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2009/06/29 Jaguar
Fin Man shares a few stories with the proud owner of '66 Jaguar
Father’s Day 2009 was a special one for The FIN MAN. My son Jeff and I were invited to attend a very special gathering of sorts… a collection of exotic luxury and sports cars, the likes of which I had never seen in one place, at one time. Accuse me of name dropping if you will, but I’m going to do it anyway. We saw cars by Jaguar; Mercedes; Aston-Martin; Bentley; Ferrari; Lamborghini; Porsche; Maserati and Ford, just to name a few of the distinguished players of the day.
Father’s Day 2009 was a special one for The FIN MAN. My son Jeff and I were invited to attend a very special gathering of sorts… a collection of exotic luxury and sports cars, the likes of which I had never seen in one place, at one time. Accuse me of name dropping if you will, but I’m going to do it anyway. We saw cars by Jaguar; Mercedes; Aston-Martin; Bentley; Ferrari; Lamborghini; Porsche; Maserati and Ford, just to name a few of the distinguished players of the day.
It was the Second Annual Father’s Day Car Show, held at the Kemp Auto Museum in Chesterfield, Missouri. The museum was a lifelong dream of the late Fred Kemp Senior and devoted to his favorite marque, Mercedes, plus a handful of other cars to which the well-known St. Louis area home builder was partial. Besides the aforementioned, choice rides, there was a handful of more common (but no less significant in terms of historical value) brands like Volkswagon and Austin Healey.
One car was more magnificent than the next, but the car that caught my eye right off the bat was a beautiful Jaguar Mark X of 1966 vintage suited up in a color which can best be described as ‘opalescent, grayish-green’.
Walking over to the obviously pampered Jag, I approached at the gentleman who seemed to be attached to the car and asked, "Is this your car?" Cat fancier Ron Henry politely replied, "Why yes, it is." Mr. Henry, a retired educator from the Francis Howell School District in St. Charles, Missouri, and I soon became engaged in a lengthy conversation regarding the luxurious, Jaguar ‘saloon’ (that’s what the Brits call a sedan). During our exchange, he confessed that he was an enthusiastic fan of the Old Car Column. (Okay, by now we’re on a first name basis, so I’ll call him ‘Ron’.) Ron, went on to say that he reads my stories faithfully every week, clips out every issue and has complied them into a binder. (I knew there was something I liked about this guy.)
Upon further discussion with Ron, I soon realized that his Mark X was the same car that I saw a few years ago, sitting in front of ‘LeStable’, a small and exclusive import car repair business located in Glen Carbon, Illinois.
The car, which had a "for sale" sign in the window, was white at the time, a former owner having re-painted it to suit his individual preference. (Shame-shame!) When I saw the magnificent Mark X sitting in front of the repair shop that day, I just had to stop in and find out more about the car as I had not seen one in decades. As I entered the shop, I was greeted by owner, Bonjour Stunson, who was very accommodating and showed me around his small, but exclusive shop where a number of customer’s cars were in various stages of mechanical and cosmetic restoration. But don’t take your Impala or Crown Vic there for a tune up, as Stunson caters to a small and exclusive clientele, owners of imports, primarily Jaguar, BMW, Porsche, Volvo and a handful of other relative exotics. It was good to learn that Ron Henry’s Mark X Jag came from a reputable source and a businessman with a passion for fine, imported automobiles.
The Jaguar Mark X, when introduced in the fall of 1961, represented a total makeover of their large saloon, the Mark IX model which preceded it. Jaguar marketing promoted the new fashion as the ‘Straight Through Look’ in advertisements and brochures. The overall appearance was clearly a new and more modern profile which included a noticeably lower roof line. Interior room was not compromised, however, and the car, which was listed as a ‘five-passenger’ sedan, had plenty of leg and headroom, particularly in the rear seating compartment.
The Mark X’s chassis was a conventional front engine, rear drive layout. Ample power was supplied courtesy of the same dual overhead cam, in-line, six-cylinder engine which powered the sensuously-styled Jaguar XK-E of the period.
Despite the Mark X’s relatively massive size, it was capable of speeds slightly over the century mark. Some automotive sources reported top speeds in the neighborhood of 115-120 with zero-sixty times in the ten second range and quarter mile runs of 17 seconds at 80 mph.
Jaguar offered many advanced mechanical features for its time including disc brakes front and rear so as to stop that big cat in its tracks... something found on few production cars back in ‘the day’. Coil springs up front replaced the torsion bars found on the previous Jaguar sedans. Independent suspension was employed along with a transverse leaf spring at the big cat’s tail.
