Suffolk Jaguar SS100
Discussion
When I first embarked on this project I was asked if I wanted all the components in one shipment or to take them in stages. I elected to take it in stages for two reasons, firstly because I would have needed two parking bays - one for the chassis and the other for the body - and my second bay was occupied by another car, and, secondly, I was originally planning the build over at least a year. As it happens, once started we were imbued with such enthusiasm that we couldn't put the job down and it looks as if we're going to finish it much earlier, possibly in six months. I've already made arrangements to put my spare car into local storage for a month when the body arrives. Meanwhile Mike Tink has asked me to provide him a list of options as some of them have to be specially made and take a couple of months. These include the archetypal headlights. There are two options, the expensive one being hand made replicas of the original. The standard ones are almost - but not quite - as good and unless you know what you're looking at, you maybe wouldn't realise the difference. But I'll come back to the headlights in the future, when we're fitting them - right now I want to tell you about the steering wheel option. The steering wheel has always irked me because I knew it couldn't truly be replicated because of the engine controls on the boss - advance/retard and suchlike - that aren't necessary on a modern engine. The most common option is the wood rimmed alloy spoked Motolita that admittedly looks nice enough but in my mind, maybe wrongly, shouts 'out of era'. So I was very pleasantly surprised when Mike advised me of a new replica option with a black plastic rim and molded covers over the spokes. The only things missing are the engine control levers, but I can live with that! But enough of written descriptions - let me show you what I mean. Here are two pictures - one is of a genuine 1941 registered SS100 (probably built in 1938 and stored during the war years) and the other a Suffolk SS100 (picture courtesy of Mike Tink) and I defy you to tell the difference (without resorting to the clues I've already given you!) All I have to say is that it's a testament to Suffolk's pursuance of visual perfection!
Coincidentally, both cars are finished in white with red leather - the choice of finish for my SS100. The genuine article on the left sports a red leather dash inlay too, which I'd proposed for mine well before I came across the picture. You may be interested to know the picture was uplifted from Sothesby (I think) catalogue for this SS that was offered for sale this summer for £235,000. I don't know exactly how much it made - anyone?
To go back to the Suffolk - I think I will dispense with the engraved SS and finish the plain alloy boss in matt black paint. What do you guys think?
Coincidentally, both cars are finished in white with red leather - the choice of finish for my SS100. The genuine article on the left sports a red leather dash inlay too, which I'd proposed for mine well before I came across the picture. You may be interested to know the picture was uplifted from Sothesby (I think) catalogue for this SS that was offered for sale this summer for £235,000. I don't know exactly how much it made - anyone?
To go back to the Suffolk - I think I will dispense with the engraved SS and finish the plain alloy boss in matt black paint. What do you guys think?
Edited by Roadstar800 on Monday 3rd December 22:18
Edited by Roadstar800 on Monday 3rd December 22:19
Edited by Roadstar800 on Monday 3rd December 22:23
We're midway through December and the engine rebuild is nearly finished now and will be hooked up to the transmission very shortly. The ignition system has been converted to electronic by Powerspark and a new alternator has been fitted, cunningly disguised in the original dynamo casing, also from Powerspark. The exhaust manifold, yet to be fitted, will be a stainless 'bunch of bananas', an option offered by Suffolk who also offer refurbished ceramic coated cast iron XK originals. The original SU carbs have been fully refurbished with parts supplied by Burlen, who else? All the cast alloy components, such as the iconic 3.8 XK cam covers, have been meticulously polished to mirror standard with many hours of work by Mick Hicks, who is responsible for the whole engine and transmission work - a dedicated and skilled Jaguar mechanic with more years than I care to recall under his belt.
We're virtually at Christmas Eve and the engine's finished now except for the bits and bobs that can only be completed when it's installed in the chassis, such as throttle linkages and rerouting of a bit of pipework when the individual air filters are fitted.
In the following pictures the 'bunch of banana' exhaust manifolds have been temporarily slotted into place for the photo-shoot. These are optional from Suffolk, the standard ceramic-coated cast iron XK ones being standard fitment. Although I love the look of the stainless 'bananas' I wouldn't haven't been averse to the standard cast iron manifolds as they are actually more in keeping with the original SS100 2.5 litre engine.
The pics show the superb alternator disguised in an original type dynamo casing. It really looks the part and it would have been a pity to have spoiled the look by fitting a modern style alternator. The bolts and stainless cap on the back of the casing has been fabricated by Mick of Tourist Trophy Restorations to cover the takeoff for the power steering pump that was originally fitted to the donor car. As the SS100 doesn't need power steering, the pump has been discarded.
