Clyde, here are a couple of shots of the rotisserie I made. The front cross member of the rotisserie bracket passes just behind the car's frame cross member - this allows you to use the lower radiator mounting brackets and the forward suspension mounting brackets - no need to drill holes. The rear bolts directly to the inner bumper mount bolts. This attachment setup is fine for swinging the tub including doors, hood and boot lid. I fit the rear suspension carrier with the tub upside down on the rotisserie and the rig worked fine. I would not use this mounting setup to swing the car with motor and trans installed - the rotisserie isn't the problem - the rear bumper mounting bolts and front brackets are not adequate for the weight imo. You would need to tie into the front frame rails directly and find something substantial to tie into in the rear - there's not a lot there until you get it reinforced for the IRS carrier mount. Hope this helps.

I finally got the front window frame mods finished - my brazing skills were not up to the exacting work involved so I hauled them back to the pros. They ended up TIG welding the frames using silicon bronze rod, which seems to have worked nicely. I'm working this weekend on the tub mods needed to accept the modified frames - the curved surface that contacts the door gasket is moved forward along with the vertical frame member. Other than the ugly mirrors it should look fine, and I won't be staring at a window frame in the middle of the mirror when I drive!

The XJR motor mount brackets need to be shortened to fit the lump between the Mark 2 frame rails. Our last Mark 2 had the funky antenna on the roof above the windshield - which I loved - just doesn't quite fit this project. I ended up installing the XJR unit in the rear offside fender which worked nicely. Still playing with the center dash panel layout - since my donor XJR didn't have a nav system I'm thinking of installing a portable unit here. If anyone knows of any good aftermarket units or has any ideas I'd love to hear. Till next time.

 

Working hard to get the beast ready for paint but unfortunately that involves a lot of grunt work that's not very interesting - removing no-longer-functional brackets, captive nuts and harness tabs, and welding up the endless holes left behind. I spent a lot of time at the firewall reinforcing the tub. The picture of the driver's side shows the brackets that strenthen the dash for the steering column mount. You'll also note some square tubing that runs between the A pillars at the lower dash - these tie into the triangulated boxes that run down to the forward frame rails. I had to remove the box section that distributes heat in the original tub in order to fit the AC evaporator/heater core box at the center and steering column with all its motors, so strength here was an important consideration. I also modified the inner tub reinforcement at the new fuel fill door - simple enough but everything takes time to design and fabricate.

I followed Primaz and used Wizard Cooling for the custom radiator - they duplicated the XJR crossflow design in a configuration that would fit the much narrower nose of the Mark. They were able to use the XJR transmission cooler from the original radiator to ensure it gets cooled properly, as well as mount the original AC condenser and electric fans. They pointed out the XJR puller fans would not work in the pusher configuration in which I had mounted them. The fan setup on the XJR is unique in that the computer switches them in series so they see 6 volts to run on low speed, or parallel for 12 volts/high speed. I couldn't locate anything aftermarket to run this way in a pusher configuration so I made the XJR fans work. They basically had to occupy the space of the original radiator which is fairly narrow, so this required removing the vertical box sections that tie the inner fenders to the frame rails. These were replaced with 1 1/2" square tube which frames the new radiator just forward of the original location. It's strong and everything fits - fans, radiator, AC condenser and intercooler for the supercharger - just need to make sure I don't rear-end anyone.

I milled some poplar to match the lower curved profile of the side dash panels. Reveneering everything should make for a good winter project - just not sure if it will be this year or next!

I was about a week away from sending the tub off to be blasted to get ready for paint, when some nucklehead named Mikey had to post an amazing picture here of a Callum Mark 2. I had planned to duct the fresh air intakes from under the front bumper through tubing in the upper wheel wells - when I saw those louvers. I had toyed with this originally - my thought was to use E Type bonnet louvers vertically - but wasn't sure how they'd look. I would never have thought of the long and narrow configuration that Callum used, so now I have to order a set of louver dies for the bead roller. What's a little more fabricating and welding at this point? There's just enough room to fashion an inner plenum to keep the water out and feed fresh air out the top to the left and right blowers which are housed in the rear fenders - will post some pics as soon as we get there.

