New Jag owner - have some plans up my sleeve
#62
from what i can see under the car and around i have these problem area:
the trunk parts taht cover the mufflers, completely gone half way down. the drain for the sun roof and trunk lip were clogged to the point wher eit looked like a tube with a rust plug in it. so those will be remade in fiber glass and replace.
the right front shock tower. just where the tower gets the second layer of metal is rusted out. i'm going to cut and weld a new panel over it when i get the engine out. the passenger side if perfect.
driver side where in front of the door hinges. theres a hole that i can see in and i still see paint. once i cut the rust our we'll see what i'm dealing with but from what i can see, it looks just like surface rust.
here are soem attached pics. the under side and rear suspension are nice and undercoated with not signs of rust of rust blisters
the trunk parts taht cover the mufflers, completely gone half way down. the drain for the sun roof and trunk lip were clogged to the point wher eit looked like a tube with a rust plug in it. so those will be remade in fiber glass and replace.
the right front shock tower. just where the tower gets the second layer of metal is rusted out. i'm going to cut and weld a new panel over it when i get the engine out. the passenger side if perfect.
driver side where in front of the door hinges. theres a hole that i can see in and i still see paint. once i cut the rust our we'll see what i'm dealing with but from what i can see, it looks just like surface rust.
here are soem attached pics. the under side and rear suspension are nice and undercoated with not signs of rust of rust blisters
#63
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Austin tx and Daytona FL.
Posts: 7,362
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Typically lumpers use XJ6 springs but spacers on the lower spring pockets are still necessary to further lower the car to an original ride height. There is no specific spring that fits the bill. Lumps tend to vary in weight because they can be configured differently for example an iron headed lump with cast iron manifolds weighs about 90 LBS more than an alu headed lump with headers.
Personally speaking, I consider weight when building a lump. Presently I'm working on a lump using a XJS front cradle from a 1995 6 Cyl XJS (AJ16). With my latest light weight lump, the suspension is still fully extended and nose up with the engine installed and on the tires. I was very surprised by this but I still need to add the fenders, hood and cooling. If I sit stop the Motor, adding 195LBS it settles down about 1/2 of an inch, still not enough.
Personally speaking, I consider weight when building a lump. Presently I'm working on a lump using a XJS front cradle from a 1995 6 Cyl XJS (AJ16). With my latest light weight lump, the suspension is still fully extended and nose up with the engine installed and on the tires. I was very surprised by this but I still need to add the fenders, hood and cooling. If I sit stop the Motor, adding 195LBS it settles down about 1/2 of an inch, still not enough.
icsa, my 1978 XJS weighs in at 3365lbs on calibrated scale, V12 engine automatic.
#64
Hey guys, lots of great info and some pretty awesome projects on the go. haven't pulled the engine yet, plan to do so this week, have everything disconnected and just getting my forklift ready to yank it. found another donor car that i will probably be picking up soon, with low kilometers as well so i'm pretty stoked. will be posting pics real soon
#65
#66
Pull? More like drop. It's easier to unbolt the front cradle and lift the body up.
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ronbros (03-09-2016)
#67
Greg
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ronbros (03-09-2016)
#68
wow, didnt even think about un-installing from the bottom, just always assumed that the top was the way. also just got off the phone from the owner of THE group 44 racing jag. turns out its located about 30 mins from my place. i might go check it out. did a search fior wide body kits, to see what was/is available. no, he wont let me use the mold either. i think when the time comes i might might might consider something along these lines. minus the testarossa fins and the part that come onto the door. maybe put a vent to cool the rear breaks or something. maybe fender flares?. pro and cons of a wide body?
#69
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Austin tx and Daytona FL.
Posts: 7,362
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Sounds nice, but it is actually impossible to do it. The engine V is too wide to get through the gap between the lower chassis rails. The V12 engine in the XJS, unlike in the saloons, has to be installed from above, and indeed, on the assembly line, was done this way.
Greg
Greg
#70
Greg
#71
Hi Alan, I recently purchased a 1987 xjs v12 couple. Planning to do a bunch of stuff. Something in the area of:
-350 fuel injection swap
-4 or 5 speed trans
-New wheels and tires
-New reargears/posi
-Suspension rejuvenation
-Carbon fiber seats
- give the rest of a car a once over and fix any issues
And a bunch of other carbon fiber parts, hood fenders etc.
- custom side exhaust
-do something with the bumpers
I'm going to try to make it a daily driver/auto cross. That's the plan anyway well see how it all transpires I guess
Already started disassembling it
-350 fuel injection swap
-4 or 5 speed trans
-New wheels and tires
-New reargears/posi
-Suspension rejuvenation
-Carbon fiber seats
- give the rest of a car a once over and fix any issues
And a bunch of other carbon fiber parts, hood fenders etc.
- custom side exhaust
-do something with the bumpers
I'm going to try to make it a daily driver/auto cross. That's the plan anyway well see how it all transpires I guess
Already started disassembling it
in golfing you have an array of clubs to choose from...
auto crossing solo II here in the States is like PUTTING...
I would not choose a driver for putting...
