As a new owner so many questions and conundrums!



The wood in my car looks OK from a distance but it has been painted with wood effect.

It was originally a RHD and was converted at some point to LHD. This required a replacement dashboard which was taken from a 2.4 and really does not fit well.
The dashboard cap is missing the rear edge and the banding has been sanded and painted away.
The horizontal strips under the windows have been (badly) made by an amateur woodworker (probably around my standard!).
It has been very poorly fitted into the car after the last restoration.

I could send all the wood away to be refinished. I am worried that many pieces will require a considerable amount of rebuilding. I have received quotes from between Euro 2.500 and Euro 5.000.
Another option is a reproduction set. Does anyone has any experience with reproductions?

 

A complete re-veneer is best. British Autowood in Florida I rate as the finest but it's a long way from you.

I redid my own. See detail in my signature.

Example:

 

Try and bake. Use a product designed for the ambient conditions in your country. You are lucky to have Sikkens in your back yard.

 

I used British Autowood for my XK8. Results were superb but it was fairly simple to package up and send. I am concerned that much of my trim
has been ruined by a very bad “restoration”. The dashboard cap no longer has the right shape. Someone thought that sanding it round would make a nice effect. I have found some more local solutions. There is a guy here in NL (if I remember correctly you know him Glyn) who sends it off to Poland.

 

Sikkens & Glasurit probably make the finest automotive paints & coatings in the world. Glasurit has now been bought out by BASF. Talk to their technical people for advice. It's all in the preparation & correct product.

 

Doctor Classic in Poland is 50% owned by a friend from Dallas now. They also do a superb job.

 

He also owns a Netherlands Classic Sales shop.

 

Years ago, there was a cabinet maker, based near Leiden, who made traditional walnut furniture. He offered to restore the wood in my MK2. His name was *** van Rijs (I'm not sure of the spelling). Certainly, his furniture was excellent. In those days, I think he used cellulose.

There are a few wood specialists in England and most of them seem to do good work with veneers. It's usually much quicker to buy a new set of wood than wait for them to restore yours. If you go that way, ask Ken Jenkins or someone with experience, for a recommendation. As for imitation burr walnut, I saw a guy do it on TV once and, from a distance, it looked excellent.

If you go DIY, be careful with the varnish. Again, get some advice from someone who's used some in their car or better still do as Glyn says and go to experts in automotive finish at the manufacturers, but that will take you out of the DIY range unless you have professional equipment. My experience without professional equipment is limited to front doors where I found that even Sikkens products guaranteed to withstand everything often can't. Our very expensive mahogany front door in The Hague ended up with a simulated mahogany finish in opaque paint.
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Similarly, it's wise to find out what a professional supplier uses to finish their wood. It's best to be either a modern finish that's extremely tough, like external two pack clear coat. Anything less and I'd go for something at the other extreme, a traditional finish that's easy to patch when it gets damaged.

 

Times change.

 

I lived in Leiden for over 30 years. Live just outside now. If it was just varnishing I might take it on myself but it will need extensive new veneers and cross banding.

 

Remember you can do minor bush touch up of pattern in the veneer. British Autowood does. I hope you are using "varnishing" in the generic sense. It's not varnish. See my thread

 

In today's world blended for your climatic conditions & recommended by both Rolls & Bentley. That's why I say consult the supplier's technical people

 

Only use vacuum assisted veneering.

 

Hello, which model car is it ? MK-2 or S type ?

I have for sale a 1964 S type dash cap which conserves its shape and rear raised edge. Yes it needs refinishing.
Also have the left and right panels with glovebox ​​​door and lock, also have the center pivoting panel.

It will not fit a MK-2.

This is a restoration job for Saul at British Autowood in Orlando Florida.

 

It's a Mk2, thanks for the offer. Sending a whole Mk2 interior from NL to Saul wont be easy. It was enough of a pain sending my XK8 interior to him but the results were stunning.


Before Saul

After Saul

 

Saul does beautiful work. Doctor Classic in Poland will match him today. IMHO

 

That's impressive work on your XK8.

Before COVID, it might have been worth making a trip to Spares Day at Stoneleigh. Several wood restorers used to have their work on show and often have some complete sets at favourable prices. You could pick the shade and pattern of the veneer you liked best. Unfortunately, post-covid Spares Day isn't the event that it was.

 

It has completely transformed the XK8. I know it will do the same to the Mk2. The interior is really letting it down. I have had her up on a lift a couple of times recently (new front tyres and alignment) and the condition underneath is really good. During the alignment everything was very supple. They were able to adjust the tracking by hand (after slacking off the lock nut of course). Body/chassis and mechanically almost perfect but now I need to work on the interior to really finish it off. Had static seat belts made by FDTS and they look great too, all chrome. I was able to simply fit them using the factory preparation. I am fairly large and the dash is really quite close to the driver so I have no problem reaching everything with the belts tightened.

 

Has anyone had any dealings with “jaguari-94” or “jaguarinteriors” on eBay. Both based in the UK. They both manufacture new wood trim.

 

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/m...ration-273352/

In the link above, bankjobbob looked at jaguarinteriors. It may be worth messaging him to see how things turned out for him.