Acquiring my "Project Car"

Selecting the Type of Car to Restore

While some people find relaxation in curling up on the couch and watching TV, I normally find mine through working on "projects". My newest "project" is a 1962 Jaguar Mk2.

My choice was based on a number of factors including:

• Performance - The Jaguar Mk2 was marketed as the family man's sports car. With a 220 HP in-line 6-cyclinder engine and 4-wheel disc brakes, it was a fun car to drive. It also had a very rich and succesful racing history in the 1960s. 
• Collectability - The Jaguar Mk2 is not the most collectable of the old Jaguars, but they are considered collectable and have a number of clubs and groups dedicated to their preservation and enjoyment. The car's wide ranging use in movies as well as its sucess on the track add to its collectabiliy. Although car restoration is rarely a profitable endevor and I don't expect to make money on this restoration, but working on a car that is in relatively low supply and is desired by others is one way to help minimize losses.
• Initial Cost - Unlike some of the more collectable Jaguars such as the MK120/140/150 or the E-types, a solid project car can still be found relatively inexpensive.
• Parts Availability - Because the Mk2 has become "collectable", a market for spare parts has developed. As a result, there are now newly manufactured parts available for most of the parts needed in a typical restoration. Original parts sourced from "parts cars" are also widely available.

Finding and Buying the Car

After investigating many candidates and actually inspecting a few of them, the one that was finally purchased was a 1962 Jaguar Mk2 that has not been operated since 1993 and has been sitting outside in Las Vegas for about 8 or 9 years. The sun was not a friend to the paint or the wood dash, but on the upside, the relatively dry climate helped to mitigate rust problems which are common in most of the old Jaguars. There were a number of issues with the car that indicated I should pass on it and look for another, but on the other hand, I had a very limited budget, so I figured if I could get a really good deal on it, I had little to loose. Even if there were major problems discovered after purchase, I could always "part out" the car and at least break even. So after some negotiation, I ended up paying $1300 for the car and hauled it home to Southern California on a trailer. Below is a list of the "good" and "bad" of the car as seen on the day I purchased it... and I am hoping there are not too many "bad" attributes that will be added to the car when I tear into it.

The Good

• The car has relatively little rust. This was a California car for its first 40 years of life and then lived in Las vegas for 8 years. As a result, rust on the vehicle is minimal compared to most Jaguars of this vintage. Typical problem areas such as the jackpoints, fenders, and door sills are solid.
• The car is nearly complete and was mostly still assembled (see "The Bad" below for exceptions). A number of the cars I found in my price range were disassembled to varying degrees. If buying a disassembled car, you can be certain there will be many missing parts.
• The frame and bodywork are straight. There were no signs of major bodywork from previous accidents. A few minor dents, but nothing significant.
• Most of the chrome is in relatively good condition. There are a few smaller chrome items that have quite a bit of pitting though.
• It is a matching numbers car (body, engine, transmission)
• The car still has its original toolkit with most of the tools included.  
• The car still has its original California black plates. 
• The owner had Title to the vehicle. Many of the more inexpensive vehicles (i.e., vehicles in my price range), have changed hands many times with title being lost along the way. That can be dealt with, but it takes time and money.

The Bad

• Since the car does not run, the condition of the engine is a big unknown. This is the biggest risk associated with this car. There could be major problem such as a crack in the engine block that won't be detected until the engine is removed and the rebuild process is started.
• The carborators were removed from the car and were in a box in the trunk. The seller said that they were removed and in the box prior to him purchasing the car in 1998. This allowed moisture and dust direct access to the intake manifold for more than 10 years and also means that I will probably be missing some parts when I rebuild the carborators.
• The rear seat is missing. The seller said it was missing when he acquired the car.
• Much of the interior was removed. The front seats were removed and the door panels and wood door trim had been removed. These items were just thrown back in the interior. The door panels are warped as a result, but eveything is there (except the rear seat).
• Steel wheels as opposed to the optional 72 spoke wire wheels
• Other missing items included the spare, the jack, the front console ashtray, keys, and the chrome trim ring for one wheel.

  Below is a picture of the car as it sat in Las Vegas when I purchased it.



The car had a broken headlight four flat tires, but little outward signs of rust.