1968 Jaguar 420

The Jaguar has held a significant place in the vendor's fleet of wedding cars, having been a part of it since 2007. The decision to give it an expensive respray in Old English White demonstrates a commitment to maintaining a cohesive and elegant look across the fleet of wedding cars.

During the respray, attention to detail, such as removing the doors and conducting minor restoration work, reflects a dedication to ensuring that the Jaguar remained in top condition for its role in weddings.

Obviously, being a wedding car, reliability is key as the last thing you need is to let a bride down on her special day, so regular maintenance has been carried out on the original engine, which is said to have never been taken apart.

As mentioned earlier, what started out in 1968 as a Beige 420 is now finished in Old English White. This was completed in late 2007 and presents well for 17 years of work, which has obviously helped by being kept clean and polished for that special day.

Starting at the front, the chromework has a bright finish with just a few minor signs of tarnishing, the worst being the underside of the bumper. The grille is in good condition with all the bars nice and straight. Headlights and indicators are free from any damage; there are a few small stone chips on the front, but nothing excessive. The front of the wings is a common place for corrosion to creep in, but these were replaced by a previous keeper several years ago, who skilfully grafted in new headlight bowls with a seamless finish. The bonnet aligns well around each edge and sits nicely, and the windscreen looks in good order with no noticeable scratches. There is a small amount of perishing to the seal, but considering the age, it's not excessive.

From the side, the lines resemble the Mk2 Jaguar at the rear but slightly longer overall. The panel fit of the doors is very good, with tight, equal gaps and fuel caps on either side, allowing you to hold a decent amount of fuel for longer journeys. There is a small amount of blistering on the bottom of the driver’s door and the sills. The windows look in good order, as do the chrome surrounds, which have a bright finish with very minor signs of age.

At the rear, the curved window follows the line of the roof beautifully and is in good condition. The seal has a small amount of age-related perishing. The boot lid aligns as it should. The chrome badges, handle, and bumper have a bright finish with minor tarnishing, and both light lenses are free from any splits or cracks.

Fitted with steel wheels, these are painted to match the body and finished with chrome trim and hubcaps. They are all in good condition, and the tyres have plenty of tread remaining.

Originality and patina are what give this Jaguar the feeling that you are travelling in something that was well built 56 years ago.

The Suede Green leather interior seats are the originals; there is some patina to them, and with a good leather conditioning, they still feel quite supple. The front seats have had a colour rubbed over them to improve them, some of which is left and included, but the rear seat was not done in fear of any colour transferring to a bride's brilliant white dress. All four door cards appear in good condition with no excessive scuffs.

The dashboard top is free from splits or cracks, and the walnut fascia is in good condition. All of the instruments are reported to work correctly, and the odometer shows 4,786 miles, which is actually 104,786 miles. All of the switchgear looks in good condition and is reported to work correctly.

The headlining sits nice and tight with no signs of sagging. Throughout the cabin, the carpets have been replaced at some point, and these are in good condition. Inside the boot, the spare wheel, jack and wheel brace are in place, and the floor covering looks to be the original that has minor signs of wear.

The 420 is fitted with a 4.2-litre XK engine, which produces approximately 245bhp. The twin SU carburettor setup fires up with a little choke and runs smoothly. The vendor reports that the car uses a small amount of oil but nothing excessive, and you wouldn’t know if you weren't regularly checking the oil level as he did before the car was used for weddings.

Transmission is taken care of with a Borg-warner three-speed automatic gearbox. This is reported to have a smooth change going up and down the range of gears, and there are no untoward noises coming from the transmission.

Regular maintenance means the brakes are said to be in good order, and the car comes to a stop in a straight line. The suspension gives a smooth ride, soaking up the road as you would expect from a Jaguar.

The underside of the Jaguar has been coated in underseal and stone guard to help protect it from the elements. Generally, this looks to be in good condition, with just a few places where the underseal has started to flake off.

Manufactured on the 5th June 1967, the Jaguar was dispatched on the 7th July 1967 to the dealer, where it was then sold and registered on the 12th February 1968.

There is an extensive amount of paperwork which comes with the Jaguar, showing invoices dating back several years and work carried out.

The previous keeper carried out the original restoration, and any corrosion was taken care of by cutting out new metalwork. Grafted in place, there is a collection of photographs from when this was done.

Since owning the car in 2007, the vendor has carried out regular service maintenance to ensure reliability, as it has been used as a wedding car.

The lesser-known Jaguar 420 is a fantastic choice for anyone looking for a classic saloon.

This example is an ideal choice, having been well-maintained and being in constant use, which, as we all know, is good for any classic car. We estimate this desirable Jaguar to fetch in the region of £8,000-£12,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.