1986 Jaguar Sovereign 4.2
Discussion
ClaphamGT3 said:
Well worth persevering - a prince amongst classics.
Just remember, it would be over restored and 'better than factory' if the electrics were sufficiently reliable that you came to think ANY electrical functionality was more than an unexpected and welcome bonus....
Indeed. Remember the old expression... "Electrics by Lucas - the prince of darkness" Just remember, it would be over restored and 'better than factory' if the electrics were sufficiently reliable that you came to think ANY electrical functionality was more than an unexpected and welcome bonus....
Oh and the leaking engine crankshaft seal is designed to leak oil at a steady rate. This was Jaguar's method for preventing rust underneath from the rear of the engine backwards.
Edited by Piersman2 on Tuesday 14th May 22:45
Piersman2 said:
Ha ha, love it. My very first Jag, way back in about 1991 or so when I were but a young lad of 23, was one of these in Dorchester Grey - D265 ELF was the plate.
I lived in Aberdeen at the time and flew to London to pick it up from some dodgy garage on the North Circular road. Drove it the 500+ miles back home having to spend a night in Dunfermline due to getting caught in a snow storm.
I had it for about 18 months before getting shot as every panel was starting to bubble with rust.
Fond memories of it randomly cutting out whilst driving along. Most impressive was when the return valves to the two tanks got a bit confused one day. I'd just filled up both tanks to the brim and drove off with people starting to hoot and point. Looked behind to see a trail of petrol following me up the road and a 1 foot high gusher of petrol from the beautiful chrome cap above the right hand tank.
You have so much to look forward to.
Stranded in Dunfermline for a night?!?!? you poor man!I lived in Aberdeen at the time and flew to London to pick it up from some dodgy garage on the North Circular road. Drove it the 500+ miles back home having to spend a night in Dunfermline due to getting caught in a snow storm.
I had it for about 18 months before getting shot as every panel was starting to bubble with rust.
Fond memories of it randomly cutting out whilst driving along. Most impressive was when the return valves to the two tanks got a bit confused one day. I'd just filled up both tanks to the brim and drove off with people starting to hoot and point. Looked behind to see a trail of petrol following me up the road and a 1 foot high gusher of petrol from the beautiful chrome cap above the right hand tank.
You have so much to look forward to.
My first Jag was a pre-HE JXS V12. It had a short MOT on it and needed a few things fettled like one of the steering column UJs had collapsed and various other odds and ends. It threw the alternator drive belt once and it took me eight hours to replace it because it was the inner most of about five belts that had to be removed before replacing the faulty one then having to put them all back on.
It's death nell was when I decided to tackle a rust hole in the rear wing just behind the door. As it'd been bodged previously, I thought, "I'm going to do this properly!". I spent the whole afternoon removing all the rust which left it without the whole sill, half the rear wing, the rear valance, the corners of the floor and rear suspension mounting points!
It sat on my drive for a few months until my G/F at the time decided she quite fancied it so I said if she bought the parts I'd nail it back together and it was hers. So I did and made a grand job of it even thoguh I say so myself but it started mis-firing, couldn't fix it so sold it to a bloke in Dundee for pennies.
He called me the next day to tell me that he'd replaced the ECU, (didn't know it had one!), and it ran perfectly!!
<sigh>
Ahhhh, the rust!
My father had a series 2 4.2 when I was a kid, BUR 85T. Beautiful car in signal red that we had for a few years. He sold it on and bought a newer one.
Anyways, about 10 years later I spotted it parked up on my route to work. It sat there for 6 months and eventually I left a note on the windscreen. Some nice old lady phoned me and said she was about to send it to the scrappies and I could have it for £150. I rushed round and gave her a cheque then went to the local specialist in Aberdeen to arrange for him to go collect it for me.
He refused! He basically said if it's been sat outside that long it'll have bodywork like lace and the rear suspension would drop off as soon as they tried to tow it onto the flatbed. He sent me back to check under the rear suspension arm mounts. He was spot on, I could push my finger through the metal/rust of the floor.
The nice old lady kindly returned my cheque thankfully.
Shame, as it was a beauty in it's heyday.
My father had a series 2 4.2 when I was a kid, BUR 85T. Beautiful car in signal red that we had for a few years. He sold it on and bought a newer one.
