XJR-S Restoration?

[dr_gn]

I’ve noticed for a while a TWR XJR-S in a driveway near where I live (it never moves). It has a “1998 Le Mans Winners” sticker in the back window - I had to smile, given today’s date. I had a brief chat to the owner. I’m guessing they rust like crazy and cost a fortune to restore? From what I can see it doesn’t look terrible, but the boot edges are rusty, so I’m guessing it’s all rotten?

Just had a read through a Motor Sport review from the ‘90’s, and apparently it was quite a machine - a match (and more) for the contemporary Mondial, 928 and 850i.

[Unsorted]

Fantastic car. Scarily accessible massive speed. Very refined as you would expect. Bit of a pain on speed humps as anything but dead slow meant the front hit the deck. Believe wheels were difficult to get but could be old info.

[TCEvo]

My Dad has an '89 ('90 model year) cab.

Boot lid bottom edge has some bumbling but it's surface & hasn't got any worse in years - his lives inside & rarely gets wet though.

Not sure I'd want to tackle one that's lived outside & hasn't been used for sometime: bork factor = epic.

I'd love a very late model XJR-S or a really early car, although both strong money now.

[MikeyC]

I think the year was probably 1988 rather than '98 (Jaguar XJR-9LM won in that year)

Apparantly only 100 made so are comparatively rare
A handfull have come up to auction, the most recent that I know of is this one last year
Looks in pretty good knick for 108K miles and reasonable price considering the rarity

[dr_gn]

MikeyC said:

I think the year was probably 1988 rather than '98 (Jaguar XJR-9LM won in that year)

Apparantly only 100 made so are comparatively rare
A handfull have come up to auction, the most recent that I know of is this one last year
Looks in pretty good knick for 108K miles and reasonable price considering the rarity

Yes, sorry it was a typo - 1988. There’s a small decal on the pinstripe of an XJR-9LM as well.

[lukeharding]

If its got the decal on the rear quarter its well worth buying as a numbered Le Mans 6.0. They do rust, but even a rusty R-S can make a lot of money now (as one did at Brooklands a few auctions back). Fantastic cars to drive though, and even better with a manual box

[dr_gn]

lukeharding said:

If its got the decal on the rear quarter its well worth buying as a numbered Le Mans 6.0. They do rust, but even a rusty R-S can make a lot of money now (as one did at Brooklands a few auctions back). Fantastic cars to drive though, and even better with a manual box

Hmm that's odd. The owner said it was a 5.3 litre (if that's what your 6.0 meant?). He seemed quite clued up about it so I'm surprised he didn't mention it.

[lukeharding]

dr_gn said:

Hmm that's odd. The owner said it was a 5.3 litre (if that's what your 6.0 meant?). He seemed quite clued up about it so I'm surprised he didn't mention it.

If its a 5.3 then its an XJS Le Mans but they were HE not facelift (280 built I think), and also didn't have the rear quarter sticker at the end of the pin stripe. R-S ones had the sticker and the 6.0.

[Olivera]

I would just buy a normal V12 HE, the bodykit on the XJRS is extremely ugly.

[dr_gn]

lukeharding said:

dr_gn said:

Hmm that's odd. The owner said it was a 5.3 litre (if that's what your 6.0 meant?). He seemed quite clued up about it so I'm surprised he didn't mention it.

If its a 5.3 then its an XJS Le Mans but they were HE not facelift (280 built I think), and also didn't have the rear quarter sticker at the end of the pin stripe. R-S ones had the sticker and the 6.0.

It's definitely got the sticker (I spent several months building a model of an XJR9-LM, so I noticed it straight away). It's also got XJR-S badge on the left rear. Can't remember what the right badge says.

I always thought it was just a V12 XJ-S. Having read the reviews of the XJR-S I'm mildy interested, however having restored an MGB and E-Type previously, I know it's a very, very stupid idea.

[classicaholic]

dr_gn said:

however having restored an MGB and E-Type previously, I know it's a very, very stupid idea.

So you are going to make an offer then!

[dr_gn]

classicaholic said:

dr_gn said:

however having restored an MGB and E-Type previously, I know it's a very, very stupid idea.

So you are going to make an offer then!

If it was sound, I probably would offer a few thousand. Determining if it's sound wouldn't be easy for me though. It appears to be immobile on someone's drive. I have no idea what to look for apart from obvious rust - IF I could get it on a lift, which I don't suppose I can.