I'm still looking for a good paint guy, so if anyone knows someone in southern New England please let me know.

 

Doug, you are one heck of a metal fab man! Great stuff, the car is looking great! I think it is cool that you and I have created for a fraction of the money modern versions of these cool saloons that are on par and in many aspects surpass the Callum Jag We might not get the fan fare he does but I think both of our cars just might leave him in the dust along with having some cool one off creative features

 

Great job! On facebook I foun another conversion with full chassis swap and flared wheelarches. Will post picks next time when I am on the computer and not cellphone.

Primaz, is it possible to use the S rear axle directly under the MKII? Perhabs it ix possble to make a mix from S an xjs last series axle? What do you think?

Best pagodino

 

think xjs is to wide for the mk2,but you will get the stype axle to fit but need mods to hang it and bolt it up.

 

Sorry I don't know how to attach links here. Go to YouTube and search - Mk2 Jaguar Wide Body 2 Door Coupe - for some amazing conversion work. You'll find one video that covers at least some of the mods needed to install an XJS rear into the Mark 2 tub.

Daimler Guy - how's your project coming along?

 

MKII and the 3.8s main difference is the IRS and I believe there are kits to use the IRS from the 3.8s to a MKII. The famous Beecham MKII's which sparked a lot of us to build our modern day version of these saloons also installed an IRS from an XJ40 to their MKII's
1962*Jaguar*Mk ll 3.4 to Beacham Specification*at Hexagon Cars


You should definitely be able to find one of the several ways others had installed an IRS into their MKII work. I think taking it from a 3.8s would be the easiest but as Doug pointed out that widebody Jag, which is very cool and even a bit more crazy than our restomod's was able to change it to IRS.

 

Hi Doug,
not done anything with car yet,but we will do,
and looking at all the new stype front and rear set up going on the mk2,
the 2door coupe on yuotube I have been to see the guy that's doing it,
and he has made the body fit the xjs rear,and not cut it, down,

 

Well here a pick.

S.-type 202 is larger than xj 308, a good base fore chassis-swap could be a Mercedes W202, for dimensions and basis. Useable up to 5.5 AMG Kompressor. ...


QUOTE=DaimlerMK2;731425]Hi

i have a daimler mk2, and an 4.2 stype and doing the same,
i also have a beechems file on how to do it,
i have my engine, but have cut the inner wings and fire wall out,
seemed the right thing to do at the time,
my AC pump had to come off,
and have put the stype hubs onto the mk2 were the stubs would have been,[/QUOTE]

 

Could you tell us more about the "Beachams file" or perhaps share it? I'm fascinated by whast they've done...Steve

 

I did have it on email on my pc, but lost it as the pc went down,
but I did send it to doug,

 

Just read this whole thread, i'm really impressed with the work gone into this car.
Will definitely be following the future progress.

I have just gotten 3 MK2 Jags and an S-type, and a S3 XJ6.
One MK2 will be all original
And one will be something like this, i had planned on a donor vehicle to just swap parts, driveline, wiring, or even maybe a chassis underpinning swap.


Is the front suspension still going to be mounted the original way via the 4 rubber bushes? Did you consider upgrading the front end further or just leave it at a rack swap with coilovers?

I had thought of for my custom MK2 something tubular, with modern hubs and A-arms, etc that secured to the chassis a bit better than 4 small bolts, but so far the extent of my projects are design ideas in my brain, and searching for a decent shed space to store these, or build a decent shed at home

 

I had thought of for my custom MK2 something tubular, with modern hubs and A-arms, etc that secured to the chassis a bit better than 4 small bolts, but so far the extent of my projects are design ideas in my brain, and searching for a decent shed space to store these, or build a decent shed at home ,

this is the way I want to do mine,front and rear.

