BF Auction: No Reserve 1966 Jaguar 3.8S
- Seller: James H
- Location: Statesville, North Carolina
- Mileage: 80,384 Shown
- Chassis #: P1B79262BW
- Title Status: Missing
- Engine: 3.8-liter Inline-6
- Transmission: Automatic
Jaguar is best known for its sports cars, which blend performance with luxury. Models like the XK120 and E-Type command significant prices these days. They are impressive machines to drive, but not everyone wants a two-seat sports car or to spend a small fortune buying an E-Type. So, why not buy this 1966 Jaguar 3.8S instead? The same 3.8-liter inline-six powers it but has seating for four and is being offered as a no-reserve auction!
This is a big project and will need interior and mechanical work, at the very least. The seller purchased it as a project about a year ago with plans to restore it, but they’ve realized it’s more than they can take on. Thankfully, the body is solid and straight, with what appears to be its original paint. The engine is out of the car and needs a rebuild, but we will get to that momentarily. The seller believes all the significant components, including the glass and original chrome work, are present.
The S-Type featured the same level of luxury as the E-Type, if not more. The seats are covered in leather, and the dash features natural wood. Unfortunately, this car’s leather is dried out, and much of the wood will need to be restored. An upholstery shop with experience reviving old leather might be able to save some of the original upholstery and replace what can’t be, but kits are available to replace it. A few companies specialize in refinishing wood dashes and do beautiful work, but if you are handy at woodworking, you might be able to refinish the dash yourself and save some money.
The XK inline-six is a fantastic engine. It is wonderfully smooth and produces healthy amounts of power. The S-Type received a slightly detuned version of the engine, so it didn’t make as much power as the version used in the E-Type, but it was still good for 220 horsepower and 240-foot pounds of torque. The engine is currently out of the car and will need a complete rebuild, as it is presently seized up. The seller believes the pistons are stuck to the cylinder walls. They found no signs of cracking in the block, so a rebuild should be possible, but note that the cylinders are 0.020″ oversized. As long as the block is sound, it can be bored up to 0.040″ over or re-sleeved, and new piston sets are available in various sizes and either 8:1 or 9:1 compression ratio. All the removed engine parts come with it, including the cylinder head.
This car’s engine was paired with the automatic transmission, which might not be the most fun option, but not everyone wants or needs a manual transmission. The seller states that the shifter moves from Park into neutral as it should, but since it’s out of the car, they can’t confirm whether it works or will need a rebuild as well. Transmission rebuild kits are available if needed, but hopefully, all it will need is to be resealed. When new, journalists praised the S-Type for its blend of comfort, performance, and superb handling. Much of its handling prowess comes from using the same independent rear-end design as the E-Type. This car rolls easily, but the lack of brake fluid means the seller hasn’t been able to test the brakes.
While it isn’t an E-Type, the 3.8S offers a surprisingly similar experience, especially considering it can comfortably accommodate four adults. Few classic cars can function as your family hauler, grand tourer, and canyon carver like the 3.8S can. Getting this one ready for all those tasks will take work, but you’ll have a capable classic in the end. We would love to see this one back on the road wearing its original paint, but would you leave the outside as is or treat it to a fresh coat of paint?
Bid On This Auction
JLeonard bid $1,400.00 2024-10-29 08:25:51
Gavin75 bid $1,300.00 2024-10-29 04:08:00- JLeonard bid $1,000.00 2024-10-28 23:05:48
- Gavin75 bid $900.00 2024-10-28 22:53:42
- JLeonard bid $800.00 2024-10-27 12:31:12
mikek307 bid $650.00 2024-10-27 10:34:42- JLeonard bid $500.00 2024-10-24 12:12:35
Jimmy Wright bid $400.00 2024-10-23 12:22:00- JLeonard bid $200.00 2024-10-23 09:26:22
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Comments
“Cylinders stuck to the cylinder walls”? I think you mean the PISTONS are stuck to the cylinder walls. And that pretty well negates the no cracks in the block comment as you always check for cracks after complete disassembly of the engine down to a bare block. You then hot tank the block and related parts and THEN check for cracks.
He says “the seller believes the pistons are stuck to the cylinder walls”.
The text has been edited since my post.
Looks like solid bones for a refurbishment. Lots of wood and leather in those things which can kill a bank account if you rely on a specialist. Same with engine- head has been stripped, so just pray they didn’t lose any of the cam
bearing caps. Once again very expensive if you have to send it out to a specialist. An experienced DIY guy could make a good driver out of it, but not for the straw hat, blue blazer, white glove crowd.
Bearing caps are all there and numbered!
I have a 63 Mark 2 sedan, similar to this and have done a lot of work on mine myself. I love the style and comfort of Jags. These Jaguars are very do-able for the experienced do-it-yourself guy. However, there is certainly plenty here to take on. It will not be back on the road any time soon!
I have an S-Type project in much better shape, this one might be better served to be used for parts to help others restore their projects. Rust repairs on the underside are crude, engine condition and needing interior and paint make this not feasible unless you can do all your own work. These are beautiful cars, but definitely expensive to restore.
Knew a guy who owned one back in the eighties, beautiful ride and it smelled of leather, wood and a hint of grease. Sweet car.
couple of questions – is NC a title state for something this old? If not, is there a registration slip or some other form of proof of ownership to pass on? If it is, is there a reason for the lack of title? Gotta have something to bring it into CO
I bought it from California on a bill of sale from CA, no title when I got it. I imagine a bill of sale could be written for this sale as well, but I don’t know if that’s enough for CO to be satisfied to make a new title for the car.
I bought it from California on a bill of sale from CA, no title when I got it. I imagine a bill of sale could be written for this sale as well, but I don’t know if that’s enough for CO to be satisfied to make a new title for the car.
I wonder if the seller bought it from the Beverly Hills Car Club? I think that I would have hidden that license plate frame, people might think that something is fishy. A buyer might want to run the plate number with the Ca,. DMV and see if it matches the VIN. then run the VIN checking for liens an previous owners.