Vehicle Description
In the mid-1950s, Jaguar was riding high on the wave created by
their revolutionary, highly advanced "XK" twin-cam inline-six. The
engine is best known for its tenure in the sumptuous XK120, 140,
and 150 sports cars, and it powered the world-beating C-Type and
D-Type sports racers to six victories in the 24h of LeMans. Even
the massive XK-powered Mk VII and Mk IX luxury cars enjoyed
considerable success in British Saloon Car racing in the hands of
Stirling Moss, Roy Salvadori, and others. Despite their performance
ability, these big saloon cars were stylish and luxuriously
appointed. Buoyed by their success, Jaguar saw an opportunity to
appeal to an even broader market with a smaller, compact luxury
saloon that shared the same successful bloodline with their sports
cars and luxury sedans. They debuted an all-new, technologically
advanced midsize sedan in 1955. The car featured Jaguar's
first-ever road-going monocoque chassis with power coming from
either 2.4 or 3.4-liter versions of the glorious XK twin-cam
inline-six and manual or automatic transmissions. Inspiration for
the curvaceous body style came from the XK sports cars, and despite
the smaller size, it featured luxurious traditional leather, wool,
and wood trim. Almost immediately, racers saw the car's tremendous
potential and soon began racking up even more hardware for Jaguar's
already stuffed trophy cabinet. With the introduction of the
revised Mk II version in 1959, the original 3.4 became
retroactively known as the "Mk I." Compact and sporty, the Mk I is
widely considered the father of the modern sports saloon, and
enthusiasts cherish them for their performance, luxurious
appointments, and pure, undiluted style. This 1957 Mk I 3.4 is a
superb example of Jaguar's seminal sports saloon. Presented in the
classic combination of Old English White over a gorgeous red
leather interior, this car is the recipient of a comprehensive, nut
and bolt restoration by noted restoration specialists Vantage
Motors of Connecticut. Extensive documentation kept by the previous
owner shows he purchased the car in 1999, then promptly handed it
over to Vantage for restoration. From the photos, we see it was a
complete and original car, but quite tired, finished ex-factory in
regency red over a red interior, and fitted with steel disc wheels
and automatic gearbox. The body was soon stripped down to bare
metal, and the corrosion repaired, followed by the application of
German "Schutz" chip guard to the underbody, wheel wells, and inner
boot. With the body prepped, a layer of Old English White was
applied to the whole shell. The body fit is exemplary, with doors
that shut with a satisfying click, straight panels, and tight, even
gaps all around. All chrome parts were removed, stripped, and
repaired as necessary before being plated to concours standards.
Details include chrome knock-off wire wheels fitted with Dunlop
radial tires and a set of period-correct Lucas Ranger/Fog Ranger
auxiliary lamps. While it has been some years since the car first
rolled out of the Vantage Motors workshop, the Jaguar remains in
superb condition from top to bottom with gorgeous paintwork and
finishing. Following the body restoration, the interior was handed
over to the award-winning experts at Coachtrim, LLC of Stamford,
Connecticut. Using the same materials as the factory, including
Connolly hides, Wilton wool carpets, and West of England
broadcloth, Coachtrim fabricated the soft trim from scratch.
Improvements include a subtly reshaped driver's seat for better
support and perforated kick panels to conceal speakers for the
updated audio system. A hallmark of the Mk I interior is the
extensive use of burl wood on the dash and window surrounds. The
trim and fascia were restored to a high standard, and housing
refurbished instruments and switchgear. In the time since the
restoration, the soft trim remains in superb condition and has
acquired a charming character in the leather seats from gentle use.
Updates include seatbelts, a sporty wood-rimmed Momo steering
wheel, and a period-look, modern AM/FM stereo with boot-mounted CD
changer, the latter of which is protected by a custom cover to
match the factory style boot upholstery. Photos and receipts show
the 3.4-liter inline-six received a complete tear-down and rebuild,
with noteworthy components including new pistons, a reground crank,
new bearings, new valves, and valve guides. The engine consists of
a matching-numbers block with a replacement cylinder head, and a
preferred four-speed manual with Laycock overdrive takes the place
of the original Borg-Warner automatic, utilizing factory components
for seamless integration. The fully-restored chassis features
desirable four-wheel disc brakes, stainless steel exhaust, and the
addition of Koni red dampers to improve cornering control. The
mechanical components show some light signs of use, such as "baking
off" of the porcelain exhaust manifolds, and some general road wear
on the undercarriage. However, considering the time elapsed since
the restoration, it is in superb condition all around. The result
of all of the effort and expense of the restoration came with an
award for Most Outstanding Jaguar at the 2003 Greenwich Concours
d'Elegance. Since that time, it has received attentive care and
remains in truly outstanding condition. We rarely see Mk I saloons
so comprehensively restored as this incredible example. With its
desirable upgrades, this Jaguar would make a worthy candidate for
entry into any number of premier driving events around the world.
Offers welcome and trades considered For additional details please
view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6545-1957-jaguar-mark-i-3-4-saloon/
