1975 Jaguar XJ Coupe 6.0 V12
Discussion
craigjm said:
My car already has the dark wood but will be replacing it with piano black with a matching wooden wheel and removing the glovebox completely as I hate that big lock.
What about a black ash dash. It keeps the wood grain but is black as you prefer. Piano black would make a very stark dash. Don't you think? You could even have the walnut stained as a colour before given the high gloss finish. Will your interior be red and black still?RobXjcoupe said:
craigjm said:
My car already has the dark wood but will be replacing it with piano black with a matching wooden wheel and removing the glovebox completely as I hate that big lock.
What about a black ash dash. It keeps the wood grain but is black as you prefer. Piano black would make a very stark dash. Don't you think? You could even have the walnut stained as a colour before given the high gloss finish. Will your interior be red and black still?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr0cGaAQ6IY
I've already got the piano black wheel and gearknob. the black vents will be going and they will be round chrome. The black dials will also be going and they will be cream with chrome surrounds and all of the black switches will be going too and be replaced with chrome. Still keeping the red and black interior but will have black carpets. The seats and door cards will be red with a diamond quilting using black stitching. The upper doors, dashboard and centre console will be black. Not sure if the storage bin lid will be red or black yet.
I really don't like any kind of wood grain in a car. If I get rid of the glovebox I might have a silver inlay in the black, not sure yet. If I do that I might inlay subtlety.
I really don't like any kind of wood grain in a car. If I get rid of the glovebox I might have a silver inlay in the black, not sure yet. If I do that I might inlay subtlety.
P5BNij said:
Seconded! That darker walnut dash really suits the interior, mine is quite pale and the lacquer is cracked slightly here and there. Rob - did you have any trouble removing / fitting the dash and head unit...?
The dash takes a bit of time and patience. The wood is mounted on a steel plate and held in place with self tappers. If you have your original restored then the self tapper holes are still there to realign everything easily. I bought a totally new dash and it was time consuming getting the thing in the right position. I did this about 10 years ago now. At the time I had the whole interior out so it was a good time to change it. I remember the glovebox being a pig to line up with even gaps around once shut
With fitting the stereo headunit, the coupe original stereo surround is Ali. My kenwood unit is black. I used a series 3 surround which is steel with a black vinyl covering. I cut the centre to suit the new stereo so black on black looked ok. The series 2 heater parts were then swapped over together with the silver plastic surround that matches the surround on the electric window switch panel. Wiring is a thing I like so my unit is hard wired into the original fuse box without using connectors etc. That kenwood unit is 15 years old now. It's a mask version that rolls over to the plain black when the ignition is turned off. When parked up it all looks normal so to speak
craigjm said:
I've already got the piano black wheel and gearknob. the black vents will be going and they will be round chrome. The black dials will also be going and they will be cream with chrome surrounds and all of the black switches will be going too and be replaced with chrome. Still keeping the red and black interior but will have black carpets. The seats and door cards will be red with a diamond quilting using black stitching. The upper doors, dashboard and centre console will be black. Not sure if the storage bin lid will be red or black yet.
I really don't like any kind of wood grain in a car. If I get rid of the glovebox I might have a silver inlay in the black, not sure yet. If I do that I might inlay subtlety.
Nope fair enough with no wood grain I really don't like any kind of wood grain in a car. If I get rid of the glovebox I might have a silver inlay in the black, not sure yet. If I do that I might inlay subtlety.
Inlayed silver in the piano black would look very classy but in my head I'm seeing Art Deco so a modern take on that together with all that chrome would link the dash nicely to the items sitting in it. The cream dials with red and black I'm not sure. Cream dials are very traditional. My TVR has cream dials and sit on a walnut dash, which are the same size dials as the jag coupe
[quote=RobXjcoupe]
The cream dials with red and black I'm not sure. Cream dials are very traditional. My TVR has cream dials and sit on a walnut dash, which are the same size dials as the jag coupe [quote]
Not that cream, more of a magnolia / off white and they will have a more modern typeface including a leaper on the two large units and red needles. They are being made bespoke by Speedhut in the USA
The cream dials with red and black I'm not sure. Cream dials are very traditional. My TVR has cream dials and sit on a walnut dash, which are the same size dials as the jag coupe [quote]
Not that cream, more of a magnolia / off white and they will have a more modern typeface including a leaper on the two large units and red needles. They are being made bespoke by Speedhut in the USA
craigjm]obXjcoupe said:
The cream dials with red and black I'm not sure. Cream dials are very traditional. My TVR has cream dials and sit on a walnut dash, which are the same size dials as the jag coupe [quote]
Not that cream, more of a magnolia / off white and they will have a more modern typeface including a leaper on the two large units and red needles. They are being made bespoke by Speedhut in the USA
Very nice!Not that cream, more of a magnolia / off white and they will have a more modern typeface including a leaper on the two large units and red needles. They are being made bespoke by Speedhut in the USA
Black roof lining then I assume
craigjm said:
Yeah black suede cloth type roof lining with dynomat everywhere underneath it, in the doors and all over the floor
Personally I wouldn't put dynomat in the doors unless the panel has been protected and painted extremely well. Moisture kills these cars as the steel isn't as good as modern grade phosphate dipped. The dynomat will help damp find a gap and rot the door from the inside out. Are you retrimming the original door cards or having new ones made?
