What happens when you drive a Series III to a college football game...
 

One thing as we all know about the Series III cars is, if you're not a Jag expert, they might as well be Series I cars to the general public. They look "old." Even when it's a 1987 like mine.

So I got the chance to drive mine today about 300 miles round-trip to the Alabama-Arkansas football game in Tuscaloosa, Ala. My wife skipped out on this game so I decided to drive the old girl. I arrived there about two hours early and went looking for a parking space in a residential neighborhood near campus.

First house I see close to the stadium that had a "PARK HERE" sign, I turn in. There's a woman there, mid-50s, smoking a cigarette and talking on a cell phone. She had her back to me. It took her a minute to figure out I was there and when she finally turned around, nearly lost the cigarette.

Her: "Uh, can I help you?"
Me: "I'm looking for a place to park."
Her: "Park that?"
Me: "Yes."
Her: (pauses about 20 seconds): "HEY MIKE! YOU NEED TO COME DEAL WITH SOMETHING!"

So Mike walks over, drunk. Looks at the car, and says the same thing she did.

Mike: "You want to park that here?"
Me: "Yes. Is there something I should know about this house and parking older cars?"
Mike: "Nah, it's just ... we don't get many ...is that an old Mercedes?"
Me: "Jaguar."
Mike: "((belch)) Oh, oh yeah, I see the cat now. Right back here, I'm gonna walk my drunk a** back here myself to make sure you get a good spot."

I follow Mike, and he moves a traffic cone and kicks a mop bucket out of a parking space so I can fit in it.

I go to the game, come back out afterwards (it's very late and dark now) and find my car. It's fine, just like I left it. I go to open it up and hear, "Hey, nice ... (drunk hiccup) ... I like your antique car!" This is some girl half my age and dressed on the borderline of appropriateness. She is much drunker than Mike ever was earlier in the day.

Me: "Thanks."
Her: "Did you park that here?"
Me: (contemplates the structure of her last sentence): "Yes, I parked it myself."
Her: "No, I mean did you park that here."
Me: (now contemplating seppuku): "As far as I know. I don't think it moved from anywhere else by itself."
Her: (long pause, a giggle, sound of a beer can falling): "Well I like your antique car!"

So we've established the XJ6 is popular with the alcoholic college town set.

Jess

Whew, what a tale. College football is a lot different from my days of going to Texas Western College of the University of Texas, (TWC), now
University of Texas el Paso, (UTEP).


My first game was as a freshman, 1948! Three or four of us decided to go. By car, big time college kids!!! Choice of two T's. My roadster, open with room for two. Or Ray's 24 tudor with comfortable seating for all of us. We chose it. Trouble was it didn't run all that well. Only on 3 of its four and one of those a bit weak. Not too bad on flat ground. But, getting there meant going up N. Mesa Ave. Steep!!!


We got it to the parking lot. One steering and the pedal in low, the other three pushing mightily....


No drunks at the stadium. Alcohol not allowed. But, after and at the plentiful nearby taverns, and across the river to Juarez, more than plentiful....


Leaving the game was just fine, all down hill!!!!


Carl

Reminds me of Dudley Moore's Jaguar add from the movie Crazy People, which I won't quote.

I came across this S3 at the local shop a few weeks ago, the owner asked me if mine was older than his. It is the only car he has owned in the last 25 years, it just doesn't mater to some people. They are just happy with what they drive.

Strange thing is he lives two streets away and I've only seen it once before.(been here 20 years,and him longer)

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Hi Clarke . . . beats my story, but I'll share anyway.

Baseball not huge in Oz, but always has been in my family. Chris' grandfather (ex Tecoma, Washington) played for Victorian All Stars against visiting Boston Sox team for exhibition games in Melbourne in 1910. I played in both Qld & Victorian Leagues ('70s) while son Tony played for Victoria in the National League exactly 80 years after his great grandfather did.

Fast forward to attending baseball championships - an inter League doubleheader in which Tony was again catcher and #4 batter. We parked the Daimler DoubleSix VanDen Plas in the parking lot which was located way out back of left field. Tony's team won the first comfortably, but the second was a real arm wrestle.

Nil all at the stretch, but Tony's lead off batters brought him to bat with runners at 1st & 2nd bases, with only 1 out. Tony went to 1-1 but belted the 3rd pitch well over short stop, well over left field . . . in fact well out of the ground and somewhere into the parking lot. With that 3 run homer, the championship was secured. Celebrations followed.

Later, back at the parking lot we found the car that Tony's cracking homer had selected to return from its orbit . . . and that crumpled bonnet was ours. Only the second accident that befell any of our Jaguars - the other being a tree fall on our earlier avatar Mk1 - but, our proudest ever!

Cheers,
:icon_toast:
Ken