Funny you should ask. Just yesterday I rolled it into the shop; haven't touched it in a few weeks. Slowly progressing, though. It isn't high priority so it tends to get pushed back....but I am keenly aware that letting a project stall-out is a bad thing so I have to keep working on it....even if only small steps!

Cheers
DD

 

I am aware. I have one of those stalled projects in the garage besides the xjsc.

 

Lots of good advice here. I'm keeping the Jaguar because to be honest - I really don't have time for another major project. I brought Ava home yesterday and I know where all my free time is going for a while.

 

Quick update - it's been a super busy couple of weeks with a new puppy but I've been finding plenty of time to drive the Jag, including a 100 mile trip last night just to clear my head. The car is running really well and is a blast to drive.

The only real let-down in this whole thing is the 3-speed transmission. First gear feels too tall and third feels way too short. I've started looking into my options from the Gear Vendors overdrive (simplest but doesn't address the first gear issue), a 700R4/4L60 replacement (seems to check all the boxes as long as the TV cable is adjusted right), all the way to a 5/6 speed swap (not sure if I want a manual to be honest). I have plenty of time left as I still want to drive it until the Chicago weather gets nasty.

 

Thorsen
Great that the car is going nicely. As to gearing, the top gear on the TH400 is about right for the 145 - 150 mph top speed/5500/5700 rev limit of the V12 XJS. Lower top gear gearing would reduce the top speed as you would hit the rev limit too early, higher top gear gearing would mean you ran out of puff before the factory top speed was achieved.

A conversion as you mentioned to a 700R4/4L60 would be good though, as you pick up better intermediate gearing. Someone on here has just done it, and there is a thread. He seemed very pleased.

In UK spec, I have found that 1st gear is fine, the car goes through to above 60 mph in first if you use the stick to select it, in about 6.5 secs, but maybe those 30 bhp the USA spec gives away means it is too tall? Mind you, if I was 30 years younger, I would go for the 6 speed Tremec!

 

Hey Thorsen,

I did the 700R4 conversion last year to my 88 XJSC at about $2200. The car finally drives like I've always thought it should. Mine was sitting for 13 years so I had to clean the whole fuel system and change the alternator but it drives great. I love it and have been driving it a lot lately. I accidently threw the rear end 180 degrees around on dry pavement. I didn't expect that.

If you buy John's kit, I put a bunch of things to be aware of in this thread, especially setting the TV cable. I haven't gotten the speedo working so I can't document acceleration or MPG yet but I will this summer.

Let me know if you have any questions. I am in Eastern Iowa if you're passing through and want to drive it.

700r4 conversion

Jeff

 

Thank you, Jeff. I'm familiar with your thread and it looks like the 700R4 was a nice upgrade. Do you still have the 2.88 diff? I was surprised to see the issue with the kit but it sounded like you got it handled.

Where did you find the transmission? Most of the rebuilt ones I see are in the $1,600-$2,200 range + core charges.

 

I stayed with the 2.88 for highway cruising speeds of around 2000 RPM. You really could make a good case to raise that, IMO.

There is a guy is Davenport that has rebuilt 700R4s for years and i got it from him for 500. It seems the more expensive ones are for higher torque capability and a sparkly finish. Mine works fine.

 

It looks like I'm going the 700R4 route this winter.

I like the idea of TheDrivenMan 5 speed kit, but between the horror stories I read and the lack of response to both of my inquiries I made to them - I decided to accept the red flag and scratch them off the list.

Simply Performance no longer has transmissions available, so that's a no-go.

Moss Motors has a kit but it looks like it might be the same as TheDrivenMan kit and is special order. So I'm staying away from that.

I reached out to GearVendors about their TH400 overdrive but have not heard anything back. While the overdrive is nice, it does nothing to address the tall 1st gear and doesn't lock up the torque converter.

A special thank you to @Xjeffs for sharing his transmission supplier with me and I think I can get this done well under the $2,500 mark using the John's Cars kit.

Until then I still have 2 or 3 more months of driving weather before the snow falls and the salt is spread.

 

So things are rapidly coming together. Tonight I sent off for my Quarterbreed conversion kit and picked up a transmission jack.
This weekend I'm going to Iowa to pick up a 700R4.

