Jeffrey the Jag
Discussion
Here's Jeffrey, my 1991 XJS V12. I've had him for a couple of years now and he's just gone in for some intensive bodywork restoration.
Previous owners have treated him to a quite a few tuning goodies from AJ6 Engineering, so he's a bit quicker than your average XJS. Most importantly, the previous owner had a manual gearbox conversion carried-out, which makes it much easier to tap into the engine's power.
Pictures of the bodywork restoration, some of which are a little frightening, can be found here as I can't work out how to get the pictures off the website. It didn't really look that bad before, bu there was some serious rust lurking underneath.....
http://www.mistyle-weymouth.co.uk/photos/jaguar-xj...
Plan after the bodywork is to get the diff changed for a shorter one as it was originally matched to the auto gearbox and is now too long. Then some fruitier rear silencers to make the most of the V12 sound and then hopefully we'll be good to go.
Previous owners have treated him to a quite a few tuning goodies from AJ6 Engineering, so he's a bit quicker than your average XJS. Most importantly, the previous owner had a manual gearbox conversion carried-out, which makes it much easier to tap into the engine's power.
Pictures of the bodywork restoration, some of which are a little frightening, can be found here as I can't work out how to get the pictures off the website. It didn't really look that bad before, bu there was some serious rust lurking underneath.....
http://www.mistyle-weymouth.co.uk/photos/jaguar-xj...
Plan after the bodywork is to get the diff changed for a shorter one as it was originally matched to the auto gearbox and is now too long. Then some fruitier rear silencers to make the most of the V12 sound and then hopefully we'll be good to go.
Edited by HeWhoDaresRoy on Saturday 27th July 08:15
Fat Albert said:
Very nice, I do think that my XK8 would be fantastic with a manual 'box
Bet it would. I'd have an XK8 if the back seats were a bit bigger. I think they're aging really well.A few more pictures of the on-going work. Unfortunately the new paintwork has reacted with some previous rep[airs, so the car has been scraped back to bare metal and is being painted again:
deltashad said:
Lovely jag. Imagine how glow you'll feel when she's all finished and back on the drive 
I'm getting some serious work done to my lancia right now. It's going to be epic having her returned all fresh and rust free..
Can't wait. Hope the Lancia lives-up to expectations. We had a Thema when I was young - quite liked it.I'm getting some serious work done to my lancia right now. It's going to be epic having her returned all fresh and rust free..
Bought this little number a few weeks ago. Four litre, manual with an LPG conversion.
strummerville said:
Looking at the garage's website, I notice the OP has a rather nice Saab 900 too.
Yep, that's my Saab there, too! 210k miles and still going strong.Olivera, that's a lovely looking XJS. Can I as what sort of wheels are fitted? They look top-notch.
XJFlyer, I'm certainly considering a stand alone engine management system, but will have to see if funds allow. 6.8 litre engine would be awesome, but must be pricey? Thought I'd go for standard brakes and suspension as they ride nicely as standard and always found the brakes pretty powerful. I guess there's always room for improvement, though...
Right a bit of progress; Got the replacement back boxes on the car. Look suitably meaty.
Managed to score front and rear subframe assemblies including the shorter 3.54 diff, but will have to wait until funds allow new front and rear shocks/springs before I swap it all over. Plan is to enjoy the car over summer, as is, and then hopefully get the other bits done over winter.
Hoping car will be ready to pick-up in the next month or so.
Managed to score front and rear subframe assemblies including the shorter 3.54 diff, but will have to wait until funds allow new front and rear shocks/springs before I swap it all over. Plan is to enjoy the car over summer, as is, and then hopefully get the other bits done over winter.
Hoping car will be ready to pick-up in the next month or so.
Didn't realise I hadn't updated this. Well, the Jag is back and I had a good summer's fun in it. Kept using it into the winter months, but it blotted its copybook by leaking like a seive during a rainy, two-hour traffic jam, so I parked it up in the garage and brought it out again four months later.
I've changed the exhaust for a custom one by Zero Exhausts, Ashford (highly recommended) as the rear back boxes were too loud and producing a horrid sound as the pipes feeding them were only 1.75". It's also back on its original 16" lattice wheels - look much better in my opinion.
I've changed the exhaust for a custom one by Zero Exhausts, Ashford (highly recommended) as the rear back boxes were too loud and producing a horrid sound as the pipes feeding them were only 1.75". It's also back on its original 16" lattice wheels - look much better in my opinion.
