Vehicle Description
Looking for a rare, old cat? This Jaguar from the late 1950s still
looks very striking 65 years later in wonderful driving condition
and equally nice to look at with a great pedigree.
The car was purchased new in 1958 from Russell Scala Jaguar in
Hartford, Connecticut, then kept on a castle-like home in nearby
Meriden, where it was mainly chauffeur driven.
In 1984, it was sold to a neighbor who had it featured in Jaguar
International Magazine's March of 1987 Issue. During his ownership
he gave the Mark 1 a paint re-spray in the original Jaguar black
and still shows in very good overall condition today. The bodywork
is straight and solid and the engine bay is tidy. The cargo area is
clean and the chrome bumpers fit tightly to the body.
The Jaguar was given to his son as a wedding gift in 2008, who had
the engine rebuilt, polished and detailed. The very rare automatic
transmission was completely rebuilt less than 300 miles ago and
shifts flawlessly. The original and perfectly tuned 3.4-liter
six-cylinder engine runs super smooth and powerful with an amazing
and unique exhaust note.
This big cat rolls on Cooper Trendsetter SE radials, size 205/75R15
at all four corners. Each tire is mounted on a steel wheel and
topped with full wheel covers. The tires and wheels are all in very
good order. The car has drum brakes. The car features independent
front suspension with double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic
dampers and an anti-roll bar. The live rear axle uses a simplified
version of the D-Type suspension, with inverted semi-elliptic
springs cantilevered into the main body frame
Another recent completion was the custom installation of a Vicarage
power steering unit system special ordered from London, England.
This specially made for a Mark 1 Jaguar is a rack-and-pinion unit
with billet aluminum pulleys. A very costly modification
approaching $5,000 with parts and labor but makes for a much more
pleasurable driving experience.
The completely original interior is as beautiful as the exterior.
The Cinnamon Connolly original saddle leather driver's bench seat
does show years of patina but it would be a shame to replace such
originality. Original Wilton Wool carpets are woven in the front
but are covered by a new set of coco mats. Door panels, headliner
and wood trim are all in very good original condition as well. A
beautiful custom Moto-Lita wood steering wheel was just installed
and the original is included. Custom-made Coco mats were installed
for the perfect added class. Along with the sale comes the original
owner's manuals, service receipts and Jaguar Magazine printout.
Although having a family resemblance to the larger Mark VII, the
Mark I differed in many ways. It was the first Jaguar with unitary
construction of body and chassis. The independent front suspension
featured double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers and an
anti-roll bar, all carried in a separate subframe mounted to the
body by rubber bushes (with only minor revisions, this system was
used on subsequent Jaguar saloons including early versions of the
XJ).
The live rear axle used a simplified version of the D-Type
suspension, with inverted semi-elliptic springs cantilevered into
the main body frame with the rear quarter section carrying the axle
and acting as trailing arms. Transverse location was secured by a
Panhard rod, the system being a significant improvement over other
contemporary Jaguar saloons and sports cars (the reason for the
unusual inverted leaf spring arrangement was the same as for the
D-Type: to transfer all rear axle loads forward to the unitary body
shell. The rear of the car was unstressed).
The rear wheel track was some 4.5 inches narrower than the front
track and looked peculiar from behind, a feature that was blamed
(probably incorrectly) for excessive understeer at low speed. It
was reported to be better balanced at higher speeds - indeed, the
narrower track was deemed to assist high speed straight-line
stability and was a feature incorporated in many record-breaking
cars of pre- and post-war design. Nevertheless, it is probable that
the narrower rear track was occasioned by the lack of a suitably
dimensioned component from Salisbury, the axle manufacturer.
The interior was of similar design to the contemporary Jaguar
saloons and sports cars, with most of the dials and switches being
located on the central dashboard between the driver and passenger.
This arrangement reduced the differences between LHD and RHD
versions.
Although its profile was very different from that of previous
Jaguars, the side window surrounds and opening rear "no draught
ventilator" (quarterlight) windows are reminiscent of Jaguar Mark
IV saloons.
At launch the car had 11.125-inch drum brakes but from the end of
1957 got the innovative (at the time) option of disc brakes on all
four wheels.
The car was available in standard or special equipment versions
with the former lacking a tachometer, heater (available as an
option), windscreen washers, fog lights and cigarette lighter. Both
versions did however have leather upholstery and polished walnut
trim.
Competition to this Jaguar in 1958 included Chevrolet's Bel-Air,
Ford's Fairlane 500, Plymouth's Belvedere, Rambler's Rebel and
Studebaker's Commander.
If you are a Jaguar collector, if you like English motorcars or if
you're looking for something eclectic, this Jaguar Mark I may be
your next vehicle. Visit MotoeXotica Classic Cars today to come
listen to this big cat purr.
VIN: S986312BW
EIN: KE3049-8
Body#: E002906
TIN: 11171
This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis,
Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 17,436 miles. It is
sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt
title.
Note: Please see full terms and conditions listed below that
pertain to the purchase of any said vehicle, thank you.
