Welcome to the website dedicated to the Jaguar XJC

Harry Moore - My Coupe - 1976 Jaguar XJ6C

Harry has achieved his ambition with this lovely red XJC. Resident in the USA, it is of course left hand drive, and is now an 'XJ8C' fitted with a Chevrolet V8 conversion. The vinyl roof has been removed, and has Kent alloy wheels fitted.
Click on pictures below for a larger view.

A dream and an XJC...

It all started in 1995 when I received my permit and then my license. As most young people do when they get their license, they go car hunting. I never really thought about buying a Jaguar, but I have always loved how they looked; so sleek, majestic and powerful. I bought a 1965 Chevy four door Corvair, a car that I have always admired. My mom had a '65 four door and my dad had a '65 coupe for a while so I was excited to add mine to our collection. I never did forget about Jags though. Well, in 2000 I checked one more item off of my dreams list, and if you haven't guessed yet, it was the 1976 XJ6C. I always looked at the weekend newspaper and the auto traders for XJC's but could never find one that fit my price range or my wants.

"I cut out a picture of a '76 XJ6C
and taped it to my bedroom mirror.
That way I could always be
reminded about one of
my dreams."

I learned early on during my Jag hunting that conversion kits were available for them; I knew then I wanted a 350 in my Jag. It was a usual visit to the bookstore; I looked at the magazines while my mom shopped. As always my mom finished before I was done and I had to put my magazine away. I put the Hemmings away and as I did, it slipped and sprawled open on the ground. Of course I had to look at the page it opened to and to my amazement there was a picture add for a '76 XJ6C with a Chevy 350 conversion. I had seen several of these before but this one was right in San Jose California, about 30 minutes away from where my family and I lived. I excitedly called for my mom and asked her for a pen and paper so I could right the number down.

"Everyone in my family loves the
look of a Jaguar, so mom eagerly
looked at the ad also."

About two days later I made the call and ended up looking at the car the following weekend. I spent almost two hours looking at the car before I started it up (I had spent many more hours online reading about what to look for when buying a used jaguar, and believe me, I looked at EVERYTHING). I LOVED IT, I really did!!! My dad and I talked it over and I asked the owner if he could hold the car until the next day so that I could make a decision that night. He agreed and the following day I was the owner of a XJ(8)C. I am still proud to say that. I bought the car in January as my birthday and Christmas present. I kept my Corvair in the San Francisco area and drove my Jag down to my university.

"Let me just say I was the talk
for a while !! What a way to finish
my junior year of college."

Now the bad news. One day while on my way to the airport doing about 100mph (that was my usual cruising speed) I blew up my engine. I broke a connecting rod and threw two push rods through the block and out of my oil pan. Since I put all my funds into buying the car and having the front end redone (including the brakes), and having the TH350 serviced, I could not afford to buy a new engine for the car. It still sits to this day under the stall outside of my family's apartment. Now the good news. I just finished college and I am now ready to get a job that pays money. My plans are to put a built 383 and a built turbo 400 in it. I have figured that this will take about six months providing that no major expenditures occur from now until I get all the money saved.

"This is my story of a dream that
has become a reality.
The proud owner of an XJC."