Lot Ended
Description
1969 Jaguar 420G
Has spent its whole life in
Australia; 89,800 miles from new; engine overhauled 7,500 miles ago; air
conditioning; dashboard to die for; big, brown and beautiful!
Even by Jaguar
standards, 1961 was a very special year – but the E-Type wasn’t the only
sensational new model to leave the Browns Lane factory. The imperious MkX saloon
was an equally distinctive and desirable car with a character as big as its
dimensions (16ft 10in long and 6ft 4in wide).
Effectively a four-door E-Type, it shared the sports car’s
independent rear suspension (unheard of in a British saloon of the time) and had
the same triple carb straight-six XK engine, initially 3.8 but enlarged to
4.2-litres from 1964 onwards. Both could push the big car to over 120mph, with 0
- 60 coming up in a little over 10 seconds in the manual versions.
A limited slip diff, disc brakes all round and
power steering all helped to please even the most sporting driver. Blessed with
a magic carpet ride and extraordinarily nimble handling, it put the rival
Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud to shame and to add insult to injury, was only half the
price.
From October 1966 it was renamed the
420G and gained a vertical central bar splitting the grille in two, side
indicator repeaters on the front wings and a chrome strip along the wing and
door panels. Interior changes included padded dashboard sections for safety, the
moving of the clock to a more central position, and the introduction of air
conditioning as an option.
The widest car made
in Britain (although today’s F-Type is actually 4” wider!) the 420G could
comfortably seat five adults and was gloriously roomy and well-appointed with
acres of leather, great slabs of polished burr walnut and picnic tables front
and rear. A car to revel in as much as to drive, its ability will surprise
you.
As the Heritage Certificate confirms, this 420G left Browns Lane in
August 1969 destined for Australia, being sold new via Bryson’s of Melbourne.
Finished in Sable with a Beige hide interior, it had Borg Warner Type 8
transmission, a heated rear window, power steering and servo assisted
brakes.
First registered as XKG 420
(how appropriate!) we are told that the first owner was a well-known Melbourne
surgeon and it then had only three further owners, all in the state of Victoria,
before our vendor acquired it about six years ago.
Although there is
precious little history, we are told that it has been properly maintained
throughout its life to keep it in first class order. The 89,782 mileage is said
to be correct and we are further told that it has never been welded or restored
apart the odd bit of paintwork to rectify sun damage.
The vendor states that:
“Recent expenditure has included an overhaul of the front suspension with new
bushes, GAZ shock absorbers, ball joints, track rod ends etc. It also had a full
brake system overhaul including stainless steel sleeved master cylinder and two
new brake reservoirs. A new battery has been fitted along with a set of new
Michelin tyres all round and the air con was regassed, tested and serviced in
November 2018. It has been converted to an electronic distributor and an
electric choke for reliability. The engine was completely overhauled by Franzone
Jaguar in Perth approximately 7,500 miles ago and it recently had fresh oil and
filter.
“It was dealer fitted with a
Smiths air-conditioning unit in period which is incorporated into the central
console. It has had new headlining, door panels and carpets fitted during its
life in Australia, along with colour coded inertia reel seat belts front and
rear. It remains in very original unrestored condition and retains the original
factory issued tool kit. It drives just like it should and is surprisingly firm
on the road, handling corners with ease.”
Imported back to the
UK in 2020 and registered here as PFJ 960G, it was driven from
Southampton to a storage unit in the Cotswolds where it remained until shortly
before the auction. Documentation includes a V5C, an original
hardcover service manual, a period sales brochure, a Jaguar Heritage Certificate
and two sets of keys.
As you can see in the photos, it remains in
generally good and original condition throughout, with some blemishes
and microblistering to the paintwork here and there. It has been running sweetly
as we have moved it around on site, with good 55psi oil
pressure.
With bags of character and a
dashboard to die for, these big old Jags are more than capable of
holding their own in today’s traffic and the ride quality still puts
moderns to shame!
For more
information contact James on 07970 309907 or email [email protected]
* All charges are subject to VAT