One owner. After spending the last 30 years in a dry garage, the time has come to find it a new home. Red pre-HE auto, 24k miles, interior looks great, like someone just parked it, left the keys in the ignition and walked away. Front has been on jacks for 30 years. Needs original bumpers put back on and a respray. Underneath was waxoyled before being stored. Transmission unit at rear was rebuilt. No rust anywhere. Main thing is to see if engine and other parts are not seized. Just need to get a rough quote to see if it's going to be a money pit or impossible to do. Ultimate goal is to get it MOT'd and give it back some love.

Visual inspection of engine bay looks clean.

Can anyone recommend a good XJS person around the Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire area (or beyond)?

Photos available.

Thanks

 

You could try the jaguar enthusiast club. I'm sure someone will have other suggestions. Sounds a dream car, why not have ago yourself? The lads on here are fantastic.

 

Hi, I would love to take it on as a project but my hands are full clearing two houses (mum's gone in to a care home) and I have a full time job. One day when I have more time or I just live in a barn surrounded by bits of cars..........

 

434Mhz,

I've got a red 79 pre-HE as well!

Swallows Jaguar in Bristol are a long-established Jaguar independent who do everything from Servicing to Race Preparation and still work on the older models. I even used them to do a pre-purchase inspection on my 4.0 convertible 17 years ago on my 4.0 convertible.

Certainly worth chatting to them about the mechanical side, if not everything.

As mentioned you could also contact the Regional and XJS Model representatives in the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club. We have a number of regions around that area, including one that covers Herefordshire / Worcestershire / Gloucestershire. See here: Regional Branches | Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club (jec.org.uk) & www.jec.org.uk - Index page

Let's see some pics!

Cheers

Paul

 

Thanks for the tip Paul. I am currently looking at all options.
Hope your 79er is fit and strong.

You asked for some photos, so please see below.
The last one shows that I cannot currently open the doors enough to get in it!

I mentioned about the bumpers. They had been removed 30 years ago in favor of a TWR-styled body kit, which got half fitted. I have since removed this (eBay) which has exposed that the original front bumper shock absorbers have been 'modified'.

All light clusters and other fittings are wrapped in plastic in the boot.

 

Oops, I forgot the important bit - the engine!

 

434MHz,

She looks in extraordinarily good condition in all areas for a stored UK car! And that engine bay looks incredibly original and well-preserved. The underside looks lovely, a real time-warp vehicle!

Even with that level of originality and low-mileage I'd really recommend a refurb of of all the cooling hoses and fuel injection pipes and wiring throughout the whole engine bay. Sadly, it's just an age thing and the heat generated in the V12 engine bay together with modern ethanol fuels is an accident waiting to happen. It's a job I've just started on my own car.

You're going to end up with a really wonderful car!

Good luck. Let me know if I can help at all.

Paul

 

Thanks for the kind observations. I last sat in this car in 1984. I was in the backseat and the acceleration (with no noise) just pushed me back in the seat - amazing.
On the outside, it does look like the car has hardly aged (apart from the obvious).
Your advice will go on the list of jobs to do. I am sure I will find some real problems but am determined to get this back on the road, for personal and engineering reasons.
If you are ever up this way, you are welcome to have a look - you can help me with the refurb if you like!

 

Just as a matter of interest, as you probably know, your car was built in 1978 so an even earlier one!

I'd love to pop up and see the car, when we're able to travel again!


My engine bay didn't look too bad to start. The basic fuel injection is now off. I'll empty the V-area next and then the injection wiring will come out. Then I'll clean up the V-area, then pull the rocker covers.

Paul

 

That looks in good shape.
I think the front and rear bumper shock, or mounts, were different for the body kit cars.
I once sold a body kit, and the fellow came back for the shocks, saying the originals would not work. Certainly the rears were TWR specific, you could tell right away.
Rob

 

Rob, you are right. The instructions for the body kit that was fitted said some of the shocks had to be cut back.

This one came with the original bumpers, see photo below from 1979.




These have been removed in favour of the body kit. I did not like this so I have removed the body kit. I think the problem is that when the body kit was being fitted, the front of the shocks have been hacksawed off. I think I need to find a car in a breakers yard, cut the required bits off that and weld back on to my car.

 

Hi all, update......