It's a big undertaking, and by the time I'd finished it to a standard I'd be happy with, it would probably have cost more than it's worth, and petrol might not be available any more!

[lukeharding]

dr_gn said:

If it was sound, I probably would offer a few thousand. Determining if it's sound wouldn't be easy for me though. It appears to be immobile on someone's drive. I have no idea what to look for apart from obvious rust - IF I could get it on a lift, which I don't suppose I can.

It's a big undertaking, and by the time I'd finished it to a standard I'd be happy with, it would probably have cost more than it's worth, and petrol might not be available any more!

XJR-S is a great car, as is any XJ-S really. If you're not interested in buying it I'd definitely take a look at it. They can hide rust under bodykits etc, but mostly if they look solid on the top it might not be too bad. Worth checking the buttresses, around the windows, rear arches go easily as does the wing behind the front wheel where crud builds up.

[lukeharding]

Olivera said:

I would just buy a normal V12 HE, the bodykit on the XJRS is extremely ugly.

Personally I like both, and the kit is more aerodynamically efficient apparently

[lukeharding]

dr_gn said:

It's definitely got the sticker (I spent several months building a model of an XJR9-LM, so I noticed it straight away). It's also got XJR-S badge on the left rear. Can't remember what the right badge says.

I always thought it was just a V12 XJ-S. Having read the reviews of the XJR-S I'm mildy interested, however having restored an MGB and E-Type previously, I know it's a very, very stupid idea.

Should very well be a 6.0 then. Sorry for all the quotes, I don't know how to multi quote!

[dr_gn]

lukeharding said:

dr_gn said:

It's definitely got the sticker (I spent several months building a model of an XJR9-LM, so I noticed it straight away). It's also got XJR-S badge on the left rear. Can't remember what the right badge says.

I always thought it was just a V12 XJ-S. Having read the reviews of the XJR-S I'm mildy interested, however having restored an MGB and E-Type previously, I know it's a very, very stupid idea.

Should very well be a 6.0 then. Sorry for all the quotes, I don't know how to multi quote!

Thanks for the info. Next time I'm passing I might call in and ask more, maybe take some pictures.

[alabbasi]

XJS is a fantastic car. The factory 5.3 motors can drop valves if overheated. This issue is fixed with the factory 6 liter cars that came out for the 1994/1995 model year. 6 cylinder cars are pretty much indestructible. The biggest problem with the V12 is that everything is so tight under the hood, it takes several more hours to do a basic job like (spark plugs which require the intake to come out). I suspect that many end up like the one you see where they're parked up because the running costs exceed the value of the car.

[lukeharding]

alabbasi said:

XJS is a fantastic car. The factory 5.3 motors can drop valves if overheated. This issue is fixed with the factory 6 liter cars that came out for the 1994/1995 model year. 6 cylinder cars are pretty much indestructible. The biggest problem with the V12 is that everything is so tight under the hood, it takes several more hours to do a basic job like (spark plugs which require the intake to come out). I suspect that many end up like the one you see where they're parked up because the running costs exceed the value of the car.

A lot of people get scared off of the V12s unnecessarily too though, they're actually reliable if used regularly and looked after. I run around in a 4.0 six as a daily and its a great car, both for motorway cruising and also for a B-road blast. It just does everything I ask of it. Got a few others too, and its one of those cars that can have such a variety of characters depending on its spec

[TCEvo]

alabbasi said:

XJS is a fantastic car. The factory 5.3 motors can drop valves if overheated. This issue is fixed with the factory 6 liter cars that came out for the 1994/1995 model year. 6 cylinder cars are pretty much indestructible. The biggest problem with the V12 is that everything is so tight under the hood, it takes several more hours to do a basic job like (spark plugs which require the intake to come out). I suspect that many end up like the one you see where they're parked up because the running costs exceed the value of the car.

Slowly in the rise for decent ones as the grubby ones fad away.

I did work experience at a Jag main dealer in the early '90's - full plug change on an XJ-S was a days work.

Opening the bonnet on one always makes me shudder.

[sim16v]

Simple way to check if it is a 6.0L or not.

Can you remember the registration number?

Simply check online.

Oh, and being a XJR-S, they are definitely worth saving, I think after being unloved for so long, XJ-Ss are coming of age.

I collected this unloved V12 a few weeks back, sat as a non runner with flat tyres for about 8 years.

It was running and driving within a couple of hours!