Jaguar xjc 4.2
Discussion
waftycranker said:
Aluminati said:
The only acceptable wheel, is the Minilite.
No, no, no, no.You want a deep dish split rim with black spokes. Those 6 spoke ones that the OP posted were the right kind of thing.
waftycranker said:
Top work though RobXJCoupe! Great to see the work of a skilled engineer. I’m currently seeking an XJ6 for a rolling restoration. I can ever seeing me going to the lengths you have but I want one to be my forever car. I want to do a million miles in it. I will start a thread when I get it.
Hope you find a car soon these old series xj’s are relatively easy to fix and repair to be honest, buy one with all the trim complete. Missing trim is harder to find. Engine wise the straight six is easier on the pocket to fix and looks rather tidy under the bonnet with polished cam covers, carbs etc. Fuel injection six’s power isn’t far off a standard 5.3 v12. Fuel injection 4.2 uses a big valve head and nice for a triple carb engine spec 
English expat said:
Pleasure to read from beginning to end. I also wish you well with the job hunting. The engineering trade has been losing good/fantastic people hand over fist for years.
Keep at it and although I don’t know your circumstances I would go in with the body man and offer a one stop shop between you.
Back to the Jag, I can’t wait to see it finished.
Thank you for the kind words Keep at it and although I don’t know your circumstances I would go in with the body man and offer a one stop shop between you.
Back to the Jag, I can’t wait to see it finished.
RobXjcoupe said:
Hope you find a car soon these old series xj’s are relatively easy to fix and repair to be honest, buy one with all the trim complete. Missing trim is harder to find. Engine wise the straight six is easier on the pocket to fix and looks rather tidy under the bonnet with polished cam covers, carbs etc. Fuel injection six’s power isn’t far off a standard 5.3 v12. Fuel injection 4.2 uses a big valve head and nice for a triple carb engine spec
I love the idea of the V12 but seeing them in the engine bay is a daunting sight! The 4.2 would be great but I haven’t seen many for sale recently. Lots of 3.2’s about but everybody says to stay away because the lack of grunt doesn’t suit the car. these old series xj’s are relatively easy to fix and repair to be honest, buy one with all the trim complete. Missing trim is harder to find. Engine wise the straight six is easier on the pocket to fix and looks rather tidy under the bonnet with polished cam covers, carbs etc. Fuel injection six’s power isn’t far off a standard 5.3 v12. Fuel injection 4.2 uses a big valve head and nice for a triple carb engine spec It’s the sagging headlining I just can’t get my head around. I’ve never heard about it in anything other than a Jag. It just baffles me. I’ve had several cars that were over 20 years old, all much further down the food chain than a Jag and never had that problem.
waftycranker said:
RobXjcoupe said:
Hope you find a car soon these old series xj’s are relatively easy to fix and repair to be honest, buy one with all the trim complete. Missing trim is harder to find. Engine wise the straight six is easier on the pocket to fix and looks rather tidy under the bonnet with polished cam covers, carbs etc. Fuel injection six’s power isn’t far off a standard 5.3 v12. Fuel injection 4.2 uses a big valve head and nice for a triple carb engine spec
I love the idea of the V12 but seeing them in the engine bay is a daunting sight! The 4.2 would be great but I haven’t seen many for sale recently. Lots of 3.2’s about but everybody says to stay away because the lack of grunt doesn’t suit the car. these old series xj’s are relatively easy to fix and repair to be honest, buy one with all the trim complete. Missing trim is harder to find. Engine wise the straight six is easier on the pocket to fix and looks rather tidy under the bonnet with polished cam covers, carbs etc. Fuel injection six’s power isn’t far off a standard 5.3 v12. Fuel injection 4.2 uses a big valve head and nice for a triple carb engine spec It’s the sagging headlining I just can’t get my head around. I’ve never heard about it in anything other than a Jag. It just baffles me. I’ve had several cars that were over 20 years old, all much further down the food chain than a Jag and never had that problem.
Series 2 xj coupe you can remove the headliner shell via the side as it has frameless doors. 4 door cars, one of the screens needs to be removed.
The material and glue (high temp contact adhesive) will cost about £50 if you do it all yourself.
