Spring is here and so is the long over due maintenance.

[J44EAG]

I think we might need a new thread opening on LED mods, Brian, as this one is predominantly suspension based. I`ll start a thread on the subject once I have done some research into legality and MOT compliance.

Your comments are indeed interesting. I have a pal here with a Honda Civic, latest model with ALL his road lamps with the exception of HiD head lights being a street legal LED set up. That is how it came out of the factory.

As a modification, I suppose we are duty bound to tell our insurance company......even when fitting high lux headlight lamps of street legal 55w rating. Quite why this should affect insurance is beyond my understanding.

Regardless of legality at this stage, it is important when selecting LED lamps to ensure they are "No error...CANBUS suitable". The same goes for any HiD headlamp conversion kits. Then they will work ok on our cars.

Late edit. A couple of interesting links here.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... GU&cad=rja
Seems my sports exhaust is illegal due to the fact that it is outside type approval for the car.....technically then this could perhaps carry over to ANY mod made to any car! For goodness sake!!

This link is very revealing. Stipulation for front side lights is white only....my old OE 5W5 sidelights were very orange even with a new battery and the engine running. Always got the MOT but a tester is more likely to fail ones car for showing sidelights with a tinge of blue. The opinion rests with a tester and can be very subjective.http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... GU&cad=rja

More revealing still is the MOT directive that has most of its advice centred on HiD headlights. It mentions LED lamps but does not offer further opinion. It does appear that as long as you show white front side lights, using pure 6000k LED units may survive an MOT.http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... GU&cad=rja

Finally, note that there are two or more typical sidelight W5W type LED lamp types that are easily available via ebay or other sources. One type is more of an eye type projector light with a narrow angle visual cut off that may restrict light distribution to a vehicle headlight reflector. The other type has multi-directional light emitters which offer an almost all round light distribution pattern. The images of my car above are as fitted with that type. I tried the narrow angle versions but felt them unsuitable due to a narrow angle which was more difficult to see when standing away from the direct front of the car.

The bottom line would seem to be that the subjective opinion of a particular MOT tester may or may not cause issues at MOT time. This may change from one MOT test to the next with even the same tester on each occasion changing his opinion from one year to another on the particular day of the test. It is also worth noting that whilst the MOT test allows us to continue to use a vehicle on the road which has a current MOT certificate, this does not preclude the Police if in pedantic mood from examining your car and finding issues which the MOT man finds acceptable. Type approval and Construction and Use Regs would appear to be a more senior form of legislative document.

I have therefore decided not to drive J44 in Norfolk due to my after market exhaust seemingly being illegal despite being on the car and never threatening any one over the years. If my sports exhaust is illegal due to being after market and making a bit more noise, then what about exhausts of apparent OE spec which may also make more noise? What about sports exhausts sold by the JEC? Those could be illegal items also. It is not illegal to make such products but it could be illegal to fit them. Where on earth does this type of nonsense start and stop?

Mike

[oldtimer]

Hi Mike / Brian
There is a huge amount of motor vehicle legislation which the public at large have no idea of.
I'm finding knowledge is like lino it rolls up behind you. But I do vaguely remember that there is noise drive by regulations which means that the combination of the engine, tyre and exhaust must not exceed X decibels. I haven't a clue what the acceptions are. Try reading construction and use regs !

I don't think regs are ever retrospective

Did you know there are regs regard the engine warm up period in order to reach exhaust emission requirements within a certain time limit.

Try reading Statutory Instruments. It is illegal to sell or offer for sale etc etc etc but you can keep them on the shelf.

Have a read about testing and traceability back to recognised test house

The regs are endless see, tyres and lighting on and on and on

Shame I can't remember some good examples - needed to spend hours reading some of this c*******p

[J44EAG]

Back onto the suspension final fit and geometry setting up shortly.....been spending again!

Currently awaiting customs clearance at Heathrow of the imported Moog caster/camber eccentric washer and bolt kit from the USA. In addition the full five bar under body Ultra Racing brace kit now ordered from Regals Motorsport which is hopefully being imported from The Netherlands tonight. This type of work certainly gobbles the spare cash.