 

No real progress to report - life gets busy and the toys have to wait.

I tried using a bead roller to produce the louvers ala Callum, but it just didn't produce a quality louver - in addition to just so-so formed louvers the rolling process induced a lot of stress in the sheet metal, and I just wasn't comfortable exposing the panels to the heat of a MIG weld. I think part of the problem involves the length of these louvers. I'm debating whether to have a stamping die fabricated, as I think stamping the louvers on a press will produce a superior result. These dies aren't cheap, and I'm still not totally committed to the louver approach for fresh air intake - not certain if they're attractive or an abortion. Opinions seem to be split 50/50, so I'd appreciate any thoughts from you folks following this project. Other than the damn louvers the tub is ready for paint, so this is the only holdup at this point.

Someone recently sent me a nice note with a summary of their project and some questions on this one - I managed to delete the damn thing and can't resurrect it. If you'll resend I'd appreciate it.

Hopefully the next post will feature some cool pics of the louvers - or not.

 

How about finding a vehicle that has the louvers you want and cutting a panel out of it?

Even better if repair panels can be bought.

 

I was looking at the louvers on the older XJR model and wondering if it was possible to graft a pair of those in?

 

Bob, the tough part is finding a 12 to 13" louver. I know repair panels are available for the E Type bonnet louvers - now you've got me thinking I might be able to cut and weld them along their length ...

Alphatrev, I'm not aware of louvers on the older XJR - can you tell me what year as I'd like to research. Thanks both.

 

Didn't some 30's, 40's, 50's era cars come with the right type of louvers?

Then there are the aftermarket Jaguar Portfolio fender louvers.

What about heavy equipment? Sheet metal on those is probably pretty thick too

 

Not really louvers. More like side vents I suppose. Look at the 2008 XJR.

 

Still researching the louvers. I was able to borrow an XJR chrome side vent, thinking it might work if done in body color, but it just didn't look correct on the Mark 2.

Here are some earlier pics of work I never posted (I don't think). The boot lid needed a key cylinder for access in the event of a dead battery. The Mark 2 lock/release button is replaced with the electronic button from the XJR, so this required locating a remote key cylinder in the lid - I'm hoping this looks ok when it's in paint since it will stand out against black. The tub latch install looks simple but the release button and wiring is housed behind it - nothing's simple. The boot lid houses the XJR latch mechanism along with a solenoid and the key cylinder - this will have to be covered with a trim panel. I left the mounting plate tacked in case the paint guy wants to remove it to do some metal work on the lid - the original owner pushed the beast with his pickup into the garage at the end of its (first) life and managed to override the bumper and cave in the lid and right fender. I was told that was the last time the car moved until my purchase - no idea who wrote the RIP!

The XJR fuel door has an interior bladder/drain and locking mechanism that required the removal of a section of interior fender reinforcement. This was replaced with a cut down box section that should retain the strength in this area.

The boot of the XJR has a couple of flap vents that I assume are there to relieve pressure when the lid is closed. I don't think there's ever been a Mark 2 with a lid that seals that tightly, but the vents went in anyway. This pic also illustrates a few of the 20 or so wiring harness ground studs throughout the tub.

The narrow nose of the Mark 2 was never meant to house a blown overhead cam V8 with AC, and as the pic shows I ended up removing a sizable area of inner fender and the original vertical radiator supports. In order to retain strength here I framed the hood opening with square tubing - this ties into the new frame supporting the radiator which is now directly over and welded to the forward box section of the tub. The original structure of stamped sheet metal is now tubing, so I hope this is at least as strong as what came out. The tub hasn't folded up on the rotisserie yet so I take that as a good sign. My plan is to fabricate removable inner fender panels using aluminum sheet that fasten to the square tubing with quick-release fasteners.

With the cooling fans now in a puller position it looks like I have room for accessory lights in front of the heat exchangers. If anyone knows of any modern driving lights or daytime running lights that fit in place of the Lucas fog lights I'd love to hear from you.