Finally finished this bottom radiator hose. The original was not far from rotting through and had an oil cooler for the original auto gearbox. The manual gearbox now fitted doesn’t have the oil cooling facility so the new bottom radiator pipe I’ve made is now just a bottom radiator pipe made from stainless steel. The fitting brackets I made a while back also but have now been galvanised and fitted to the stainless pipe. The securing bolts clamping the brackets around the pipe are stainless. The brackets have a thin strip of rubber on the internal side to just make sure the brackets grip the pipe and stop it from rattling or spinning around once fitted
RobXjcoupe said:
Finally finished this bottom radiator hose. The original was not far from rotting through and had an oil cooler for the original auto gearbox. The manual gearbox now fitted doesn’t have the oil cooling facility so the new bottom radiator pipe I’ve made is now just a bottom radiator pipe made from stainless steel. The fitting brackets I made a while back also but have now been galvanised and fitted to the stainless pipe. The securing bolts clamping the brackets around the pipe are stainless. The brackets have a thin strip of rubber on the internal side to just make sure the brackets grip the pipe and stop it from rattling or spinning around once fitted
RobXjcoupe said:
CharlesdeGaulle said:
RobXjcoupe said:
Do you have any ideas for a different design? It’s quite difficult choosing tbh
In general I prefer the original styles, but can you take any inspiration from craigjm's thread? Maybe too avant-garde? 
These are period in design but the 5 stud jag pcd doesn’t fit nicely between 8 spokes and I already have these on a Griffith.
Toma500 said:
RobXjcoupe said:
CharlesdeGaulle said:
RobXjcoupe said:
Do you have any ideas for a different design? It’s quite difficult choosing tbh
In general I prefer the original styles, but can you take any inspiration from craigjm's thread? Maybe too avant-garde? These are period in design but the 5 stud jag pcd doesn’t fit nicely between 8 spokes and I already have these on a Griffith.
New dampers arrived today for the XJC, the 4 small rear axle dampers had a slightly different collet fitting to hold the spring which is typical so I’ve made a rather natty spring compressor to get them together without damaging any paint or powder coat on the new damper and springs (haven’t ordered any springs yet).
This is interesting to me because the rear of my car has sagged a little.
I have done a lot of searching and the general concensus is that the aftermarket springs tend to set the ride height a little low.
Rather than go to to the expense of dampers with adjustable platforms, as the dampers I have are in good condition, I was toying with the idea of adding spacers which are available.
However I was also thinking that if the top spring seat is removable then ones that had a thicker flange at the top could maybe be fabricated.
So the question really is, is the top seat with the cover tube remomovable and if so, do you think it might be possible to make some?
BTW, I like the spring compressor. Apparently, and this may be of help to someone, a pair of rear brake discs can be used to compress the springs in the same way. Or so I'm told...
I have done a lot of searching and the general concensus is that the aftermarket springs tend to set the ride height a little low.
Rather than go to to the expense of dampers with adjustable platforms, as the dampers I have are in good condition, I was toying with the idea of adding spacers which are available.
However I was also thinking that if the top spring seat is removable then ones that had a thicker flange at the top could maybe be fabricated.
So the question really is, is the top seat with the cover tube remomovable and if so, do you think it might be possible to make some?
BTW, I like the spring compressor. Apparently, and this may be of help to someone, a pair of rear brake discs can be used to compress the springs in the same way. Or so I'm told...
Wheelbrace said:
This is interesting to me because the rear of my car has sagged a little.
I have done a lot of searching and the general concensus is that the aftermarket springs tend to set the ride height a little low.
Rather than go to to the expense of dampers with adjustable platforms, as the dampers I have are in good condition, I was toying with the idea of adding spacers which are available.
However I was also thinking that if the top spring seat is removable then ones that had a thicker flange at the top could maybe be fabricated.
So the question really is, is the top seat with the cover tube remomovable and if so, do you think it might be possible to make some?
BTW, I like the spring compressor. Apparently, and this may be of help to someone, a pair of rear brake discs can be used to compress the springs in the same way. Or so I'm told...
Well if it was me going to the trouble of taking the rear shock units apart to fit a spacer you might as well fit new springs. Personally from an engineering point of view sagging springs can’t be the correct poundage for the application. If they are badly corroded then it’s possible integrity can be lost.I have done a lot of searching and the general concensus is that the aftermarket springs tend to set the ride height a little low.
Rather than go to to the expense of dampers with adjustable platforms, as the dampers I have are in good condition, I was toying with the idea of adding spacers which are available.
However I was also thinking that if the top spring seat is removable then ones that had a thicker flange at the top could maybe be fabricated.
So the question really is, is the top seat with the cover tube remomovable and if so, do you think it might be possible to make some?
BTW, I like the spring compressor. Apparently, and this may be of help to someone, a pair of rear brake discs can be used to compress the springs in the same way. Or so I'm told...
As far as I know regarding the standard type dampers, both top and bottom spring cup/holders are removable from the damper. The top spring holder has a variation on a collet type affair held in place by the spring hence the need to compress the spring to either fit or remove those collets.
