Just starting out

[TerryG]

My mother in-law complains that the RR is too high to get in to comfortably. She has hip problems rather than back issues but I just jump straight in (I'm 6'1).

[West Cork]

I don't know if I should put this out here, but I noticed the mention of a Jaguar XJS. I know how this sounds, but my mother and stepfather have one - it's not a convertible, it's a hardtop - they are looking to sell. I won't lie, it's not a pristine example - it needs new front wings, hole in the exhaust patching, some power steering work and the roof liner replacing. But other than these issues the car is in good condition. It's a 1988 XJ-S HE V12 (5.3l) in grey-blue (not sure how to describe the colour). The reason I thought I should offer is because they are not looking for a lot of money for it, on the order of a few thousand pounds. If you're looking for a project, with your budget it could be fixed up quite nicely.

I do appreciate how this sounds, but the car is genuinely for sale and I can provide photos to prove it. I will probably make a For Sale thread for it, but I figured I would offer it here first in case you're still interested in the XJ-S. This one has cream leather seats and an automatic gearbox, making it sumptuously comfortable to drive.

If it's not appropriate to be offering cars in threads like this then I would like to apologise.

Thanks, can you post or email me some photos along with furthere details. Does the car have FSH ?

[West Cork]

I don't know if I should put this out here, but I noticed the mention of a Jaguar XJS. I know how this sounds, but my mother and stepfather have one - it's not a convertible, it's a hardtop - they are looking to sell. I won't lie, it's not a pristine example - it needs new front wings, hole in the exhaust patching, some power steering work and the roof liner replacing. But other than these issues the car is in good condition. It's a 1988 XJ-S HE V12 (5.3l) in grey-blue (not sure how to describe the colour). The reason I thought I should offer is because they are not looking for a lot of money for it, on the order of a few thousand pounds. If you're looking for a project, with your budget it could be fixed up quite nicely.

I do appreciate how this sounds, but the car is genuinely for sale and I can provide photos to prove it. I will probably make a For Sale thread for it, but I figured I would offer it here first in case you're still interested in the XJ-S. This one has cream leather seats and an automatic gearbox, making it sumptuously comfortable to drive.

If it's not appropriate to be offering cars in threads like this then I would like to apologise.

I have just noticed it is a hard top. I don't think it will be suitable. Thanks for letting me know about it!

[West Cork]

What about the MGB Roadster ?

[JPB]

Cheap to run, reliable, comfortable once you're in but again, as one who lives with poor spinal mobility myself I'd have to say that even the high-riding rubber bumpered cars are a little low for daily, pain-free use. But try one and see how you get along with it, that's the only certain way to know.

[West Cork]

JPB thanks for the feedback regarding the MG. Any other suggestions based on comfort & accessibility ? I have looked at the Jag Mk2 but would prefer a convertible.

[JPB]

Here comes an idea for a classic convertible that has a high, upright driving position with big, comfortable seats and simple mechanical stuff that's all available through a dedicated club as well as from several later, more common cars. Finding one would be the biggest problem but I once went on a run as a passenger in one of these during which we covered around 100 miles on a mixture of road surfaces, many of them poor and some unmetalled. That car was an Austin A40 Sport:


Or in a similar sort of vein, there's the slightly later A40 Somerset convertible, hen's teeth rare but just as pleasant a place to sit, assuming (reasonably I feel) that the soft-top Somerset shares the saloon's comfy furniture:


Either of these gorgeous old cars can be upgraded discretely by using brake parts and engines from later Farina-bodied BMC family saloons or MGBs. A friend locally uses a Somerset saloon regularly and that one has a Ford Sierra-sourced 2 litre Pinto engine with five speed gearbox. OK, so they are a bit soft if you like to drive like Jason Plato everywhere but comfort is fine for people of all shapes, sizes and levels of physical capability.

[West Cork]

Here comes an idea for a classic convertible that has a high, upright driving position with big, comfortable seats and simple mechanical stuff that's all available through a dedicated club as well as from several later, more common cars. Finding one would be the biggest problem but I once went on a run as a passenger in one of these during which we covered around 100 miles on a mixture of road surfaces, many of them poor and some unmetalled. That car was an Austin A40 Sport:


Or in a similar sort of vein, there's the slightly later A40 Somerset convertible, hen's teeth rare but just as pleasant a place to sit, assuming (reasonably I feel) that the soft-top Somerset shares the saloon's comfy furniture:


Either of these gorgeous old cars can be upgraded discretely by using brake parts and engines from later Farina-bodied BMC family saloons or MGBs. A friend locally uses a Somerset saloon regularly and that one has a Ford Sierra-sourced 2 litre Pinto engine with five speed gearbox. OK, so they are a bit soft if you like to drive like Jason Plato everywhere but comfort is fine for people of all shapes, sizes and levels of physical capability.

I look the look of this, thanks !

[kstrutt1]

I had an xjs for years, I don't remember it being that difficult to get in /out , it was superbly comfortable to drive but be prepared for 12mpg if you get a v12.

For a comfortable tourer which is not to low I would have thought a stag or sl merc would be the best choices.

[alabbasi]

SL's are a little tight but the SLC is a supremely comfortable car. That extra few inches on the wheelbase make a big difference to interior space and handling.



450SLC's are a bit thirsty, a 380SLC is much better on fuel but they only made them for one year. If you can find a 450SLC 5.0/500SLC, you'll have a very fast and rare car.