About a year ago my non-computer-using friend asked me to sell his XJ12 with "Fred Flintstone" floor. I listed it on Ebay and it finally sold after about 3 tries. Now he wants to sell his other Jaguar, a '74 XJ6. He says it is an "Argentina" edition. That is question #1. What is an Argentina Edition? I don't see anything special about it, no special badging, labels/instruments, headlights, fog lights, taillights, etc. Maybe that is just what the guy he bought it from told him?

The car is very solid overall, much better than the XJ12. Minor rust at the inside corner of the drivers door and under the mufflers at the rear. Other than that, nothing big. It has been sitting a while, but I believe it will run. He says it ran well last he drove it. Has a bad fuel pump on 1 side and a dirty tank on the other. I am going to get it running with the good tank tomorrow. Past that it is all there, but worn. Has some tears in the seats, windshield is turning opaque from the outside about 2-3". Paint is a dirty brownish color. A/C compressor turns, there is good looking oil, coolant, and trans fluid. Brakes worked getting it off the trailer. Question #2 is this, to sell it would you spiff it up-wash it, wax it, pressure wash the engine, vacuum, treat the leather, etc. OR would you leave it clean but unmolested? To me, I would rather see the car raw instead of wondering what a seller might be trying to cover up-but I don't mind spending the time if it is the best way to sell it.

I am not a Jaguar mechanic, I work on mostly old American cars. I don't want to do anything to devalue this one. It is what I would call a great car to tinker on, or a great start to a full-on restoration. Question #3-Any idea on the value of such a car? I know it is hard to tell without photos, but just wondering the value of a running, all-there but worn '74 XJ6? Thanks!

 

Forgot to mention it is a 4 door.

 

maybe it was sold in Argentina originally, then shipped to USA? Otherwise I never heard of an "Argentina" model. Maybe "The Malvinas Edition", but not Argentina.

All XJ have 4-doors, whether 6 or 12 cilindros, whether Argentina or Venezuela.

value: around $1,200.00 Pesos or less. Deduct $200.00 Pesos for every problem you find.

 

OK, so it is only worth $1200? Seems like it would be hard to buy anything used that runs for that.

Do you think I am better off to clean it up real nice or leave it "raw" to sell it? I'm just having a hard time figuring out the best course of action. I will get it running tomorrow and then decide.

 

unfortunately, all Series 1, 2, and 3 XJ are selling for a song. It's a well known "secret". By all means, clean it up nice, the better it looks, the more interest it will attract.

 

I bought a 1975 XJ6L "Florida Jungle Edition" with everything intact and working but with body rot for $450.00. I bought my 1984 XJ6 "Texas Edition" no rot with Chevy 350 4 bolt main and a 700 R4 transmission for $400.00 on the internet. The only problem with this car was "JAGROLET" and the paint work had spider web cracks all over. Will offer $425.00 for the "ARGENTINA Edition" sight unseen for your "All there but worn" XJ6. No matter where you are in the USA

 

I got it running on Saturday. No fuel in the supposedly cleaned and good tank so I am using a separate container. It seems to run ok, it starts right up and idles. I didn't drive it, but the transmission goes into gear and reverse and the brakes work. Other than that it's a bit hit and miss on the electricals. Dome light and headlights work. Wipers, turn signals, and HVAC do not. The more I learn about these, the more it looks like a parts car. That is a shame, but it is what it is. I will probably list it on Ebay and see where it goes.

Not ready for $450, thanks. If I took it to the crusher at $15 per 100 lb at 3900# it is worth over $500. I will part it myself if I need to. Need to get at least $1000 out of it. Surely original straight unrusted body parts are worth something more than scrap value? When I sold the V12 car, I had a buyer on the rear suspension at $400 if I crushed it. Ended up selling it whole to a nice guy in Ohio. He got it running and is fixing it is what he told me after he got back home.

 

don't crush it, don't part it, sell it to someone who will preserve it. Why don't you post pictures? it might bring some offers.

