A V12 sized gamble
Discussion
Well, as my parts never seemed to materialize I decided to go the whole hog, go out, and buy the Jag some presents.
Two stainless front Y pipes, just out of view a full stainless exhaust system, and four Boge shocks and springs. That's a month's wages pretty much decimated in one go, but isn't it great opening a box of shiny car parts?
Today was once again a painting and prepping day really, the other calliper has now been stripped down. I've been doing these completely separately so as not to mix up any of the bits.
Apart from that a bit of pre-MOT maintenance on other toys:
Before fitting the exhaust system I'm aiming to get some stainless clamps and new flange bolts because the old ones are all pretty past it.
I'd be interested to know if anyone has any information on the gearbox mounts on the XJ-S, ever since owning the car in hard right hand corners, roundabouts etc. there has been a tapping noise from the transmission tunnel. I can see where one exhaust has been coming into contact with the gearbox oil pan, and from what I can see one of the body bolts has been coming into contact with the gear shifter rod. I've tried pushing the gearbox up by hand and I can see both engine and gearbox move fairly readily. I know the rear mount is overly complicated and contains a spring but should there really be that much movement?
Two stainless front Y pipes, just out of view a full stainless exhaust system, and four Boge shocks and springs. That's a month's wages pretty much decimated in one go, but isn't it great opening a box of shiny car parts?
Today was once again a painting and prepping day really, the other calliper has now been stripped down. I've been doing these completely separately so as not to mix up any of the bits.
Apart from that a bit of pre-MOT maintenance on other toys:
Before fitting the exhaust system I'm aiming to get some stainless clamps and new flange bolts because the old ones are all pretty past it.
I'd be interested to know if anyone has any information on the gearbox mounts on the XJ-S, ever since owning the car in hard right hand corners, roundabouts etc. there has been a tapping noise from the transmission tunnel. I can see where one exhaust has been coming into contact with the gearbox oil pan, and from what I can see one of the body bolts has been coming into contact with the gear shifter rod. I've tried pushing the gearbox up by hand and I can see both engine and gearbox move fairly readily. I know the rear mount is overly complicated and contains a spring but should there really be that much movement?
If there is any movement on the gearbox, you will get horrible noises on acceleration as the prop rubs on the floor. My dad's went this way and it needed new mounts. A friend of mine who is into his Jags always replaced these with poly mounts as they are a weak point and a pain to change.
Trevor, thanks for the info, haven't had any horrible noises but I think changing them is definitely a good move. I've heard about the poly route as that seems the way to go, do it once and forget about it. After all the engine and box is a mighty big lump with plenty of torque going through it so it has to be right.
As for the Celica Supra, I'm sure a few more pictures won't do any harm
Fundamentally they're a great car, mechanically strong and ahead of their time back in 1982. Rust is the biggest enemy as you've found out!
This is an early UK spec one so unfortunately it's a narrowbody with the earlier wheels on, that makes it very rare, but not quite as good looking as the later Mk2s.
It's done 60k from new, kept by the original owners in a heated garage until 2011. If anything needed doing it was done, and always by Toyota themselves. I found receipts in the history folder dated 2004 for £400 of insurance, and it covered 11 miles between MOTs that year.
Has a strangely Knight Rider-ish quality to it!
Sold it to dad and made a good profit to fund the Jag purchase, possibly a big mistake!
As for the Celica Supra, I'm sure a few more pictures won't do any harm
Fundamentally they're a great car, mechanically strong and ahead of their time back in 1982. Rust is the biggest enemy as you've found out!
This is an early UK spec one so unfortunately it's a narrowbody with the earlier wheels on, that makes it very rare, but not quite as good looking as the later Mk2s.
It's done 60k from new, kept by the original owners in a heated garage until 2011. If anything needed doing it was done, and always by Toyota themselves. I found receipts in the history folder dated 2004 for £400 of insurance, and it covered 11 miles between MOTs that year.
Has a strangely Knight Rider-ish quality to it!
Sold it to dad and made a good profit to fund the Jag purchase, possibly a big mistake!
