaguar’s layout for years to come. Transmission options were either a four-speed manual or Borg-Warner automatic gearbox, and when equipped with the former a 3.4-litre Mk2 was a genuine 120mph car, with the automatic version not far behind.
A desirable manual/overdrive-equipped example, this 3.4-litre Mk2 has recorded circa 127,000 miles from new, some 36,000 of them over the course of the past 25 years as evidenced by accompanying expired MoTs dating from 1982 to the present. We are advised that the body was stripped and repainted in 1999 by Romford Body Shop at a cost of £6,000 and that the car comes with a full file of bills for general maintenance carried out by Thoroughbred Car Services of Leigh-on-Sea. Finished in Old English White with cream interior, ‘EUR 810G’ is offered with current MoT and Swansea V5 registration document.