Bob Boston: more pictures

 

  logo (1.7kB)

modified seat Bob Boston's DS420 collection  
This page shows photos contributed by Bob Boston from Atlanta, Georgia, USA (each photo can be enlarged by clicking). As the introduction already said, Bob owns a company that converts people carrier vans for use by handicapped people. A few of his professional conversion skills, but now applied to DS420 cars, are also shown on the converted cars page of this web site. Bob has been a Jaguar collector for over 40 years with 2 MkIIs, an XK140 roadster, an XK150 DHC, and two 420 sedans.

Bob says that this website has infected him with the DS420 bug, which now has resulted in the half a dozen DS420 cars, presented here.

The picture to the right shows what can be done about the cramped seating in the driver's seat of this 1992 limo: after removal of the non-electric divider window, and moving the cocktail cabinet a bit to the rear, Bob (6'1"=1.85m) fits with outstretched arms.

black over gold car  

The first car in the above lineup is a 1988 model in black over gold. It has many options: dual airco, and electric division, windows, and door locks. While still in the UK, this car had brandnew rear quarterpanels installed by Steve Robey from Maidstone, Kent, UK. And contrary to the suggestion in the photo, this car did not end up with a rerouted exhaust.

black over gold car black over gold car

The second car in the row is Bob's pride and joy: this Carlton grey 1988 car, vin SAJDWATL4AA201074. It is an original LHD car, beige leather interior, with many options such as cocktail cabinet, TV and a satellite radio control in the rear opening armrest. The car had done 15,000 Km when he bought it, and this has now doubled. The body is in flawless and rustfree, original state.

It was originally ordered by and delivered to Bennett S. LeBow, financier and tobacco magnate.

Carlton grey car
Carlton grey car Carlton grey car Carlton grey car
Carlton grey car Carlton grey car Carlton grey car

One of the last DS420 limos to leave the factory was this 1992 black over maroon car: VIN #201601; the production stopped 30 cars later. It was converted to LHD driving and to a landaulette, and it also received an XJS supercharged engine:

Landaulette Landaulette
Landaulette Landaulette Landaulette
Lee Barthel's car Lee Barthel's car  

The fourth car in the row, 1989 model, is actually not part of Bob's collection, but prepared by him and his company for the collection of Lee Barthel of Detroit. Originally in black, the car was completely stripped with doors off, and then painted a 1939 Packard color over Dorchester gray. Bob's men also converted it to LHD.

Chelmsford ex-mayoral car Chelmsford ex-mayoral car Chelmsford ex-mayoral car  

Similarly, the car shown here (not present on the lineup photo) once was part of Bob's fleet, but now has moved on to a local limousine company. Originally, it was the Mayoral car of Chelmsford, England. It dates from 1990, steering is RHD, and it is silver over dark grey with many options including curtains.

Japanese bank car

The fifth car in the lineup is a 1988 model in black. It used to be owned by a Japanese bank, has now run 16,000 Km and has a flawless, rustfree body that has never been touched. The steering has been converted to LHD by Steve Robey.

The front interior is in gray leather. The rear used to have West of England cloth but that had to be replaced and is now in dark red leather. This work was also done by Mr. Robey in England.

  Japanese bank car
Bob Boston's DS420 flower car

 
Simultaneously shown on the Converted Cars page of this website is this DS420 hearse converted into a flower car. The project was inspired by the sumptuous gangster funerals in Chicago in the 30's of the last century. The car is now a comfortable truck for long distance use. You may notice that this is the only high-grille rubber block bumper car in Bob's collection. All other cars are of the younger rubber strip bumper era. Even more pictures of this conversion are in the photo gallery.

The little "bubble car" on the back is another icon from his collection: a 1965 Peel Trident, made on the Isle of Man. Only 80 made.

VandenPlas mockup (13kB)

 
When the DS420 was introduced in 1968, VandenPlas also built a mock-up of a shortened coupe, four doors, on the unaltered Jaguar 420G floorpan. The project never came past this mock-up phase, and pictures were never published until Brian Long showed this photo (right) almost 25 years later in an article in the Jaguar Quarterly journal. We have a separate photo gallery on this coupe, which shows more information on this project, including a mockup of a similar two-door brainchild. 40 years later, Bob actually took the challenge and realised the two-door version! Registration no. BRG0296 (USA). He started with a standard limousine, shortened it, flattened the roof somewhat, and also extended the doors by 10" (some hearse builders fitted extended doors as well). In August 2009, the project was nearly finished, and the pictures below were taken:

Driving Member article Driving Member article
Coupe Coupe Coupe Coupe

Many more photos of this coupe-project are on the photo gallery of this project and on Bob's own website

Judy Boston, Bob's wife, is an avid collector of all things Christmas and Halloween. Being married to a car guy inevitably meant that a combination of these two worlds resulted in an exceptional display. These pictures appeared in The Driving Member magazine of November 2014.

   Coupe    Coupe

Photos contributed in 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2014


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