29 years of the dreaded tin worm

[Brakebuster]

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/galler ... edium_.JPG

not looking too bad now

BB

[Mr.Ian]

Looking good. Looks very mean without the lights, bumper n grill too.

[Mr.Ian]

Hello, i'm back again with my 1978 V12 rebuild progress.
Not a lot of progress i'm afraid as I must admit to having lost interest and did nothing to it over the past couple of years as it felt like I was fighting a battle that just had no end.
Got to a low point where I was going to chop it and salvage new fitted parts to try and recoup some of the costs.
Glad to say the boot floor / rear valance assy is in now, but there's another negative in that my XJS aquired a little furry friend that loved the taste of wiring under the bonnet (little bugger) . He had a store of nuts in the middle of the 'V' at the same height as the bloomin fuel rails !!!!!!!, he's had a go at I think nearly all vacuum hoses and even eaten the corners of the flippin screen wash bottle !!!!!!!
His favorite nibble though was the seam sealant, yes he got in the car too (onto gearbox and through the hand hole in the tunel) and chomped away inside.
Injection loom has been rewired and i'm on with the other engine loom sections at the moment. I'll get some pics up soon now I have a renewed interest.

[Mr.Ian]

Boot floor / rear valance assy in place
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4 ... 1625681399

Fluffy friend store after cleaning.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4 ... 1625681399

[ptjs1]

Ian,

Good pics. Because these are embedded within a facebook picture album, I've slightly amended your post to give a direct link to the facebook pages. I'm not sure if it will work for non-facebook members, but certainly I can see them!

Regards

Paul

[Mr.Ian]

Thanks Paul, I thought the pictures would show on the forum, as you say at least they are links now. I've uploaded them elsewhere so from now on they should show.
Cheers.
Ian.

[Mr.Ian]

Boot / rear valance unit fitting

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2510/403 ... 2291_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2767/403 ... 6223_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2609/403 ... 1e12_b.jpg

This shows how clean the rear section was that I got, this is the side flange of the rear valance that is welded to the lower rear 1/4. No rust anywhere, not even in the small box sections. Picture shows why you need a lot of wax protection here.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2735/403 ... 1831_b.jpg


My XJSs' fluffy friends food store (been cleaned here, as it was inches deep in nuts) also showing nibbled wires. Little bugger.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2483/403 ... ceda_b.jpg

I'll post up more if people are interested as and when there's any decent progress.

[Mr.Ian]

At last pics are working:lol:

[chris211083]

I would just like to say good on you!!! ive come to the same conclusion that they are worth saveing!!! mines just about to go into a specialist to be upgraded and semi restored. dont think my rust is that bad but my floor and sills are shot!! as is the bottom of the windscreen. i would rather spend my time and money on this brut of a car than go with any scrappage sceme and get a euro box!!! ive got a xjr-s 6.0 1989 and love it!!! i also love the pic's as they say a picture paints a thousand words. keep up the good work and im gonna follow this as i also love the original shape xjs too!!! good luck........

[Mr.Ian]

Thanks chris 211083.
I know the car is not worth saving for money reasons but the money now doesn't come into it. I'm so attatched to the car (even though no work was done on it for 2 years) that scrapping / breaking doesn't come into it.
I checked the log book and found it was first registered in Jan 78, so it must've been built sometime in 1977. So she's 32 now.
Engine should be running in a few weeks and then i'll get back on with the body.
Plan is to get it driveable / mot'able before respray , although on saying that I will spray the green wing and blue boot lid black to match for now.

[chris211083]

hi, was wondering if there are any upgrades in mind? or are you going for the original look??? i also like the gold stripe, is it going to stay?

[Mr.Ian]

Not upgrades as such but if there's anything that can be improved like steering rack bushes and bits like that then yes, other than that no, it'll be just as intended with 70s cassette radio and 70s interior.
I think the interior is the main problem as it's the red 'Mullberry'? type and there doesn't appear to be much around on the budget / s/h market and it really will need a replacement rear seat back as it's badly sun dryed / faded and cracked. New ones are available (on ebay) but are way out of my reach money wise.
The gold stripe will be removed as I don't think the 70s XJS had a stripe at all.
I'm thinking of trying to sort a vinyl roof for it (as it had one when I got the car) but with me thinking it wasn't an original fitting I went and removed it (later found that it might well have been fitted from new).
So there's lots going on overall but the interior and non MOT failure parts aren't at the top of my list.
The quest at the moment is to get her off her stands, get the engine running and drive backwards n forwards up n down the drive!!!!!!!
Then back on with full front suspension strip n rebuild and whatever else needed on the body.

[Brakebuster]

WOW

another Mulberry interior

i have one in my 1989 V12 sportspack Coupe


and other than the odd ( very odd ) item on ebay, interiors in this colour are impossible to obtain

ebay can provide you with a new (NOS ) rear bench for about £189

a drivers seat base and back ( non sportspack ) for about £120 a section

seat backs for £30 each

drivers and passengers door cards for £100 each

there was someone selling a full ( wine red ) carpet set on ebay this week for £30 all in ,

wine red is the matching carpet colour for the Mulberry interior ,

the only other real difference with you early one, is the shape of the console around the ski-slope, its different to the later "HE" cars

BB
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/galler ... dium_1.JPG

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/galler ... Small_.jpg

[chris211083]

the sports pack seats are different than early seats as are the wood veneers(bushed aluminium)and the steering wheel. As for cheap seats and leather, call david Kelly!!!! this place (wrexham) is an xjs GRAVE YARD.....it is depressing to go there but lots of spares.....

http://www.jagparts.co.uk/index.html

I Know as a fact that most of the dark red leather interiors are just binned as no one wants them. i baught a pair of mulberry red seats (early type) for £30 from them. the only problem is you might need to go and collect it??? hope this helps. As for the vinyl roof i like it especially on a red xjs with the black vinyl roof....Nice.

[Mr.Ian]

Yes I was watching that carpet set but I don't think it had the footwell inserts (ie the main pieces) I managed to aquire new genuine Jaguar red sill carpets a while ago so will just keep my eyes open.
I'll see if that David Kelly has a rear seat back and also the seat belt centre section for the rear, cheers for the tip.
Was going to work on it tonight but ended up bathing the dog
So before I rinsed the bath out I washed the latest XJS purchases, spoiler underpan and the lower front wing baffles (plastics) without getting in trouble