“Your Car’s The Star”
“Your Car’s The Star”, where our followers give us the inside scoop on their pride and joy, and how they feel about them.
The first in the series features The Car Den’s 1962 Jaguar MK2 3.8 manual overdrive in Carmen Red.
The Car Den’s 1962 Jaguar MK2 3.8 Manual Overdrive
We’d love to get to know you and the special car in your life…So welcome to “Your Car’s The Star”, where you share some fun facts and stories about your pride and joy and get to show it off a bit!
We’re going to kick off the first in the series with our own car, a 1962 Jaguar MK2 3.8 manual overdrive in Carmen Red.
If you’d like your car to be featured in a future blog, please contact us
The Car Den’s 1962 Jaguar MK2 3.8 Manual Overdrive
HOW LONG HAVE YOU OWNED IT? IS IT A KEEPER?
We bought it during lockdown in 2020. We put a bid on it in an auction, not thinking we’d win it, but we did! We can’t imagine parting with it, so it’s definitely a keeper.
DOES IT HAVE A NAME?
Yes, Bertie. Partly due to its number plate “BER” and also in tribute to a family member who was a chauffeur/mechanic in the early 20th century.
DO YOU KNOW ANY OF ITS HISTORY?
We’re only the third owners. The first owner (who was a well known Isle of Man TT rider) had it for 43 years. He sold it to a friend of his in 2005 who restored it from the ground up, doing almost all the work himself over a period of 6 years.
HAS IT HAD AN UPGRADES/MODIFICATIONS?
It was totally standard when we bought it, but we’ve had a few sympathetic upgrades for modern use such as heated windscreen & rear screen, uprated heater and fan, all synchro gearbox, 123 electronic ignition, Powerlite high torque starter motor, Powerlite dynator, Revotec electric fan, hazard light switch, front lap belts, LED headlights & 12V power socket.
WHO DOES THE WORK ON IT? WHAT ARE THE NEXT JOBS?
Just Historic Cars in St Leonards On Sea look after it and we can highly recommend them. We recently has a sill repaired and other bits of paint by DB Paint in Ewhurst, who did a fabulous job.
There’s currently a minor issue with the overdrive that Just Historics are dealing with. At some point we’d like to upgrade the suspension and brakes, but all in good time.
WHAT’S THE MOST MEMORABLE TRIP YOU’VE BEEN ON?
We did 1,000 mile roundtrip of England last year and this year a round trip taking in Devon, Guernsey, Jersey and France.
IS IT YOUR DAILY DRIVER. IF NOT, WHAT IS?
We average about 3,000 miles a year in the MK2. Our daily drivers are a 2005 Mercedes CLS55 AMG and a 1988 VW T25 Autosleeper camper van.
DO YOU OWN ANY OTHER CLASSICS? IF SO WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE?
Our “daily drivers” are classics, if you count the Mercedes as a “modern classic". We don’t own anything actually modern.
ARE YOU A MEMBER OF ANY CLASSIC CAR CLUBS ?
Yes a few...Jaguar Enthusastics Club, Bexhill 100, Hooe Old Motor Club, Eastbourne Historic Vehicle Club.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU BROKE DOWN? WHAT HAPPENED?
In the three years we had the MK2 we’ve never broken down…I’m touching wood as we speak!
WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT OWNERSHIP?
It’s just so lovely to drive, makes a great sound and always starts a conversation. Often with “My Dad/Grandad/Uncle had one of those..."
MONEY NO OBJECT, WHAT CLASSIC WOULD YOU BUY?
Lamborghini Miura SV