RE: Jaguar XJ12 Coupe: PH Heroes

[Gez79]

AlecT said:

I had one of these, but the Daimler version, when it was only a few years old, Signal Red with biscuit leather, but alas no air con.
I bought it from Jim Marland who at the time was raising funds for putting his C Type replica into production, bought sight unseen and collected from Oulton Park one Saturday.
A memorable and very fast drive home to Kent down the M6.....
What a lovely car, eventually rust took a hold but I had a body shop in Dover fit two new sills and give it a respray, mechanically it was OK I used it as my daily and apart from service items it only needed a water pump,two new bolts that the bonnet hinged on, oh and a rear window regulator.
Sold it for twice what I paid a few years later to a chap in Capel le Ferne near Folkestone LRN 720 T where are you know?
The six cylinder version was a straight six XK engine of course not a V6.

Last taxed until Jan 1998 according to my handy app.

[V8 FOU]

Worked on a number of these back in the 70's. Rebuilding the V12 was just awful. So many special tools needed. The 6 was so much better. Did one with triple Webers, modded cams and head. That flew!! The other mod if you wanted to press on a bit was to fit some Spax shox (all 6 of 'em), solid mount the steering rack and fit a smaller (Motolita of course) steering wheel. Complete transformation with little increase in NVH.
Those gearboxes in the V12's were OK if they were service and adjusted on a regual basis. They often came out the factory with the selector cable wrongly adjusted. That did for many a gearbox!

[Maldini35]

V8 FOU said:

The 6 was so much better. Did one with triple Webers, modded cams and head. That flew!! The other mod if you wanted to press on a bit was to fit some Spax shox (all 6 of 'em), solid mount the steering rack and fit a smaller (Motolita of course) steering wheel. Complete transformation with little increase in NVH.

Now that sounds superb!

[s m]

Maldini35 said:

V8 FOU said:

The 6 was so much better. Did one with triple Webers, modded cams and head. That flew!! The other mod if you wanted to press on a bit was to fit some Spax shox (all 6 of 'em), solid mount the steering rack and fit a smaller (Motolita of course) steering wheel. Complete transformation with little increase in NVH.

Now that sounds superb!

Mentioned in the Harry's Garage vid - although he had Eibachs and GAZ adjustables.

Removed a couple of exhaust boxes too

[s m]

[Davey S2]

My father had one of these as his every day car when I was a kid which I vaguely remember.

He later had a Daimler Double Six Coupe.

Still look pretty cool.

[JMF894]

Many moons ago I did my work experience at a local garage that was owned by the father of a school friend. I can't remember if it was the Jag or Daimler version I'm afraid but it looked the nuts in red as they'd just done some refurbishment on it.

K.E.M.S Autos in Darley Dale

Jimbo

[AdeTuono]

Front bottom said:

AdeTuono said:

Front bottom said:

School boy error PH towers . The 4.2 was a straight six, not a V.

The one in the article is the 5.3 V12.

Yes, I know.

I saw one park up at a festival the other weekend actually. Lovely to see.

How is that a schoolboy error then? The article states that the 4.2 is/was a straight-six.

[Resolutionary]

This article further quantifies the seeming lack of power in the reworked E-Type from a few days ago:

XJ12: 5.3l V12 - 290hp (with fuel injection) back in 1975
E-Type S3: 6.1l V12 - 288hp

Maybe chalk and cheese. I'd have the XJ12 for the looks alone anyway.

[Twoshoe]

rtz62 said:

I may be wrong but being a 14–15 year old at the time these came out, my memory is that the V12 only came with an auto box and anything else was either done aftermarket or was a 4.2C
I believe Harry Metcalfes is a conversion, and has subtle alterations to the engine etc...

V12 XJs were auto only but you could get a manual V12 E-type.

[Turbobanana]

Matt Bird said:

Isn't it just?! Apologies all, what a clanger. Dafydd (and Nic, who checked this before it went live) will be relearning their Jag history for the rest of today.

Should be sorted now...

Cheers!


Matt

PH said:

It's comfort isn't restricted to the seat, either.

Can they sort the grammar as well?

[V8 FOU]

Maldini35 said:

Now that sounds superb!