I'm torn if I try to swap the transmission next weekend and get in some drive time before the snow starts falling and rebuild the rear cage this winter, or if I just wait until the winter and swap the transmission and rebuild the rear cage all at the same time. My goal this year is to make it to the South Alabama Car Show on October 23 and I'd really prefer to drive it there with a lock-up torque converter and an over drive, so I will probably roll the dice.

Here's a picture of me at the Mobile, AL car show in 1997 with my red MGB and my friend's orange MGB.

 

Thorsen
Do NOT rush it over a weekend. You will regret it. Use the car as-is, take it as-is to the show, have fun; and also have more fun over the long winter months perfecting the box swap and the rear axle.

 

MAAAATE.

As Greg said, dont rush it, that will screw it big time.

 

Yeah, I re-read XJeffs thread last night before I went to bed. I forgot how much work there is. I'm saving it for the winter.

 

It'll drive you crazy all the extra time you spend trying to find parts you didn't know you needed, AND when you spend hours on a simple instuctions like "bend the trans cooling lines" a little when it doesn't work out that simply.

 

I woke up at 5am this morning and made a 2 hour dash across the state to pick up a rebuilt 700R4...

 

Today I made a new wiring harness for the fuel injectors. The old one was in pretty decent shape but it's something that needed to be done and made for a relaxing Sunday project.

 

Hey Thorsen, I just ordered all the stuff I would need to do my EFI harness.
I ordered the new solenoid connectors from DEL CITY and heat resistant wires from Brussellex Ebay store.
The 10 roll 16 gauge kit comes in different colors 25 feet per roll. 10 rolls $32.99. but I forgot to order the loom.
Which loom did you purchase?
Did you make your harness longer to keep it out of the VEE? If so, how much longer did you make it? .
I am going into Vee to clean up.
Remove the air manifold
Redo the EFI hoses. I already ordered the kit
Spark plugs and wires
Dist Cap and rotor.
Did I miss anything?

 

Sanchez,
This is the loom I used. I bought some in 1/4", 3/6", and 1/2".
If you're a slow learner like me, they also sell split loom which makes it easier to add the loom after you've already crimped the wires together.

Do you have enough shrink wrap?

I also used these to label the wires then covered them with a piece of clear heat shrink.

I kept mine out of the vee - I don't ever want this to be an issue again.

Good luck!

 

If I'm going to drive this thing to Alabama next month, I have to replace the rear shocks. The ones on there now have to be the factory originals because they aren't absorbing anything.

I was able to get the old shocks out on the driver's side but I ordered new lower pins because someone buggered up the threads trying to drive it out. Remember, kids, always thread a nut onto a threaded shaft before you start hitting it with a hammer. Moose out front should've told ya.

On the left is a new KYB shock with the spring mounts. Next to that is a new KYB with the spring installed. Next to that is the old shock without the spring, and next to that is an old shock as removed from the car.


I mentioned I have new pins on order but I'm also ordering new bolts to mount the top of the shocks. I know no one will ever see it but zinc yellow chromated plated hardware is something I am OCD about.

 

Tonight I finished replacing the two rear shocks on the passenger side. If you've never done this before it's not all that hard if you have the right tools. Here's how I did it.

Here's my spring compressor of choice. I bought it about 10 years ago and have gotten my money's worth from it. I prefer this style over the "two hooks on a screw" that you see.


Here's the old shock mounted in the spring compressor with the bottom of the shock facing the camera.


Starting to compress the spring.
The cordless impact gun makes a huge difference when doing this.


Here the spring is compressed enough to remove the lower cup.
It's at this point that my wife, who was taking pictures, instinctively stepped behind me. This is why women live longer than men.


Here's the spring retainer cup. I lightly tapped it with a hammer to expose the inner collets.


The inner collets come loose with a tap of the hammer.


Both of the inner collets and the spring retainer


At this point it's time to loosen up the whole shebang and replace the old shock with the new shock.
Here is the bottom of the new shock in the compressor.


With the spring compressed, the top spring retainer and one-piece lock plate can be installed.


Loosen the compressor and remove the spring/shock absorber assembly.


Ready to install on car.


I tested the old shocks. They were Boge's and had no shock absorption capabilities left.