The brake disc method will only work on certain dimensions of those retaining collets. I quickly made a compressor to suit my new dampers but it is no good for the original dampers on the xjc or the dampers off the outboard xjs axle I’m fitting. The mounting points on the axle are all the same though.
Does that make sense?
Thanks,
That all makes sense.
When I say the rear of the car is sagging that's sounds a little dramatic. It sits about 3/4" low that's all.
The springs themselves are not corroded at all. I am not averse to buying new springs if I could get my hands on some genuine Jaguar ones but I am so pissed off with the standard of aftermarket parts.
From a post I found from KWE cars his opinion was that the aftermarket springs leaves the cars sitting about 1" too low so I don't want to go to the trouble of changing them to end up back in the same place.
The fact that the spacers are available as a genuine Jaguar part tells me something.
If I ever get round to it (doubtful) I'll fit the spacers to correct the ride height then maybe get them measured and look into getting some made. (perhaps).
That all makes sense.
When I say the rear of the car is sagging that's sounds a little dramatic. It sits about 3/4" low that's all.
The springs themselves are not corroded at all. I am not averse to buying new springs if I could get my hands on some genuine Jaguar ones but I am so pissed off with the standard of aftermarket parts.
From a post I found from KWE cars his opinion was that the aftermarket springs leaves the cars sitting about 1" too low so I don't want to go to the trouble of changing them to end up back in the same place.
The fact that the spacers are available as a genuine Jaguar part tells me something.
If I ever get round to it (doubtful) I'll fit the spacers to correct the ride height then maybe get them measured and look into getting some made. (perhaps).
Wheelbrace said:
Thanks,
That all makes sense.
When I say the rear of the car is sagging that's sounds a little dramatic. It sits about 3/4" low that's all.
The springs themselves are not corroded at all. I am not averse to buying new springs if I could get my hands on some genuine Jaguar ones but I am so pissed off with the standard of aftermarket parts.
From a post I found from KWE cars his opinion was that the aftermarket springs leaves the cars sitting about 1" too low so I don't want to go to the trouble of changing them to end up back in the same place.
The fact that the spacers are available as a genuine Jaguar part tells me something.
If I ever get round to it (doubtful) I'll fit the spacers to correct the ride height then maybe get them measured and look into getting some made. (perhaps).
I feel your pain, well I’m getting a set of lowering springs made for my car. I have the 4 rear original xjc springs and dampers available for the price of postage if you want them. They will need a clean and new paint or powder coat. That all makes sense.
When I say the rear of the car is sagging that's sounds a little dramatic. It sits about 3/4" low that's all.
The springs themselves are not corroded at all. I am not averse to buying new springs if I could get my hands on some genuine Jaguar ones but I am so pissed off with the standard of aftermarket parts.
From a post I found from KWE cars his opinion was that the aftermarket springs leaves the cars sitting about 1" too low so I don't want to go to the trouble of changing them to end up back in the same place.
The fact that the spacers are available as a genuine Jaguar part tells me something.
If I ever get round to it (doubtful) I'll fit the spacers to correct the ride height then maybe get them measured and look into getting some made. (perhaps).
The rear parcel shelf had been hacked by the previous owner to fit about 6 speakers in it. Below is a picture when the car was being stripped of the rough cut speaker clearance in the parcel shelf metal work.
I like my sounds also so had the parcel shelf repaired with just the 3 neat holes. Centre is for the port of the subwoofer enclosure. Outer two holes for just a nice pair of coaxial speakers.
I’m quite chuffed how that now looks
I like my sounds also so had the parcel shelf repaired with just the 3 neat holes. Centre is for the port of the subwoofer enclosure. Outer two holes for just a nice pair of coaxial speakers.
I’m quite chuffed how that now looks
Wheelbrace said:
Thanks for the offer on the springs but this is something I might never get round to doing, so they'd be just lying around and not being put to good use.
Where you have cut out to place the speakers, how will they affect the plenum underneath the rear parcel shelf?
The stereo speakers will have there own small enclosure under the parcel shelf. The subwoofer port will go straight through. That panel underneath will obviously have a hole cut through it and then a welded rim fitted so it doesn’t leak rain water into the boot and onto the mdf subwoofer enclosure. Where you have cut out to place the speakers, how will they affect the plenum underneath the rear parcel shelf?
These bushes arrived today for the front suspension. I just need to source a set of springs then I can start re-building. Obviously that will be in the new year as I don’t think family would appreciate lumps of car suspension being assembled in the lounge over Christmas lol
So really that’s about it regarding the Jag this year. I think I have 4 monthly payment instalments left with the bodywork. So fingers crossed I should have a completed rolling shell by April
Merry Christmas to all that read this and a Happy new year
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