Anyways, about 10 years later I spotted it parked up on my route to work. It sat there for 6 months and eventually I left a note on the windscreen. Some nice old lady phoned me and said she was about to send it to the scrappies and I could have it for £150. I rushed round and gave her a cheque then went to the local specialist in Aberdeen to arrange for him to go collect it for me.
He refused! He basically said if it's been sat outside that long it'll have bodywork like lace and the rear suspension would drop off as soon as they tried to tow it onto the flatbed. He sent me back to check under the rear suspension arm mounts. He was spot on, I could push my finger through the metal/rust of the floor.
The nice old lady kindly returned my cheque thankfully.
Shame, as it was a beauty in it's heyday.
There seems to be a lot of Jag love on here which is nice
Spent today sorting out a few things-adjusted squeaky fanbelt, resealed downpipe to manifold to fix the blow and ripped out the carpets to give it a damn good clean- it did not smell pretty inside. Have left the carpets outside to dry off. There's plenty still to do but I thought I'd give it a wash and take some photos first. She looks not bad
Spent today sorting out a few things-adjusted squeaky fanbelt, resealed downpipe to manifold to fix the blow and ripped out the carpets to give it a damn good clean- it did not smell pretty inside. Have left the carpets outside to dry off. There's plenty still to do but I thought I'd give it a wash and take some photos first. She looks not bad
dome said:
There seems to be a lot of Jag love on here which is nice
Spent today sorting out a few things-adjusted squeaky fanbelt, resealed downpipe to manifold to fix the blow and ripped out the carpets to give it a damn good clean- it did not smell pretty inside. Have left the carpets outside to dry off. There's plenty still to do but I thought I'd give it a wash and take some photos first. She looks not bad
From one 85 Sov to another! Spent today sorting out a few things-adjusted squeaky fanbelt, resealed downpipe to manifold to fix the blow and ripped out the carpets to give it a damn good clean- it did not smell pretty inside. Have left the carpets outside to dry off. There's plenty still to do but I thought I'd give it a wash and take some photos first. She looks not bad
ttyness of this era of Jag XJ makes me want one more than anything.My dad had a string of these while I was growing up, a '72 2.8 - which was a bit underpowered, he'd never race a 4.2 owned by a school friends dad up the hill to school, very disappointing for a 12 year old; then a couple of Daimler4.2 Sovereigns, my chief memory of those was them over-heating and being parked up on the A380 to Weston Super Mare every summer holiday. Used to get into heated arguments with another friend, whose dad had a MB 350SE (w116) as to which was best! Happy days.
Anyway, best of luck and one day I'll have to sign up myself.
Anyway, best of luck and one day I'll have to sign up myself.
Thanks guys. Gave it an oil change the other day and took 'er indoors out for a run. Now it smells a bit less musty I think she may be warming to it.
The ride is sublime and the roadholding decent, although it takes a fair bit of arm twirling to negotiate the twisties. Had a classic old British car moment this morning-started up and drove off and noticed no reading on the oil pressure gauge. No light on tho and sounded fine so gave it a tap and it sprung to life. Ah, British engineering
The ride is sublime and the roadholding decent, although it takes a fair bit of arm twirling to negotiate the twisties. Had a classic old British car moment this morning-started up and drove off and noticed no reading on the oil pressure gauge. No light on tho and sounded fine so gave it a tap and it sprung to life. Ah, British engineering
Well after a couple of days the interior is now a million times better-all the smoke/mould/dog hairs have gone. It now looks rather nice and is a much more pleasant place to be.
And how did the car decide to repay me? Well the alternator is now on its way out. Tomorrows mission is to remove, strip and get new bits ordered to rebuild it.
As an aside I found the previous MOT from July 2002 when the car had done 115049 miles. At its next MOT in January 2013 it had done 115063. It was on 115110 when I got it so it's owner barely got the chance to enjoy it. I shall do my best to put some more miles on it though.
And how did the car decide to repay me? Well the alternator is now on its way out. Tomorrows mission is to remove, strip and get new bits ordered to rebuild it.
As an aside I found the previous MOT from July 2002 when the car had done 115049 miles. At its next MOT in January 2013 it had done 115063. It was on 115110 when I got it so it's owner barely got the chance to enjoy it. I shall do my best to put some more miles on it though.
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