Tin worm on a XKR

[NormanD]

As some of you know someone did some modifications to my car the other week



In the process of stripping down for a rebuild we came across this behind the front suspension beam.
Thought this should be a warning to other XK8/R owners to look out for as you would not see it behind the big lump of ally



Anyway things are on the mend now so progressed back to this.

[groomi]

Crikey Norman, that's quite an extensive amount of work!

Good spot on the rust. It seems that era of Jag have a few areas which although take a long time to develop rust, are very difficult to find and get to.

[NormanD]

groomi said:

Crikey Norman, that's quite an extensive amount of work!

Good to see you on line.

Yes as there had to be a lot of stripping for the repare and we knew where were some other areas that needed attention we decided to do a FULL strip and rebuild. (good job we did)

So should be better than new in a few more weeks as well as a few other little updates.

As an aside it looks as if the manual gearbox will going in later in the year, shame not during the refit, but better late than never.

[groomi]

I know it's an ever evolving project, but if you ever get an opportunity to do a back-to-back roadtest with a standard current shape XKR, I'd be very interested to read it.

Manual 'box =

[NormanD]

I've got my name down for the Shakespeare County Raceway Wild Cat Shoot Out on the 6th September

May find out then.

[cardigankid]

That looks like a hell of a lot of work - is it going to be expensive, and do you plan to modify her much?

[NormanD]

cardigankid said:

That looks like a hell of a lot of work - is it going to be expensive, and do you plan to modify her much?

Most of my mod's were already done, the ones we are doing now are

LSD Diff & Full polly bush susspention
Some other little niceties like remove the aerial
Body fully protected against the dreaded beatle

I'm still looking into a manual gearbox, seems to be coming together now but will most likely be later in the year

[NST]

NormanD said:

cardigankid said:

That looks like a hell of a lot of work - is it going to be expensive, and do you plan to modify her much?

Most of my mod's were already done, the ones we are doing now are

LSD Diff & Full polly bush susspention
Some other little niceties like remove the aerial
Body fully protected against the dreaded beatle

I'm still looking into a manual gearbox, seems to be coming together now but will most likely be later in the year

Keep us informed on how the poly bushes perform and getting the ariel replaced. I have seen a short stub ariel on a XK recently that done away retracting ariel which looked nice.

[NormanD]

[quote=NSTKeep us informed on how the poly bushes perform and getting the ariel replaced.
I have seen a short stub ariel on a XK recently that done away retracting ariel which looked nice.
[/quote]

Will do, I hope my idea works regarding the airial as we have filled the hole in.

[Triple7]

Blimey Norm! I don't think you can call it a Jag anymore. Why not call it a Durban XK??!

G

[Jaguar steve]

Eeeek.. That's exactly the sort of hidden but deadly corrosion that I used to see on 8/9/10 year old late 1970 and early 1980 Renaults and the very worst of British Leyland shyite shortly before I condemed them to a one way trip to the scrapyard...

But on a supposedly quality modern Jaguar...? in 2009...? Oh dear...

[NormanD]

Another area has just turned up, alongside the transmission tunnel.

[a8hex]

And I thought these were all galvanised.
Has that come through from the bottom? You could understand how rust might get into the panels from there but you wouldn't expect to get the zinc layer damaged from above on the transmission tunnel.

[RW774]

Man all these cars all rot, floor pans, inner box sections, gusset supports etc etc. There was never any form of rust protection from new, only stone chip. If the 97 cars are left untreated, I reckon 50% of the existing vehicles on the road will be terminally rotten within 5 years.

[a8hex]

That's odd, the X300 XJs are galvanised. And I thought I'd read that the very late XJS' were too.

I know it's not fool proof (after all the Mrs has a MB) but you would expect it to be better than that.

[RW774]

Norman I would recommend further investigation. There is a reinforcing gusset which runs along the length of the tunnel, spot welded to the floor. I suspect the gusset has started parting company with part of the floor.Might be cheaper to buy a shell and start afresh.
Ken if they were galvanised properly,as the old Audi 100 back in the 80s, we would not have the rot problem. 300s rot aswell.
I have an old Audi 100 estate, 89 vintage company run about, the first of the galv bodyshells, never fails its test with no rot, despite 140k miles.

[NormanD]

RW774 said:

Might be cheaper to buy a shell and start afresh.

That is what we are doing, thought I would show what we found with the old shell so other Forum Members could keep an eye open for the dangers.

[groomi]

Sobering stuff!

[a8hex]

RW774 said:

Ken if they were galvanised properly,as the old Audi 100 back in the 80s, we would not have the rot problem. 300s rot aswell.

I know that 300s can rot, but with the few I've seen the rot has been associated with either damage or a build up of st (in one case literally) against the body work. Hence my question about whether the rot had come all the way through from the other side, which I could understand. Or whether it was had appeared in the middle of those panels from the top side, which I would have thought worrying.
Obviously I've seen a tiny fraction of X300s compared with someone, like yourself, in the trade.

The Mrs' MB is also supposed to be galvanised but is now on it's third tail gate and has had both front wings and both rear door skins replaced under warrantee because of rust.
Hmmm I think I'll have to have a chat with my father about this. I wonder what is going on at the chemical level that is causing this. (Dad used to be chemist sorting this sort of thing out for companies)

[RW774]

My favorite topic, built in obsolescence, but in the body!The gusset is spot welded so any form of electricoat/ hot dip/ galvanising could not penetrate the seams and therefore would remain bare metal.Without teaching you to suck eggs,can I suggest seam sealing all the areas not normally touched by the factory. That should stop future ingress of water.Imagine how many shells out there with the floor parting company from the tunnel.You would not know unless removal of the carpets and seats revealed it, though we have had them here so bad, you could see the carpet from the underside! Not good especially on the drophead.I`m relieved norm that you have started with the a new shell. On your manual box, be worth researching the build of the XKRR,through the factory . Not that long ago so should be enough info around for you to replicate it. Is you motor to be a 5 litre?, I would not have thought it much of an issue to bore and stroke a 4.2 unless it is a completely new block.