On the plus side, I got my high pressure power steering hose built. They used a brand new hose and put on a brand new 45 degree rack end on and cut off the metal end of my brand new 85 Chevy truck power steering hose. One end was clockable till it's tightened. I had a brand new low pressure power steering hose from a past project so I used it. In total it was about $45. Routed them on the engine side around the motor mount. I moved onto the LH exhaust manifold. The collector was aiming at the edge of the rack. I cut off the pipe from the collectors flange. I got out my chop saw and cut a new piece at a 30 degree angle and tacked it on. It looks like it will clear and give me a little clearance. Think I'll tack weld on a heat shield with stand offs. Don't want the rack getting hot. I'm going to have to drive it to the exhaust shop which is about 7 miles. I think I'll clamp on a piece of angle cut pipe to aim the exhaust away from the rack boot. Don't want to melt it on the way. My exhaust guy is pretty gifted and he is fair on prices. I think I read one of Rogers posts about running the exhaust under the rear end. I think this is what I'll do. I'm going to post another thread about exhaust tips for 2 1/4" pipe. I'd really like to have stainless and the lazy S style just like the factory. The big detail though has to be that trumpet/rolled style end. I have looked all over but cannot find a tip like that. I thought of using 2 1/4 stainless pipe with a round stainless ring welded on the end and metal finished/polished.

 

Going to the muffler shop with the exhaust open is fun in at least two levels.


1. Pleasing noise of power.


2. A very important milestone in "lumping", it runs and drives....


My LT1 has Sun Coast sourced "down pipes" off the center dump RAM
manifold. The one on the driver side is "angled out" a bit, then angled back to vertical. Affords a bit of clearance away from the rack.


My Johnscar kit literature opines that some use a shield here and others not A similarly configured XJS supposedly has such a shield
that bolts right on.


Yeah, the front part of my exhaust system is a bit larger than the original. The rear part remains. A "neck down". At first, I was a bit concerned. An although bit imperfect, it sounds good and the cr runs very well.


Oh, and I failed to port match the Ram Horns. A bit of a ledge exists.


I could live with under the cage pipes, if tight and then back to the S tips.


I saw a very nice XJ lump a decade or more ago. It had pies under the cage and then angled up and a baloney cut at the end. Nice work, sounded great. But, just did not look right... Ona different car, oh yeah,,,,


A PO welded my S tips on to the small glass packs used in lieu of resonators. Not my option, but it woks.


Carl


Carl

 

I ordered my dual fan and shroud combo from Summit today https://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-16927/overview/ I have a probe here somewhere that I'll put in the head. I bought a few other smalls too. That should be everything for a basic running/driving mock up. My current plan is to get it driveable so it's not stuck dead in the yard all winter. I really want to weld up all the holes in the engine bay and smooth everything under the hood for paint but just won't have the time. I promised my wife I would work on the house all winter so all projects are going to be hibernating. I'd like to have the XJ able to drive to work this winter but only on nice dry and sunny days. It is more presentable than my 81 El Camino. I'm hoping that my 4 day weekend gets me an assembled and painted engine installed and ready to fire. Next pay check is exhaust

 

Slick.


As I recall, the bill from the muffler shop here was $800.00. Two
pipes from the Down pipes back to the Jaguar mufflers. Two cats and an "H" pipe. Nice job. He opined, it would've been more by a goodly amount had he built down pipes.


Happy wife, happy life, huh!!!


Although, I've been a widower since 09, house fixing continues...


A southern exposure widow frame has a bunch of dry rot to take out and fit new primed and painted wood. Material ready, just get on the ladder with the "tommy bar" and rip off the two bad trim pieces.


Add a lot of caulk and screw in the new wood.


Carl

 

We had a 6" lift scheduled for tomorrow at my work. It changed to next week so I get tomorrow off. Now I get 5 days off to get the XJ running. Supposed to rain Sunday though. I'm going to be daylight to dark working on it

 

Funny story, I drug out a few GM alternators that were under my work bench. I had a chrome one that was off a car I bought a few years ago. The chrome was peeling off so I swapped it out. I just took it apart and all the internal parts were like brand new. I stripped it for the internals. I stripped another one for the raw aluminum case. I cleaned up the case and degreased it. I painted it cast coat aluminum. I reassembled it and it looked great. I then noticed that the threads were stripped for the adjustment bolt on the forward case So I stripped another one for the forward case. Nothing like doin' it twice

 

That's how ya get good at it!
(';')

 

Practice makes perfect

 

Autumnal equinox in about an hour, PDT!!!


In non "weather person" language! It is the first day of fall. I tried a more scientific word, but JF refused to accept "o" and insisted on "d".


Over the years, I've "stripped" more than my share of threads. So, I've learned ways to deal with them.. At times with the help of my machinist and more talented son. The latest on an ancient Lauson
one lung engine's crank snout.


Drill it out and merely use a nut and bolt? Or, TIG the alloy closed.
Drill and tap in fresh threads. Or, a few other ways to get fresh threads!!


Curiosity: What kind of "lift" at work was delayed???


