I just bought one in my hometown. the title says a 1988 cxv. it appaers to have a shorter wheelbase than an XJS. it has stainless steel on lower half of doors and has the Jagaur hood ornament instead of the badge. it also has abarone
interior and t-tops but it does not have the removable top like the cabriolet. this is my first car. my uncle has a 1964 E-Type. so he got me into jags. i have searched the internet for at least six hours and can not find anything on it. i cant help but wonder what it is. please help.

 

yes it is a two door. Title clearly states under model description CXV? vin begins SAJ for jag and then fourth digit is B for bertone, howeverthis does not show upon any of my searches for this fourth digit decode eitherfor North Americaor Europe. I will post some pictures this weekend I am transporting the car today. thanks for the continued help.

 

I have had the jag flatbeded home today, car is a sedan front as well as rear deck. Two door targa top with heavy glass and aluminum tops. Tan vinyl on what looks to be a sedan rear window treatment. Doors seem to be extra long with custom ground glass on the top to mate up with the weather strip on the targa. As stated before stainless steel covering mid way down to the bottom on fenders also on doors, sills, and rockers. Rear trunk has same treatment. Wheel base from center to center hub is 89" exactly. It does not apear to be a Heiss and Eisenhart since it is a targa, but does have this short wheel base. Does any one know the history of this conversion? Could it be a design trial done by management in 1988 before Fords takeover? The B after the SAJ throws me. Are there more of these out there. I will post pics as soon as I can.

 

here are some pics.

[IMG]local://upfiles/1777/4E08D76549CE4B7299C3B01BA386D92A.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/1777/DD8DB402FA384DECB536BB116AB29629.jpg[/IMG]

 

some more pics

 

Thank you Jose for your advise, I agree my car had to start life as a 1988 sedan v12 and then Professionallyconverted to a two seater targa. I know my pics are not the best I will reshoot with a better camera, you mentioned the chrome door sills are two pieces, They are made of stainless on my car not chrome plated. The title to the car states Jaguar CXV vin number on A pillar of drivers window starts as SAJB no one seems to be helping on why there is a B fourth digit on the cars physical A pillar vin plate and on title! As to this being a mistake by the title people, I can not go along with that it is a crime in our country to alter or change a title let alone a VIN number plate; no one seems to be able to explain the car bearing ever present fourth digit B. The fit and finish of this conversion is of factory orignal quality. WHO did it is what I am after. It seems none of the posters have seen one like this! I ask you all to consider How did it receive a US title as a Jaguar CXV and why does it carry a B as a fourth digit rather than a standard letter model? In American muscle cars the vin code found on the title as well as the physical car is the bible that determines its rarity and value. If this is not a sancitioned conversion done for Jaguar how does anyone explain the vin numbers?In looking over Jags history since I posted on Friday it seems 1988 was a somewhat despearate year for them, with design issues and thoughts on convertible treatments for their line. I will post pics of A pillar vin when I locate a better camera. In respect to the weld line from the undercarriage I will try and shoot that as well so you can see what I can first hand as to the factory quality of the sectioning. Also are there any Heiss and Eisenhart convertible owners that have a "curiosity Jag " to offer input as to US title vin imformation.

 

Sorry I have not heard of you! Should I have? Other than the ego problems, you seem to be ignoring the serial # / vin # which no one is explaining. Only Jaguar North America could have provided. Not an “idiot who put it together”, please recall that this car has a serial # that no one is explaining and a model ON THE TITLE of CXV……….. No idiot or fabricator other than Jaguar North America could have supplied this nomenclature for use on the title. I keep hearing the same refrain, but as any good scientist would know you have to look at ALL the facts before jumping to a conclusion. In this case the facts hinge around the TITLE and physical VIN PLATE. The books might say this model does not exist, yet hear it is in physical reality along with a title that shows it to be a CXV with a SAJBN for the Identification number beginning. So if you would be so kind as to explain the B as a fourth digit and its meaning as well as the unknown CXV model description? AND PLEASE remember that in America these two facts make car what it is, the vin as well as the model had to have been on the title from the beginning of its life. There simply is no way to Fake or fabricate this. No one could have at a later date had these appear on the title. In our country ONLY Jaguar could have given this description at the time of first sale. So if any one has any new knowledge to add I would appreciate you input. If on the other hand you choose to be a bad scientist and not open your mind to the hard cold facts of the physical evidence at hand, I can do, without your unfounded observations as to your highly self regarded snap judgments that throw out annoying truths about this vehicle. I am hoping for some one with first hand personal knowledge of this car to reply. For the interest of any one reading these postings, this car is not something thrown together by an “idiot”, as stated before the fabrication of all of the undercarriage, sheet metal, doors and targa – top appear to be factory quality; as to its safety I have recently scrutinized a Hess & Eisenhardt convertible and it would appear that my sheet metal alterations are superior in factory appearance than the model I inspected. Due to the lowered overall body weight I would say that it is perhaps the highest horsepower per pound of bodyweight jaguar for 1988 manufactured. Yes I can hear the rattle and roar as I write this, “ it wasn’t manufactured, some idiot made it”; yet that idiot might have been someone within Jaguar North America, for how else can ANY of you explain the unique title and serial # anomalies ? ? Any viable, rational, non hyperbolic, non lame comments as to how it might have come to exist as titled and VIN # would be appreciated. Please remember that these same traits have shown up on all X car histories in North American Auto manufacturing, that I have researched. Thank you for any Helpful comments.