Dusty, but almost complete....







Hi all, this is Andrew from Jaguar Specialties and I hope everyone has had a great summer enjoying their Jags. Out here we have a few more weeks before the tops go up, the cars go in the garage, and we start thinking about what on them needs fixing/upgrading for next year….

While on the subject of upgrading, over the years we have had quite a few XJ6 Series 2 customers (mostly XJ6C/XJ12C owners) who were interested to switch their cars over to the all chrome European bumpers. This was a pretty straightforward upgrade that could be done using all Jaguar factory brackets, with the key pieces being the Euro front hood hinges which are completely different than the US pieces. Full sets of those hinges are not available any more, and customer requests are still coming in occasionally, so what to do?? Well, build your own, of course, and eventually offer them as a product for customers.

So the search began to find a good XJ Series 2 body to use as the test bed. Like any red-blooded American, we went straight to the source- that’s right, want ads on Facebook Marketplace and Craigs List. Should be no problem, right?? Not really. I guess want ads signal to sellers that you’ll pay anything so that’s what they ask, and there were quite a few of those. The winner in that category was a 76 XJ6L that had been sitting outside in the weather, up to its rocker panels in a muddy field for 20 years, but the seller was certain it was “…rust free, straight, and would run/drive with just a new battery…”. Asking price- $4500…. Too funny…………

Despite delusional detours, the search ended in an unexpected way. Some 5-6 years ago a local higher end hot rod shop contacted us to help with parts for an XJ6C LS conversion for a customer. That project went pretty well and the shop owner liked the results so much he went out and found another XJ6C for himself to build. Priorities change, shops get sold, and that Jag got pushed to the side and forgotten. I knew the car was there and had kept in touch every 6-12 months, but nothing doing- the car wasn’t for sale. However, an unstoppable force came to bear and suddenly everything was in play. Amazon (as in Amazon.com) decided to buy the entire block in San Jose where the shop and 10 other old ratty business buildings sat to put in a fulfillment center. Summary? All of the buildings were to be torn down- the shop was now moving and any project car not tied to a paying customer needed to go. By chance, I happened to randomly check in with them in late August, got this whole story, and now we have a 1975 XJ6C to do our bumper project on. (part of the deal also included what had to be the rattiest most original 72 XJ6 sedan parts car- almost nothing was worth saving....)

Overall the car is complete missing only the windshield (that was removed to go onto that other XJ6C project car the shop had). Interestingly, it had a Chevy conversion that must’ve been done 30+ years ago as it used a Mundorf kit- they were a big Jaguar conversion supplier in the 80’s but out of business since early 90’s. We pulled the carbureted Chevy 350 and T350 trans to give to a street rodder friend and now we have decent roller. And the tan velour interior is very 80’s…. To be a nice car again it will need everything, but coupes are rare, and this 1975 version (smog exempt in California) is even more worthwhile.

The bumper project is already well underway and our first prototype parts have been completed. From here ultimately a kit will be available for end users to do the very same bumper conversion on their own S2 (and I suppose also S3) cars…

Some pictures of the car as it arrived are attached- it’s no gem now, but with some work………..

Any questions, let me know



Andrew

Jaguar Specialties

 

Possible stupid question...... Are you only designing the bracket? Or a "kit" that includes the bracket and aftermarket full chrome bumper?

I definitely want to change my bumper my 75' XJC. I was contemplating removing all the rubber and welding "new" steel replicating the profile or creating split bumpers.

Can waiting to see what you guys came up with.

 

Ultimately there will be a kit (or kits) available to customers. With these new pieces (front and rear) a Jag owner could then add on the chrome European style bumpers (either OE Jag or aftermarket) to a US car. And I can see us offering a complete kit as well which would be the brackets and bumpers as a set- basically everything needed to go chrome all in one box...

More info soon....

Andrew
Jaguar Specialties