Jaguar Mk1 and Mk2 saloons (1955 to 1969)

Why people buy one

• A fast, compact four-door with a walnut and leather cabin, and one of the best-known British saloons of its era.
• The XK engine is strong and long-lived when the oil and antifreeze have been changed regularly.
• All Mk2s and most later Mk1s have four-wheel disc brakes, and the 3.4 and 3.8 have a limited-slip differential as standard.
• Hagerty UK picks the 3.4 as nearly as quick as the 3.8, while the 2.4, 240 and 340 are easier ways into ownership.
• Parts supply is good, including reproduction chrome and trim, and the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust can supply a certificate of original build details.

What to weigh up

• Rust is the main risk, and poor past restorations are common; uneven panel gaps are a warning sign.
• Many cars have been fitted with bigger engines. Classics World says some cars sold as 3.8s are built on 2.4 or Daimler V8 bodyshells, so confirm the car left the factory as the model claimed.
• The Moss gearbox fitted before September 1965 has no synchromesh on first, is slow to use and its parts are getting scarce; clutch replacement means taking the engine out.
• Walnut veneer, leather and headlinings are costly to restore, and a full retrim costs more than on an E-type.
• Steering is slow without the optional power steering, and the 2.4 is the only Mk2 unable to reach 100mph.
• The Daimler 2.5 V8 and V8-250 (1962 to 1969) share the Mk2 shell but have their own engine, grille and trim, and the S-Type and 420 have a longer tail and independent rear suspension; none of these is covered here.

Where they rust

• Front chassis legs and the front crossmember, including the "crow's feet" joining the front valance to the crossmember.
• Jacking points next to the A-posts.
• Inner and outer sills; bad sills can distort the A-posts so the doors no longer close properly.
• Floorpans, including under the rear seat cushion.
• Rear spring hangers, the Panhard rod mounting in the offside rear wheelarch and the anti-roll bar mountings.
• Rear wheelarches and the rear sill area where the door meets the arch.
• Bottoms of the front wings and the areas around the headlamps and grille.
• Door bottoms, boot lid edge, spare wheel well and the fuel tank area in the boot.

Mechanical weak spots

• Engine: oil pressure should be around 40psi when cruising; a rattling timing chain points to a rebuild, and heavy blue smoke means worn internals.
• A leaking rear crankshaft seal is a known weakness and means an engine-out job; many cars now have an upgrade kit.
• Wrong or neglected antifreeze corrodes the alloy head, leading to silting, overheating and head gasket failure.
• Gearbox: neither manual box should jump out of gear, overdrive should engage smoothly and drop out quickly, and the Borg Warner automatic should shift without slipping.
• Suspension: check front wishbones, bushes and ball joints; a wayward rear end can mean a broken Panhard rod, and clonks mean worn bushes.
• Brakes: look for corroded pipes, scored discs and a weak servo; the handbrake was never strong.
• Steering: movement in the column suggests worn bushes; on power-steered cars look for leaks. Test every electrical item, including the instruments and heater.

At a Mathewsons viewing

• Check the chassis and engine numbers against the V5C, and ask for a Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust certificate; Classics World notes a genuine 3.8 Mk2 chassis number starts with a 2.
• Identify the model: a Mk1 has thick door pillars, small windows and a narrower rear track with rear wheel spats, a Mk2 has larger glass, and a 240 or 340 has slimmer bumpers and vinyl seats.
• With a torch, look under the front at the chassis legs and crossmember, along the sills and jacking points, and in the rear arches at the spring hangers and Panhard rod mounting.
• Lift the carpets, rear seat cushion and boot floor and check the floors, spare wheel well and boot corners for damp, rot or fresh underseal, and look for lifting veneer.
• Open the bonnet and look for oil leaks and coolant stains, and if staff start the car, listen for timing chain rattle and watch the oil pressure; do not assume it will be started.

Parts, specialists and clubs

Seen on Bangers & Cash

• Jaguar Mk2 (Bangers & Cash series 1, episode 4, First shown May 2019)
• Jaguar Mk2 (Bangers & Cash series 1, episode 7, First shown May 2019)

Sources

• Buying guide: Jaguar Mk2 1959 to 1967 (Hagerty UK), accessed 14 October 2026
• Jaguar Mk2 buyer's guide (Classics World), accessed 14 October 2026
• Jaguar Mk2 buyer's guide (Goodwood Classic Solutions), 22 December 2023
• Mk 1 (Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club), accessed 14 October 2026
• Jaguar 3.4-litre Mk I (Classic & Sports Car A to Z), accessed 14 October 2026
• Daimler V8 250 buyer's guide (Classics World), accessed 14 October 2026
• Certificates (Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust), accessed 14 October 2026