Sometime around the Paleolithic or Mesolithic (I love wikipedia) periods, some guys who were tired of getting their tails kicked by better warriors with swords came up with the idea of bows and arrows. It was such a game changer, it swept the known world over - it was basically what the cool kids carried around… Apollo. Robin Hood. William Tell. Cupid.

And then the gun was invented. So much for the bow and arrow. Today, archery is a hobby - a talent that may not have much warfare value but it does have its following. There’s even clubs and newsletters.

Where does the car story come in?
In October 2008, I came across a beautiful 1989 Jaguar XJS. With only 54k original miles, she’s a delight to drive even for a 20 year old car. The V12 does not disappoint - smooth and silky.

Recently, there was an opportunity to get my hands on a 1972 Series III Jaguar XKE 2+2 Coupe. Considered to be one of the most beautiful cars in history, it was hard to resist entertaining the idea of having an older V12 dressed in a sexy body. For a few dollars more (ok, thousands more), I could replace the XJS with the XKE.

Maybe I should first explain what the car will be used for before we go on with this story. I’m not the kind of car-nut who buys cars only to gaze at them in his garage. I’ve always believed that you have and should drive the car. If you don’t drive it, why not just get a poster and save the money? Given this mantra, I enjoy driving the XJS as often as I could (about twice a week when I have no need for passenger seats). Can the XKE handle this same capacity?

The XKE should be able to handle this - and why not (as I try and convince myself)?

Well… the more I thought about this “replacement” idea, the more I thought of “archery”. It’s fantastic seeing these classic cars on the road once-in-a-great-while - and the XKE is truly a rare sight on the road. There are very good reasons why you only see them once in a blue moon. It’s not that their engine’s ability is poor - it’s everything else. Here’s a few that come to mind.

  • Safety is nowhere near equal to modern cars (steering, suspension, etc)
  • Quality of luxuries have a short life (heater, ac, window tracks, seals, etc)
  • Brakes and side-impact protection… old school is not what you want here

    • I can probably continue to nit-pick but you get the picture. Things break - and with older cars, they break sooner. Unless you replace those old parts with modern materials, they’re just going to have short life spans (obviously, it depends on what part and how much exposure to wear).

    Obviously, a bow made with modern materials will perform better and last longer. But in the end, the bow is still old technology. And like archery, I had to walk away from the XKE. Just as I had walked away from my 1964 Volvo P1800. And soon, the XJS won’t be too far behind when used frequently with this mindset.

    Of course, if you have the room to save your old classic for weekend cruises, then by all means… do it. And don’t wait to live great.