1968' Jaguar Mk2

I might say that this is an exceptional example of a UK Jaguar MKII for three reasons. Firstly, she has the most interesting history folder that meticulously spans six decades, two continents, a donation to charity and ownership by the US Navy. Secondly, her bodywork is beautiful, her underside is like new and 95% of her chrome work is perfect. Thirdly, she’s beautiful to drive, in daily use, has a UK MOT with no advisories and I’ll attend to each reason in turn and include links to extra photographs and videos at the bottom. I'm going to try to be critical in my descriptions.

1. A Fascinating History

The history folder is one of the most meticulous I have ever encountered, everything appears to have been saved since new, we have photographs spanning the decades and I would struggle to truly describe the depth of such but I have attempted to catalogue a fascinating story spanning six decades, two continents and some interesting owners, from what is just too much paperwork to compute!

First registered on the 22 March 1968, her original green buff logbook confirms that she is still in her original colour of Dark Blue with her original number plate MR UL5AF and her original Jaguar Owners Service Policy confirms she was supplied by Henly’s of Bournemouth. She retains what appears to be all of her original documentation including the manuals, service books and general ownership detail books.

She was sold to her first owner Mr James Hatcher of St Ives with the initial buff logbook stamped 09 May 1968. Mr Ives kept her for ten yers and only sold to her her second owner, Mr Nigel Whittaker of Saffron Walden on 03 July 1978. This is where her story takes an interesting turn.

Mr Whittaker exported her to San Francisco in the USA and on arrival in the US in October 1984 she was assigned the US registration 1GE Y686 and appraised by Robert Demars (antique car collectors) who’m noted that she was sound in body and drive train and fitted with extras including a heater, dual side view mirrors and disc brakes and they valued her at 3500 dollars.

Shortly after in 1985 she was donated to the Good Will Industries of San Francisco (a large charity still operating today) and all the documentation such was saved.

Three years later The Good Will Industries sold her to The Naval Air Federal Credit Union for 4000 dollars and she was registered to a Joseph Fabry the Second whom moved her to Virginia Beach and her DMV certificates are saved. We have 1980's photographs of her living in the very sunny state of Virginia looking identical to how she does now, bearing the registration LLI 783 and her original British Plates at times, as fitted today.

Whilst stateside she appears to have been maintained and restored by Jaguar Specialists (primarily Bassets Jaguar) on a no expense is too much budget and there are a multitude of invoices from various specialist and catalogues.

In 1992 she was purchased for 8500 dollars by her third UK owner Mr Carr of Brentwood and imported back to the UK from Virginia on the 11th of June 1992 and we have the first pink and blue logbook issued and all of the import documents, once again everything was saved and her journey can be traced down to the ships and time. Mr Carr appears to have been a Jaguar Enthusiast Club member and there are piles of nineties JEC documents. Mr Carr seems to have saved everything including a detailed service history and documents some restoration and even some nice nineties photographs with other cars.

Five years later on 25th of March 1998 she was purchased by her fourth owner Mr B Sheleny of London and Mr Sheleney would keep her for twenty years, apparently she was adored but used sparingly.

As you will have guessed her story is now approaching the current day and in August 2019 Mr Sheleny sold her to his friend, long term Jaguar buddy and classic car restorer Mr Harle of Waltham Cross (her fifth and final owner) whom restored her and brought her back to the road.

My company purchased her earlier in the year on behalf of my father whom is a Jaguar Enthusiast and retired classic car dealer and my father has driven her almost daily, usually covering two miles, sometimes almost thirty.

2. Whats Her Bodywork Like?

Pretty much beautiful. There is no corrosion and her paintwork gleams. Her underside is like new. 95% of her chrome work is like new, although the rear bumper could benefit from re-chroming. The pictures speak for themselves really.

3. What is She Like to Drive?

In my fathers words; she is a pleasure to drive and just perfect, he describes driving her as beautiful and certainly every time I have driven her she has been nothing but an absolute pleasure. She doesn’t have power steering or oversdrive, but she does have disc brakes. Her clutch thrust bearing sometimes (not always) vibrates when not in gear, but this wouldn’t stop her being driven. Everything works and of course she is MOT’d with no advisories, despite being MOT & Tax Exempt.

4. Her Interior?

Her interior is just lovely, everything works. One might say that her seats and dashboard have aged consistently with her age, but she is still just fabulous and the ageing adds spirit.

My father has asked me to put her up for sale. We have priced her to sell quickly and despite her condition she is the cheapest Jaguar MkII online. Delivery is possible at £1. 35 per mile with the mileage equated just one way (not a return). Viewing is possible in Sheffield.