Jaguar

This Jaguar Special was built in the Los Angeles area in the 1950s with an aluminum body that is believed to have been crafted by metal shaper and fabricator Jack Sutton over a custom tubular frame housing a Jaguar powertrain. After being acquired in a state of disrepair in the late 1970s, the car received a refurbishment in the 1980s before participating in a number of vintage races and events. Acquired by its current owner in 1989, the car is finished in blue with white stripes and is powered by a 4.2-liter XK inline-six that is outfitted with triple Weber carburetors. Additional features include a four-speed manual transmission, four-wheel Dunlop disc brakes, solid axles with torsion bars and Panhard rods at each end, four-wheel dual-coil springs, 16” wire wheels, a roll hoop, and bucket seats upholstered in tan leather. This Jaguar Special is now offered for off-road use only on a bill of sale in Seattle, Washington, on dealer consignment for the owner’s estate. The car rides on a steel tubular frame of uncertain origin wrapped in aluminum open-cockpit coachwork. The body wears older blue paintwork with white Le Mans stripes, and chipping and other imperfections in the finish can be seen on various areas in the photo gallery below. Reinforcements were reportedly made to the frame and body during the 1980s refurbishment. Chrome wire wheels are secured by two-eared knock-offs and wear 185VR16 Pirelli Cinturato tires. Exterior details include a louvered hood secured by a leather hood strap, driver-side and central Raydyot mirrors with machined-turned housings, a wrap-around windshield, a driver’s roll hoop astride a headrest fairing, rear quarter louvers, fender vents, covered headlights, and a Jaguar nose badge. The cockpit houses a pair of fixed-back bucket seats trimmed in tan leather while matching upholstery covers the door panels, perimeter surfaces, and shifter boot. The driver’s seat is equipped with a Sparco harness, while a Simpson latch-and-link harness is in place on the passenger side. Additional features include Hardura-style floor coverings, a drilled accelerator pedal, and a center tunnel-mounted fire extinguisher. The riveted wood-rimmed steering wheel frames Smiths instrumentation including a 140-mph speedometer, a 6k-rpm tachometer with an inset clock, and gauges monitoring fuel level, oil pressure, coolant temperature, and amperage. The five-digit odometer shows 17k miles, approximately 260 of which have been added under current ownership. An auxiliary coolant temperature gauge is mounted to the driver’s right. The 4.2-liter DOHC inline-six features a block stamped with number 8L177127, which is shown in the gallery below. Induction is through triple Weber 45 DCOE carburetors, and additional features include an electric cooling fan, an alternator, an aluminum crankcase breather tank, Type C-badged valve covers, and a fuel pressure gauge. Three-into-one exhaust headers lead to dual outlets ahead of the right-rear wheel. A tune-up is said to have been performed in preparation for the sale. The selling dealer notes the presence of oil leakage from areas of the engine. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission with straight-cut gears. Suspension incorporates solid axles at each end, each with Panhard rods, torsion bars, telescopic shock absorbers, and coil springs with internal helper coils. The front shock absorbers were replaced in 2022, as was the front stabilizer bar. Stopping is handled by Dunlop disc brakes with stainless-steel braided hoses. Areas of corrosion on various underside components can be seen close up in the gallery below. The car is pictured above on the track at Laguna Seca in 1985, and images in the gallery below show the car at the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance and the Quail, A Motorsports Gathering as well as on display at the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo, California. The selling dealer states that a serial number has not been located on the car, and it is believed that the car has never been titled.