One of life’s simple pleasures is the aroma of fine leathers. My wife thinks I’m crazy (for many reasons), but I love the smell of finely tanned leather skins. I’m a closet leather sniffer having, at one time or another, been caught sniffing wallets, jackets and boots... not to mention three-piece sectionals! As a man who has owned a handful of leather-upholstered Cadillacs, Lincoln Town Cars and Continentals in his time, I can promise you that nothing in the world compares to the leather fragrance which emits from a Jaguar interior clad in Connolly hides. I don’t know what their secret is, but my son and I were amazed that, after forty-plus years, this cat’s interior was still aromatic with the scent of fine leather and all one had to do was get within a foot or so of the open windows to catch a whiff.
When it came to exterior finishes for the 1966 models, Jaguar offered a palette of fourteen luscious hues:
- Cream
- Pearl Grey
- Mist Grey
- Cotswold Blue
- Sherwood Green
- Black
- Carmen Red
- Opalescent Gunmetal Gray
- Opalescent Silver Gray
- Opalescent Silver Blue
- Opalescent Dark Blue
- Opalescent Green
- Opalescent Maroon
- Golden Sand
Ron Henry, who drives a Jaguar XJ for daily trips to the grocery store, is proud of his Mark X and rightfully so. Few today can lay claim to ownership of this top-of-the-line Jag, as fewer than 10,000 were imported to the United States between its introduction in 1961 through the 1966 model year.
My fascination with the Jaguar Mark X began when I was just a teen, working for my father at his Mobilgas service station in University City, Missouri. The area was home to many affluent families, headed by doctors, lawyers, CEOs and such. One of his customers, the name escapes me right now, had a two story home along Delmar Boulevard, between Hanley and North & South Roads… one of those with a rear-entrance, basement garage. I remember going on a service call to get their Mark X started. Anyone familiar with English cars, knows what a nightmare the Lucas electrical systems were back ‘in the day’!
Electrical deficiencies aside, I thought the Jag Mark X was the most beautiful modern luxury car I had ever seen. The lines, as you can see by the photo of Mr. Henry’s car above, were spectacular and decidedly unique, the silhouette featuring a continuous, gentle arc from front to rear fender crowns. This was the ‘jelly-bean’ shape which cars from the nineties made famous, even before the Ford Taurus (the quintessential jelly bean car) was ever conceived... but the designers from Jaguar did a much finer rendition than any of the common cars from the period. The aggressive front end with its forward slant, dual quad headlamp pods and distinct, softly-rounded grill with vertical bars, was artfully designed... and the familial resemblance to the XJ series of sedans which followed, is unmistakable.
MARK Xs FOR SALE
Glancing through a recent copy of Auto Trader’s Classic Cars & Parts magazine (the big kids candy catalog), I was surprised to find one advertisement for a 1967 Jaguar model 420. The 420 was the successor to the Mark X and was nearly identical in appearance to the Mark X, save a slight redesign of the grill and some minor trim differences. It was listed as having 90,000 miles and being "in great shape". (Of course it is!) The owner went on to state that it is a California car with no rust done up in Cream inside and out. I could tell, even in the postage stamp sized photo, that the interior was crafted in the same delicious, creamy hue as was the exterior.
Krause Publication’s Old Cars Price Guide lists the 1967 model 420 at prices of $35,500.00; $24,850.00; $15,980.00 and $7,100.00 for conditions 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively, making the asking price of $10,000.00 seem like a relative bargain, assuming the description is honest and accurate. Perhaps the price reflects the current state of the market given the current recession. Whatever the case, when shopping for any commodity, especially collectible automobiles, always remember the old rule ‘buyer beware’... for they always look good in the photos!
Incidentally, the model 420 values listed above indicate a decided premium over the 1966 Mark X models... being approximately $10,000.00 higher at the condition number 1 level. Not being a Jag expert, I’m not sure if this is a reflection of the rarity of the 420, since production numbers were considerably lower than those of the Mark X, or if some other factor or factors come into play. Strictly based on looks, my preference is the Mark X. You might want to consult with an expert on the subject, like a Jaguar club member, if you are really concerned.
RESOURCES
A great source of information for everything Jaguar is the Jaguar Club of North America which has a local chapter– the Jaguar Club of Greater St. Louis. Membership, for which owning a Jaguar is NOT a prerequisite, is $55.00 a year ($60.00 for family), which includes a subscription to the JAGSL monthly ‘Growl’ newsletter as well as the national club’s Jaguar Journal. And, as an added bonus, membership in the Jaguar Clubs of North America includes special member discounts which can save you up to $1,000.00 on the new Jaguar of your choice.
