Hello all,

I’ve benefited from this forum for a couple of years, finding useful information about so much whilst on my XJS journey.
I’m James, Based in the Northwest of the UK,
Long story short, I’m restoring an XJS (1989 V12), it was a US LHD car, and is now a RHD Car.
Bought the car unseen a couple of years ago from a man in Cornwall, where it had sat by the sea air for over 10 years, although had been fairly regularly started.

I started on mechanicals, knowing there was a lot of bodywork to do too.
Working from the floor up, I’ve had both subframes off at separate times, painted etc, new bushes, bearings, brake disks,pads,lines,hoses,
Welded a custom exhaust - a bit functional but ok,
Oils, filters, etc etc.
welded floor pans, sills, radius arm mounts etc,
Fitted ARB

LHD to RHD conversion including: Steering rack,
Accelerator pedal and pedal box,
Handbrake spring (part no. C46014) - all other handbrake parts reversible.
Steering rack heat shield
Dashboard, including delonair air con unit (or just modify it..)
Wiring loom - the big pain
Fibre Optic wires.

So anyway, I’ve happened to get a second car - a rolling shell in far better condition, fairly freshly resprayed with just some minor touch up work to do.
This wasn’t in the original plan, but having found the true extent of the rust in car no. 1 it made sense.

The question is, what’s the most sensible plan of attack? What would be the order of the long list of Jobs?
I was thinking:
1. Rear axle, IRS, handbrake, brake line, fuel lines.
2. Prop shaft, gearbox (manual swap)
3. Front end brake lines, lay out wiring loom,
4. Front subframe in,
5. Engine in, ancillaries etc
6. Brake servo etc, radiator,
7. interior
8. Lights, glass and trim

I realise this is a massive job, I’m pretty spanner competent, and for quite a while haven’t had much gear so am used to finding a way for things too.

Have I missed anything major? (Quite possible!!)

What order have others who have done the job - from a bare shell, done this in?

What are the jobs to do ‘whilst you’re in there…’ ?

Thanks in anticipation,

James

 

The only thing I would change is engine and gearbox in together like the factory did, or engine first then gearbox. Assuming you are not installing simultaneously, you have to have the rear gearbox mount out and the gearbox tipped tail down to get tot he upper bellhousing bolts. That leaves nothing for the gearbox to be attached to. Far easier to put in the engine, attach engine mounts, and use an engine cross bar to dip the rear of the engine down and offer the gearbox up to it. Less moving parts.

 

Thanks for the reply jgsandmgs, I’d not thought of this and haven’t done anything needing removal of engine/gearbox before. So all in together sounds like the best route.
thanks
James