 

I don't know much about Jaguars except by reputation and what I have learned here. I know a good bit about Corvettes, particularly 68-72. I know when to fix a car and I know when to cut one up. I have seen people cut up Corvettes that should have been saved-ruining the value forever. I bought pieces of a 72 big-block car. I watched a guy sawzall the front of the frame (steering and suspension) off to build a street rod-begging him not to do it. He turned a $1000 rust free never hit frame into $50 scrap metal-and then called a few weeks later and sold me the front cut off. That is the kind of mistake I am trying to avoid. The XJ series is a nice looking car in general and this particular one is decent at least. If it was a 68-72 Corvette, it would definitely be worth saving. But, from what I have learned on this forum and from the V12 one before, values on these XJs are abysmal. Prices seem to hover around scrap value regardless of rust or running for "average" cars. It seems that only the absolute best are worthy of saving. At least that is the impression I am getting. I have no sentimental attachment to this car. As bad as this will sound, I am only in this deal to maximize my profit-and his. But I do have a soft spot for old cars in general, and it is a shame to me to cut up a whole, unmolested, mostly-rust-free, straight car that runs and drives. I will post it on Ebay in a few days. If it will quit raining, I can get some photos at lunch. Should have taken them on Saturday when I had the chance. I really hope this reply does not come off wrong. I want to save the car, I want someone to love it and fix it-like the XJ12 before- but from what I see and read, economics may not allow that to happen. Does anyone really restore these? From the advice I read here, you are always way ahead to buy the best one you can rather than do any major restoration. That is a major reason why I joined this forum, to learn if this car (and the XJ12 before it) is worth saving.

 

Here is a link to some photos.

Jaguar XJ6 pictures by markdtn - Photobucket

Please let me know what you think. I would appreciate any feedback.

 

Looking at your pics, it is clear that whilst it appears in reasonable, unrebuilt/refurbished condition for a '74, it is only worth what people will pay for it, and that price, certainly in the UK, will be very low, especially a Series 2 car, (which is what yours is). So a price of $450 seems reasonable. Getting $1000 for it would be very difficult as getting it to a good useable condition will involve spending several hundred dollars even a few thousand. Trim and so on looks in serious need of attention and then there will be all the mechanical owkr needed, as yet undetermined until inspected in detail.

Sorry not to be more positive, but that's the way it is with these cars right now. As you say, if you have the time, breaking it for parts will probably get you more money, but it will be a fairly long wait. What market is there for XJ6 Series 2 parts in the US, I don't know, maybe others do.

 

Mark, if you insist on parting out the car, a word of caution. Soak every bolt and nut with WD40 or its equivalent for a few days before you start. Broken bolts on parts you want to sell will reduce its value. More work for the buyer. Also used parts taken off the vehicle cannot be tested so a buyer may be wary of such parts. If you decide to sell the car as is, you may be better off since it will be less work on your part. My reason for offering you what I did is that I have to take into consideration the transport cost from Tennessee to Florida. Let me know what you decide and I will fly up there to look at car. As it is, my offer plus transport far exceeds the worth of the car but I am still willing to take it of your hands for what I consider a fair price. I don't know why I am interested in the car but my wife said i suffer from " junk car sickness "
lol

 

yes it is a Series 2 XJ with US-market bumpers with the 5-mph Federally Mandated rubber protectors. Most Series 2 owners have removed those rubber protectors by now and installed the earlier chromed bumper blades. Seems to be in fair shape but pictures don't show the complete picture, been there done that. As shown in the under-rear-bumper valance panel, there must be rusty areas underneath, and it is missing the muffler tips.

unfortunately the interior looks really worn and that is one expensive area to bring to 'driver' condition. How's the headliner? is it collapsed? sunvisors cracked? a/c working or not? it will need lots of work, time, and money to rescucitate.

if you don't find a buyer, I have a couple of friends in Nashville and Franklin Tennessee who might be interested. (assuming the car did not originate in Nashville and ended in Chattanooga).

 

The muffler was cut off to pull and clean the fuel tank on that side. He says it was cleaned by a radiator shop a few years back. Just opening the filler, I can't tell the full story, but there is some scale present. I would be leery of fueling it without more cleaning. I have the muffler and the tip. I'll have to look, but I believe the headliner is in good shape. The sunvisors, same. The fan did not come on so I don't know about a/c. The compressor is not locked up, so there is hope. I will try to put it on stands and take better photos underneath. There is nothing serious that I saw. The seats will need total re-covering. There is no damage to internals, but none of them are good now.