Well here we are gents, I've got stuck into the nasty rust round the rear arch and sill. As you can see I've cut out rather a lot and there's still a bit more to go....
I have to admit bodywork is not really my strong point but I'm willing to give it a shot, I've got a few mates who are pretty good at this sort of thing so there's always a guiding hand where needed.
Jaguar put in fluted drain channels all the way along the sill, it really wasn't the finest idea they've ever had and this is the remains of the rearmost one on mine:
The reconditioned hubs are due to be collected late this week, and the callipers and other bits should be coming back from the platers tomorrow or Tuesday. The end is in sight now, I really can't wait to get back behind the wheel.
I have to admit bodywork is not really my strong point but I'm willing to give it a shot, I've got a few mates who are pretty good at this sort of thing so there's always a guiding hand where needed.
Jaguar put in fluted drain channels all the way along the sill, it really wasn't the finest idea they've ever had and this is the remains of the rearmost one on mine:
The reconditioned hubs are due to be collected late this week, and the callipers and other bits should be coming back from the platers tomorrow or Tuesday. The end is in sight now, I really can't wait to get back behind the wheel.
I have a oem W/shop manual somewhere if you need it. Be careful in setting up the handbrake calipers - bit of an art. PM me if you need to know how.
Your inequality of ride height could be a wrong drive shaft on one side.
Get the trans flushed - just dropping the oil isn't much good. Flushing will do the job properly and prolong the life of the trans, and you won't believe how the gearchange will improve.
Your inequality of ride height could be a wrong drive shaft on one side.
Get the trans flushed - just dropping the oil isn't much good. Flushing will do the job properly and prolong the life of the trans, and you won't believe how the gearchange will improve.
Thanks V8, I was hoping to get the entire assembly back together this weekend but sadly my callipers etc. are not back from the platers yet.
In the meantime I got a couple of repair panels made up today, and made the awkward fluted drain hole panel to be welded back into the bottom of the sill. It doesn't look too bad as it is, and with a bit of cleaning up should look close to the original, not that the picture does it any justice!
Only got one of the stainless front Y pipes fitted, as when I moved onto the other side all the studs had corroded or stripped beyond repair. Ordered four new ones and extracted the old.
Last but not least yesterday I went to go and pick up the reconditioned hubs, and what a thing of beauty they are:
It was a pretty expensive day yesterday, new bearings for everything and a brake rebuild kit, and then just to punish my pockets further I went out to the daily driver and found the rear window smashed, along with my college bag taken from inside. All college work and bag found in a hedge three doors up, but I'll never get the 85 quid back I've just had to spend on a new glass.
In the meantime I got a couple of repair panels made up today, and made the awkward fluted drain hole panel to be welded back into the bottom of the sill. It doesn't look too bad as it is, and with a bit of cleaning up should look close to the original, not that the picture does it any justice!
Only got one of the stainless front Y pipes fitted, as when I moved onto the other side all the studs had corroded or stripped beyond repair. Ordered four new ones and extracted the old.
Last but not least yesterday I went to go and pick up the reconditioned hubs, and what a thing of beauty they are:
It was a pretty expensive day yesterday, new bearings for everything and a brake rebuild kit, and then just to punish my pockets further I went out to the daily driver and found the rear window smashed, along with my college bag taken from inside. All college work and bag found in a hedge three doors up, but I'll never get the 85 quid back I've just had to spend on a new glass.
http://cars.uk.msn.com/features/celebrity-cars/the...
Looks like you're right soad, from what I've read the car has been sold a couple of times since then
Looks like you're right soad, from what I've read the car has been sold a couple of times since then
OP,just seen the thread, I've not read it all but have to say well done. Bought a 3.6 manual XJS when I was 21 back in the day, everyone laughed at me then, but I loved it. But I used to get pulled over by the police all the time. Always remember putting the fuel computer on instant consumption and flooring it seeing how long I could keep it on 1mpg 
...( petrol was a little cheaper 20 years ago )
...( petrol was a little cheaper 20 years ago )Thanks djt, I can only imagine what it was like being seen in such a beast. Definitely an event every time you got behind the wheel though!
