Southern Tablelands Heritage Automotive Restorers Club Inc.

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10^th Anniversary Dinner July 2011	Car of the Month

Ray Malam’s 1973 Series 1 Jaguar XJ6

Article and photos by Steve Cole; thanks to Ray for the background.

In the early 1970s they were a sign in Australia that the owner had “made it”. While the reasonably well off might have bought a Statesman or Fairlane, these people weren’t in the same league as the owner of a Jaguar. Here was an exclusive car with good performance and a European pedigree that all Australians could aspire to owning. In contrast, the more exotic and expensive Rolls Royce were exclusively owned by “old money” and they bore little interest to a young boy growing up in Adelaide. Ferraris, I’d never even seen one.

But while we kids harbored an unfulfilled desire for a Jag, the cars often seemed to attract the wealthy individuals that were a little bit dodgy. You know the ones, a bit overdressed, always looking for the next big deal. I have always thought the car was perfectly cast as the preferred ride of Arthur Daley in the wonderful TV series “Minder”. I ought to know, my Uncle had a Series 1 XJ6 from new and he fitted the mould perfectly….

The Jaguar Series 1 was introduced in 1968 and marketed with several different fitment standards, with XJ6 (6 cylinder engines of 3.4, 3.8 and later 4.2 litres capacity) and later the XJ12 (Jaguar’s own 5.3 litre V12 engine). The vehicle was also sold at a price premium with different trim and details as the Daimler Sovereign, and in V12 form the Daimler Double-Six. The XJ6 engine was the Jaguar XK which is a well regarded powerplant, offering excellent performance and reliability for the era.

When introduced, the vehicle was equipped with power steering, four wheel disc brakes, Jaguar’s renowned independent rear suspension, and air-conditioning. The Jaguar trademark leather interior and woodgrain dash and trim were the features of an exotically fitted out cabin, especially compared to Australian built vehicles of the era.

One unusual feature is the twin fuel tanks, marked by the twin fuel fillers prominently placed on top of the rear quarters.

Ray’s car is one from a long production run of 82,126 Series 1units stretching over five years from September 1968 to 1973*. When combined with the Daimler models the total production run of the vehicle amounted to 98,527 units. Jaguars were also built under liscence in South Africa and New Zealand.

The XJ6 went on to further series 2 and 3, and the vehicle design was not ultimately retired until 1992 when it was replaced by the XJ40. The three series of XJ6/12 and Daimler vehicles saw a total production run over 24 years of 318,000 cars.

As a result, even today some forty years after production was in full swing the vehicles are relatively easy to find on the second hand market. Ray’s good advice is to find the best vehicle you can, as vehicles in excellent order don’t attract much of a price premium over those in average condition. You should be able to find a really good original condition XJ6 for under $10,000 today, making them an affordable way to get into prestige classic car motoring.

Ray’s car is a beaut example of the XJ6 Series 1. It was built at the Jaguar plant in Coventry, England, imported as a new vehicle and sold from the P+R Williams dealership in Surrey Hills to the lucky owner in Coogee, Sydney on 11 June 1971. The car is finished in “Old English White” with a contrasting dark blue leather interior. It runs a 4.2 litre six cylinder engine with a Borg-Warner type 12 three speed automatic gearbox. It is in very good original condition.

Ray has all the original purchase documents and many other maintenance records for the car. Ray’s car has a long Canberra history having been purchased when near new from the original owner and relocated here to Forrest. Most of the servicing was completed at Ed Bien’s Jaguar, a well regarded local business. Ray bought the car from the third owner who only had it briefly, in June 2007. The gleaming white XJ6 now takes pride of place in Ray’s shed along with his other Jaguar and Alfa vehicles.

For a young boy growing up in the 1970s Jaguars were every special cars, and I can safely say they have lost none of their appeal.

Nice one Ray!

*Statistics from Wikipedia article on the Jaguar XJ production.

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