I will talk to him tonight about what to do. I just can't see $450. He is selling it because he needs money. He had grand plans of restoring it. From what I can tell, it weighs around #3900 lbs. Scrap values at the crusher have been around $15/100 so if I just take it in and do nothing I can get $585. If I pull the radiator, heater core, condensor, and evaporator I can probably get another $100 in scrap without much work. If I pulled the rear suspension first, I will reduce the weight some-say 350 lbs. That puts me at $532 +$100 + $400 for the rear (also a Chevy TH400 transmission core is at least $75). I just can't see selling for less than $1000. I know there is value of a whole car and that it is often less than sum of parts, and I know that people sell for less than raw scrap value, but I can't. Not when I can double the profit with a half days work. If it didn't run or was rusty like the XJ12, I could see going a different way, but this car is pretty straight and it is all there. If I put a boat throw fuel tank in the trunk, I think I could go wherever I wanted in it right now.

It has been in Chattanooga since the late 90s and North Georgia before that.

 

if the muffler had to be cut off, it means that it was welded. Jaguar exhaust parts are never welded, they are clamped with Band Clamps, (never 'U' clamps to avoid distorting pipes), exhaust adhesive ('Firegum'), is used at all joins, so the parts are removable for servicing when needed; it sounds like the exhaust system is butchered by welding, another expensive repair. I agree you will get more money crushing it, any buyer will have to spend ten times what they pay to get it in decent shape, to restore the interior upholstery alone is like $2,000. just for materials, and the carpeting another $600.00

 

Every car is worth saving in some form or fashion even if the economics don't work for the present owner. Even parting a car can be saving others, but salvage yards are not concerned with saving classic cars. If the owner isn't able or interested in restoring it, or doesn't want to mess with parting it out, then at the very least seek out someone who makes a hobby of Jaguars to take it off your hands. That way even if its parted out, it will be done carefully and the parts will go back on another Jaguar and not in some rat-rod. Your story about the Corvette frame just makes me cry. I'm an NCRS member. I happen to need a 72 Corvette frame for a 72 Corvette and thanks to people like the hot-rodder, its no longer a $1,000 frame, its $1,250 cheapest I've seen locally.

 

just as I calculated originally, deduct $200.00 from the selling price for every problem area the car has:

$1,200. less $200. for shot interior = $1,000.
$1,000. less $200. for shot exhaust = $800.
$800. less $200. for shot steering wheel = $600.
$600. less $200. for rust= $400.

if you can get $500.00 take the money and run!

 

I appreciate all the advice. Assuming my friend agrees, I am going to put it on Ebay this weekend and start at $1000. If it does not sell in 2 tries I will cut it up. I love saving classics as much as the next guy, but there is no reason to take $400 for this car even though my wife wants her driveway back within a month. Anybody have any particular parts they are interested in if I part it out?

Again, from what I can tell, it weighs around #3900 lbs. Scrap values at the crusher have been around $15/100 so if I just take it in and do nothing I can get $585(so why would I take less than that in any case?). If I pull the radiator, heater core, condensor, and evaporator I can probably get another $100 in brass/copper scrap without much work or affecting the weight. If I pulled the rear suspension first, I will reduce the weight some-say 350 lbs. That puts me at $532 +$100 + $400 for the rear (also a Chevy TH400 transmission core is at least $75 and I'll bet a nice hood will sell at some point, fuel pumps, exhaust tips, and dash cluster too). I just can't see selling it for much less than $1000. I know there is value of a whole car and that it is often less than sum of parts, and I know that people sell for less than raw scrap value, but I can't. Not when I can double the profit with a half days work. If it didn't run and was rusty like the XJ12, I could see going a different way, but this car is pretty straight and it is all there. If I had time and space, I don't see why I couldn't eventually get at least $2000 parting it out, but current arrangements will not allow that, and besides he needs some money soon.

 

I listed it on Ebay this morning if anyone is interested. Thanks!

 

To make a long story short, I held the car until the end of February for a local scammer with a sob story. Now I still have it and my wife is ready for it to go! I have listed it locally on Cragslist. I am going to give this another week and then I am cutting it up. That would be a shame, but I am out of options. One way or another, it will not be at my house in the month of April. If anyone is interested, I will let it go for $900, but that is my absolute bottom dollar. If you need more info, please let me know-but quickly.