It is no secret I am a huge fan of the X308. I love mine and I wouldn't have any other car that is on offer today. However I am also a lover of classic cars and I own a 71 Triumph Herald Convertible which is a lovely little car.

But Jaguars have always had my attention and before the X308 came out in 1998 (when I was 12) there was the Jaguar MK2 3.4 (In red with cream & red interior). This is the car I would talk about, draw pictures of, play with the toy of and pretend to be when I was a child. I saw one in the metal when I was about 8 and for the following 6 months spoke about little else. Even now I lust after a MK2 and I think I have found the perfect one. It is a MK2 but an X308 also. Confused? Well just watch the video I've attached and see what I mean!!

YouTube - BEACHAM JAGUAR MK2 HD ( New Music )

Sadly however I can not afford one of these (unless I win the lottery) and doubt I'd even be able to afford a normal MK2 either. But a man can dream...

 

I wish you buy your dream Jag
I have not seen any Mark II like this either . I kinda like it even though I like to keep the things original . Interior was made nicely but mirrors look so bulky and look weird

 

Stu, the MKII is a favourite of mine too - but it has to be powered by an XK engine.

Beacham's are effectively a reshelled XJR, I understand when they developed it, the 308 systems had to be installed completely for it to work, even the door modules, locks etc this would explain the wing mirrors. A real job and a half. I saw an early effort from them at Goodwood's festival of speed a few years ago, I didn't like it, but I'm a fan of keeping these cars original, or at least outwardly so.

A mint MK11 and a mint XJR would be the perfect pair, both Jaguars' produced at Brown's Lane, both sporting saloons, both exuding Jaguar's ethos of Grace, Space and Pace.

Here's a rather good one (in my humble opinion) of how they should be brought back.
It was imported from South Africa as a very good rust free example. 3.8 engine was heavily upgraded with sandcast HD8 carb's, al la C type - type 17 cams, uprated water and oil pumps with baffled sump. The gearbox is the later GM one that can be held in gear to redline, no manual overdrive, this car is faster than the m.o.d version.

The brakes are AP Racing, wheels by Dayton, limited slip diff, trim by Mike Turley (who looks after the JDHT cars) chrome by ACF Howell, again Adam looks after the JDHT cars, we use the best people, who originally worked at the Jaguar. Old english white, all red leather trim, no vinyl anywhere. Poly bushed, quick rack, the list goes on. I suspect Beacham couldn't do this restoration effectively as they're not based in the UK where the main guys are.

This car although it doesn't have the modern amenities the Beacham has, wouldn't be embarrassed, in fact it'd probably be as quick, and in keeping with what it is, a classic, not a frankenjag. As you can tell I'm not a fan of these conversions, too many compromises.

If you wanted a modified MKII and won the lottery, look at the JD Classics cars, but even Chris Evans baulked at the price of one of their specials, reported to be £250,000.

I'm negatiating the purchase of a MKI 3.4, I'd love to make a Mike Hawthorn replica....a lot of time/work......

 

ah good old Beacham one of the benefits of living in NZ is being able to check out these guys! they do more than just Jags too, in fact they'll modify pretty much anything, if you can afford it! last time i was in there they were in the process of fully rebuilding not one, but TWO DB5's, and at the other end of the workshop was a 60's Bentley getting a modern 6.75L twin turbo V8!

 

although personally I would always prefer to keep things original, the idea of doing that is pretty amazing. I looked on their youtube channel they also made an e-type with the 1997-2006 XKR engine and interior. Ultimately you would have the mk II R for your daily usage and an original mk II when you want to get back to the basics

too bad money doesn't grow on trees!

 

That's pretty cool. I've never heard of Beacham until now.

 

It will be though...an XKR engine!! :P Hee Hee!

I saw a MK1 in Widnes the other day when I was down there on a job. It is a nice looking little car, but it will always be the MK2 for a classic saloon for me. Believe it or not I actually had the chance to buy a MK2 ripe for restoration a few years back. The owner (also a scrap dealer) had done all the rust bits and it just needed restoring. I couldn't buy it for several reasons:

1) I had recently bought my Herald
2) I was working part time at Tesco so was basically poor.
3) I had no where to put it

I kicked myself about it and a couple of weeks later I went back to the scrappy for some bits for my Fiesta when I saw the MK2 again. Sadly it was bad news (see pictures below) He had decided he had too many other projects so it had to go. He scrapped it! It's roof was all crushed from having another car on top and the sides were all dented from being lifted there by the crane. I could have cried! If I'd have known he wanted so little for the car I would have bought it and I'd have the MK2 I always wanted!!!

Oh well...We live and learn