A bit more done on it tonight, looks as if I can now win the 'shiniest diff that'll never be seen again' competition:
The body repairs are nearly finished, the rest of the arch needs to be done, and the structural part and sill are welded and just need tidying.
Unfortunately whilst the callipers were away for plating the threaded ferrule on the handbrake calliper covers has come off on both sides which is a bit of a headache.
Basically part number 2 goes right through and meets a small threaded insert on part 12. Annoyingly there's now just a hole, no insert. I'm wondering whether the pickle they put it in before plating has eaten the brazing away or whatever held the insert on. Unfortunately the part is no longer available so I'll have to tack a nut on or something. It seems really insignificant but it still puts me back a step.
A bit more done on it tonight, looks as if I can now win the 'shiniest diff that'll never be seen again' competition:
The body repairs are nearly finished, the rest of the arch needs to be done, and the structural part and sill are welded and just need tidying.
Unfortunately whilst the callipers were away for plating the threaded ferrule on the handbrake calliper covers has come off on both sides which is a bit of a headache.
Basically part number 2 goes right through and meets a small threaded insert on part 12. Annoyingly there's now just a hole, no insert. I'm wondering whether the pickle they put it in before plating has eaten the brazing away or whatever held the insert on. Unfortunately the part is no longer available so I'll have to tack a nut on or something. It seems really insignificant but it still puts me back a step.
More progress on the beast today as being lazy, I booked the day off work. Refitted the N/S downpipe and heat shield, got the brake callipers re-sealed and back together and put those and the 'feet' back on the diff.
Greased up the UJs and started to attach the driveshaft 'hats', realising halfway through that I didn't have enough pop rivets. Always the way!
Took a break to fire it up with just the downpipes on, I can safely say my ears are still bleeding from that one.
Also got a repair patch made up for the bottom part of the wing, and a picture of the welding I finished the other night:
Some cleaning up to be done when it comes back from the bodyshop but it's definitely close now. Having just procured the last of the nuts and washers for the suspension trunnions I believe that's all the parts there to build it back up. You never know by the end of this weekend the old bus might be back on its own wheels again !
Greased up the UJs and started to attach the driveshaft 'hats', realising halfway through that I didn't have enough pop rivets. Always the way!
Took a break to fire it up with just the downpipes on, I can safely say my ears are still bleeding from that one.
Also got a repair patch made up for the bottom part of the wing, and a picture of the welding I finished the other night:
Some cleaning up to be done when it comes back from the bodyshop but it's definitely close now. Having just procured the last of the nuts and washers for the suspension trunnions I believe that's all the parts there to build it back up. You never know by the end of this weekend the old bus might be back on its own wheels again !
More progress over the past couple of days, almost ready to put the entire assembly back in.
Got it built up to this stage yesterday
The results of spending an afternoon on it. Getting the inner ends of the suspension arms and their seals/washers etc to stay in place was an absolute nightmare. A lot of swearing and head scratching later we got there!
Got a few minor patches in and the arch lip so that it's more or less ready to go off to the bodyshop too, I'm quite pleased with the results considering I've never done this sort of thing:
Springs to fit tomorrow evening, a few small brackets and radius arms, then it's ready to go back under the car. Before I do that I'd like to remove the heat shield and give it a clean, and re-waxoyl everywhere underneath.
Got it built up to this stage yesterday
The results of spending an afternoon on it. Getting the inner ends of the suspension arms and their seals/washers etc to stay in place was an absolute nightmare. A lot of swearing and head scratching later we got there!
Got a few minor patches in and the arch lip so that it's more or less ready to go off to the bodyshop too, I'm quite pleased with the results considering I've never done this sort of thing:
Springs to fit tomorrow evening, a few small brackets and radius arms, then it's ready to go back under the car. Before I do that I'd like to remove the heat shield and give it a clean, and re-waxoyl everywhere underneath.
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