1986 Jaguar XJ6 Sovereign Series III

Highlights

• Documented service history from the first 1,000-mile running-in service in 1986
• Bare-metal bodywork restoration carried out in 2009, costing over £14,000
• Cylinder head professionally rebuilt for unleaded fuel conversion
• Over £24,000 in documented expenditure across the history file

The Appeal

Introduced in 1979 and running through 1987, the Series III XJ6 was the final evolution of the original XJ design. The Sovereign badge, originally used by Daimler, became Jaguar's top-tier luxury specification. Widely regarded as one of the most elegant four-door saloons ever produced, the Series III remains a highly desirable classic.

This 1986 example comes with a well-documented history file, with invoices and service records stretching back to its first 1,000-mile running-in service at Stratstone London. Early maintenance was carried out by Jaguar franchise dealers, and the car continued to receive specialist attention throughout its life. In 2009, the car was stripped to a bare shell and given a thorough restoration, with structural corrosion cut out and replaced with fresh steel, the body resprayed in its original Gunmetal Metallic, and new exterior brightwork fitted throughout. The cylinder head was also rebuilt by a specialist machine shop for unleaded fuel compatibility at this time. Further mechanical work followed in 2010, covering suspension, steering, braking, and exhaust components. The car was last serviced in August 2020 at a recorded 49,947 miles.

Key Information

• Mileage: 51,104 miles indicated; supported by service documentation, though some historical discrepancies are noted in the records
• Country of registration: United Kingdom
• Technical inspection status: MOT expired 3rd June
• Technical specs: 4.2-litre six-cylinder petrol, three-speed automatic transmission
• Paperwork: history file with invoices and service records dating from the first 1,000-mile service in 1986, V5C present along with various old MOT records

Service history:
08/20 – 49,947 miles – Millfield Motor Company

03/10 – 41,865 miles – Stratstone Edinburgh

04/09 – Mileage Unlisted – Classic Restorations (Scotland) Ltd

03/09 – Mileage Unlisted – Classic Restorations (Scotland) Ltd

02/09 – 48,479 miles – Cropwell / Bracondale / Waterside Weddings

09/09 – 41,076 miles – ARCARS / Cylinder Head Shop / Waterside Weddings

02/09 – Mileage Unlisted – Waterside Weddings (UK Wedding Car Hire Specialists)

04/07 – 39,301 miles – Classic Cars / Grundy Mack Classic Cars

05/01 – 37,452 miles – Guy Salmon Jaguar (Thames Ditton)

02/98 – Mileage Unlisted – Simpsons Autoshops Limited

05/96 – 18,980 miles – Marcus Barclay Independent Jaguar Specialist

09/97 – 25,207 miles – Beckleys of Bookham

06/90 – Mileage Unlisted – Munster Tyres & Wheels

10/90 – 11,957 miles – Stratstone London (Brixton Hill)

11/90 – Mileage Unlisted – Stratstone London (Brixton Hill)

02/88 – Mileage Unlisted – Stratstone London (Brixton Hill)

01/88 – 6,082 miles / Mileage Unlisted – Stratstone London (Brixton Hill)

02/87 – 4,427 miles – Stratstone London (Brixton Hill)

11/86 – 3,203 miles – Harvey Hudson Ltd

05/86 – 984 miles – Stratstone London (Brixton Hill)

The Detail

• Very presentable example in a fetching colour scheme, complete with OEM pepperpot alloy wheels
• Some imperfections now showing to the bodywork and underside, with some corrosion in the wheel arches and lower bodywork
• Sliding sunroof demonstrated in working order
• High-quality Pirelli P4000 tyres fitted
• Serviced in August 2020 at 49,947 miles, including heater hose repair, front brake pad replacement, and door trim refit
• Resprayed in Gunmetal Metallic using water-based basecoat and four coats of clear lacquer during the 2009 restoration
• Sliding sunroof mechanism removed, corrosion repaired, and refitted during the restoration
• New front bumper chrome, radiator grille, exterior door handles, chrome wing mirrors, air vent grille, and badging fitted during the restoration
• New front interior carpet linings installed during the restoration
• Cylinder head rebuilt in 2009 with hardened valve seat inserts, new valve guides, three-angle valve seat profiling, new valve stem oil seals, and structural pressure testing
• Helicoil repair insert fitted to a damaged spark plug port thread during the cylinder head rebuild
• Left-hand fuel tank replaced in 2009, along with a fuel system flush, new inline fuel filter, and new fuel tank sender unit
• Front exhaust downpipe replaced in 2009 due to structural wear at the flange
• Aftermarket alarm system disconnected and bypassed in 2009 to resolve a starter relay fault
• Front and rear suspension balljoints replaced in March 2010
• Three steering rack mounting bushings replaced (March 2010)
• Rear handbrake pads and fork hardware renewed (March 2010)
• Offside front seatbelt buckle mechanism replaced (March 2010)
• Exhaust manifold O-rings and top exhaust downpipe sections replaced (March 2010)
• Two new Pirelli P4000 tyres fitted to the rear axle (March 2010)
• Automatic transmission fluid, filter, and pan gasket replaced in 1998, along with gearbox mounting rubbers, front subframe bushings, and rear hub differential oil seals
• Early service history carried out by Stratstone London, a Jaguar franchise dealer
• Rear-end accident damage repaired under insurance in 2001 at Guy Salmon Jaguar, including a replacement rear bumper and exhaust components

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