Two days ago I was roaming around a local pick-n-pull yard here in NE Ohio and I was horrified to discover that in the yard was a nice looking Series III XJ12. I always understood that these are very rare here in the US. When I got up to the check out counter of the yard I asked if it was possible to buy a whole car from the yard. They told me no so one day this car will get crushed which is very unfortunate.
I will try to get back there in a few days and take some photos if anyone here is interested in seeing the car.

 

Worth checking out. It's too far away for me to do anything with but there are some parts on that car that shouldn't go to the crusher:

ECU
Speedo and Tach
Rear end (has limited slip)
Anti-roll bar (bigger than XJ6 version)
If it's a grey market car from Europe it'll probably have the high compression engine
Possibly more. Depending on year it may have some interior bits that someone might be interested in

Cheers
DD

 

Is there a way to tell if the engine is a high compression version?
I thought all HE engines like this should be would be similar with respect to compression ratio

 

The engine number will tell us. It is at the rear of the "Vee".

Depending on market some HE V12s had 11.5 compression and others had 12.5

North American market cars got the lower compression version; most others the higher compression....but the engine number is the only way to really know. Circa 1989 the lower compression was supposedly standardized for all markets.

If it is a very early (1979-80-ish) Series III it'll have the "Pre-HE" V12 and things get more confusing. There was the standard pre-HE which was offered in two compression ratios (something like 7.6 and 9.0) and the famed hot rod version made for only a few months immediately prior to the release of the HE engine. It was built with either 9.0 and 10.0 compression.

Cheers
DD

 

When I am there again I will get the VIN of the car as well as try to see if the engine number is even visible with all of the equipment still on the top of the motor.
I will also try to take some photos.