XKSS

[lowdrag]

2slo said:

While you're on, define sycophant. Then get the tee shirt.

Obvious. It is in two parts:-

syco; as in The Birds and other Hitchcock films. Also defines an illegal day off from work.
phant: rear end of ele.

Result is one dangerous arse!

Tshirt please.

However, if this is going to continue in this fashion I'll walk away and not bother to post on the subject again. I was hoping to post something that might be of interest over the winter months, not start another futile war of words.

[mph]

2slo said:

I agree, I've always specced my sportscars with full screens rather than the aeroscreen option for the reasons you outline. The point I was trying to make was that, IMHO, it's a shame to butcher a D type (I know it's a replica) just to make an XKSS replica. The owners choice of course. I'd have thought it obvious to most people that my comments about being unable to tour with a D type were tongue in cheek. Oh well,never mind.
BTW, RainX can be succesfully used on some plastics, advisable to test it on a small area first.

Jaguar produced the XKSS from original D types in order to make them more attractive as a road car.

Can you explain how a professional conversion of a high quality car that follows the same logic as adopted by Jaguar is butchery ?

It may not be your personal choice but why do you have to be so negative?

[Roy C]

2slo said:

While you're on, define sycophant. Then get the tee shirt.

Pathetic.

RainX can be OK can on glass, but, in my experience, can be a disaster on plastic, particularly the kind of perspex often used on these cars.

Lowdrag, some of us are genuinely interested in the conversion. You're not cutting up a piece of history, just modifying a replica.

[a8hex]

Roy C said:

Lowdrag, some of us are genuinely interested in the conversion. You're not cutting up a piece of history, just modifying a replica.

Plus one here too.

I've been privileged to see CKL working on your cars in the past. I hope this one doesn't prove to be quite as hard work as that turned out to be. But sometimes even the most trivial of things can prove difficult. I know how difficult sorting out those little bumpers proved to be when RGC had to sort some a couple of years back for 701.

A drip feed of pictures as the project continues would be great, especially as I've no intention of visiting Battle regularly to see it for myself this time around.

I bet the results are going to be interesting. People might expect the D to be quick (it's very obviously a race car), the SS is so much more subtle. People who aren't in the know won't expect the levels of performance it will undoubtedly produce. It should be a lot of fun pulling away from payage (sp) booths on the French motorways. I bet it will seriously dent a few egos.



or


Gives some idea of the changes for those not so familiar with the pair.

PS, Tony is your email address still the one you changed to back in Feb?

[2slo]

lowdrag said:

2slo said:

While you're on, define sycophant. Then get the tee shirt.

Obvious. It is in two parts:-

syco; as in The Birds and other Hitchcock films. Also defines an illegal day off from work.
phant: rear end of ele.

Result is one dangerous arse!

Tshirt please.

However, if this is going to continue in this fashion I'll walk away and not bother to post on the subject again. I was hoping to post something that might be of interest over the winter months, not start another futile war of words.

My comment above was directed not to you but to the person who decided to reply on your behalf.

I take no issue with what you choose to do with your car indeed, as I said above, owners choice. Since you've decided to create a replica XKSS fine, I'd like to read about it so do please continue to post.

There is nothing negative about my comments, I just feel it is a shame as I said that your D type replica has to be sacrificed to create a new car. I am aware of how Jaguar created the XKSS and, indeed, how replica cars were made by the likes of Lynx some 30 or so years ago (as we have discussed before). If you recall that discussion I suggested, and I think you agreed, that Lynx couldn't exist in the same capacity now as although there were once plentiful E type donor cars to make D type replicas and XKSS replicas that situation no longer exists.

That's my thoughts, which hopefully you can see are constructive, not negative. Surely the point of this forum is to discuss car related topics? In this instance my opinion differs from that of others and I stand by it. That's all.

[Hooli]

I look forwards to reading about this conversion too.

However...

2slo said:

I just feel it is a shame as I said that your D type replica has to be sacrificed to create a new car.