Carl
f

 

Since I'm not a fan of a bolt and nut on an alternator, don't have a spool gun for aluminum, and did not want to drill and have shavings possibly go inside the case, I removed the big nut on the shaft and 4 screws. Heck of a lot faster and its not a hack job.
The lift kit was a suspension lift.

 

I plated in the sides of the fuse panel on the inner fender. I don't like the wires showing. I also cut the lower mounting flange even, welded up the single offset hole, and drilled two new ones. I welded square nuts on the back side of the inner fender and used ARP stainless bolts. Super subtle

 

I built a trunk floor insert out of 1/2" birch. I mounted my aluminum fuel cell all the way back. I then cut the insert a bit in front of the fuel cell mounting straps. I installed a piano style hinge. So the panel lifts and I can get my donut spare and the jack kit under the lifting panel. My new fuel line should be here tomorrow so I'll get the fuel system plumbed. I started scratch building a new set of firewall to inner fender cross braces. They will be a bit beefier and more detailed. I need to go to my steel supplier to get materials but want to try to start the engine Monday. So the braces will be a couple weeks down the road

 

Got my driveshaft AGAIN. It fits correctly now. Got my parts in too. The dual fan/shroud combo is very nice quality. Also got my 4" mandrel bent elbow to build my cold air system. Going to be a big sheet metal surgery ahead for this idea in my head. Using the factory filter can to make it look stock but it will be the farthest thing from it

 

I envy your fabrication skills and I'm not ashamed to say it in print right out here in front of everybody. There are So many things I can see in my head and have no way to make a reality. I lack the skills, the tools, the material and the time. (sigh)
(';')

 

Thank you. I was fortunate enough to shadow two different older guys when I was younger. One was a very skilled restorer and the other was an old school customizer. My parents restored a few cars also. The bad part is, at 44 I have really bad arthritis in my hands and lower back. There are days I can't even hold onto things. This has slowed me down a bunch. I used to build about two cars a year. Getting old sucks

 

Old at 44??? Well, it is different for all of us. I'll see 87 next week, I hope!!!

Yeah, my toes, fingers and neck feel the sting of arthritis!!! But, it does ease at times.

Oh, neck for a long time, but recently joined by the lower back!!!

Better in warm weather, it will be that this week end.

A lot different than I was at 77!! I retired at 75 after 50 years in insurance claims in most lines and most levels. Rewarding in at least one way. I met a lot of people in all walks of life and in many fields. \
Some extremely intelligent an talented. Some must've rubbed off!!! At least, I like to think it did.

My son sent me a link to You Tube. An intersting group. Building a boat, similar to a Chinese Junk, but in steel!!! Huge and in their back yard. In addition to the sails, power by a Cummins. But with an Allisson Auto box?

My Yahoo is in a mess. Hacking issue?? Messages in basic. cliams my browser is out dated. Ha!! It is IE11, no later versions out there!!

And my printer ate a page!! Stuck!!

I think I'll just go outside and play in the shop....

Carl

 

I started the sheetmetal work on my cold air induction today. It took all day and I doubt it's 50% finished. I spent about an hour just on one small bracket. Not going to let the cat out of the bag just yet. I built one very similar on my 55 Belair last year. I have never seen this on a Jaguar for sure. I like to think outside the box and will spend hours on end to put what I'm thinking into metal. Hopefully finish it tomorrow or Monday.

 

The 'tease", huh????


I've an idea as to what you plan for wig to fire wall braces.
The existing ones come close to resolving the 'open box" issue,
but, could be better.


I see the engine bay as a box, but lacking a strong member along the
top/front. The wing braces seek to fix that.


Better, but, no enough to secure the front from the stress of the suspension. Early Mustangs suffer that way, even more. No brace!!!


Much better answers would be:


1. A front header panel in stronger material secured at the wings. The "box" is complete. Second only to a sphere in strength!!


2. Complete the "Y" brace with a leg across the open end to make it a triangle. Near perfect way of transferring force.


3. A variation of "2". A brace across he bay, midway. Not quite as good as "2', but better than existing.


I was tempted to do "2' or "3" when I installed the LT1. But, realized that my ability to cut and fit the missing leg did not exist.


And, I liked the look of the finned alloy housing of the PCM. I did not want to "bury" it. So, I created straps crossing from one leg of the brace to the other. Alas, my limitations as to fastening them crept in again. So, I used Adel clamps.


A bit better, but not quite. It does look good and functions!!!


My spare PCM is in black powder coat!!! Would it look better???
Well, "it ain't broke, so I ain't fixin' it"!!!


Elinor: your limits can be over come, except one. TIME!!!


My "skills" with a torch far exceed those with a stick or MIG.
Enough heat to get penetration of far more import than "purty".


When I made the mounts for my little antique Atlas lathe, I joined two pieces of scrap 1/4" plate. Beveled the edges, torch welded on both sides. Ground clean. Looked great, verified penetration. Seam invisible!!!


Carl

 

Teaser pics. Still more plating, welding, and grinding to do. I used a 4" mandrel 90 and straight pieces. I want that factory filter can. I used a Spectre washable cone filter. Had to hole saw the can lid and back. Still have to build a bracket for the can too.

 

That looks Really nice!
(';')