Finally some progress. I located a local metalworker who does a lot of antique and classic car work, including stamping louvers for hot rods back in the day. Turns out he had a die set that virtually matched my guesstimate as to the dimensions of the Callum louvers. I had him stamp a couple of panels I salvaged from the sheet metal that was removed for the sunroof. Bending them to match the fender contour was a bit of a challenge since the louvers are essentially boxes that make the panel extremely rigid, but we got them to set in almost perfectly. The plenum design is very shallow at the bottom since there is zero clearance with the blowers installed - they step out about midpoint into a box, and a 3" collar at the top will carry the air to the blowers via flexible ducts.

Everything is just fit and tacked at this point. I have to disassemble and paint the interior surfaces with welding primer and follow up with seam sealer. Once the plenums are permanently welded to the louver panels I'll dip the entire assembly into epoxy primer before welding them to the fenders. The bottom of the plenum is flush with the bottom of louver so water will drain out the louver vs an internal drain (no room). I just hope they look good once the beast is in paint - if nothing else they'll be functional.

 

Doug,
I've been going back through your thread to review your wheel and tire sizes. I got in too big of a hurry and stripped the car before I decided on my direction.


Questions:


You indicate that you did not measure the front and rear track, but did not change the track. Was the car originally fitted with wire or steel wheels?


Recapping your wheel and tire posts: Is it correct, that you ended up with Primaz wheel size and back spacing suggestions of 17" x 8" with a 5.75" backspacing? And from a earlier post 245 45 17 Michelin Pilots?


Regards,
Clyde Gantz

 

Clyde, the beast was originally fitted with wires/splined hubs. The final wheel configuration I used was 17" x 8" with 5.38" backspacing. This backspacing was recommended by the tech at Dayton Wire since they had sold quite a few of this size for Mark 2s with no clearance issues. In fact when I test fit the wheel it just touched the A frame on full wheel lock - I stayed with this setup anyway since the fender clearance was most critical. I haven't decided whether to relieve the forgings a bit (est 1/16") or install stops. Here's the diagram they sent me for the 5.0" backspacing I originally requested (just substitute 5.38") - this shows you here they measure the backspacing from on a splined hub. The 245 45 Michelin Pilot is correct.

No updates to show. I've decided to chemically strip the paint myself (no strip joints in the NE) vs media blasting While researching the latter I heard and read too many horror stories about panels warping from overheating. With the sunroof, rear fender beads and side louver mods I'm sure I've induced some stresses in the panels, so I decided chem strip is the safest approach. Ive done this with an E-Type and another Mark 2 and vowed never again - oh well. Once stripped I'll set up a booth and shoot everything with epoxy primer before sending off to paint.

 

Doug,
thanks for the information. I wonder if Primaz' wheels touched the arms with the 5.75 backspacking?


What issues did you have with "dipping"?/chemically stripping?


Working with a blaster now. Big machine for under side & inside floor, plastic beads for skins, touch up on rust not removed by beads with glass at 30 psi - high volume.


Regards,


Clyde Gantz

 

Clyde, I seem to remember a comment in the Primaz thread about installing steering stops. The two issues with chemical stripping are the toxic fumes and cleaning any joints - any latent stripper will wreak havoc on the paint. It sounds like you have a blaster that knows what he's doing, and I'm told that's half the battle. Good luck.

I was resigned to using the original horn grills instead of fog lights since I had no clearance with all the fans and heat exchangers - I even had to remove the sheetmetal from the back of the light recess to fit the intercooler heat exchanger which needed to be forward for efficiency. After some research I found a pair of driving lights with a very shallow profile - they're a larger diameter (6" vs 5 1/2") but I think they'll look ok, and they're chromed metal vs plastic. Next step paint stripping.

 

OK, so the car wasn't ready for stripping. In looking at the Callum Mark 2 I obviously loved the side louvers and incorporated them here. I like the tight-in bumpers but not in body color, so decided to use the chrome ones, eliminate the uprights and pull in the front bumper tight to the body. It's lousy for protection but a lot of the hot rodders do this for looks. The other item that seems out of place to me on the Callum car is the roof gutters - for all the streamlining and hotrodding he did with overall lines the gutters seem to stick out like a sore thumb. So yes, I shaved the gutters. The downside is you can't open the windows when it's raining, but I figure I won't be doing that anyway with the modern HVAC system. Getting in and out in the rain is a bit dicey but not too big a liability. The upside is I like the look, and I'm hoping that eliminating the gutters on the A pillars will cut down on a lot of the wind turbulence and noise at high speed. We will see.

Clyde got me thinking about the stripping process, and I ended up finding a media blaster in southern CT that comes highly recommended. They seem to do a lot of high end restoration work and their pricing was comparable to the other guys, so I think I'll go that way. It was procrastinating about the chemical stripping that got me into trouble with the gutters, so I've got to get this beast off to paint before I decide to do something else like turn it into a 2 door coupe!

