Jaguar XJSC 5.3 V12 Convertible Automatic Hess & Eisenhardt (1 of 2100) - 1988

Sold

Model history and curiosity

Hess & Eisenhardt convertible
From 1986, a fully convertible version was available from some dealers, modified by Hess & Eisenhardt in the United States. The Hess & Eisenhardt coachbuilder was based in Ohio, USA, and built convertible modifications for the XJ-S under contract to Jaguar, before the official Jaguar-built full convertible XJ-S became available in 1988.

The Hess & Eisenhardt convertible differed from the later Jaguar-built XJS convertible in that its unpadded soft top folded deeper into the car's body structure resulting in a cleaner rear profile when the roof was lowered. To accommodate this design element, Hess & Eisenhardt convertibles have two separate fuel tanks, positioned to allow the roof to retract fully. The process of converting the production Jaguar 20 lb) placed just behind the headlights to eliminate the harmonic resonance caused by the significant modifications made to the car. H&E XJS convertibles are easily identified by their lower folding roof and two small badges located just behind the front wheels. The later Jaguar full convertible had a heavier padded top that did not fold as low as the H&E convertible, but retained nearly all of the coupe's original components.

The number of H&E Jaguar XJS produced is unknown, partly because a fire at the Hess & Eisenhardt factory destroyed most records relating to Jaguar XJS conversions. According to some sources, a total of 2,100 cars were converted.