So some more crawling around under J44 envisaged again soon. The work requires removal of the two inner rear bolts on the lower rear wishbones for the rear brace, dropping the front rear subframe bolts for the second brace and then really getting under the car to release the two bolts which are fitted to the intermediate propshaft bearing mount to fit the third brace. At the front of the car the fourth brace picks up on fitted plates already in place and projecting down from the chassis rails on a line approximately under the front of the gearbox bell housing. Four new bolts secure the bar across the car.

The fifth brace requires the lower front wishbone rear bolts to be removed and refitted through through the brace with the new caster washers fitted in place before being nutted up in the correct position against the raised lugs on the rear cross member. That done, the front wishbone bolts must be drawn to allow a further set of eccentric washers to be fitted in that location also. Correctly fitted the washers on the lower wishbone/cross members should make final setting up of the suspension geometry a little easier and hopefully more accurate than previously achieved.

Details of the fitting procedure will be posted once the parts arrive and time, enthusiasm and tools can be mustered in the same place at the same time. Here we go again and hoping for some nice sunny weather which will make matters a little more enjoyable!

I drove J44 again this afternoon in its crudely set up form. Certainly steers well with less effort and steering input being needed than before the total tear down and rebuild commenced last year. I`m now looking forward to the final part of the rebuild and seeing just what the end result finally produces.

Before Oldtimer rattles up again about potential sill corrosion, this will be inspected and if necessary rectified after I`ve done these more interesting matters!

Mike

[oldtimer]

I should think so too !

[J44EAG]

To get back now to this suspension maintenance thread......three steps forward and one backwards. Plans never go quite right especially in regards to parts supply and delivery.

I ordered the under car brace bars from Regals Motorsport on Friday last. Excellent communication from these guys who were hoping that there might have been a full set of these bars at the Ultra Racing European distributor HQ in the Netherlands. Requests for this type of kit for a Jaguar is quite rare and Mark at Regals and I both agreed that a set for an S-type might not be that common or generally held in stock. If that was the case, I would have to be patient pending Regals and their Dutch based supplier obtaining a set from the manufacturers in Malaysia. A phone call today confirmed just that situation and that I might have to wait eight to ten weeks for delivery. So be it. I`m still young!

Better news on the delivery of the Moog caster/camber bolt and washer kits from New Jersey in the USA. Just one week from placing the order via Amazon and delivery here this afternoon. So two kits (two bolt and washer sets per kit) received for the accurate setting of the lower front wishbones in the two front cross members. Images here of the parts with comments. Quality looks very good indeed and instructions also for fitting. I have written dimensions of one of the washers for interest. Of note is the flat machined on the bolts and the fact that the hole in the washers are D-shaped to allow accurate suspension camber to be adjusted within 3 degrees negative and 1 degree positive. This four bolt and washer set came to me for £42 including taxes and carriage. God bless Uncle Sam!

No sitting up geometrical markings figure on the washers. Even approximate general guide marks would have been useful....but each car is obviously likely to be slightly different to another. Final tracking, caster and camber checks might be needed at the end of installation.

Total bolt length from below the bolt head is 151.25mm.
Nominal bolt OD is 13.8mm.
The machined flat measures 10.32mm across the flat. This reduces the nominal original bolt shank OD from 13.8mm to 11.88mm
The plain portion measures 70.00mm in length.
The threaded portion measures 81.25mm in length.
The bolt hex head measures 21.88mm across the flats.
The locking hex nuts measure 20.88mm across the flats.

The circular washer OD is 41.35mm.
The washer is 4.46mm in thickness.
The distance to the flat of the D shaped hole from a washer outside edge is 22.1mm.
The distance from the flat of the "D" is 12.mm giving a washer to bolt running clearance of 0.22 mm.
The distance from the circular OD non machined plain portion of the bolt shank to the outside edge of the washer is 7.1mm.

