1983 Jaguar XJ6 Restomod

Description

With just 5,000 miles on a full restoration, including paint and interior, this striking 1983 Jaguar XJ6 Restomod neatly cures all of the Jag's shortcomings without impeding on any of that wonderful British style, most notably with a Chevy 383 stroker engine borrowed from a Corvette. It's faster, more efficient, easier to service, and most importantly, more reliable. Add in a smooth-shifting 700R4 transmission, choice options, and that unmistakable British bodywork and you have an all-season, reliable Jag that simply works like you'd expect.

The long, sinuous lines of the XJ6 have aged gracefully and they're still cars that look like they should cost thousands more than they do. The shape should look familiar to anyone who has been paying attention to cars for the past 40 years or so, and quite honestly, it still works. Modern Jaguars are, well, modern, but this car has elegance, sophistication, and a bespoke confidence that the new designs just can't match. The glossy champagne paint emphasizes the sedan's formality, and as you'd expect, it's deep and lustrous and it has obviously been well-maintained and remained out of the elements since being repainted only 8 years ago. One of the appealing things about British cars in particular is their use of chrome; it's not big and heavy like the Americans seem to prefer, but rather tasteful accents that feel substantial. Touch the door handles and they somehow feel heavy, the upright grille infers quiet confidence, and the bright trim around the windows has an old-fashioned elegance that's missing today. It's not perfect, but very nice none the less, turning heads everywhere it goes with an air of graceful confidence typically reserved for British royalty.

Interiors are a specialty of the British, and Jaguars in particular have an immaculate blend of luxury and sport that's been their appeal from the very beginning. The handsome beige leather bucket seats remain in excellent condition with only 5,000 miles of seat time on them, with only minor signs of use even on the driver's seat. Plush carpets are eminently tasteful and give the interior a hushed feeling that's hard to articulate but you'll notice it the moment you climb in. All the wood that you see is real wood, not some plastic facsimile, and again, a few tasteful bits of chrome make all the difference. Of course, you also get many of the accessories available in 1983, including power windows and locks, tilt wheel, automatic climate control, and a fantastic-sounding Alpine AM/FM/CD that was neatly installed into the dash. Overhead there's a sunroof, and the rear seat and door panels are in great shape as well, with very little wear to speak of. And as a grand tourer, this Jag includes a spacious trunk that's outfitted to stock and includes a full-size spare tire and matching rim.

The XJ6's original 4.2L Inline 6 was a decent performer, but service was outrageously expensive and good luck finding a reliable guy to fix it for you for anything under a mortgage payment. So instead, someone expertly and seamlessly installed a Corvette 350 V8, which was rebuilt to a 383 stroker approximately 5k miles ago. Reported to be a complete Lunati roller with a Scat steel crank and Sportsman heads, it produces a lot more horsepower than the original block, so performance is awesome. It's a neat fit under the car's long bonnet and features several common performance goodies like an MSD ignition, so you can find parts just about anywhere. In fact, the whole installation looks quite OEM in execution (thanks in large part to the great dual-snorkeled air cleaner), which is the highest praise we can pay an engine swap like this. The aforementioned 700R4 automatic transmission powers the Jag's original independent rear end, which also means the supple yet athletic suspension remains intact. A custom dual exhaust system sounds a lot different than the original, (and it sounds killer) but otherwise there's no way to spot the conversion without opening the hood, a very neat trick. Vintage chrome Azev wheels are in excellent shape and wrapped in 215/55/16 Michelin radials.

A clever upgrade that makes this car eminently usable, even as a daily driver. If you're tired of the same-old, same-old, this awesome Jag is a sure-fire cure. Call today!