Engine is seized!
We cannot crank it manually via the front crankshaft nut.
We have removed the flywheel housing and tried to move the teeth with a bar.
We have removed the spark plugs and put diesel in the bores for 24 hours. After that, the diesel had soaked away but still won't turn.
We drained the water (it was clean with anti freeze) and put hot water in the block to expand things. Still no joy.
We gave it a few blips on the starter motor - nothing. I believe the starter motor is only 15 horse power.
We used an endoscope in the bores - all look clean with no evidence of a broken valve jamming anything.
Today we will try putting hot automatic transmission fluid down the bores.
Running out of options since the car is due to go in to storage next week - but I don't want to store a brick.
Real shame since everything else on the car is frozen in time from 1978.

 

434MHz,

Sorry to hear of your difficulties. Can't really offer much to what you've already tried. As I'm sure you know, ONLY try to turn it the correct way, clockwise looking at engine from front.

You seem to be trying all the right approaches. Maybe try ringing Keith Parrington at XJ Restorations on 01323 720009 and see if he has any more ideas? Tell him Paul Sinnott suggested you ring him.

Good luck

Paul

 

Try getting an inexpensive scope and taking a look down the plug holes. I also think the approaches with different lubes down the cylinders makes sense. It doesn't take a lot to hang an engine up like this... So, let her soak and the rust around the rings soften.

I know folks say turning anticlockwise is a HUGE no no BUT maybe in this case, understanding that there maybe a LOT of work ahead of you anyways (honestly I don't know of the damage that is done by turning one of these engines the wrong way,,,, is it timing gear???) you may just try turn the engine in the wrong direction??? What's the worst that can happen - and I mean that as a real question...?

 

I believe you can destroy the timing chain tensioner, which is bad news!

Having said that, I don't know if a very small rock backwards would be safe for the tensioner, whilst still potentially helping to break the (assumed) ring to liner seizure? I'm sure Grant & Greg would know from painful (or relieved!) experience?!

Paul

 

Patrick Stewart (Capt. Picard) took/takes his Jag to this place: Jaguar Restoration and Jaguar Restorations - XjRestorations

 

Yes PTJS1, I completely agree as far as safety and engine damage is concerned. I prolly should have kept my trap shut. I dread giving bad advise on this forum.
Only because I don't know at all where the fragile point in the timing gear and tensioners is... Dont know how that works.

I am super interested in hearing what others might have to say about back turning... I've just been looking at a bunch of photos of the chains and timing gear and (PLEASE DONT TRY based on my jibber jabber) I don't see what harm could or would come from a 10th of a turn (rocking) trying to get some movement clockwise and counter... Hopefully the rust will turn to mush with the lubz poured down the bores and its just a matter of time for the big FREE UP.... I will definitely be staying tuned...

 

Oh dear...wait till Grant reads this lol. DO NOT go backward.

Some products might do wonders on stuck parts or rust related issues personally I use this sort of for alot of stuff, it lifts off and converts rust to a fine black silt.

LiquidWrench also great to start with. I would not start with a water based rust evaporator thats more of a last ditch measure. If possible put an impact wrench on there and let it 'hammer' away until it turns but that may involve radiator removal to gain enough room.

Your rad is probably rusted inside to but a resto shop can deal with it.

 

Haahaaaha... Honestly,,, I was and am hoping for a GF admonishment - the way only GF can hand ya one, lol.... Then, I'm hoping folks will tell the WHY not, with specifics. Unlike the older S-Type, XKR and 8 I have never worked on and set timing, messed with chains or swapped tensioners on an XJS (cant say I want to)... I really have NO idea what's going on behind that plate. I have so so so much to learn...

 

Hi all,

Been a bit busy with the house move in the last few days. New position of XJS shown, waiting to be taken to a car storage facility tomorrow. Now that we have moved it away from the walls, we have actually been the first people to sit in it for 29 years! It is like a throwback in time with everything inside looking good. I even found all the old tax discs from new and the service record booklet (British Leyland!). Since this car has only had one owner, I am not going to give up on it.

Yes we used an endoscope to look at the pistons and bores. All looked normal. Have squirted loads of WD40 down each bore and left 24 hours. Still no turning.
My immediate concern is to get it in to storage and then thin

k up a plan of action to get the engine unseized.
I think the next step will involve looking at penetrating oils and lubricants.

Has anyone had the courage to try physically knocking the pistons with a metal rod through the spark plug hole - to shock the things loose?
All sorts of issues with the above, including making sure the engine does not rotate backwards (timing chain......).