1948 Jaguar MK IV DHC
'Anne Boleyn' may seem an odd moniker for a classic car, but in Queensland there resides a Jaguar named after her. If we believe the historians, Anne the lady wasn't much of a looker - even before she lost her head courtesy of Henry VIII. The same can't be said for Anne the car - there can be no doubt about this Anne's beauty! But why the name?
Anne the car occasionally 'loses her head', because she's a 1948 Jaguar Mark IV Drophead Coupe (DHC).
Rod and Sue Greaseley are Anne's owners. Sue provided the name, while Rod contributed the resto skills and muscle. With a background as an electrical engineer, project manager and boat-builder, Rod had the full range of relevant skills to undertake such a daunting restoration project.
Rod became interested in Jaguars while still a young man. From then to now, he has owned twenty examples of the leaping cat, and still has more than one today. Rod currently drives an XKR when he's not in the Mark IV DHC, while past favourites include the XJS and the XJ V12 models of the early 1980s.
Rod started Anne's restoration in January 2008 and finished nine months later. If this sounds quick to you - and it certainly did to me - don't imagine the speed was at the expense of accuracy and finish. We're not talking a 'spit and shine' quasi-restoration here. Rod did the full body-off-chassis thing, and searched old data and photographs to make sure he had every detail correct. Rod had some assistance with the painting, which is of the highest standard, and also called on a professional trimmer to do the upholstery.
"The hardest job", said Rod, "was fitting the body back on the chassis. It can be a proper agony getting the body and doors to fit.
"There are experts that will tell you not to take the body off the chassis with a Mark IV, as you'll never finish the job." Rod has clearly shown these experts up, as the finished body not only fits, but fits very well.
Another example of Rod's attention to detail is his work on the roof -- the Drophead. Rod says this was the second hardest job with the car, and that most of the other examples he has seen, including so-called 'perfect' cars in England, aren't done correctly. Rod researched this carefully, and worked his way through a certain amount of misinformation to get the right pattern for the fabric top. He then cut and made it himself, only calling on the trimmer to stitch it.
The wood dash and trim on Anne is particularly attractive. Rod retained the original timber, but took a careful approach to refurbishment.
"It's done with a brush," Rod said proudly, referring to the meticulous application of each layer of lacquer. Rod said he learnt enough from his carpenter father to confidently undertake this side of the project himself. To the careful observer, the dash is perfect. Rod can be justifiably proud.
Looking at Anne today, the end result is immaculate and the attention to detail most impressive, even more so when you realise Rod did all his work in the household garage.
Since completion, Anne has won Best Display Car at the Jaguar Nationals, and Shannons' Most Elegant Vehicle at the prestigious Maclean's Bridge Sports and Classic Display, where it was selected from 650 sports and classic cars.
Rod's garage remains busy. During a recent visit, he showed me a 1950 Jaguar Mark V being refurbished for his brother-in-law, while another Mark IV restoration sat under a cover nearby. This one's a 3.5 litre fixed head saloon (Catherine of Aragon, perhaps? She kept her head!).
In the back corner sits Rod's next project, a 1939 SS 2.5 litre DHC. One of only 18 known to still exist worldwide, the SS was in a fairly sorry state when acquired, as it had been stored on a farm since 1965. Rod has sourced the original motor the SS was delivered with and plans to start this project in December 2011, expecting to have it finished by the end of 2012. Who would argue with Rod's timeline - not me! He already has the track record.
By Neville Smith
Source: JUST CARS, November 2010, Collectors Issue #177