In the following pictures the 'bunch of banana' exhaust manifolds have been temporarily slotted into place for the photo-shoot. These are optional from Suffolk, the standard ceramic-coated cast iron XK ones being standard fitment. Although I love the look of the stainless 'bananas' I wouldn't haven't been averse to the standard cast iron manifolds as they are actually more in keeping with the original SS100 2.5 litre engine.
The pics show the superb alternator disguised in an original type dynamo casing. It really looks the part and it would have been a pity to have spoiled the look by fitting a modern style alternator. The bolts and stainless cap on the back of the casing has been fabricated by Mick of Tourist Trophy Restorations to cover the takeoff for the power steering pump that was originally fitted to the donor car. As the SS100 doesn't need power steering, the pump has been discarded.
Roadstar800 said:
Hello everyone - I'm a new member on here and this is my very first post.
I am just embarking upon a Suffolk SS100 build and would love to hear from anyone who has already built one or is in the process of doing so.
Last week I took delivery of the first stage - the chassis, front and rear suspension/diff etc etc - what they call 'the four corners'.
I have already purchased a donor car - a 1966 3.8 Jaguar S-Type with manual transmission - and this week have removed the engine and gearbox ready to be stripped and reconditioned while I am engaged in building up the chassis.
Any comment, observation and/or help gratefully received ....
I am just embarking upon a Suffolk SS100 build and would love to hear from anyone who has already built one or is in the process of doing so.
Last week I took delivery of the first stage - the chassis, front and rear suspension/diff etc etc - what they call 'the four corners'.
I have already purchased a donor car - a 1966 3.8 Jaguar S-Type with manual transmission - and this week have removed the engine and gearbox ready to be stripped and reconditioned while I am engaged in building up the chassis.
Any comment, observation and/or help gratefully received ....
Roadstar800 said:
Hello everyone - I'm a new member on here and this is my very first post.
I am just embarking upon a Suffolk SS100 build and would love to hear from anyone who has already built one or is in the process of doing so.
Last week I took delivery of the first stage - the chassis, front and rear suspension/diff etc etc - what they call 'the four corners'.
I have already purchased a donor car - a 1966 3.8 Jaguar S-Type with manual transmission - and this week have removed the engine and gearbox ready to be stripped and reconditioned while I am engaged in building up the chassis.
Any comment, observation and/or help gratefully received ....
I too am embarking on a SS100 build and live in West Yorkshire so would be interested in seeing how you are getting on and compare notesI am just embarking upon a Suffolk SS100 build and would love to hear from anyone who has already built one or is in the process of doing so.
Last week I took delivery of the first stage - the chassis, front and rear suspension/diff etc etc - what they call 'the four corners'.
I have already purchased a donor car - a 1966 3.8 Jaguar S-Type with manual transmission - and this week have removed the engine and gearbox ready to be stripped and reconditioned while I am engaged in building up the chassis.
Any comment, observation and/or help gratefully received ....
How is the build going?
I have been following this thread with interest because I intend building a Suffolk SS100 myself before long. Unfortunately, there seems to be very little information about the experience although what there is seems positive. Cost is a major factor and looking at the price list a home build kit seems to come out at about £70k. This seems a lot to me. I just wonder how much a properly finished home build would be worth? Although I fancy the idea of building an SS100 kit, I wouldn't want to build one if it doesn't make financial sense. Maybe I should buy a ready made one?
I have been following this thread with interest because I intend building a Suffolk SS100 myself before long. Unfortunately, there seems to be very little information about the experience although what there is seems positive. Cost is a major factor and looking at the price list a home build kit seems to come out at about £70k. This seems a lot to me. I just wonder how much a properly finished home build would be worth? Although I fancy the idea of building an SS100 kit, I wouldn't want to build one if it doesn't make financial sense. Maybe I should buy a ready made one?
Work resumed in the New Year - which reminds me ... HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.
The engine and transmission has been installed in the Suffolk chassis, and very well it looks, too! It's really starting to look like a motorcar now and almost as if we can see the end in sight. I did say ALMOST as I appreciate the amount of intricate work in front of us. I have been continually reminded of this after meeting - and overcoming - one or two little problems, or challenges as I prefer to call them. Most of them have been a result of my sourcing a 3.8 XK engine instead of the more usual 4.2 version. Naively I assumed there would be no difference between the two, at least as far as installation was concerned but it turned out that there were differences in the ancillaries, the main one being the water pump, that called for various mods.. Since Christmas we seem that we have taken a step back for every two forward but hey - that's the joys and challenges of building your own car! And we're certainly enjoying the experience.
