At $11,900, Is This SBC-Powered 1970 Jaguar XJ6 A Class Act?

Today’s Nice Price or No Dice Jag offers English Drawing Room style paired with Auto Zone maintenance due to its adopted commoner SBC engine. Let’s see if the price makes it an easy deal, too.

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Over the years, the Rivingtons, Trashmen, Ramones, and Cramps have told us that “the bird is the word.” Unfortunately, for the seller of the 1991 Ford Thunderbird SC we considered yesterday, that word was “no.” As seemingly well maintained and nicely presented as that car seemed to be, it couldn’t account for the seller’s $6,499 asking price. A 66 percent No Dice loss resulted.

With the introduction of the XJ in 1968, Jaguar sought to consolidate its saloon offerings. The new model, which would be offered in both XK six-cylinder and V12 editions, replaced the 420, Mark X, and S-Type. With a couple of notable updates along the way, this model would serve as Jaguar’s four-door offering until the mid-1980s.

And why not? After all, it’s an achingly handsome design—supposedly the last headed by Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons. Handling is also top-notch for a car of this size without compromising ride quality or comfort. The only complaints one might have with the cars are the power out of the 4.2-liter straight six or the abysmal fuel economy of the V12 edition.

This 1970 Jaguar XJ6 splits the difference between those two as it has given the cold shoulder to its original six in preference for a Small Block Chevy (SBC) V8 bolted up to its Borg Warner three-speed slushbox. Considering that the XJ platform was designed from the outset to handle Jag’s V12 engine, the 350 CID V8 fits without apparent issues. There’s plenty of room to reach the plugs, distributor, and all the ancillaries, so wrenching on it should be a breeze.

There’s no information in the ad about when the 350 began calling the Jaguar home or its origin story. Whoever installed it went the extra mile by applying Jaguar plaques on the aftermarket valve covers and cobbling together an admittedly rachet-looking fan shroud. Other updates noted in the ad include a rebuilt brake primary and refreshed power steering. According to the seller, the Jag “drives great!”

Aesthetically, the car comes off as a good 10-footer. There’s nothing major notable in the bodywork, or copious amounts of chrome, but the seller admits to some cracking in places in the paint. The tires are claimed to be in good condition, mounted on factory steelies with their proper nipple caps. Proper as well are the snakey dual exhausts poking out the back.

This was apparently an Arizona car, originally owned by a woman who thought well enough of it to award it garage space. She didn’t, however, go to great lengths to stop the leather and vinyl interior from getting a little dry-looking and, in places, a bit wrinkly and rough.

There’s also the issue of the aftermarket steering wheel, which looks out of place in the otherwise stately cabin. Other issues include the installation of an equally out-of-place stereo head unit and the removal of the climate control knobs from the console. Honestly, how anyone lived with this car in Arizona without A/C is bewildering. The ad claims the mileage to be 99,999, but that’s probably not the whole story. It comes with a clean title and an asking price of $11,900.

What’s your take on this SBC-powered Jag and that asking? Does $11,900 seem fair, given the car’s age and appearance? Or is that just way too much to let this cat out of the bag?

You decide!

Los Angeles, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to RevUnlimiter for the hookup!

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