In 1964 when the new Mark X (10) was introduced it was marketed as “ the creation of the finest car yet to be produced in the Jaguar big saloon tradition” and providing “a special kind of motoring which no other car in the world can offer”.

They were bold claims indeed and there’s no doubt that debate still remains, but either way Andrew Cope from the Central West Car Club has a beautiful example of the widest and largest Jaguar ever built.

For Andrew the passion started way back in the start of his working life.

He did his mechanics apprenticeship in Orange under the guidance of John Cane at his high performance workshop.

“John was a Jaguar enthusiast so I guess that rubbed off a bit on me,” Andrew said.

With high performance cars on his mind but also looking towards the future of buying a house, Andrew made the unusually sensible decision on buying a high performance car and restoring it then selling it!

That car was a 1969 Mach 1 Mustang. So at the age of 23 it was a huge decision to get rid of it, but it paid for the deposit on a house and life went on.

As the story often goes, marriage and children put cars on hold for a while, but once his house was paid off Andrew’s wife Liza prompted him to buy another car.

He had no particular make or model in mind but wanted something 50 years plus.

What he ended up with is this beautifully restored 1964 Mark X Jaguar.

The Jaguar had undergone a major restoration in the 1980s with the bodywork and engine overhauled and the car repainted.

It features the Jaguar XK’S’ motor – a 3.8 litre straight six with triple carburettors and twin overhead camshafts producing 265 horsepower.

It’s a heavy car too, weighing in at 1778kg unladen but still capable of a rated top speed of 192 km/h.

Andrew hasn’t had the Jag up to that speed just yet.

He’s quite happy just to cruise in comfort, and with leather seats, plush carpet and walnut trim all around, there’s plenty of comfort to be had.

The rear seat passengers are afforded a fold down tray table complete with a vanity mirror and interestingly, in keeping with the times, the sales brochure from the day boasts “large capacity ashtrays”.

The iconic “Leaper” mascot features on the forward tilting bonnet and the Jaguar also features twin fuel tanks totalling a 90 litre capacity.

Maybe all that weight and all that power needs a lot of fuel.

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