The Swallow Sidecar Company started building vehicles around the time dirt was young and air was entering adolescence. Several years later, the company introduced the SS Jaguar 2.5-litre sedan. Ten years on, in 1945, the company dropped the SS moniker due to a trademark infringement lawsuit involving Adolf Hitler’s estate.
That last data point may not be true.
Regardless, Jaguar has since created a bold history for itself, on the street and track with both sports cars and sedans, winning fans and accolades all across the globe. Their reach is vast, and alarmingly extends all the way to South Dakota. Welcome to today’s How Hard Can It Be?
This excellent example of why the British automotive industry folded like a house of sodden playing cards shining British ingenuity is listed as a 1962 which must make it one of the rare prototypes since XJ6 production didn’t begin until 1968. Moreover, it has the rare V12 motor, which wasn’t introduced in any Jaguar until late in 1971. Being such an oddball a rarity one has to wonder if the V12 is a Jaguar piece or is sourced from something else like an older BMW 750iL or a World War II Chrysler tank.
By the pictures the car looks straight with only minimal surface rust. Don’t be deceived; the rumour that Jags rust from the inside out is completely unfounded. Further, you can’t swing a dead cat (cat? Jaguar? get it?) on eBay without coming across those hubcaps. Yes, the hood is supposed to open that way. It probably won’t latch because of the tank engine.
The seller claims the car has potential which, on some level, is probably true. It has the potential to be a planter or possibly an artificial reef. Wait, there’s no water in South Dakota. Maybe it has the potential to be a demolition derby car, assuming it runs, or an accelerant for an arson job. Though unlikely, it could have the potential to be a nice car. That would require Abu Dhabi levels of cash a dedicated mind and a willingness to learn the intricacies of British car restoration.
The car currently resides in the city of Sioux Falls. For those not familiar with the location, it is located approximately five hundred kilometres from the nearest anything and the correct pronunciation is actually “Suck” Falls. How this forlorn kitty wound up here is anyone’s guess, but it probably involves images from “Breakdown” and Deliverance.”
[ Craigslist ]