Equipment
5-speed, Wilwood brakes, adjustable shocks, braided steel lines, stainless exhaust, alloy radiator, chrome centerlock wire wheels, Vredestein tires, black cloth boot cover, woodrim steering wheel, Kenwood CD stereo.
Condition
Replacement engine block and head. Trunk lid isn't flush and sticks up on the left side. Headlight bezels aren't flush. Very good interior. A desirable SI 4.2, but with the modern upgrades and CD stereo plus the handful of shortcomings, this is for someone to drive and enjoy. Not a show car, and not for someone who values authenticity above all else.
Market commentary
The fate in the market of this XKE, which should be a superb tour car, illustrates the difficulty of recovering the cost of even subtle modifications for more performance, better handling and more comfort. While they contribute to driving enjoyment the departure from stock configuration not only separates the car from mainstream collecting values but also makes any comparison with comparable values difficult, leaving bidders in a fog of uncertainty unless they really know what they're doing, and bidders like that are few and far between, particularly for cars modified at great cost like this one. This is going to be a hard sell, except to the rare and possibly unique buyer who wants an XKE that performs like a Corvette.