Branksome Chine
Gadgets Galore!
As a child and being not the most interested in cars, there was one vehicle that always stood out for me, and the same for most kids who grew up in the eighties, it was of course the Jaguar, and not just any Jag, but the XJ40 model (as above, in many forms such as XJ6/XJ8/XJ12 etc). It was a car which wwe all strived to own, and thought they were only for the middle to upper classes.
This believe it or not was the least liked Jag ever produced, and for those who like their trivia, here is a little about them;
WRITTEN BY MY FRIEND JOHN!
In the early 70s Jaguar started development on a replacement for the Series 3 XJ6.
It would be 17yrs of development that lead to the launch of the XJ40 in 1987
In 1987 the XJ40 was launched, available in two engine sizes a 2.9 and 3.6,(many people critise the 2.9 but I hold a fondness for it, even though it ate timing chain tensioners every 50k miles my 2.9 F988END was my first Jaguar, it never failed and it took us touring all over the UK and Brittany during the summer months).
Later in 1989 under Ford ownership and to the end of its run the engine sizes where changed , the 2.9 replaced with the 3.2 and the 3.6 replaced with the 4.0 (not forgetting the XJ81 produced from 93 with its fantastic 6.0 litre V12)
In 1993 the XJ40 was changed again but the changes where underneath, seems these cars are a hybrid XJ40/X300.
The XJ40 now seems to be the unloved Jaguar, even appearing in the book “Worlds Worst Cars”
And examples are virtually given away on auction sites such as eBay, but some auction houses are seeing a rise in XJ40 prices, good cars are getting scarce (when is the last time you saw one??)
INTERESTING ISNT IT?!?!?!?!
Anyway I sold the BMW last week, and decided that it was about time that itreated myself to the car that I have always wanted. I woul dlike to say a big "Thank-you" to Chris in Barnstaple (Who has his own mini fleet of Jags), for selling me one of his two Daimler 4.0l Straight 6 Sovereigns!
I have now had her for three days, and am falling in love with driving all over again! Not the most economical car I have ever had, but not the worst (That will get you thinking!). I have spent about 4 hbours cleanign her today, inc vacuuming, wash, chamois, polish and interior polish (Lots more to do next weekend) ;-).
Cant wait to take her on a long run, and test all her capabilites. I think the thing that has intrigued me most, is the cruise control and small computer that gives every sort of statistic available!
Gadgets Galore!
As a child and being not the most interested in cars, there was one vehicle that always stood out for me, and the same for most kids who grew up in the eighties, it was of course the Jaguar, and not just any Jag, but the XJ40 model (as above, in many forms such as XJ6/XJ8/XJ12 etc). It was a car which wwe all strived to own, and thought they were only for the middle to upper classes.
This believe it or not was the least liked Jag ever produced, and for those who like their trivia, here is a little about them;
WRITTEN BY MY FRIEND JOHN!
In the early 70s Jaguar started development on a replacement for the Series 3 XJ6.
It would be 17yrs of development that lead to the launch of the XJ40 in 1987
In 1987 the XJ40 was launched, available in two engine sizes a 2.9 and 3.6,(many people critise the 2.9 but I hold a fondness for it, even though it ate timing chain tensioners every 50k miles my 2.9 F988END was my first Jaguar, it never failed and it took us touring all over the UK and Brittany during the summer months).
Later in 1989 under Ford ownership and to the end of its run the engine sizes where changed , the 2.9 replaced with the 3.2 and the 3.6 replaced with the 4.0 (not forgetting the XJ81 produced from 93 with its fantastic 6.0 litre V12)
In 1993 the XJ40 was changed again but the changes where underneath, seems these cars are a hybrid XJ40/X300.
The XJ40 now seems to be the unloved Jaguar, even appearing in the book “Worlds Worst Cars”
And examples are virtually given away on auction sites such as eBay, but some auction houses are seeing a rise in XJ40 prices, good cars are getting scarce (when is the last time you saw one??)
INTERESTING ISNT IT?!?!?!?!
Anyway I sold the BMW last week, and decided that it was about time that itreated myself to the car that I have always wanted. I woul dlike to say a big "Thank-you" to Chris in Barnstaple (Who has his own mini fleet of Jags), for selling me one of his two Daimler 4.0l Straight 6 Sovereigns!
I have now had her for three days, and am falling in love with driving all over again! Not the most economical car I have ever had, but not the worst (That will get you thinking!). I have spent about 4 hbours cleanign her today, inc vacuuming, wash, chamois, polish and interior polish (Lots more to do next weekend) ;-).
Cant wait to take her on a long run, and test all her capabilites. I think the thing that has intrigued me most, is the cruise control and small computer that gives every sort of statistic available!