£4,491.74 – for air con

We have had a new arrival at Carrosserie HQ.  A 1969 Jaguar 420G.

The 420 relates to a 4.2 litre example of the trusty XK engine, this time equipped with triple SUs.  Power output is a ‘sufficient’ 255HP, but only capable of pushing this car to 115MPH.

The G stands for ‘Grand’ – and it certainly is.  Over 6ft wide and the longest Jaguar at the time.  It weighs 1,725kg.

I love pricing these cars to show how the world has changed.

The list/ new price in 1969 was £2,400 which is £36,000 in modern money.  Spending that kind of money on a car could have bought you three or four Minis at the time.

But now, £36k doesn’t even buy you a Golf GTi!

And air con.  You would struggle to buy a new car in Britain with out it today.

But an optional extra of £300 equates to £4,500 now!

I guess that shows the power of scale to keep costs down.

The 420G has disc brakes all round to slow down, and a beautiful leather interior.

The car is currently being stripped down so the body and panels can be sent away for acid dipping.  Then we can assess the metalwork repairs needed.

At the same time, the XK engine will be removed and stripped to be assessed, machined as required and rebuilt.  Luckily all the parts are widely available due the engine being a Jaguar mainstay from 1948-92.  That 44 year lifespan shows an amazing initial design.

Finally, a few 420G bullet quick facts:

The rear passengers got their own personal picnic table
It had independent rear suspension for comfort
The chrome grill weighs so much the bonnet is heavy to lift
The car is 5 metres long
The boot is massive – big enough for a family’s holiday luggage
Power steering was standard, making it easy to manoeuvre
It was built to take on Rolls Royce and Bentley – at half the price

The Jaguar 420G wasn’t built to be a sports saloon. It was built to be the finest car Jaguar had ever made. More than half a century later, it still has the presence to stop people in their tracks.

Have a look here.  You see the before at the moment – we will keep you updated with progress.

Thanks,
Neil @ Carrosserie
Tel: 01833 630 011

PS. Please contact us to chat about your classic car.