Basic instructions are included with the kits suggest that one starts with the washers being installed with the "taller" proportion being installed in the "neutral position". One assumes without further information provided that this might give zero degrees camber and perhaps a similar figure for caster. I shall be looking at initially installing zero camber and then set the correct amount of set back to ensure I have exactly 95.5" rim to rim edge between my front and rear 19" wheel rims. This should give the correct 114.5" centre front axle to centre rear axle wheel base length. That done, parallel front tracking will be set.

Sadly when the Ultra Racing braces do turn up from Malaysia, I shall have to remove the rear lower front wishbone bolts yet again to fit the forward most brace. Irksome as it may seem to have to do the bolt removal and refitting yet again, I take some comfort from knowing that I will have perhaps had an easier initial set up run without the brace bar possibly adding to difficulties of finding out how best can be obtained from this Moog camber/castor kit. Its all good fun at the cutting edge of S-type modification. More soon.

Mike

[J44EAG]

Still looking for my bucket full of enthusiasm needed to fit the camber bolts. I`ve spent hours on my hands and knees over the past year reworking the suspension on J44. Now i need to spend a bit more time crawling around. Setting the car up correctly really needs two people able to devote a morning to the exercise ie measuring between wheel rims to ensure correct wheel base distance, set up caster nd camber and be there to help parallel wheels for tracking. My Hon Sec would appear to be the ideal man for the job....but he is away on holiday. Two people on this job certainly makes things easier.

For anyone contemplating a major suspension tear down or doing alignment work, this link is well worth a read. http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... Gg&cad=rja

Mike K

[J44EAG]

Out on the floor again with spanners flying.

First job was to remove the two front lower wishbone bolts and replace with the new Moog kit bolts and cam washers. Approximately one inch trimmed off the total bolt lengths to just over half an inch longer than the original bolts. This was to cater for the two new thick cam washers on each bolt and to ensure I had plenty of thread remaining after nuts were tightened. Excess can always be cut off.

Fitment went very well and I was able to adjust caster by turning bolts and encouraging the front bolts to move inward along the front cross member and gain the required the required 114.5 inch wheel base length. I used the new bolts and washers to move the bolt along the cross member slots and obtain the wheel base length. Front wheels now sit reasonably well and equidistant within the front wheel arches.

This is the near side front caster bolt showing the index mark at approximately "2 o`clock" which gave me the correct wheel base length and hopefully a reasonable caster setting.

Further adjustment took place after several camber and tracking adjustments following the work below. The new kit is in my opinion a "must have" if you choose to disturb the front suspension on an early car.

Index marking the washers with a marker pen makes CONTROLLED adjustment very easy and the washers add security to the somewhat suspect "bolt in slot" methodology employed on the early type front suspension. Equal adjustments to both sides of the car are possible with this Moog kit. I`m well pleased with the kits and at around £42 delivered with taxes paid from the USA, it is excellent value for money. 10.9 hardness for the bolts as well. Good stuff.

From my perspective the bolt kits provide not only easy adjustment but a hugely improved method of anchoring the suspension components to avoid bolt movement along the slots. This is of major importance to J44 as the bushings are hard competition grade and chances of wishbone movement are greatly increased. To aid the rear front lower wishbone location further, the fitment of my recently ordered Ultra Racing braces will further add to suspension integrity and security. That front lower wishbone takes a lot of punishment in service and needs to be well secured especially when hard bushings have been fitted. Classic knock on effect of uprate one part and others also have to be improved.

My attention then turned to the rear front lower wishbone bolts. To allow them to be removed, the three steering rack mounting bolts mush be fully slackened to allow the rack to slide rearwards along the mounting bolts and enable the wishbone register bolts to be removed. If the rack is not moved rear wards, the wishbone bolt is almost impossible to extract. The shot here shows how the bolt head runs into the rack bellows despite dropping the track rod end and attempting to position the rack end by winding the steering to a best position. Easier in my opinion just to slacken off the three rack bolts and gain the clearance.

Also displaced were the two track rod end securing nuts which join to the front vertical hub carrier and which also provides more space for wishbone bolt removal. Once again prior to fitting the new bolts and camber washers, I trimmed an inch off the length of each bolt. I suspect these are standard kit bolts which may appear in a number of different kits and the manufacturer chooses to just hold one universal bolt length. I`ve no objection to having to cut a bolt down...its rather more difficult if a bolt is too short! Here is a shot from the N/S front bolt looking back towards the rear wishbone register with a nut removed from the bolt and clearly showing the camber adjustment slot in the rear cross member.

The rear kit fitted, I moved onto setting the car up. This can take several attempts before caster, camber, wheel base length and tracking all come in together. An understanding of what is required is essential as is a good eye for alignment, perception and patience to allow attention to detail. One has to work methodically and assess the effect of dialling in any camber, caster or tracking alteration. Assistance with taking wheel base measurements is useful as is having someone else with you to help track the front wheels in line with the rear using an on edge tape measure. This allows a reasonable degree of accuracy to be obtained with all the hard work done prior to taking the car to a garage equipped with state of the art four wheel tracking equipment for the final tweeks. I used a gas blow lamp to heat track rod end lock nuts and flooded with WD40 to ensure I could easily make adjustments to the tracking with the car back down on the ground. Nothing worse than fighting stiff and corroded adjustment points.

J44 is now at a reasonable degree of alignment now with an initial road test done to settle the suspension again and give an insight into how the car runs on the road. Tonight results are very encouraging. Further adjustments will be made once I can find a volunteer to help me once again to check wheel base length and assist with further adjustment to ensure I have the front wheels running with just a tad of toe in. (Wheels just pointing very slightly inwards at the front)

It is important to understand that the rear wheels MUST be parallel to each other and the rear subframe also correctly aligned. Any misalignment will knock on down the line and affect the quality of any alignment work that is carried out elsewhere on the car. The rear suspension is the starting point for alignment so this back end of the car must be totally good before you can set up the front end. When setting up, one measures, adjusts, remeasures and adjusts many, many times. It can be a slow and tedious business.

I can well understand why many garages fight shy of total four wheel alignment where caster and camber are concerned. Indeed, Protyre in Fareham who are owned by the well known Micheldever based company, squinnied slightly when I originally asked for caster and camber adjustments. They would tell you where the car "was" but would not adjust. So I now need to find a decent garage who understand and are capable of performing the fine final adjustments to J44 once I have the basics well sorted. One thing is certain. J44 is not going to a Main Dealer for such work. Draw your own conclusions why I would not entrust such work to one!

It is essential to understand that any changes to any one of the bushings within any of the wishbones WILL influence overall suspension alignment. I found this out the hard way. Best advice would be that if you are changing several bushes on the car, you really should consider changing the lot before any serious attempt is made at setting a vehicle geometry. I`ll go one stage further in the light of what I have learned during this total suspension rebuild......If you find one set of bushes collapsed, split, rotten or worn out, you can bet that there will probably be many more that also require changing. That was the case for J44 at 90k miles...the whole lot needed replacement! That done, the car has to be completely realigned to ensure best handling and minimum tyre wear.

So not done quite yet. Final adjustments and more checking to be done. But in the meantime the car is now becoming as near correct as I can manage with very basic facilities indeed. It can be done! More in due course.

Happy Mike.

[Martec]

Hi Mike,

I can see that to many your work can seem overkill, but I can see the merit of it, 15 year old rubber bushes will be knackered at best or broken up at worst.

I have just returned from a driving holiday in Scotland with the North Lincs region, We used the MkII which has about 80% poly bushing (some taken out and returned to new rubber to improve noise and vibration). Having covered 1600 miles in 10 days, part of it over 'the pass of the cattle' I have nothing but praise for the old XK engine and the cars handling, sometimes in difficult conditions.

I used the S type yesterday and immediately felt the difference, yes very nice and comfortable (a little more than the MkII), but the handling is no were near as precise (passed by an new F type on back roads, what a lovely noise and acceleration, stupid place to pass though).

I'm itching to start work on our S type, as soon as house duties discharged. The 8 year old tyres were not nice on very wet roads, so I now have a new set of Vredesteins on.

best wishes

Brian

[J44EAG]

Sounds like you had a great time, Brian. Your eyes must be all good again.

Wise to change the tyres. Eight years is quite a time for a tyre to be subject to UV. The same issue affects other rubber gear on our cars. The outer rear radius rod gaiters on a modern S-type can disintegrate badly in sunlight over the years. I had actually considered wrapping them in insulation tape just to keep sunlight off them.

Sorting out the suspension on J44 has been something of an eye opener. Every time I dismantled a part of the car for inspection, it lead to immediate overhaul. Once apart one finds that replacement of most major moving loaded parts must be actioned. It is quite pointless just shoving worn components back in to a car. They have to be replaced sooner or later. Doing a job twice is a pointless exercise. That would be physical over-kill! If one can uprate or improve in the process, then so much the better.

The subject of over-kill is not inappropriate. I`d say that if there were any slight over-kill present in what I have fitted to date or intend soon to fit, it would be the brace bars. I could carry on with J44 just fitted with the harder 95 Shore A bush compound on its own. As currently fitted, I do get some chassis flex which is I think down to having quite hard fore and aft suspension components. The car is consequently a bit "soft" in the middle and the plastic interior trim around the bottom of the B posts creaks and groans like Grannies knees when going upstairs to bed! This needs sorting, hence the additional brace bar to be fitted across the open lower transmission tunnel in this location. I also think that bracing up the rear register on the lower front wishbone really does need to occur. The other three braces will also impact positively in improving torsional stiffness generally so over-kill probably is not present.

Had I built J44 to a softer spec using for instance Powerflex 85 Shore A bush compound, then I am certain brace bars would be over-kill.

I did a brief session this morning just tweaking tracking alignment as the N/S/F tyre was showing slight toe out. This was quickly fixed by eye-balling down from the top of the wheel arch to the bottom edge of the wheel rim. This is quite easy on J44 as the wheels rims are 9.5J being taken from an X350. With the arch and wheel rim in line, tracking looks quite presentable although I will still be getting Dave Rex to help me with pulling a line across the rear wheels and then projecting forward to see if an out of track situation still exists.

I drove J44 again this morning having re adjusted tracking and the result was again most encouraging. All seems good with the only irritation being the creaking B-post plastic lower trims. A vice less car now with no nasty habits. Equally as good around town as on the open road with a most sure footed feel to the whole experience. In fact it is quite a "neutral" driving experience with all the previous suspension noise eliminated and a total lack of previous bounce and rebound noted before all these mods and reconditions were fitted. I think I would be hard pushed to find another car easily with the characteristics which are now built into J44. The car is direct without being snatchy or uncomfortable. I`m very pleased with the outcome. Worth every penny spent with results that have exceeded my expectations with every part fitted having some positive outcome.

For most drivers, slightly uprating with Powerflex Purple Series would I think suit them well. However I would definitely recommend fitting Black Series components to the lower front wishbone and to the anti-roll bar bushes which in my opinion certainly need to be as resilient as possible. Replacing those ARB bushes at either end of the car is a nasty job and one would no doubt wish them to be almost indestructible! Not a job one would wish to do on a regular basis!

Mike

[J44EAG]

A little more on wheel alignment.

i spent a pleasant time at the JEC Dorset show today. Very good indeed and well worth going. Whilst there i took the opportunity to measure the wheel base and other vital dimensions on a 29k mile late model S-type which had never had any suspension work carried out since leaving the factory.

Wheel base was as spec at 114.5". Wheel centres within the arches, front and rear are all identical at 15" measured from the body panel arches to the axle centres. In addition, the dimension from the rear edge of the front wing panel to the front axle wheel centre is 22" on both sides of the car. I conclude that an S-type chassis and panel build is very accurate indeed. This is good news as it enables a good starting point to ensure reasonable caster and camber angles to be obtained after replacing bushes. This is particularly important as regards to the lower front wishbones where bush bolts are fitted to slots in the front cross members of early cars and subframes on later models and setting up camber and caster is not so easy with many variables being possible. All this as previously discussed in this thread above.

I`ve just been out to J44 with a tape measure to once again check the dimensions achieved so far. I would appear to have to just move my rear subframe rearwards about 3/32" and I should be spot on. This emphasises the need to carefully Tipex mark the rear subframe relative to the car body if changing subframe bushes or having to drop the subframe for replacement of the REAR ARB bushes.

I`m still awaiting confirmation as regards delivery of the Ultra Racing braces. This can`t come soon enough. I can then finish off all the suspension work and draw a line under the project.

Mike

[J44EAG]

With another six weeks or so to wait for the brace bars to arrive from Malaysia, I`ve bought a couple of alignment tools to help assist with the final setting up of the suspension geometry once I have fitted the braces prior to completing a total check over of all the vital chassis dimensions.

The first tool here is a camber setting inclinometer. With the car levelled laterally with a spirit level, this magnetic device may be affixed either to the wheel centre with a wheel still on the car or with a wheel off, then the unit can be located on the outer front wheel bearing flange. A simple spirit level allows wishbone adjustment between -5 degrees positive or +5 degrees negative camber to be set on the rear register of the lower front wishbones. Another tool which helps take the guess work out of setting up suspension geometry after a tear down or just to just to keep a check on what camber angle is being run on your car. For under £20 delivered, the tool should be a useful addition to my kit.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Magnetic-Alig ... 1e9eb5dca0

The second tool purchased is a laser tape measure. I`ve specifically obtained this to finally set the 114.5" wheel base of the car to obtain correct caster angles and to attempt to confirm that the rear wheels of the car are set parallel and avoid adverse thrust from either a slightly misplaced rear subframe or an out of parallel rear wheel toe condition. My hope is that I shall be able to confirm parallelism of both back and front wheel alignment by measuring the front and rear inner wheel rim dimensions. Inside measurements at the front and rear of a rim taken across the car can be adjusted via the rear radius rods and at the front on the steering rack drop arms. Accuracy of +/_0.05% is claimed over distances of between three and forty eight feet.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ULTRASONIC-LC ... 1458747879

I have also looked at several budget priced toe tracking tools but for the time being these two tools may well be sufficient to obtain the results I require.

Mike

[Martec]

Hi Mike,

I see you're at it again!

The castor gauge (I have one) was fine for setting the castor on the MkII, but no good for the S type as it has 8 degrees of castor, I tried but it was no good, so need to find another way.

I kept being out bid on 'Dunlop' toe in/out gauges, but by chance found a 'Tecalamit' one going cheap (my price), it is not the expected shape/type but works just as well. If you can find one.

It paid for itself when checking and resetting the MkII front suspension after landing on it in Scotland and de-ranging it (moved from 1/16" to 1/4 ").

For camber I use an 8" spirit level a bit of wood to lay against the tyre and shims and calculate it.

Have fun,

Brian

[J44EAG]

Still awaiting the brace bars but in the meantime have embarked on a massive "Clean up J44" campaign. A good wash and polish up, removal of paw prints after the suspension rebuild and re-dye of the front seats.

Now a car of thirteen years. I use cars as tools and J44 has done the job and is still doing the business well. Age and use occasionally show. The secret is to have a decent blitz once in a while and stop runaway disintegration. This car has years of life head of it and is not on the skids by any yard stick. Only 35k miles on the reconditioned gearbox so that should be a good selling point. A few pics here after a bit of spit and polish.

Modified spec now as follows. First registered in February 2002 and supplied for around £36,000 from Stratstones of Mayfair. Vin No M33066.
Paramount re-flashed +35hp ecu with K&N air filter and 60mm resonatorless big bore Milltek exhaust.
New lower rear patent bushes x4.
All new ARB and other wishbone bushes replaced with competition spec Powerflex Black Series.
New front discs and new pads all round.
New rear radius rods. New front ball joints and wheel bearings.
Adamesh uprated lowering/handling springs over new B6 Bilstein 30% uprated gas sport dampers.
19", 9.5J, ET 49mm, ex XJ350 "Custom" alloys on 245/35/19 tyres, front and rear.
Rear rare OMP damper brace bar fitted across rear turret mounts.
Interior lights now all LED. LED side, reverse and boot lights.
Extra three way cigarette lighter hard wired to battery. Solar cell on rear parcel shelf to assist battery in winter conditions.
Low mileage 35k Mile reconditioned gearbox, torque converter and oil cooler fitted.
Recent spark plugs and a couple of coils.
Aluminium timing chain tensioners, metal water pump, ali thermostat tower, thermostat and temperature sender.
Recent prop shaft coupling, top idler wheel, new serpentine belt and new battery.
Recent coolant and brake fluid changes.
New fuel filter at 75k. Regular fuel injector cleaner and Cataclean treatment December 2014.
+130% Halfords Extreme Brilliance Headlight upgrade.
Throttle body internal throat polished and new MAF sensor fitted.
Seats cleaned and refinished.
Oil changed 4k miles previously. Total mileage run is 90k.
Spare new header tank and good replacement throttle body in store.
Aircon and heater require some work. a few plastic clips missing in engine bay. Need to visit a breaker.
MOT to December 2015.

Open to sensible offers if anyone is interested. Note this car is built for an enthusiastic driver with engine power delivery, noise and handling to match and the car does not drive like a standard car. That has all gone!

[oldtimer]

Hi Mike,
I'm amazed that you would even consider selling your car after all the work you have put into it.

Having read about all the knobs and whistles you have fitted and the way it drives to suit your taste I am surprised.

If you do go your suggested route then the very best of luck in your search.

Oldtimer

PS I say folks, he really has a deep down urge to buy a Mini Cooper SD but he's not letting on.

[J44EAG]

A possible change of circumstances shortly also changes my ability to consider a newer car, Phil. J44 is not getting any younger and it is made of steel.

I suppose half the project incentive was the point of proving an S-type to be repairable outside of a professional garage situation and to prove to myself that I could, despite a serious and irreparable sciatic back and leg problem, that I could still do what I used to be able to do. Dogged determination. bloody mindedness and the desire to see an early S-type handle like a circuit racer gave me a serious incentive. Now i have proved that, another challenge is required.

The project has to a greater or lesser extent been therapeutic allowing me to focus a rather bored and frustrated mind and give me something with which to get to grips. From an engineering stand point, I wanted to explore that suspension and make it very different from anything that ever came out of the factory. I`ll admit to being an over grown child with a big boys toy. It had to be done and it has been....rather like me!

I`ve had an S-type for around ten years now. I`ve lived and tolerated early model under development, naff plastic trim, electrical gremlins, feeble damping and a weak gear box. The V8 has been excellent and responded to tuning with enthusiasm. The car has attracted much attention and is a serious blast to drive. But I realise I have gone as far as I can with this car and the possibility of a change for something different in the Jaguar range cannot be ignored. Whoever becomes J44`s next owner, will certainly acquire a car with the provenance of being the S-type Forums repair mule with a documented history. Someone once said that that it as the Worlds most publicised S-type....for good and for bad reasons. The S-type R does interest me greatly but I do fancy a change of scene.

Currently my eyes are upon a black X350R which suspension wise holds few secrets. The 350 offers me more legroom, comfort and new toys which J44 does not have. Also an ali body and an improvement in corrosion resistance.

I did recently sit in a Mini Cooper and an excellent car it was too. However, I`m afraid its not really my idea of heaven. It doesn`t "do it for me". I`m a big bloke and I need more physical space and sizeable luggage capacity. I like large V8 engined cars so the Mini in this respect just does not make it to the start line.....even if it does perform tolerably well. In any case, people expect me to drive a Jag...

Mike