Here are a couple of pics sans gutters. I think the modified window frames and ugly mirrors will look ok - time will tell.

 

Can't wait to see how this looks in paint. Have you said what color you are going with?

Lin

 

Doug, I recommend using the Por-15 metal prep, then the Por-15 chasis coating and then the car will never rust. I did that on my car and it looks clean.


Clyde, yes I put stops and the drives fine with the slight reduced turning radius but I am in the process of getting custom control arms made that will give me more turning radius. These will also use jeebus joints instead of ball joints, at MMW Control Arms


Doug, I mounted a non tank train air horn under the driver fender well. Also I had a triangular access opening on each side near the headers and instead of sealing them with a grill or plate we left them open and I think that helps the engine bay breath well? I had no issues on hot days so you might think of that as well?


Doug, since you are still doing body work might consider modifying the small clear parking lot lights to accept modern LED's as I searched an there are none that will work without modifying the body and I do not really want to do that now that the car is painted already. I am likely going to use small light bars under the bumper.

 

I'm using the original XJR suspension brakes etc.

 

the engine will fit, with going to what you have done,

 

While you have easy access to the suspension, you might find this interesting:

JCNA Forums - Jaguar Clubs of North America

 

Cool! How do you plan to deal with the extra wide wheel base?

 

that's a good right up.

 

I got the beast back from the media blaster this week - they did a terrific job stripping all surfaces - plastic on the exterior panel surfaces and something more aggressive on the inside and bottom of the tub. Primaz, I spoke with a few paint and body guys and they all recommended POR 15 to treat rusty surfaces - apparently it converts the rust to something stable. For a rust-free tub they all recommended epoxy primer which is what I ended up using - a BASF product. Two wet coats everywhere I could get to with the car back on the rotisserie. Tomorrow I'll set up some tables in the makeshift spray booth and shoot the doors, hood and boot lid. After that I'll bring in a few local paint guys to give me a quote - they all wanted to see the beast after stripping/in primer to more accurately judge the amount of body work involved. If anyone knows what a quality 2 stage paint job should cost with this level of prep I'd appreciate hearing from you as I'm clueless. I'm certainly not looking for a show-quality finish as this will be a daily driver, but black has to be dead straight to look good.

 

Doug, while that is how some people use POR-15 as a band aid over a rusted area, that is NOT how it should be used. It is supposed to be used after you strip it to bare metal, then you apply their metal prep, then their POR-15 chassis black. I HIGHLY recommend that you apply the POR-15 chassis black! You can skip the metal prep since you have used epoxy primer but do use the POR-15 chassis black and then the car will never rust. Take it from me I live half a mile from the Pacific Ocean, expoxy primer WILL NOT stop rust, POR-15 will absolutely will! I did what you did only on the first time I painted one of my Datsun Z cars and guess what it broke down and car was getting mild surface rust. I stripped the car via bead blasting it and did the POR-15 after their metal prep and more than 10 years and it looks brand new.

 

Not much progress to report. I spent a few weeks searching for a quality paint and body shop. Half the guys I approached never even responded, and the rest had no interest or no time to take on a major project. I ended up with 2 choices - book a $30k paint job 3 to 6 months out or do the bulk of the body work myself and have a professional shoot the color/clear and wet sand/polish. I opted for the latter and spent the last 2 weekends filling/blocking/priming/blocking the panels. Not my idea of fun but with inspections and coaching from the painter they're finally dead straight. A couple of weekends working on the tub and everything should be ready for paint. We'll see...

Primaz - I promise to put the tub back on the rotisserie and shoot the bottom with Por 15 or similar before sending it off for paint. Thanks for the advice.

 

found a modern Supercharged V8 type S that had been in an accident, written off, but interior and driveline is in perfect shape. thought about doing something similar.

any thoughts or regrets from your build?

 

Hi
I am doing the same but 4.2 v8 na,
you will find that the gearbox will not fit as well as the 4L as its a 6 speed
and drives off the top so you will have to cut the tunnel ,
its not the best car for the job as the suspension will not fit,
the older car would be the best as bechems use,the 4L xjr,sc.
but I am going to see if I can mount the diff and make wish bones in a new
rear subframe, and new subframe for the front with new uprights to take the stype front hubs.

 

VB - I've got two years of weekends into it and at least another year to go so the time invested is a major issue. It turns out the motor/drivetrain install was the quick and easy part, as it basically involves opening up some sheet metal and fabricating a half dozen mounting points. It's all the little systems that take so much time reengineering and fabricating - power windows and locks, HVAC system, ... the list seems endless at times.

About regrets I'll let you know in a year or so - it all depends on how the project works out in the end. If all the upgrades work as intended and the car handles well and is fast, quiet and reliable it will have been worth it. If it's still just a pretty beast there will be major regrets. I'll let you know.

 

it will be ok,
beechems do it so why cant we do it,
and they seem to be ok and sell for loads of money.
good luck and don't give up.