A Jag Lover's Tale

Epilogue

I spent most of the weekend cleaning out the garage. I found a couple of parts which probably should have gone with the car, but on the whole my rushed search was fairly thorough. The old engine block, the head from Ryan's parts car, and the worn out transmission were stacked neatly next to the spare refrigerator. I'll sell or scrap them someday (I ended up giving them to some guy in Marin, along with a disused SCUBA tank. Ryan managed to unload a complete Mk 2 rear axel on the same guy.). I gave the remaining spares to Ryan for his car.

Sadly I cannot report that the car arrived safely at its destination. The transport company managed to bash in the front end, crushing the grill and smashing the rather odd tri-spoke headlights. The adjustor initially wanted to total the car out. He knew nothing about Jags, and finally took it on faith that the repair costs would not exceed the value of the car. Damage was estimated at around $2000, and happily it will be covered by the carrier's insurance.

Quite often now, I am able to look out my office window and see the car which got me into this mess in the first place. Ryan has done far more than make a few repairs. His restoration efforts have been wholly successful, and I have the privilege of gazing out on a beautiful example of what might have been.

Move forward to July 1997...

We have made some changes in the past couple of years. Trish and I have added a daughter, and are expecting our third child in October. My son is older; inevitably, so am I. And I've taken a new job with Hewlett Packard, leaving the San Francisco Bay area for Fort Collins, Colorado (yea!). I managed to entice Ryan (along with his family, Mk 1, hearse, etc.) out here as well. The Jag was replaced by another Teutonic creation (remember the VW Jetta?), this time an Audi 90 Quattro (SNOW!!). The Mk 1 has seen some changes too.

The new owner, Vicarage Jaguar, has chosen a new course for "my" Mk 1. Beyond a simple restoration, they have upgraded a number of items including the interior, which now has bucket seats, three-point seat belts, and a Moto-Lita steering wheel. Mechanical changes include Mk 2 running gear, a 4-speed OD gearbox (I bet I could make it go GROOONNNKKKK), wire wheels, and power steering.

Given the time and resources I would have made many of the same changes. I really like the bucket seats and black wire wheels. Power steering is nice, and any gearbox, even a TH350 from an XJ6, would have been a drastic improvement over the DG-250. The only faults I find with the new arrangment are mostly cosmetic. The wider track of the Mk 2 rear eliminates one of the quirky charms of the Mk 1, and necessitates narrower spats. If not British Racing Green, I think the original color, Imperial Red, is far and away the best alternative. I also would have liked to see the bonnet leaper retained. Personal preferences aside, the car looks nice and probably drives better than ever.

It could be yours...

So, knowing what I know now, would I do it again? The answer is an unequivocal "YES," but I'll try to find some new mistakes to make. In fact, the Audi should be going on the block in a few short weeks. I intend to replace it with a bicycle, a Detroit rust-bucket beater for the cold days (assuming it will start), and a Mk 1 or Mk 2 project. I think I'll keep this one.

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