Looking through my photos and found these...

[ChrisC]

I was actually looking through loads of my old photos (pre-digital) to find some useful snapshots of my Etype when I bought if back in the early 80's...

...and I came across these...

Shame it never made production. I remember how gutted my old friend Jim Patten was when Jaguar gave him his deposit back...

The car was inside a tent so the lighting is less than desirable and the pictures are scanned photos...

[PeterCrespin]

You can make your own, using either an XJS or XK8 donor car. Paul Banham does the kit. I had one of his XJ-S convertibles, Trouble is, you need to slice 8" or something out of the floorpan to get the wheelbase right. I did think of building one but don't currently have suitable facilities.

The problem with the XK180 down here on Planet Earth is practicality and return on investment. I'm on my second D-type and have commissioned a third, so I know about totally open cars, but even I have to admit that in the UK at least it is hard work and it cuts down the number of days/trips you can use it.

I speak as someone who currently commutes 60 miles a day on a motorcycle so it's not an issue of cold or wet - I have plenty of wet weather clothes and a D in a rainstorm with my helmet on is still more cosy than a bike. It's a question of the car interior. My D-types were/are totally untrimmed and lined in alloy so about as impervious to a soaking as you can get - The XK180 looks fancier with carpet and cabin trim. The weak point is the seat covers have seams and seams let in water. Once your seat foam has water in it you can kiss goodbye to a dry backside for weeks afterwards. So you either use closed-cell foam, or you use PVC covers, and that assumes no carpet or console trim etc like my Ds.

So for sunny climates, gorgeous, but an XK180 you could only drive a couple of months a year would be an expensive anachronism. But then if you've got money and patience, go for it.