Tweaking a Classic Cat
There are some pretty special classics out there. The 1967 Sunbeam Tiger, 1968 Mustang 428 Cobra Jet, Pontiac GTO, and the 1957 Corvette Fuelie just to name a few. The cool thing is that what made those cars so exceptional was upgrades to boring cars like the Sunbeam Alpine, 1968 Ford Mustang, 1964 Pontiac LeMans or 1957 Corvette.
Because these cars are so much more valuable than there plain Jane sisters, they tend to bring a lot at auction. Some who long for a Shelby V8 in a small British road car will simply take a very affordable Sunbeam Alpine and recreate it a Tiger. Just drop in the large Ford 289 cu in (4.7 L) V8, upgrade the suspension, tranny, rear end and bang, you have a pretty special car.
Go to any auto auction and you will see a plethora of these "recreations" and they are popular. Unscrupulous car builders have been known to pass off these upgraded step-sisters as originals. So much so that registries have emerged to authenticate originals.
The Jaguar MKII was groundbreaking when introduced in 1955. It was quick, quiet, handled well, and seated 5. Once outfitted with the Jaguar XK 6 cyl 3.8 engine producing 220 BHP it became a favorite getaway car for those who thought of the law as a line that should be crossed. Easily hitting over 100 MHP and cruising comfortably with overdrive these cars were a favorite of the upper-middle class in Britten.
While Jaguar's Coventry plant produced just over 91,000 examples, only a third have the more powerful 3.8 engine, fewer included the four-speed manual, and rarer still feature electric overdrive. With the ubiquity of the XJ6 powertrain, some have taken to upgrade the pitiful 2.4 to a 3.8. Even easier is to find one of the 3.8 fitted with a three-speed auto and drop in a Getrag 5 speed transmission or a Jag 4-Speed from a donor car. Even better, install the electronic overdrive and you have a recreated MKII 3.8 manual with overdrive. ZOOM.
The car in the following video is an RHD example imported to the US from New Zealand where it had the original 3.8 engine rebuilt, body sandblasted and repainted, refreshed woodwork, new brightwork, and chrome wheels. More importantly, it received an XJ6 manual gearbox and electronic overdrive. A casual observer would think this is how the car was optioned, but it was recreated and now represents the most desirable of the MKII.
Check out this video of a highway run on this amazing example. Hard to believe it has over 160,000 miles on it -- probably because it has less than 40,000 since the restoration. Not original, but a special classic none the less.
Because these cars are so much more valuable than there plain Jane sisters, they tend to bring a lot at auction. Some who long for a Shelby V8 in a small British road car will simply take a very affordable Sunbeam Alpine and recreate it a Tiger. Just drop in the large Ford 289 cu in (4.7 L) V8, upgrade the suspension, tranny, rear end and bang, you have a pretty special car.
Go to any auto auction and you will see a plethora of these "recreations" and they are popular. Unscrupulous car builders have been known to pass off these upgraded step-sisters as originals. So much so that registries have emerged to authenticate originals.
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| 1963 Jaguar MKII Reimagined |
While Jaguar's Coventry plant produced just over 91,000 examples, only a third have the more powerful 3.8 engine, fewer included the four-speed manual, and rarer still feature electric overdrive. With the ubiquity of the XJ6 powertrain, some have taken to upgrade the pitiful 2.4 to a 3.8. Even easier is to find one of the 3.8 fitted with a three-speed auto and drop in a Getrag 5 speed transmission or a Jag 4-Speed from a donor car. Even better, install the electronic overdrive and you have a recreated MKII 3.8 manual with overdrive. ZOOM.
Check out this video of a highway run on this amazing example. Hard to believe it has over 160,000 miles on it -- probably because it has less than 40,000 since the restoration. Not original, but a special classic none the less.
Looking great Ari! Would love to see it as I had an original in British Racing Green and it was a manual. I also had a S Type original and automatic. But the Mk II was much nicer to drive and it has that little Pig Face that is unbelievable Jaguar. In fact, the name Jaguar, is from a big feline found on the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. The indigenous called it Jaguar which was then used in the Portuguese language and the same word used in English. As Sir William Lyons was checking a book of animals to re-brand his company from SS (since Hitler had his SS police) after the war, he found the name Jaguar and a great drawing of the cat. The rest, as they say it, is history.
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