New club member and new s type owner

[SV8Predator]

Does fitting 'R' badges to a 3.0 litre invalidate the insurance?

[jeff1954]

No

[hammie]

But apparantly they go faster with them fitted[lol], although they are not the s type ones as they are not rectangle, but they are gen jags ones off another model, fiver each off ebay!!, will be getting it up for its gearbox oil change in the next week or so, and then get the little jobs sorted, blown bulb in drivers footwell light, slight seep/drip off what i think is the water pump? on the front of the engine, and the rh rocker cover is seeping a little, im hoping to get bob to give her a quick once over and back for a service next month

[hammie]

Gave the engine and undertray a clean today, removing 9 years worth of grime, dont want to get told off by Bob when it goes up for its gearbox oil change on monday lol, bit the bullet and attacked with gunk and a power washer [gingerly] and its come up well and still runs !!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73549824@N04/6636967397/

[J44EAG]

That does look smart. Very well done.

Re running advice, my model overview found via the Home Page on S-types might be useful to you, Hammie. A few hints and tips therein.

Mike

[hammie]

cheers mike will have a look see

[jBlackwell]

I am impressed. You fancy doing the engine bay on my X300? I have only done one panel so far but that looks amazing!

Very nice

James

[hammie]

Ah, but could you afford me lol, if you think thats clean, you should see my 76 suzuki gt750, must be the years spent in the army, if it moves clean it, if it doesnt move clean it, if its thinking of moving clean it lol.

[stuarthardy]

Fitting R badges might not invalidate the insurance but that Leaper probably will!

[J44EAG]

The leaper debate has rattled on for many years within the club. Much correspondence and views have been published in the magazine and in many other public domain locations.

The problem with fitting leapers to modern cars is that it comes within the UK National Vehicle Construction and Use Regulations. In our case that means that after 1968 or 69, if a car did not leave the factory fitted with a leaper, it becomes illegal as it does not conform to these National internal regulations and therefore an insurance company could decline to pay out in the event of an insurance claim. The Police are also at liberty to prosecute for infringement of C&U Regs. In Doncaster, there is one Police Officer who takes great delight in taking Jaguar owners to Court for using cars fitted with an illegal leaper.

At one point, I had a leaper fitted to my modern S-type. Becoming worried about insurance implications, I took it off again as my insurance company when informed of the fitment, refused to cover the car for the above reasons.

I debated the matter with Nigel, Keith Vincent (our club legal advisor) and John Spiller. We used my scenario as a typical example of the issue.

Whilst my sprung loaded leaper came with TUV and some compliance paperwork, the documents were deemed to be less substantive than the UK Construction and Usage Regs which in UK Law are regarded as Senior Documentation to any European documents. In effect a Court hearing a case involving fitment of a leaper fitted to a car manufactured after 1969 could use those regulations to secure a prosecution for illegal fitment of a leaper. The Prosecution could win such a case simply by using those regulations and by proving none compliance.

I tried hard to find a way of driving a coach and horses through the Construction Regs but alas my leaper has had to find a new home affixed to the pulpit of my motorboat!

In the States the fitment of a leaper is not illegal. Indeed, Jaguar would at one time gladly factory fit a leaper to cars intended for that market.

Several years ago, I was astonished to see sprung loaded leapers displayed for sale in a UK Main Dealers Parts Dept. I chatted to the sales guy and he was totally unaware of the regs surrounding fitment and fell back on TUV documentation. He further said he would be happy to fit a leaper to any Jaguar of any age.....

It is worth noting that even if the leaper is sprung loaded, C&U regs still apply. The leaper and paperwork I examined stated the break out force required to displace the leaper from its normal position was some two kilograms. If one thinks about that, some severe damage could still be inflicted upon a person making contact with a leaper even at say five mph. That having been said, I understand that there has never been a case recorded where anyone has been maimed or killed coming into contact with a leaper fitted to a Jaguar.

These then are facts as I understand them and am happy to stand corrected if anyone else has contrary views.

Best advice would still appear to contact your insurance company if you require a definitive answer to their views on leaper fitment but to also be aware that you could well face prosecution in the event of the police taking a dislike to a leaper fitted to your car.

Mike

[stuarthardy]

As I said, illegal and therefore insurance probably invalid.

There was once an XJS running about with a horses head mascot (about 150 mm high and probably weighing over 1 kg) fixed about two thirds of the way up the bonnet. A definite widow maker and the owner couldn't understand why the local constabulary took exception to it. Nearly as bad as the scrap iron that people bolt to the front of their Chelsea Tractors.

Its a sad world where people would place vanity over the safety of others.