The Pick of the Day is a 1988 Jaguar XJ-S convertible by Hess & Eisenhardt listed by an Indiana dealership on ClassicCars.com.
Most people want to be seen in a cool car. Sure, other drivers and pedestrians can see you through your windows as you cruise by in an exclusive, high-dollar machine, but it’s even easier for them to see who’s driving it when you can lower the top. Clearly, XJ-S drivers wanted to be completely visible in their low-slung British luxury cars back in the early- to late-1980s, but there was a problem: Jaguar didn’t make a full convertible version of it yet. To meet demand for a drop-top XJ-S, it turned to Ohio-based coachbuilder Hess & Eisenhardt.
The conversion not only changed the looks of the XJ-S, but also its total layout. Hess & Eisenhardt started with a coupe, removed the small rear seats, then cut off the tin top (unfortunately, taking the XJ-S’s distinctive flying buttresses with it). Removing rear seats freed up room to store the power-folding soft top and left a little storage room behind the front seats, all while leaving the original trunk space intact.
The end result is a car that looks as if it was meant to be a convertible all along. The black power-operated soft top doesn’t look awkward or bulbous, and it manages to follow the lines of the car well.
That covers a passenger compartment that offers power mirrors and windows, cruise control, gray leather seating, burl walnut wood trim, air conditioning, four-speaker AM/FM/cassette audio system, and T-handle shifter for the General Motors 400-80 three-speed automatic transmission. A nice bonus is the odometer that shows only 24,677 original miles.
Another benefit to this Jag’s open top? The ability to hear more of the fuel-injected 5.3-liter V12 under the hood adorned with the Jaguar “Leaper” hood ornament.
As Hess & Eisenhardt put it, its XJ-S convertible is “for all who appreciate Jaguar’s mastery of the motorcar art, for all who delight in the joy of full open-air motoring as only a full convertible can provide. A classic heritage behind it, a long road ahead of it. It will stir your heart.” And for $29,900, this particular XJ-S drop-top will restyle your hair.
Click here to view the listing for this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com.