For information on joining the local chapter of the JCNA, contact:
Diana Schlueter
636-477-1763
gdjags3@aol.com
Visit the JCNA’s web site at www.jcna.com and follow the links to the JAGSL site.
These clubs are a wonderful resource to find cars and parts, but even more satisfying is the camaraderie among members and the fun you’ll have attending the many events held throughout the year. One such event is the annual ‘Jaguar Concours’ held in Clayton, Missouri in October. Concours, short for ‘Concours d’Elegance’, are collector car shows of the highest order, with tough rules for judging. When it comes to Jaguars, you’re sure to see the best of the best at a concours event like the one held in October. You can find details on the club’s web site page.
And, by the way... my thanks go out to Bob Herold, president of JAGSL for his help in obtaining the names of the Jaguar colors for 1966, something which eluded me on my web quest. Also, a ‘FIN MAN Thank You’ to the anonymous donor of a Wehrenberg Theater gift card which arrived just moments ago via UPS. My Chief Financial Officer (a.k.a. wife) and I will put it to good use.
Trivia Questions (answers below)
DOHC Jaguar Trivia Questions of the Week:
1. First things first... what does ‘DOHC’ stand for in automotive jargon?
2. What town in England has been home to the Jaguar automobile headquarters for the past 87 years and who is Jaguar’s parent corporation today?
3. What is a ‘Fender Jaguar’?
4. Here’s a trivia question conceived to stump even the most avid Jaguar enthusiast. What is a Jaguar Mk 3?
5. The ‘Jaguar 1 and 2’ were NOT built in Coventry, but were made in another European country. What were they and in what country were they built?
6. Now on to sports. What national sport has a team called the Jaguars, and what city do they represent?
7. How do you build a ‘refreshing’ Jaguar?
8. Introduced for the 1993 holiday season, the Jaguar video game console was a 64-bit system which featured milestone game titles like Tempest 2000, Doom, Wolfenstein 3D and Alien vs. Predator. What video game company introduced the Jaguar?
1. First things first... what does ‘DOHC’ stand for in automotive jargon?
2. What town in England has been home to the Jaguar automobile headquarters for the past 87 years and who is Jaguar’s parent corporation today?
3. What is a ‘Fender Jaguar’?
4. Here’s a trivia question conceived to stump even the most avid Jaguar enthusiast. What is a Jaguar Mk 3?
5. The ‘Jaguar 1 and 2’ were NOT built in Coventry, but were made in another European country. What were they and in what country were they built?
6. Now on to sports. What national sport has a team called the Jaguars, and what city do they represent?
7. How do you build a ‘refreshing’ Jaguar?
8. Introduced for the 1993 holiday season, the Jaguar video game console was a 64-bit system which featured milestone game titles like Tempest 2000, Doom, Wolfenstein 3D and Alien vs. Predator. What video game company introduced the Jaguar?
(answers below)
Trivia Answers
DOHC Jaguar Trivia Answers of the Week:
1. First things first... what does ‘DOHC’ stand for in automotive jargon?
‘DOHC’ is a common abbreviation used in automotive circles which stands for ‘double overhead camshaft’, referring to the specific mechanical design of the engine’s camshaft; head and valve assemblies.
2. What town in England has been home to the Jaguar automobile headquarters for the past 87 years and who is Jaguar’s parent corporation today?
Coventry, England has been home to Jaguar since its founding in 1922 as the Swallow Sidecar Company. As the name implies, the primary product, in the beginning, was sidecars for motorcycles. Later the company would switch gears and begin building luxury, executive and sports cars. The name was changed to Jaguar following world war II, due to negative connotations associated with the initials SS.
Jaguar’s parent company, since March 27, 2008, has been Tata Motors. The giant, multinational conglomerate, based in Mumbai, India, purchased Jaguar from Ford Motor Company who had owned it since 1989. The two-billion (U.S.) dollars deal also included Jaguar’s sibling company Land Rover and rights to the names Daimler and Lanchester. Truly a global company, The Tata Group consists of 114 companies and subsidiaries in seven business sectors, with operations in 85 companies spanning six continents. According to Forbes Magazine, it is among the top twelve most reputable companies in the world.
3. What is a ‘Fender Jaguar’?
The Fender Jaguar, is an electric guitar introduced in 1962 by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.