It will be rust proofed properly before anything is applied
The trimmer is making pattern door cards because the originals are fooked. Same with the seating which they will be completely rebuilding. The interior as it stands is covered in red leather paint as the original leather was tan and someone had just painted over it. Eww! Anything that's originally cardboard type crap on the interior like doorcards and roof boarding will be replaced
The trimmer is making pattern door cards because the originals are fooked. Same with the seating which they will be completely rebuilding. The interior as it stands is covered in red leather paint as the original leather was tan and someone had just painted over it. Eww! Anything that's originally cardboard type crap on the interior like doorcards and roof boarding will be replaced
I did my interior on a budget and I found it hard work retrimming bits of hardboard curling at the edges lol.
Sounds like like your car used to be the same colour combo as mine. Westminster blue and biscuit leather. My car came with original purchase order and receipts from new. That's why I've kept mine traditional. I'm only the 3rd owner and even have a photo of the first owner with the car when it was first restored in 89'. Mine needs another paint and new interior now as my seats are starting to unstitch. Not bad for a car coming up to 40
Sounds like like your car used to be the same colour combo as mine. Westminster blue and biscuit leather. My car came with original purchase order and receipts from new. That's why I've kept mine traditional. I'm only the 3rd owner and even have a photo of the first owner with the car when it was first restored in 89'. Mine needs another paint and new interior now as my seats are starting to unstitch. Not bad for a car coming up to 40
Yes it was Westminster Blue and biscuit. I wanted to resto-mod one from the start and fit the six litre engine which is why I bought this one with it already in place and the rear wheel arches done and the front end modifications. I knew some of it was a bit rough but the journey has been a surprise so far. I couldn't put it back to original if I wanted because no idea where the engine is etc.
I have since though found out who was the first owner and I like to think that if he was still alive, as a progressive he would approve of my plans. Basically I am eventually going to create my vision of what an XJC-R might have looked like with as much modern tech hidden away as possible to make it fun on today's roads
I have since though found out who was the first owner and I like to think that if he was still alive, as a progressive he would approve of my plans. Basically I am eventually going to create my vision of what an XJC-R might have looked like with as much modern tech hidden away as possible to make it fun on today's roads
RobXjcoupe said:
Have you read about this restoration?
http://jaguar.fiboy.com/XJ12C.htm
Yeah, some of the things he did I like but there is also a lot I don't like but is also of its time because the car was done about 15 years ago. I'm keeping the chrome door handles and changing the chrome racing mirrors for new ones. I don't like the XJ40 handles and don't think the XJ40 mirrors suit the body shape. I'm also keeping my chrome bumpers but will be making them one piece to get rid of the over riders. Think they look more classy than the series 3 that he used. The front end is semi inspired by that but will be more modern (posted the grille a page or so ago)http://jaguar.fiboy.com/XJ12C.htm
I had read somewhere that he had died but his company Fib still seems to exist
I had just bought my coupe in 2002 and remember watching the online build. Agreed some bits are not to our tastes but it's what was current in 2002. His attention to detail putting the strength in the shell and extra ventilation for the engine bay is still excellent engineering. I personally like chrome bumpers and trim. It's all part of owning a classic car......chrome!!! lol I know you mentioned the rear arch mod, not the best thing but it's what you have. I'm thinking if you still want large profile tyres then a way to make it look "right" could be to flare the arch to get 10j rear wheels covered. Then a 245 50 17 tyre on the 10j wide wheel. This has a dia of 676.mm compared to the original 668mm dia. I think the coupe has an offset of 33mm. For the 10j wide rear the offset would need to be about 20mm to clear the inner wheel arch. The fronts stick to standard 33mm offset and 8j wide x17 with a 225 50 r17 tyre. A nice rear wheel drive staggered wheel set. Image will make wheels to your spec and to your own design.
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