Hello everybody i am a member of the sister jaguar uk forum and pistonheads and decided to post my story and my car here also.
All started in 2017 when I bought a 115k miles 1999 xjr 4.0.

The previous owner did some poor welding repairs to it as it failed its mot on the rust - the true problem with these cars.
I took it to a friends garage to have it fully restored and painted.
Mechanically the car was spot on, drives like a charm, drove it through france and germany through the motorways and its faaaaaast
Despite the poor rust repair job done on the car, it seems like the previous owner spent fortunes on the car on its mechanics, so hopefully it doesnt need a lot more work.
The car basically wasnt droven since late 2012 i believe as the previous owner moved to another country.
The only thing I did on the car when I bought it was a Terraclean and its been on my friends garage to have the rust properly repaired and it will have a service also, with oil change, new filters, etc..
Going through the receipts on the car, here its the jobs it had done in the last years:

2006
Oil, oil filter, air filter, spark plug
Ecm module + reconfigure ecu

2007
82293 miles
Brake discs & pads

2008
90208 miles
Oil filter, oil gtx magnatec oil
Front vallance and brake ducting
New super charger belt, idler bearing and tensioner (tensioner drive, belt drive, pulley idler, bracket idler)
Alignement
Welding, replace four timing chains, four chain tensioners and slipper guides, rubber gaskets and seals, replace relay and water thermostat
(Brake fluid, 2x secondary timing chains, 2x primary timing chains, 2x upper tensioners, 2x lower tensioners, cam cover rubber gaskets, 4x spark plugs cover gaskets, relay twin fan, water thermostat)

2009
94137 miles
Oil filter, oil magnatec oil
New water pump, thermostat

2010
98450 miles
Service, Front brake pads, oil filter, 5w30 oil

2011
104127 miles
Service, new rear lower damper bushes, new front n/s wheel bearing assembly, oil filter, castrol gtx magnatec


2012
111023 miles
Service, new o/s/f wheel bearing, front and rear brake pads and discs, brake fluid change, oil filter, spark plugs, accelerometer, castrol gtx magnatec
New Alternator


Some photos now
The day I bought it:












On this last photo you can see those areas over the wheelarches "painted black", its where the previous owner did some type of fast rust repair on it to pass its MOT. I am having this properly repaired in my friends garage, cutting all the rusty areas out completely.


My jewel at a friends garage being restored from the rust issues.
The guy is an excellent mechanic and usually restores a lot of classics, at the moment he has an old lotus being restored also.



















Few more







Most of the welding done.
Next step will be painting the car and undersealing it.
Welding job pics:



























P.S - just look some of the rusty bits that were cut off...



Hopefully all the rust was completely cut off and it wont return

The renovation had to stop for around 1 year due to some health problems with my friend but its now in full steam again and almost completed - October 2019 update


. Welding repairs + full paint job + replacement of a few bits (new rear bumper mount guides, new rear view electhrocromatic mirror, new fog lamp, etc
. He asked me if i want to keep the vinyl stripe or not. Not sure, opinions please

|https://thumbsnap.com/V3fXvB31

|https://thumbsnap.com/ayXFF4EA

|https://thumbsnap.com/npUVQfaH

|https://thumbsnap.com/wiu7UpGb

|https://thumbsnap.com/UTi1ASR7


they found more rust under the windows rubbers and plastics on the right side of the car. To be sorted also. Next step will be finishing the full paint job and then to the underside of the car for rust removal and underseal
|https://thumbsnap.com/Zv0wp3cf

|https://thumbsnap.com/j0eZcnwR

|https://thumbsnap.com/RkVaTr8R

|https://thumbsnap.com/hUuqEUFq

|https://thumbsnap.com/VDw6eng1

Rust under the windows rubber sealing, being dealt

|https://thumbsnap.com/jRjTwAL0

Almost ready

|https://thumbsnap.com/zStaHgvJ

Roof lining off to be replaced (usual sagging)
|https://thumbsnap.com/n6VPQUfZ

|https://thumbsnap.com/C1w5Fwtf

Aaaand almost completed
|https://thumbsnap.com/qMLE4xnJ

|https://thumbsnap.com/PE4ArAXa

|https://thumbsnap.com/xS3YsT9b

|https://thumbsnap.com/9AIL0Dke

|https://thumbsnap.com/B0WFSHkP

|https://thumbsnap.com/mTrjjOEp

|https://thumbsnap.com/vPH14V24

|https://thumbsnap.com/6KuheiyZ


Got this beauty to go under the bonnet also
|https://thumbsnap.com/8AeCSxRF
And a smart battery charger to maintain the battery
|https://thumbsnap.com/XIrLUtvp

Sorry for the long post, but this is the story of my car since i bought it in 2017 until today

 

P.s - pleasure to be a member here

 

Odd question, is there anyway I can retro fit a newer rearview electrochromatic.mirror to my car?
My mirror is leaking and i bought a new used one on ebay, the seller told me it was from a 2000 xjr but now myechanic says he cant fit it on my car because the wiring is differently..
Apparently the one on my car hasnt a rain sensor and the one i bought has a rain sensor

 

Nice work! I am happy we don't have to worry much about rust here.

 

Hopefully rust wont be a problem anymore, as I moved to another country with barely no snow, no salt on the roads.

 

Car looks lovely after the work!

If you dont mind me asking, which UK forum do you use?

 

https://www.jaguarforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=38
And

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&f=85

 

Thanks!

 

Car looks wonderful Phoenix07 .
You must be very pleased.
Which country do you live in now,if you don't mind me asking.
Enjoy your car.
They are well worth the effort.
Take care.
Andy

 

Thanks Andy! I Am now living in Portugal

 

Very nice....your friend is a skilled craftsman....the shine of the new paint has to be beautiful and exciting

 

Very pleased with his work, he said he loved to work with the metal and the panels of this car, said its solid metal (not considering the damn rust issues) nothing like the modern cars

 

Always good to see a diligent owner for these cats.

 

Thank you i absolutely love this car

 

I know it's been ages I've been here but my car is reeeeeeady from its restoration. Full metal work, all rot cut off and welding and full painting, all wiring checked and replaced where required, new lining for the roof (sagging), new radiator. Looks and smell like new. Will now restore a bit better the leather seats

 

That looks fantastic!

I feel so sorry for anyone living in a rust belt with a beautiful car only to have to go through the misery of a rusteration. I have never seen rust so close to the top of the fenders (wings) on the inside just above the shock towers before. One other area of concern that I have seen before is on the front, inside frame rails where the exhaust manifolds and catalytic converters are at. Did you have any problems in that area?

 

I had problems in the wings near the socks in the windows rails and under the doors, sometimes they have rust also under the front windscreen, mine was removed and the metal was rust free thankfully. I think all rust is sorted

 

The underside of the car had some superficial rust I believe and all was treated and sealed. No need for more welding according to the mechanic

 

Looking good Phoenix07

Take care and stay safe.
Andy

 

Thank you Andy