Thanks! It looks much better in the flesh, but I seem to take a terrible photograph, so never manage to capture it at its best.
Currently refurbishing the interior; ski slope has been sent off to be re-veneered and I'm hoping to re-colour the leather in the next few weeks. I've replaced the carpets already with some carpet my wife scored at the council dump which was an almost perfect match for the original! Just used the old bits as a template and seemed to come out ok. Just need to get the floor mats edged now.
Currently refurbishing the interior; ski slope has been sent off to be re-veneered and I'm hoping to re-colour the leather in the next few weeks. I've replaced the carpets already with some carpet my wife scored at the council dump which was an almost perfect match for the original! Just used the old bits as a template and seemed to come out ok. Just need to get the floor mats edged now.
DBSV8 said:
Ooof, that's expensive. Guessing it must me in lovely condition to ask that price. Thing is, unless it's been restored, I wouldn't be surprised if there was rust lurking here and there.
I've still got the quad headlights for mine in the garage, but I'm not a fan, so fitted the ovoids.
Jeffrey failed his MOT...on a leaking shock and too much play in the steering rack, so not the end of the world.
I'm currently getting all the parts together as the suspension needs a refresh anyway. So far I've bought adjustable Gaz shocks, Aston DB7 springs from Eibach, new discs and pads and will get all the calipers refurbished. I guess he'll need new bushes all round, too.
I'm currently getting all the parts together as the suspension needs a refresh anyway. So far I've bought adjustable Gaz shocks, Aston DB7 springs from Eibach, new discs and pads and will get all the calipers refurbished. I guess he'll need new bushes all round, too.
It's taken a while, but Jeffrey is back.
Now sitting on Gaz Gold adjustables with Aston DB7 Eibach springs.
New brakes all-round including the calipers
Pretty-much all the bushes changed for poly ones
Viscous fan changed for electric for a few more bhp
Diff changed from a 2.88 to a 3.54 - absolutely flies now!
Now sitting on Gaz Gold adjustables with Aston DB7 Eibach springs.
New brakes all-round including the calipers
Pretty-much all the bushes changed for poly ones
Viscous fan changed for electric for a few more bhp
Diff changed from a 2.88 to a 3.54 - absolutely flies now!
Blast from the past....
Jeffrey has been sitting in my garage unused for a few years, as life and long, boring commutes have got in the way a bit. I've always kept him MOT'ed as the testing station is, conveniently, only a few hundred metres away, but otherwise the car has just sat there.
I decided to get him out of the garage, washed and polished and then put up for sale. However, having driven around a bit, I decided not to sell, but spend a bit of money and get it properly up to snuff, instead.
Somehow, the car seemed less than the some of its parts - it was quite quick but handling was terrifying, so I booked it in with a specialist for some fettling and a modern air conditioning system. I was preparing myself for a sizeable bill, but predictably, the specialist have found all sort of other bits that needed fixing after a very thorough inspection, so it has snowballed a little:
New Radtec aluminium radiator and Fenair condensor:
They've fitted a complete set of new coolant hoses at the same time.
New compressor and polished-up intakes:
Fuel rail being rebuilt:
A slice of donor car to replace rust inner wing, I think:
New front discs and calipers
New front springs from Eibach waiting to go on. The Aston DB7 springs made the car sit too high at the front:
Front ride-height with new springs and alignment being done:
Jeffrey has been sitting in my garage unused for a few years, as life and long, boring commutes have got in the way a bit. I've always kept him MOT'ed as the testing station is, conveniently, only a few hundred metres away, but otherwise the car has just sat there.
I decided to get him out of the garage, washed and polished and then put up for sale. However, having driven around a bit, I decided not to sell, but spend a bit of money and get it properly up to snuff, instead.
Somehow, the car seemed less than the some of its parts - it was quite quick but handling was terrifying, so I booked it in with a specialist for some fettling and a modern air conditioning system. I was preparing myself for a sizeable bill, but predictably, the specialist have found all sort of other bits that needed fixing after a very thorough inspection, so it has snowballed a little:
New Radtec aluminium radiator and Fenair condensor:
They've fitted a complete set of new coolant hoses at the same time.
New compressor and polished-up intakes:
Fuel rail being rebuilt:
A slice of donor car to replace rust inner wing, I think:
New front discs and calipers
New front springs from Eibach waiting to go on. The Aston DB7 springs made the car sit too high at the front:
Front ride-height with new springs and alignment being done:
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