Jaguar Mk 1 Special

This Mk 1 is a one-off special built by R S Panels for Paul Michaels of Hexagon of Highgate more than 20 years ago. It began as a 3.4 left-hand-drive saloon sourced from a dry US state. The Jaguar Heritage Certificate records it as built on 10 March 1959 with a manual gearbox and overdrive, and supplied to Jaguar Cars of New York.

The shell was stripped, treated and repainted in dark metallic green. Independent rear suspension was fitted, along with integral side lights, a louvred bonnet, a recessed fuel tank with Le Mans-style filler, and the bumper overriders and air vents were removed to clean up the lines. Under the bonnet is a high-torque 4.2 engine bored out to 4.5 litres, paired with a T5 five-speed gearbox. AP Racing brakes, uprated springs and anti-roll bar, power steering, air conditioning, bucket seats and Borrani wire wheels complete the specification.

The build took more than seven years. The history file holds invoices from RS Panels, Turley, BR Motors and XK Developments totalling just over £180,000. The Borranis were refurbished and balanced, and fitted with a full set of Michelin tyres in September 2020. The car has covered under 1,000 miles since the rebuild was completed.