XJ sovereign V12 Covid rescue
Discussion
Even though I have posted most of these on other peoples threads, I have been asked by a few to post a thread of my own of my XJ V12 covid rescue.
Before attempting this I must add that many knuckles, egos and bank accounts have been seriously bruised along the way.
The Jag was originally my Dads. He bought it new back in 1985 when he realised that a V12 XJ only cost a few grand more then a fully loaded Scorpio 2.8. Glad he bought the Jag because I couldn't see myself doing this to a Scorpio. I learnt to drive in this and as a family we did countless European trips and also business miles in it.
I got her back 14 years or so ago and immediately had the whole body work taken back to bare metal. Originally after 8 years my Dad had it resprayed from Antelope in to silver birch. My colour was chosen by the guys spraying the car (John at JPC auto refinishing in Cranleigh). The paint work is really lovely but after 12 or so years some inevitable bubbles reappeared, then 6 years ago whilst driving the Jag the rad took a stone and overheated to the point it wouldn't start again. So now, with 2 young boys in tow, she sat forlornly in my garage covered in dirt with a crocked engine, whilst I watch every man and his dog get their car redone by Car SOS, ed china or Chip Foose...
The idea was to get her ready for the Le Mans Classic 2020 So Covid lock down was actually the thing i needed to find some time and space, my little warehouse at work was not used so I brought the car in and acquired a low mileage V12 from Ben at Simply performance, the idea being lets just get one lump out and another one in.
But the engine was dirty and the inevitable happened....
I scrubbed, rubbed and painted what I can, got the Zinc re plated in Camberley and slowly stated piecing all the bits from my old engine on to the new one. Thank the lord that Halford was still open! Amazing what a can of Nissan Gold and Gold Chrome will do...
Now before this the only mechanical work I had done on something motorised was to my RD50 when I was 16... so I was a tad nervous about getting the old lump out, but my old mate (flycatcha) came and started to help me strip the old engine down and out.
so we got the limp out and every item was changed or made new, fitting a new uprated the alternator, new pulley, bearings, slam panel, etc etc.
Then someone said, fit a 5 speed, so I got a conversion kit and box from Simply performance. The engine bay was basically orignal even when I had it repainted they did the top half of the inner wings the lower half was well, you can see here...
So I had to attack the engine bay and repainted it.
I acquired 2 good condition fuel tanks, re did the fuel rail, filters, lintels, pipes, made good all the wiring and wrapped the looms in Funk motorsport cable wrap.
I re cored the original rad, three row, I didn't trust buying an aluminium rad from eBay and Nar rads were just too much. Got a new header tank and had to get a new oil cooler as this was a later 88 model with full flow, I redid the pipe work and got Pirtek to do this, which was one third of the price of buying new. Some Gold chrome paint did wonders to the ends. I have everything I need now to have it all fitted back and re commissioned.
She should be going soon to Tom Lenthall. In the meantime I have sound proofed the whole car
changed fuel filters and pipes, tidied up underneath the car and the wheel arches and attacked the rust spots, my mate at Surrey car craft will finish off when the mechanicals are done.
Updates will follow in due course.
[footnote]Edited by V12 Migaloo on Thursday 10th June 10:31[
Before attempting this I must add that many knuckles, egos and bank accounts have been seriously bruised along the way.
The Jag was originally my Dads. He bought it new back in 1985 when he realised that a V12 XJ only cost a few grand more then a fully loaded Scorpio 2.8. Glad he bought the Jag because I couldn't see myself doing this to a Scorpio. I learnt to drive in this and as a family we did countless European trips and also business miles in it.
I got her back 14 years or so ago and immediately had the whole body work taken back to bare metal. Originally after 8 years my Dad had it resprayed from Antelope in to silver birch. My colour was chosen by the guys spraying the car (John at JPC auto refinishing in Cranleigh). The paint work is really lovely but after 12 or so years some inevitable bubbles reappeared, then 6 years ago whilst driving the Jag the rad took a stone and overheated to the point it wouldn't start again. So now, with 2 young boys in tow, she sat forlornly in my garage covered in dirt with a crocked engine, whilst I watch every man and his dog get their car redone by Car SOS, ed china or Chip Foose...
The idea was to get her ready for the Le Mans Classic 2020 So Covid lock down was actually the thing i needed to find some time and space, my little warehouse at work was not used so I brought the car in and acquired a low mileage V12 from Ben at Simply performance, the idea being lets just get one lump out and another one in.
But the engine was dirty and the inevitable happened....
I scrubbed, rubbed and painted what I can, got the Zinc re plated in Camberley and slowly stated piecing all the bits from my old engine on to the new one. Thank the lord that Halford was still open! Amazing what a can of Nissan Gold and Gold Chrome will do...
Now before this the only mechanical work I had done on something motorised was to my RD50 when I was 16... so I was a tad nervous about getting the old lump out, but my old mate (flycatcha) came and started to help me strip the old engine down and out.
so we got the limp out and every item was changed or made new, fitting a new uprated the alternator, new pulley, bearings, slam panel, etc etc.
Then someone said, fit a 5 speed, so I got a conversion kit and box from Simply performance. The engine bay was basically orignal even when I had it repainted they did the top half of the inner wings the lower half was well, you can see here...
So I had to attack the engine bay and repainted it.
I acquired 2 good condition fuel tanks, re did the fuel rail, filters, lintels, pipes, made good all the wiring and wrapped the looms in Funk motorsport cable wrap.
I re cored the original rad, three row, I didn't trust buying an aluminium rad from eBay and Nar rads were just too much. Got a new header tank and had to get a new oil cooler as this was a later 88 model with full flow, I redid the pipe work and got Pirtek to do this, which was one third of the price of buying new. Some Gold chrome paint did wonders to the ends. I have everything I need now to have it all fitted back and re commissioned.
She should be going soon to Tom Lenthall. In the meantime I have sound proofed the whole car
changed fuel filters and pipes, tidied up underneath the car and the wheel arches and attacked the rust spots, my mate at Surrey car craft will finish off when the mechanicals are done.
Updates will follow in due course.
[footnote]Edited by V12 Migaloo on Thursday 10th June 10:31[
Edited by V12 Migaloo on Thursday 10th June 10:39
She's in! Gearbox feels lovely, amazed at the space the 2 pedal box has liberated in the footwell...
Needed new over axle pipes, but thanks to Jagmanv12 he sold me a full AJ6 engineering stainless system...
Only issue know is that the front harness I got from Auto sparks is not correct, sending it back and hope they can turn it round quickly
Needed new over axle pipes, but thanks to Jagmanv12 he sold me a full AJ6 engineering stainless system...
Only issue know is that the front harness I got from Auto sparks is not correct, sending it back and hope they can turn it round quickly
Massive update from Tom Lenthall.........
Drum roll please...........
She starts drives and runs!!!!
Great oil pressure.... may need to change the Idle control valve (knew I should've changed it!!)
Honestly guys, the sense of relief is palpable, its been 8 years since she last turned a wheel under her own power, sitting here trying to hold back the emotions... the old man would be well chuffed...
Drum roll please...........
She starts drives and runs!!!!
Great oil pressure.... may need to change the Idle control valve (knew I should've changed it!!)
Honestly guys, the sense of relief is palpable, its been 8 years since she last turned a wheel under her own power, sitting here trying to hold back the emotions... the old man would be well chuffed...
Gassing Station | Jaguar | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff