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Restored/Upgraded Mark 2 (pic Heavy)

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 7:50 pm
by barefoot
About 5 years ago I bought a restored Mark 2 3.4 but it turned out it was not actually "restored"! After many problems I decided to get somebody to have a look at the engine and the wiring and found out that a guy only 2 miles from me restores e types for a living so I took the car there. Initially he was going to rebuild the engine and while it was out I had the body fully restored and painted in a metallic BRG actually a Range Rover colour.

To cut a long story short I decided on having the car completely rebuilt with as many modern extras/changes as I could I am not bothered about keeping the car as original I wanted it to drive like a more modern car. Everything has been renewed or restored from the gearbox which is all synchro and has an uprated 4.2 overdrive unit, the rear axle with a 3.54 lock diff has all bearings replaced and new UJ's to prop shaft, the steering rack, the hubs wheel bearings all rubber bushes etc etc. It has a very expensive suspension system consisting of rear Boge shocks heavy duty lowered Coomb springs front Gaz shocks and a Harvey bailey front roll bar all professionally set up for the car it does not roll, the handling really is superb!

The engine was totally rebuilt it is a 3.8 with a new 4.2 injection head (bigger valves), new 8 to 1 pistons triple SU's mounted on a MK 10 inlet manifold, fully balanced bottom end many new parts running on unleaded fuel. Fully rewired new leather, carpets, refurbished wood etc etc. Modern extras like all 4 electric windows, remote central locking, alarm, interior light delay, cruise control, rear view camera, sat nav.......as I say lots of extras that I have listed below with pics. The car goes and stops like a dream it really does shift and sounds great! But the best bit is the handling for such an old heavy car it is a revelation.

I have recently had it up for sale at £49,995 then dropped it to £45,995 which might sound a lot but compared to cars at JD Classics and some older Vicarage that are for sale it is cheap! I have had quite a few people wanting to swap various cars but after considering what it stands me at and what I can replace it at I have decided I am going to keep it. It's one of those cars that make you smile every time you drive it and it is adored by people wherever it goes.

Here is the list of extras;

Power steering fitted and a new 65 amp alternator
Aluminium competition radiator
Coopercraft front calipers with vented discs and EBC pads rear E-Type calipers
Oil cooler
Competition stainless steel free flow exhaust with cast iron heat wrapped manifold
Battery moved to the boot
Upgraded Smiths heater with stainless steel water pipes and electric engine cooling fan
Water ingress Perspex carb shield
8 new Cream Smiths dials made for the car
Leather centre armrest
Oil temp gauge
Electronic speedo with digital odometer
High torque starter motor
Fully alarmed
XJ40 front electric seats with rear illuminated walnut picnic trays
Electric front and rear windows with rear window immobiliser switch
Heated FRONT and rear screens, front on a time delay
Cruise control actuated from the gear knob
Remote central locking with auto window closure plus auto door locking when ignition turned on for occupant safety
New wiper motor with variable speed wipers
Sat Nav
CD player and memory card
Bluetooth phone and IPod connection inc lead
Rear view camera
Interior courtesy light delay
Upgraded speakers and amp
Hazard warning lights

Here are some pics the XJS I have also just finished restoring and will post a topic in the XJS forum.

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Re: Restored/Upgraded Mark 2 (pic Heavy)

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:23 pm
by J44EAG
What a cracker! Thanks for sharing with us.

Love the cruise control on the gearstick. Never seen that before. Any further details.

Mike K.

Re: Restored/Upgraded Mark 2 (pic Heavy)

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:39 pm
by stuarthardy
That's a very special car. Well done. I wouldn't be able to part with anything that I created like that.

Regards

Re: Restored/Upgraded Mark 2 (pic Heavy)

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:43 pm
by ecosselynx
Hi

Good car, you should keep enjoying it.

John

Re: Restored/Upgraded Mark 2 (pic Heavy)

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:03 pm
by barefoot
Thanks guys I am going to! Here is a link to the company I got the cruise control from, like all standard ones pressing the brake or accelerator pedal overrides it.

http://www.conrad-anderson.co.uk/cruise ... s-home.htm

Re: Restored/Upgraded Mark 2 (pic Heavy)

Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 7:04 am
by piman
Hello Barefoot,

a lovely looking car, I'm very envious.

My only reservation is the ram tubes with gauze filters. I would not run a car like that without proper air filters. I appreciate that space is tight on a MK 2 but a system such as Aston Martin used with an air box (with ram pipes) and a flexible hose to a remote air filter housing may be possible. Taking the air inlet forward of the engine compartment will also give some marginal improvement as the engine is fed with cooler air.

Alec

Re: Restored/Upgraded Mark 2 (pic Heavy)

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 5:42 pm
by stuarthardy
Hi Alec

Yes, I agree about the air filter and protecting the engine, but I bet it sounds great like it is.

I think I'll dig out that triple manifold I've got squirreled away and see how it suits my 420.

Regards

Re: Restored/Upgraded Mark 2 (pic Heavy)

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 8:06 pm
by barefoot
Here is a link to a video of the car at the end you can hear it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtSJJYE4 ... ature=plcp