...this makes sense to me too, it does seem a shame to loose such a wonderful car to create another equally good.

[lowdrag]

In answer to the above, there are several reasons for so doing. Some years back I bought a long nose Lynx D with the intention of converting the short nose into an XKSS. The difference between converting and trying to buy a Lynx XKSS is around £75,000, hence the thought at the time. But I for some reason didn't like the long nose very much and loved the short nose too much, so the long nose was sold and I went off on another track and built the "Kettle" C-type.

Then comes the recession; I'd long planned my retirement based on interest rates of 7% and an exchange rate of about 1.40€ to the £. Both went out the window, so the C-type had to be sold and I no longer had the money to buy - even if one could be found - a Lynx XKSS. Cutting the coat to fit the cloth isn't easy, and something has to give. A Lynx XKSS is an extremely rare car, ten being made, and they are even more rarely on the market. Lynx D-types, on the other hand, are comparatively numerous - mine is #44 of the line in 1989.

The only people I would entrust this conversion to are those who originally built my D-type, and that is CKL Developments, whom I've known, loved and trusted for ten years and who are ex-directors of Lynx. I don't go into this lightly, because there is a side of me that feels it is sacrilege, but I am not getting any younger and don't do many track days now, mostly because here in France they mix ancient and modern, and the last time I was overtaken by a GT3 who then braked sharply, him with ceramic six-pot brakes and me with a small boat anchor by comparison. My reactions aren't what they were, and I get more pleassure from a day out or touring than this kind of idiocy. Now I'll be able to have a car that I can use on the track, that I can tour with, and which given the over-300bhp will surprise quite a number of more modern cars at a traffic light grand prix.

So in the end there will be 10% more Lynx XKSS's around, 11 in number, and one less D-type, but then in the day Jaguar converted two D-types to XKSS format for owners and two XKSS's were converted to D-types. I am only making history repeat itself. If I win the lottery this weekend I'll stop the conversion and buy myself a real XKSS and that'll nip the thread in the bud, but it is rather unlikely to happen.

So bear with me and try and understand that I have loved cars and motoring since I was born and grew up in a garage. This isn't something I've undertaken lightly, and it has taken me five long years to agonise and finally make the decision.

Edited by lowdrag on Tuesday 1st November 12:56

[LordBretSinclair]

2slo said:

it's a shame to butcher a D type (I know it's a replica) just to make an XKSS replica.

Why a shame ??? Its just changing one replica into another. Neither are the real thing so what does it matter?
Bit like saying "shame you have a fake Rolex instead of a fake Breitling"

[a8hex]

LordBretSinclair said:

2slo said:

it's a shame to butcher a D type (I know it's a replica) just to make an XKSS replica.

Why a shame ??? Its just changing one replica into another. Neither are the real thing so what does it matter?
Bit like saying "shame you have a fake Rolex instead of a fake Breitling"

Except perhaps that Lynxes have become collectable in their own right these days, but I can't see any issues with this.

[2slo]

LordBretSinclair said:

2slo said:

it's a shame to butcher a D type (I know it's a replica) just to make an XKSS replica.

Why a shame ??? Its just changing one replica into another. Neither are the real thing so what does it matter?
Bit like saying "shame you have a fake Rolex instead of a fake Breitling"

It matters, IMHO, because the 'donor' D type replica looks to be a fine vehicle as it stands and, whilst I can understand the OP's thought processes, it clearly matters to him also. As he says it took him years to make the final decision based on several factors. The D type replica which will make way for the XKSS replica will be lost in it's present form forever once it's converted. That's why I think it's a shame. Whatever is done to it, it's still one less Lynx D type.

[a8hex]

2slo said:

LordBretSinclair said:

2slo said:

it's a shame to butcher a D type (I know it's a replica) just to make an XKSS replica.

