Jaguar Mk2 3.8 'Coombs'
Description
The 3.8 Litre Mk2 ‘Coombs’ is arguably the ultimate Jaguar Mk2 variant. With just 33 examples rumoured to have left the Coombs of Guildford workshop, fettled by John Coombs himself, very few were built for the road, with most being competition examples, making this particular car even more special. When it first came to us, it was in incredibly original condition: both running and driving, but beginning to show its age.
The brief for this Jaguar was to sympathetically refresh the car for reliable European touring, whilst carefully retaining original parts and preserving the car's integrity. We began with one of our trusted full vehicle inspections, providing a clear overview of its condition. General wear and tear had taken its toll, including internal engine and gearbox wear, perished bushes, rubbers and hoses, a tired interior, and various poorly executed paint repairs completed over the car's lifetime.
It was immediately clear from the customer that a full restoration was not the desired route. As a rust-free, straight, well-gapped, and complete car, a bare metal strip-down was not only unnecessary but felt a disservice to what was a true ‘survivor’ car.
We began with the removal and full strip-down of both the engine and gearbox. This car retained its rare factory Coombs upgrade specification, documented in the history folder and detailing the original optional extras. During the engine rebuild, we carefully retained original parts where possible and replaced or restored components that were no longer suitable. Coombs extras included: a special induction manifold, gas-flowed cylinder head, larger inlet valves, straight-through exhaust system, lightened flywheel, 9:1 compression pistons, and more. A variety of our in-house upgrades and revisions were also integrated to ensure reliable long-term motoring.
The 4-speed overdrive gearbox was rebuilt, correctly finished, and remated to the engine with an uprated clutch to ensure proper delivery of the increased horsepower. The goal was not maximum power, but a smooth, torque-rich driving experience suited for effortless, swift road use. The engine was carefully run in on the dyno before installation to ensure no issues were present. During this time, all related components, including the rare Coombs-upgraded HD8 2’’ carburettors, were also rebuilt.
While the engine and gearbox were receiving attention, the suspension was stripped and upgraded. We followed the original build sheet, installing the correct KONI dampers and renewing all suspension bushes and perishables to deliver a controlled yet comfortable ride. The differential was examined, resealed, and re-oiled before the suspension was aligned and set up by our team.
For enhanced usability on longer tours, we installed a discreet switch panel featuring a battery cut-off, fan override, choke override, and fuel pump selector. We also fitted one of our bespoke ‘Touring’ twin fuel pump kits, allowing the driver to switch between pumps with ease, offering peace of mind during long-distance journeys. Manual control of the fan and choke adds further flexibility and comfort.
At this stage, a decision was made regarding the bodywork. While the original gaps and panels were retained, the number of required local paint repairs made blending impractical. Instead, we opted for a full exterior respray in the car’s original Opalescent Silver Grey, carrying out only necessary repairs beforehand. Upon completion, the car was reassembled with all new gaskets and seals to ensure long-term protection against water ingress.
The interior retained a charming patina but had suffered heavy cracking and tearing in some areas. Much of the wood trim had already been removed for paintwork, so it was decided to fully restore it. The front and rear seats were retrimmed in-house and repadded as required. We also preserved and documented the rare factory green undercoat on the seat frames, Jaguar’s signature protective paint for hidden areas. While many attempt to replicate this colour, we are fortunate to have a direct match, taken from this very car’s original components.
After final testing, the car was fine-tuned for optimal road performance on the rolling road. During on-road testing, we spent additional time eliminating squeaks and rattles from the interior, replacing or upgrading clips and fixings as needed.
The result is a fabulously capable and characterful Jaguar Mk2 that, beneath the surface, retains a remarkable amount of originality and patina. Not every classic requires a full restoration; this project perfectly reflects our belief in finding the right balance between preservation and performance, realising the client’s vision to enhance, yet honour, a truly rare classic.