It sounded awesome. Used to rip up overdrives a bit too much, so we fitted a 4 speed V12 gearbox and the V12 diff.

[cookie1600]

Earl of Petrol said:

Always loved these, especially the one Steed drove in the New Avengers, with flared arches. I think that car was sold at auction in the last 2-3 years in need of restoration. Icon.

Latest whereabouts unknown, as I understand Cheshire Classic Cars Ltd who were completing a very extensive restoration have closed?



http://www.johnsteedsflat.com/tnajaguar.html

I desperately tried to convince my Dad to sell me a beige Double-Six Coupe he'd part ex'd against a new Range Rover when I was about 19. He rightly said I'd never get insurance and I would break it regularly. He probably saved me from early bankruptcy with that!

Was there any truth in the urban myth that they all had vinyl roofs because BL couldn't get the welded seams to look good enough?

[JMF894]

AdeTuono said:

How is that a schoolboy error then? The article states that the 4.2 is/was a straight-six.

It's been changed since original posting

[Lotusgone]

I remember Motor magazine describing this as the best car in the world, in about 1976. It's interesting though that in the recent Octane article, it says the coupes all had a vinyl roof because of the paint cracking. Plus the V12 issues - which makes me glad I opted for a XJS 4.0. It still looks damn cool, though.

[julianm]

My memory tells me it was the rather radical CAR magazine which drove it to Eastern europe, broke it (gearbox) but still declared it the best car in the world.
I am astonished to find I have remembered something & you can read the entire article here!

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/features/car-culture...

[Lotusgone]

julianm said:

My memory tells me it was the rather radical CAR magazine which drove it to Eastern europe, broke it (gearbox) but still declared it the best car in the world.
I am astonished to find I have remembered something & you can read the entire article here!

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/features/car-culture...

Thanks for the link - a very interesting article, and not just regarding the car either. If I can find the corresponding article in Motor, in one of the boxes in the garage rafters, I'll try to upload it. (a search in ebay uncovers that it was the 30 April 1977 edition)

Edited by Lotusgone on Tuesday 7th August 11:53

[Fire99]

Neil E 99 said:

With the two cars sitting side by side the original knocks spots off its younger brother. (or grand son come to think of it)!

:Yes:

I remember the old XJ's appearing as pretty huge cars, even the SWB models, but putting it next to the current Jag shows a) what a great design it was (visuall) b) how huge and sterile the new Jag looks by comparison.

[s m]

Lotusgone said:

julianm said:

My memory tells me it was the rather radical CAR magazine which drove it to Eastern europe, broke it (gearbox) but still declared it the best car in the world.
I am astonished to find I have remembered something & you can read the entire article here!

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/features/car-culture...

Thanks for the link - a very interesting article, and not just regarding the car either. If I can find the corresponding article in Motor, in one of the boxes in the garage rafters, I'll try to upload it. (a search in ebay uncovers that it was the 30 April 1977 edition)

Edited by Lotusgone on Tuesday 7th August 11:53

[J4CKO]

How can you not love a car in a colour called "Squadron Blue", they are just so gorgeous and they have a really raffish sort or air thing, the epitome of the "Jaaaag" thing.

However, old Jag plus equals agro, its the law, its all the agro of the "V6" times two, well more than that really in my experience, lovely but never seem to work, later ones in the XJS nearly got there but even so I would be very wary despite still getting unreasoably excited when I see a 5.3 badge, as a kid it was the 4.2 version that were the usual spot, acceptable, 3.4 was met with a look of disgust (even though it was perfectly decent) and a 5.3 was a rare spot. There was a flat brown one (Spend all that money and specify flat brown, weird) on our road and the lady owner went to get some more booze (Gin I bet) from the off license and chose to drink drive rather than walk 70 or so metres and put the Jag through the front of the Spar which killed it, amazingly, like pilots in a last act of humanity can avoid populated areas, she avoided the Victoria Wine and save all that lovely booze.

Would love one, but would need to have an engine that worked hat didnt overheat, misfire, go all fluffy in traffic, or just stop and refuse to start. I know they can work properly but they dont like crap maintenance and lack of use, even then its dicey.