Why a shame ??? Its just changing one replica into another. Neither are the real thing so what does it matter?
Bit like saying "shame you have a fake Rolex instead of a fake Breitling"

It matters, IMHO, because the 'donor' D type replica looks to be a fine vehicle as it stands and, whilst I can understand the OP's thought processes, it clearly matters to him also. As he says it took him years to make the final decision based on several factors. The D type replica which will make way for the XKSS replica will be lost in it's present form forever once it's converted. That's why I think it's a shame. Whatever is done to it, it's still one less Lynx D type.

As with some originals that have been there and back again. I suspect that there will be nothing to stop a future owner returning to being a Lynx D if they desire that more than a Lynx/CKL XKSS.

[scotal]

Given that Lowdrag will seemingly get get more use from the car once its converted, and given the rep of the people doing the work, it stirkes me that its an eminently sensible idea.
However, whatever I think, its Lowdrag's car, if he wanted to paint it Flourescent orancge and run it on BBS crossspokes with ultralow proifle tyres and a Cucaracha airhorn, he would be within his rights to do so. Even if it would be in questionable taste.

I see no problem at all turning 1 of 44 into 1 of 11.

[Ayahuasca]

Hello.

Why not just fit a windscreen and wipers to the D-Type?

[a8hex]

That in essence is what an XKSS is.
A mildly "roadises*" D-Type.
designed to make the D-Type eligible for the American Sportscar series.


(*) I know there is no such word, in fact I'm glad there is no such word.

[Ayahuasca]

a8hex said:

That in essence is what an XKSS is.
A mildly "roadises*" D-Type.
designed to make the D-Type eligible for the American Sportscar series.


(*) I know there is no such word, in fact I'm glad there is no such word.

But I mean without 'choppage' to the fin and bulge behind driver's head.

[Jagmanv12]

Roy C said:

lowdrag said:

I've had the D-type 10 years now and while I love it I can't tour with it - no wipers, hood or luggage space.

2slo said:

No wipers = RainX

=

2slo said:

No hood = drive faster and most of the rain goes over the top

= drive faster and it hits your face harder

2slo said:

No luggage space = leave SWMBO at home and you've all the space you need

= Billy-no-mates

I can understand the attraction of the XKSS and the need to tour without having to wear a crash helmet!

Interesting conversion and not without Jaguar precedent.

Having covered about 5000 miles touring Switzerland, Germany, etc in the D I had in the 90's it is possible but preferably not in torrential rain.

RainX did work on the perspex screen on my car.

In normal rain it does go over the top. At average height (5ft 8) you do not get wet. I drove from Surrey to Eindhoven in the rain without getting wet. In towns at slower speed is the problem but on the motorway you stay dry.

There is some luggage space as the spare wheel slopes downwards and the bodywork upwards. Alternatively as 2 guys did on a Jaguar tour of Switzerland in a Lynx D you can leave the spare wheel at home. This provides a reasonable amount of luggage space. You just have to restrict the pairs of shoes the wife brings.

Having built a number of D types and XKSS I can see the attraction of the extra creature comforts.

Tony, presumably you have tried an XKSS with the roof up? Rearward visibility is not the best. Also it's a smaller cabin than an E roadster. Also are you having fixed side windows?

[Le Mans Visitor]

I have had the pleasure of enjoying Tony's D Type on several occasions.

Here are some of my photographs...

Most memorable was the lap round Le Mans just before the 24 Hour race in 2008..







We then hit the road....






and ended up here....





and here is a picture of a C Type, The D Type and Tony's E Type parked At the Golf Club in Mulsanne...




Really lookng forward to this project Tony, I guess its the next journey for the D.

Good luck and Bonne Route!

Dave

[Ayahuasca]

Bellisima

[v8250]

Tony, I wish you best of luck for your next 'part of life project'; go for it...it sounds great and will be huge fun.

For all, pls find below some articles and pics from my XKSS files. If the piggy-bank was full enough an XKSS [real or Lynx] would be in the garage...one day...

[redchina]

I love the "Traffic problem" article; if only motoring magazines actually wrote like that : )