Haute Wheels: Grace...Pace...Space—Bob McAnelly's Jaguar Collection.

by Stephen Faure

Bob McAnelly didn’t realize that his quest for a birthday treat for himself would turn into a life-long hobby. His collection has grown to more than 20 cars, in various states of restoration, and his most distinctive vehicles have wonderful stories behind them.

We found out about Bob’s extensive collection through Michael Rase of Paretti Jaguar in Baton Rouge. “Bob’s a good friend. He’s always ready to bring cars from his collection to special events. When Jaguar introduces a new model, he’ll bring an example of the model’s prior version to the shop for people to compare. Viewing Bob’s collection, you get a sense of the lineage of the Jaguar design. Even models such as the new Jaguar XF exhibit much of the same DNA, so to speak, of the earlier designs.”

Bob recalls his first Jaguar. “In 1990, I turned 40 and said I was going to buy myself a present. I looked at BMWs and Mercedes, and the Lexus had just come out. I went to New Orleans to look at the Lexus, and the dealership only had two or three on the lot. They were scarce enough at that time that they wanted a premium over the sticker price. I thought, ‘No way,’” Bob says.
As fate would have it, the Jaguar dealership was close by, and Bob decided to drop in for a look. “I didn’t care for the body style [of the Jaguars] that changed in 1987. I wanted to look at the used ones; there was one with the body style I liked, a 1985, so I bought it.”

Fate intervened further that day when he discovered the dealership was working on a customer’s 1966 E-type Jaguar, a classic model that is instantly recognizable as the archetypal Jaguar sports car. It was also for sale, so Bob bought it, too. “I was ready to buy a brand-new BMW or Mercedes; I ended up getting two used Jaguars for the price of one new car.”

“Jaguar has always built magnificent-looking cars,” Bob says. The Jaguar models with the sleek, regal lines he fell in love with come from a time in the brand’s history when it was under the direction of William Lyons. One of the company’s founders, Lyons guided almost every Jaguar’s styling until his death in 1985. “For one man to have designed so many cars, he hit home run after home run after home run.”

One thing led to another and Bob’s collection grew. “The E-type was a nice car and fun to drive, but it was only a two-seater. I needed something the family could ride in.” He decided on the MK-2, a 4-door sedan from the 1960s. He found one in Baton Rouge.

A friend of Bob’s said he had seen one in town. He knew the house where it was kept, but he didn’t know the people who owned it. So Bob went and knocked on the door.

“I asked if they wanted to sell it. They were happy to show it to me but said it was not for sale. The owner had inherited it from an uncle who had been stationed in Britain while in the military. A few months later, I got a call, though. He was being transferred and had no place to keep it at his new house. He ended up selling it to me. It was a very nice car.”

Shortly thereafter, Bob decided to take it to the British car show in New Orleans. After driving it down, he parked it next to another Jaguar MK-2. While the other car was a fully restored MK-2, many of its parts were reproductions and not the quality intended by the manufacturer.

“I discovered my car was all original, as it had left the factory.” Reflecting on his good fortune, Bob notes, “Anyone with a lot of money can restore a car, but to find an original one is every car guy’s dream. So, here was the car I bought to haul the family around in, and I realized I couldn’t risk it.”

He continued his quest for a Jaguar big enough (and not too rare) to drive the family in. How he found the MK-2 he now drives to the office every day and around town is another story. Bob found a Daimler, Jaguar’s luxury brand not often seen in the United States. (Believe it or not—the Queen’s personal car is a Daimler.)

The Daimler’s owner in California also owned an old MK-2 that had some parts that Bob wanted. It was winter, and that year California was getting pummeled by storm after storm, preventing the owner from going out to the yard to get the parts that Bob needed. Since there was room in the truck for both the Daimler and MK-2, he decided to sell the whole car to Bob.
Bob planned on parting out the MK-2, a white 1967 model. “But the car ran,” Bob says. “It had a few minor problems. I fixed them, and I’ve been driving it ever since. For a 1960s Jaguar, it’s a very practical car, with power steering and air conditioning.”

Bob drives it every day, calling it “something distinctive to get from point A to point B in.” Air conditioning is a necessity in our climate, and although the Jaguar is equipped with it, a twist of 1960s British technology puts the air conditioning equipment in the car’s trunk, or “boot,” as it’s referred to in England. The vent is right on top of the rear seatback, surprising and quickly chilling his passengers.

The car featured here is a gray 1954 XK140. A convertible to Americans, in British motoring terms it’s known as a “drop-head coupe.” This car, together with a red XK120 (another car from that year), has special significance to Bob. 1954 was the last year the XK120 was made, and the first year for its replacement model, the XK140. Bob discovered that the 140 was the eighth one produced. When the 120 became available, and he learned it was one of the final 20 cars of that model made, he knew they belonged together.

A fulfilling aspect of Bob’s hobby is chauffeuring newlyweds around town on their wedding day. The MK-2 he uses has the classic lines of a British limousine. It wasn’t running when he first bought it. After nearly two years of troubleshooting, success came one week before son Jim’s wedding day—a deadline that had been imposed by Bob’s wife, Nell.

Many of Bob’s relatives were in town for the wedding and everyone pitched in to get the car detailed for the big day. Bob drove the couple from the wedding ceremony in Baton Rouge to the reception at the Houmas House plantation in Burnside. He’s done this a few times for friends and family, “dressing it up British-style,” as he says, with white ribbons on the hood (the “bonnet” to the Brits) for the ride. The car also sports an interesting purple and gold license plate. “The state allows antique cars to have license plates from the year they are made. 1960 was LSU’s centennial year, and the plate commemorates that.”

Bob believes that, first and foremost, his cars are meant to be driven. If one of his Jaguars is going to be in a show, he’ll drive it there, unlike many enthusiasts who bring their autos in on trailers. Although a member of the Jaguar Club of North America and show chairman for many years of the New Orleans club, he doesn’t go to shows very often. “My cars are 40 to 50 years old. Fan belts break, hoses split and rocks hit the windshield. So I don’t make it to too many shows.”

Keeping up with his collection is a fulfilling hobby for Bob, occupying much of his spare time. “I don’t hunt, I don’t fish and I don’t golf. While all my buddies are out hunting, fishing and golfing, I’m getting my hands greasy. And my wife always knows where I am.”

“Grace…Pace…Space…” was Jaguar’s advertising slogan for many of the years when Bob’s cars were built. He’s done a great job of preserving this legacy for years to come.