1k: When Life Leads You to LeMons: 1971 Jaguar XJ, Chevy V8, Barn Find

Whoever found this rust-riddled Jaguar XJ with a Chevy 350 under the hood must have felt like the kid who got a stick of lip balm for Halloween. That's pretty cool and all, but what are you supposed to do with it? Can you trust it? It doesn't come with keys or an interior or verification if it runs at all. Sounds fun. Find this 1971 Jaguar XJ with Chevy 350 V8 in San Francisco, CA for $999 (or $500 "for LeMons guys") via craigslist. Better start working on that LeMons secret handshake.

The engine bay is in a vegetative state. You don't see this much flora and fauna outside of botany textbooks. It's got more greens than a frat boy at a Dave Matthews Band concert. One more: if you're a charter member of the XJ Preservation Society, don't worry - the engine swap will grow on you.

If you get it running, you'll be rewarded with about 300 horsepower of Chevrolet calamity. The tires seem to hold air and the body seems relatively straight, but just about everything else will need work. Really, stripping out the rat-infested upholstery and moldy dash pieces in favor of a roll cage seems not only plausible, but logical.

It already has its vehicle registration card, fees paid, freeing up your money for flamboyant paint safety requirements for the track. If you're still reading, you're already half crazy enough to join the mayhem. This could be the start of something magical.

See a better way to start your LeMons career? Email us at tips@dailyturismo.com.

PhiLOL actually likes the tuna here, but abhors structural rust. Save the manuals.