I would choose a putter...
anything small and agile
the lotus... the Fiat abarth
the pontiac solstice gxp
for a XJS being a number 2 WOOD (GRIN)
I would use it for an ORR...
get the ORR rules and put a full cage in it so you can go unlimited...
and then go see 145+ MPH on open roads here in the States...
SOLO II is fun... I have done well in it
but for my XJS ... track days... and Walter Mitty Challenge at Road Atlanta and ORRs...
the newer smaller jaguars would be good for solo II
A X-type with AWD and a 3.0 V6 or a S-type with the V8...
then sneak the super charged V8 into it...
oh... I HATE "PAX" it is the DEATH of Solo II
Last edited by Jonathan-W; 03-10-2016 at 10:04 AM.
#73
#74
Crafty. Does the V12 in your car run. If so I wouldn't lump it. Buy one with a shot engine and start with that. It would be a shameful waste to just toss out a classic V12. The V12 is an awesome motor when they run. Having said that I have a 86 XJS with sbc and I couldn't be happier. I'm approx 400hp and torque. The performance and reliability are second to none. I believe that I have the best of both worlds.
People on this forum are pretty nasty to us lumpers. I've had both V12 and V8 cars and I personally prefer the sbc. It would cost $15-20000 to get 400hp out of the V12. A heavy car like this needs MORE POWER.
People on this forum are pretty nasty to us lumpers. I've had both V12 and V8 cars and I personally prefer the sbc. It would cost $15-20000 to get 400hp out of the V12. A heavy car like this needs MORE POWER.
#75
Maybe the facelift V12 cars are harder to sort out, but on a V12 engine from the pre-facelift pre-OBD era, they are not. Neither are the parts expensive or hard to find. Neither are the actual mechanics at all unreliable. The electrics do need attention after each 10 years of use however, and the cooling every 5. In reality mechanics often do not know what they should do to fix a V12 problem. I do not think there are many instances of people bringing specific V12 running problems to this forum and providing they follow the diagnostic paths suggested faithfully and properly (which some seem incapable of doing it must be said) not fixing the problem.
On the other hand, the other non-V12 bits of the car are, in my experience, far more of a pain than the V12 engine!
Greg
#76
Maybe the facelift V12 cars are harder to sort out, but on a V12 engine from the pre-facelift pre-OBD era, they are not. Neither are the parts expensive or hard to find. Neither are the actual mechanics at all unreliable. The electrics do need attention after each 10 years of use however, and the cooling every 5. In reality mechanics often do not know what they should do to fix a V12 problem. I do not think there are many instances of people bringing specific V12 running problems to this forum and providing they follow the diagnostic paths suggested faithfully and properly (which some seem incapable of doing it must be said) not fixing the problem.
On the other hand, the other non-V12 bits of the car are, in my experience, far more of a pain than the V12 engine!
Greg
On the other hand, the other non-V12 bits of the car are, in my experience, far more of a pain than the V12 engine!
Greg
#77
Hey all. Been really busy lately and something fell right into my lap, car wise, unfortunately its not a jag, but it is something that i have been after for awhile. needless to say i won't be continuing with this project, although i would really love to see this car put in all its glory, i just dont enough have time for it, and instead of letting it sit in my shop collecting a healthy layer of dust, i would like to see someone enjoy it. so, up for sale is a super low 47910 miles / 77104 kilometers, 1987 jaguar xjs. partially dismantled, but all the nuts and bolts are bagged and taged. thanks for all the info and support. you guys rock
#78
Hey all, so yeah funny story: wife hates the new car i picked up. Says its too race car. Maybe a bit, but it is a lot of fun to drive. Long story short, not selling the Cat. Must fix it up because the wife does want to go out cruising and have a nice date night car she doesn't have to climb and twist into. So, not going to go as extreme as originally posted, going to make it have a nice paint job and full interior. Of course going to address the suspension, trans and engine.
- new front bushings, polly?
- new shocks all around
- shift kit and converter
- electric fan
- cold air intakes/cone filters
- mega squirt for ignition and injectors
- better tires
- 2.5" exhaust from collector to tail pipes
Going to be a winter project so progress is not going to be lightning fast. Still can't get over the sound of Hammonds yellow xjs
- new front bushings, polly?
- new shocks all around
- shift kit and converter
- electric fan
- cold air intakes/cone filters
- mega squirt for ignition and injectors
- better tires
- 2.5" exhaust from collector to tail pipes
Going to be a winter project so progress is not going to be lightning fast. Still can't get over the sound of Hammonds yellow xjs
#79
I have seen these available in fiberglass from the UK (cant remember where from), will never rust again.
#80
Don't go Poly in the bushes unless you don't mind losing the Jaguar ride quality.
PU in the rack and subframe, but not in the wishbone, I did have Superpro PU in the upper WB but I removed them, my car still handles very well, they also did not last very long about 20K km and they were shot.
PU in the rack and subframe, but not in the wishbone, I did have Superpro PU in the upper WB but I removed them, my car still handles very well, they also did not last very long about 20K km and they were shot.