For those interested I'll tackle the problems - and solutions - under separate headings, one by one, but meanwhile here are a couple of pics of the car in its current state
[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/Haizz10p[/url]
The engine and transmission has been installed in the Suffolk chassis, and very well it looks, too! It's really starting to look like a motorcar now and almost as if we can see the end in sight. I did say ALMOST as I appreciate the amount of intricate work in front of us. I have been continually reminded of this after meeting - and overcoming - one or two little problems, or challenges as I prefer to call them. Most of them have been a result of my sourcing a 3.8 XK engine instead of the more usual 4.2 version. Naively I assumed there would be no difference between the two, at least as far as installation was concerned but it turned out that there were differences in the ancillaries, the main one being the water pump, that called for various mods.. Since Christmas we seem that we have taken a step back for every two forward but hey - that's the joys and challenges of building your own car! And we're certainly enjoying the experience.
For those interested I'll tackle the problems - and solutions - under separate headings, one by one, but meanwhile here are a couple of pics of the car in its current state
[url]|https://thumbsnap.com/Haizz10p[/url]Challenge #1 NEAR-SIDE ENGINE MOUNT
Suffolk supply the powder coated engine mount brackets in the kit. Because the engine and transmission is slightly offset to the left they are by necessity asymmetrical - the right hand one having a greater reach than its opposite partner. The right hand one fitted without a problem. The left hand one would have, too, had we opted for the standard alternator as supplied by Suffolk but we had decided on our rather snazzy dynonator - an alternator built into the original dynamo casing - instead. There are pics of it in previous posts. The original dynamo was mounted on the substantial original left hand engine bracket which didn't fit the Suffolk chassis because the engine mounting points in the chassis had been subtly altered - both in longitudinal position and also the angle of the chassis pad. After weighing up our options - which included reverting back to a modern alternator - we decided to try and modify the original Jaguar bracket incorporating the dynamo mount to suit the Suffolk chassis. This was not as easy as it sounds because one of the mounting points in the block was now conflict with the newly positioned (and re-angled) plate to which the rubber mounting was to be bolted. Another two mm and we wouldn't have been able to do it - as it was there was no room for a normal bolt head, much less access for a spanner or even a socket, so we had to resort to an allen bolt instead. Even then we had to drill an access hole through through the bracket to reach it. Here is a pic of the newly fabricated bracket on a trial run before we cleaned it up and had it powder coated. The brazing that can be seen is merely for cosmetic purposes as a 'filler' - the weld is on the other side. I'm pleased and relieved to report that it was a success and we've managed to hold on to our lovely dynonator.
Suffolk supply the powder coated engine mount brackets in the kit. Because the engine and transmission is slightly offset to the left they are by necessity asymmetrical - the right hand one having a greater reach than its opposite partner. The right hand one fitted without a problem. The left hand one would have, too, had we opted for the standard alternator as supplied by Suffolk but we had decided on our rather snazzy dynonator - an alternator built into the original dynamo casing - instead. There are pics of it in previous posts. The original dynamo was mounted on the substantial original left hand engine bracket which didn't fit the Suffolk chassis because the engine mounting points in the chassis had been subtly altered - both in longitudinal position and also the angle of the chassis pad. After weighing up our options - which included reverting back to a modern alternator - we decided to try and modify the original Jaguar bracket incorporating the dynamo mount to suit the Suffolk chassis. This was not as easy as it sounds because one of the mounting points in the block was now conflict with the newly positioned (and re-angled) plate to which the rubber mounting was to be bolted. Another two mm and we wouldn't have been able to do it - as it was there was no room for a normal bolt head, much less access for a spanner or even a socket, so we had to resort to an allen bolt instead. Even then we had to drill an access hole through through the bracket to reach it. Here is a pic of the newly fabricated bracket on a trial run before we cleaned it up and had it powder coated. The brazing that can be seen is merely for cosmetic purposes as a 'filler' - the weld is on the other side. I'm pleased and relieved to report that it was a success and we've managed to hold on to our lovely dynonator.
Edited by Roadstar800 on Saturday 16th February 20:56
Edited by Roadstar800 on Saturday 16th February 21:00
Coming along nicely, isn't it? I see you have opted for the replica Hartford shock absorbers; visible from the front. A nice touch. For those who are unfamiliar with this detail, these lever arm dampers are a nod to the originals but are merely cosmetic. The actual working units are coil overs as per XJ6 and adjustable. It is just this kind of detail that sets the Suffolk apart from the rest.
Edited by Swallownut on Friday 15th February 17:49
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