1975 Jaguar XJ Coupe 6.0 V12

[RobXjcoupe]

johnxjsc1985 said:

RoverP6B said:

Must admit I vastly prefer the original Smith's gauges, which I always thought a model of elegance. Chacon a son gout!

Same here I love the old Smiths gauges

I think this car has changed so much the original gauges would look out of place in the to be more modern interior. The original smiths gauges on the series 2 xj are a classic design and these new ones aren't that far away other than with a modern finish perhaps? My better half always tells me good design is regardless of personal taste. To change the colour is taste, the basic design has stayed the same

[craigjm]

My car has a series 3 interior in it and as such the gauges are different to the series 2 and are really cheap and nasty units, hardly what I would call a design classic unlike the gauges in the series 1 or the e-type.



|http://thumbsnap.com/gcf8MPfK[/url]

The originals would look too out of place with the rest of the changes being made in reality and were one of the first things earmarked to go

Edited by craigjm on Tuesday 3rd January 16:34

[kingkongsfinger]

Bloody lovely, cant wait to see more.

[LanceRS]

Oh boy...

[craigjm]

OK if im going to make the outside look complete first which is the goal I need to get on soon and order the wheels. I know which ones I want the problem is that I dont know what size.

the current wheels are 17 inch running 235/55 tyres

I could stick with that or I could easily move up to 18s which I am tempted to do

I am wondering what the widest wheels are that I could fit. Currently they are 8 but should I go 9 or 10 or should I even go different widths front to back.

I think im pretty set on 18s so advice on width and tyre fitment please. I want to keep the profile similar to what it is now

[johnxjsc1985]

craigjm said:

OK if im going to make the outside look complete first which is the goal I need to get on soon and order the wheels. I know which ones I want the problem is that I dont know what size.

the current wheels are 17 inch running 235/55 tyres

I could stick with that or I could easily move up to 18s which I am tempted to do

I am wondering what the widest wheels are that I could fit. Currently they are 8 but should I go 9 or 10 or should I even go different widths front to back.

I think im pretty set on 18s so advice on width and tyre fitment please. I want to keep the profile similar to what it is now

I think there is a forum member who has a tyre fitting/supply Company he may be able to hive you some good advices .
Is it Black Circles?.

[tortop45]

You could always turn it in to a donk !!!!!

[P5BNij]

craigjm said:

OK if im going to make the outside look complete first which is the goal I need to get on soon and order the wheels. I know which ones I want the problem is that I dont know what size.

the current wheels are 17 inch running 235/55 tyres

I could stick with that or I could easily move up to 18s which I am tempted to do

I am wondering what the widest wheels are that I could fit. Currently they are 8 but should I go 9 or 10 or should I even go different widths front to back.

I think im pretty set on 18s so advice on width and tyre fitment please. I want to keep the profile similar to what it is now

Just a quickie before you decide which way to go Craig... not sure if I've mentioned this already but how about a set of 'period' Cosmics from John Brown Wheels (Stockton in Warwickshire) which are modern repros of those sometimes fitted to S1 and 2 XJs back in the day...

http://www.johnbrownwheels.com/products/jbw-55-x-1...

I know they're 15s but they look the part, I had a close look at one last week when I was down there buying some 6x10 Cosmics for my Mini project...


Love those gauges by the way, nicely done.

[RobXjcoupe]

craigjm said:

OK if im going to make the outside look complete first which is the goal I need to get on soon and order the wheels. I know which ones I want the problem is that I dont know what size.

the current wheels are 17 inch running 235/55 tyres

I could stick with that or I could easily move up to 18s which I am tempted to do

I am wondering what the widest wheels are that I could fit. Currently they are 8 but should I go 9 or 10 or should I even go different widths front to back.

I think im pretty set on 18s so advice on width and tyre fitment please. I want to keep the profile similar to what it is now

I mentioned before I have 9jx18 on the rear of my coupe with original rear arches. They are xk8 rear offsets and wear 235 45 18 tyres which are the perfect size to maintain the original rolling radius of 205 70 15's. As you have round rear arches you can go with a higher rear profile on 18's to 235 50 or 55 but your gearing would be wrong as you already know. The front wheels can be 18's also but the 235 50 or 55 won't fit! They would be simply too large a diameter if you want the same size dia and profile tyres fitted front and rear.
If you must have the same high profile tyres front and rear you need to fit 17" wheels on the front and 18" wheels on the rear. If you want 10j wide rears, you need to alter the offsets of the wheels by at least 25mm to clear the inner wheel arch. Starts to get complicated when straying away from standard measurements.

[craigjm]

P5BNIJ - 15s are way too small they would look like castors in the widened arches. Im going with the Halibrand replicas posted before.

Im starting to think that I would be better off sticking with the 235/55 17 all round that I have now and just dropping the ride height a bit

[Beefmeister]

craigjm said:

P5BNIJ - 15s are way too small they would look like castors in the widened arches. Im going with the Halibrand replicas posted before.

Im starting to think that I would be better off sticking with the 235/55 17 all round that I have now and just dropping the ride height a bit

I completely agree. 17's are big but not too big and give a good tyre depth. The suspension drop will make it perfect.

[LanceRS]

Just my opinion, 18s would look too big. Might work on Hot Wheels but not a car of this caliber.

[bob-lad]

craigjm said:

OK if im going to make the outside look complete first which is the goal I need to get on soon and order the wheels. I know which ones I want the problem is that I dont know what size.

the current wheels are 17 inch running 235/55 tyres

I could stick with that or I could easily move up to 18s which I am tempted to do

I am wondering what the widest wheels are that I could fit. Currently they are 8 but should I go 9 or 10 or should I even go different widths front to back.

I think im pretty set on 18s so advice on width and tyre fitment please. I want to keep the profile similar to what it is now

Steve at SB Wheels is your man for Jaguar wheels.
http://www.sbwheels.co.uk/

[craigjm]

bob-lad said:

Steve at SB Wheels is your man for Jaguar wheels.
http://www.sbwheels.co.uk/

Thanks, I'm not after a Jaguar set because the only period ones are Kents and I don't like those and they are not available in the bigger sizes I need. Useful link though I know a few people I will send that to
That

[P5BNij]

craigjm said:

P5BNIJ - 15s are way too small they would look like castors in the widened arches. Im going with the Halibrand replicas posted before.

Im starting to think that I would be better off sticking with the 235/55 17 all round that I have now and just dropping the ride height a bit

Just thought I'd mention it Craig, I toyed with the idea of getting a set for my S2 but I sold it a few weeks ago. When I come back to this thread though it gets me hankering after another one, or an XJC!

[healeyfan]

Stick with 17" wheels. The tyres are much cheaper. Can anyone explain why odd size diameter tyres:
13, 15, 17 ,19 are cheaper than 14,16,18 and 20.

[craigjm]

Cheers P5B

Healey.... thanks I think I probably will stick with 17s and just drop it a bit

[anonymous-user]

18 inch wheels are the way to go, it's not going to look silly, not like 20 or 21 with rubber band tyres. 18s will give an excellent look balanced with a great ride. Jaguar even published specs for 18 inch wheels for their 70s XJs so that's good enough for me.

You need 255/45ZR18 96W tyres on 8.5Jx18 ET28 5x120 wheels.

[craigjm]

Cheers P5B

Healey.... thanks I think I probably will stick with 17s and just drop it a bit

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Slightly O/T, but I love this. Assuming all checks out, seems value at around 8.5 doesn't it?

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C815998