1959 Jaguar MKI 3.4 est. £55k-£65k
A Jaguar MKI for Mk2 money? Well, when it’s in this condition, that kind of price could well be justified, believes Richard Gunn
This MKI is being offered at Silverstone Auctions’ Silverstone Classic sale on July 27-28, hence the price estimate. It’s from a private collection and comes after a rotisserie restoration that took 20 years, following a Seventies racing career. At the time of our test, the rebuilt engine had covered less than 200 miles, so was still being run in. Because of that we treated it with extra respect.
It may be clichéd to say a car is better than new, but here it’s justified. We doubt that 1959 Browns Lane could have turned out a MKI to this standard. The paint is a deep, lustrous green that is immaculate aside from a couple of small marks ahead of the offside wing mirror caused by a recent securing strap incident. There’s no rust anywhere and the underneath has been comprehensively undersealed. Panel fit is tight and even throughout. Up close, some of the brightwork such as the door handles and headlamp rims display minor pitting in places, but otherwise, the chrome is superb.
Tyres are Vredestein 185 HR 15 91H Sprint Classics, dated 2013. They’ve all
got substantial tread left and show no deterioration. Instead of the popular chrome or silver paint on the wire wheels, they’ve been finished in body colour as a tribute to the Jaguars of Mike Hawthorn. It’s a nice touch.
Inside the cabin, there’s also little to fault. The carpets look new and there’s only the most superficial of creasing on the otherwise unmolested upholstery. Aside from one small nick just above the dashboard overdrive switch, the wood is spotless and of a uniform finish. On the indicator stalk, the black paint has worn and is a bit flakey in places. There are no seatbelts installed – the car doesn’t legally require them, but a safety-conscious new owner might consider suitable period items a wise idea. The clock isn’t working but all other gauges are. It’s a similar story in the boot, where the original toolkit is complete and there’s also a hub mallet. The engine bay is very smart and clean, with only the grey plastic Yuasa battery detracting from the standard looks. There are no signs of leaks.
The drive is as you’d expect of something so freshly prepared. The engine idle is steady when warm, and shows 40psi oil pressure, rising to 60psi when cruising. Only the squeaking of the pedals and a slight rattly from behind the dash at idle detracts from the cabin calm.
Acceleration is smooth and enthusiastic, without hesitation or missing, and is matched by all-round disc brakes that work promptly and effectively, without any diving to one side. The Moss gearbox naturally won’t be hurried and the closelyspaced gate means it can be a little too easy to select reverse when going for first, but after some practice, it soon becomes second nature.
We are told that there is a comprehensive history file which is with Silverstone Auctions ready for its sale in July.