4. Here’s a trivia question conceived to stump even the most avid Jaguar enthusiast. What is a Jaguar Mk 3?
The Jaguar Mk 3 is one of numerous variants of a French ground attack jet fighter manufactured by SEPECAT, which stands for the Société Européenne de Production de l’Avion d’École de Combat et d’Appui Tactique, or in the king’s English, the European company for the production of a combat trainer and tactical support aircraft. This was a joint venture between Bréguet (now Dassault Aviation) and the British Aircraft Corporation, coincidentally formed in the year 1966... the same year as our feature car this week. The sleek, airborne Jaguar served as the main strike/attack aircraft for the French Air Force until July 1, 2005. It is still in service with a number of export customers including the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force of Oman.
5. The ‘Jaguar 1 and 2’ were NOT built in Coventry, but were made in another European country. What were they and in what country were they built?
The ‘Jaguar 1 and 2’ were tank destroyers, with anti-tank guided missiles, built in Germany from 1978 to 1982.
6. Now on to sports. What national sport has a team called the Jaguars, and what city do they represent?
The Jacksonville Jaguars is a professional American (NFL) football team based in Jacksonville, Florida.
7. How do you build a ‘refreshing’ Jaguar?
You combine 1 part vodka, 1 part banana syrup (or liqueur) and 3 parts sprite to build a Jaguar cocktail.
8. Introduced for the 1993 holiday season, the Jaguar video game console was a 64-bit system which featured milestone game titles like Tempest 2000, Doom, Wolfenstein 3D and Alien vs. Predator. What video game company introduced the Jaguar?
Unable to sustain sales momentum following the 1993 holiday season, the Jaguar video game console was the final system marketed by the Atari Corporation.
1. First things first... what does ‘DOHC’ stand for in automotive jargon?
‘DOHC’ is a common abbreviation used in automotive circles which stands for ‘double overhead camshaft’, referring to the specific mechanical design of the engine’s camshaft; head and valve assemblies.
2. What town in England has been home to the Jaguar automobile headquarters for the past 87 years and who is Jaguar’s parent corporation today?
Coventry, England has been home to Jaguar since its founding in 1922 as the Swallow Sidecar Company. As the name implies, the primary product, in the beginning, was sidecars for motorcycles. Later the company would switch gears and begin building luxury, executive and sports cars. The name was changed to Jaguar following world war II, due to negative connotations associated with the initials SS.
Jaguar’s parent company, since March 27, 2008, has been Tata Motors. The giant, multinational conglomerate, based in Mumbai, India, purchased Jaguar from Ford Motor Company who had owned it since 1989. The two-billion (U.S.) dollars deal also included Jaguar’s sibling company Land Rover and rights to the names Daimler and Lanchester. Truly a global company, The Tata Group consists of 114 companies and subsidiaries in seven business sectors, with operations in 85 companies spanning six continents. According to Forbes Magazine, it is among the top twelve most reputable companies in the world.
3. What is a ‘Fender Jaguar’?
The Fender Jaguar, is an electric guitar introduced in 1962 by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.
4. Here’s a trivia question conceived to stump even the most avid Jaguar enthusiast. What is a Jaguar Mk 3?
The Jaguar Mk 3 is one of numerous variants of a French ground attack jet fighter manufactured by SEPECAT, which stands for the Société Européenne de Production de l’Avion d’École de Combat et d’Appui Tactique, or in the king’s English, the European company for the production of a combat trainer and tactical support aircraft. This was a joint venture between Bréguet (now Dassault Aviation) and the British Aircraft Corporation, coincidentally formed in the year 1966... the same year as our feature car this week. The sleek, airborne Jaguar served as the main strike/attack aircraft for the French Air Force until July 1, 2005. It is still in service with a number of export customers including the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force of Oman.
5. The ‘Jaguar 1 and 2’ were NOT built in Coventry, but were made in another European country. What were they and in what country were they built?
The ‘Jaguar 1 and 2’ were tank destroyers, with anti-tank guided missiles, built in Germany from 1978 to 1982.
6. Now on to sports. What national sport has a team called the Jaguars, and what city do they represent?
The Jacksonville Jaguars is a professional American (NFL) football team based in Jacksonville, Florida.
7. How do you build a ‘refreshing’ Jaguar?
You combine 1 part vodka, 1 part banana syrup (or liqueur) and 3 parts sprite to build a Jaguar cocktail.
8. Introduced for the 1993 holiday season, the Jaguar video game console was a 64-bit system which featured milestone game titles like Tempest 2000, Doom, Wolfenstein 3D and Alien vs. Predator. What video game company introduced the Jaguar?
Unable to sustain sales momentum following the 1993 holiday season, the Jaguar video game console was the final system marketed by the Atari Corporation.
Content copyright . Bruce Kunz. All rights reserved.
