Hey, all. Good to be in the South! I'm doing a Aston Martin bodykit on my XK8.. After posting some pics and intro in the New member forum, here I am. I've done a few XK8 exhaust Youtube videos since and posted them, changed out the tranny fluid myself (what an ordeal!), fixed some gremlins, done a complete tuneup, and have taken the car half apart... So, if there's any of you local that need some body or leftover parts, let me know. I might have a whole engine/transmission up for sale if I can't get the darn exhaust sounding right! Here's some pics...


97 Coupe $4000 (dealer thought it had a bad transmission). My new member writeup posted there tells the whole story....


How it looks now..


The look (race car theme) I'm going for...



The Tremec T56 6spd that's dying to go in it (GM lumper


Aston Front end mockup..

 

Wow! You are one ambitious dude.

Do keep us up dated on this project.

 

Well, I'm single and cars are my hobby.... I've only had this car for a month now.... Should see my other "projects" (One of them is still a project 9 years later). lol Ronnie

Video I did a few minutes ago..

jag cats only.mp4 - YouTube

 

Ronnie, great to see your progress. I bought my XKR convertible to use as a starting point so I really want to see what problems you run into. My car is still about a week or so away from getting here. Mine is hit in the front so I needed a bumper and hood anyway, this seems like it will be a perfect starter car. Thanks for the pictures and keep them coming.

 

Thanks, John. I'm already having to hack on the car. I'll say if you dive headfirst into this "Ash Mart" kit thing, your car will never be an XK8 again.. Look at the "As it looks now" pic I posted previously and look at this pic.





I had to cut this piece out because the Aston headlights recess that far.. Luckily, there's still good support left for the radiator. I also tried to leave the front bumper connected but it had to go as well.. Anyway, I haven't gotten into cutting the rear quarters out. That's definitely a point of no XK8 return! I'm doing that next week and I'll take pics.

The company I got the kit from is: CAR KIT INC. Fiberglass Supercar Replica Kits

 

Hey Ronnie, PM me your phone number I might want to buy the front bumper, hood and dr side headlight from you. I am trying to buy a 98 coupe thats hit in the front and will need that stuff, plus get this, its the same BR green, LOL. Plus I want ask you some questions on the Ashmart kit.

 

I sent you the info, John.. Give me a ring whenever

 

Hey Ronnie, I think this is cool! I can't wait to see what it looks like when you're done.

On the other hand, the pic of your original car looked great. I hate to think of it being chopped up. But in the end, it's just a car and what makes you happy is what's important.

How are you going to deal with the wheel spacing issue? Spacers? It would be nice if the company that makes the kit would also make a set of suspension arms that are about an inch longer. I'm sure that would be expensive, though. The Aston uses a lot of the same parts from the Jag. I wonder if they use the same suspension parts. It would be cool if Aston got the wider track by making longer suspension arms and the Aston arms would bolt right to the Jag hard-points. I'm 99.9999% sure that's not the case but it would be cool. Might be worth looking into.

 

Hey! I just saw that you're in Virginia Beach. I'm about 3.5 hours from there. You mind if I come up one weekend to see your project in progress?

 

Hey, Sam. Small world! I've seen a video or two of yours on youtube.. You're more than welcome to come on up but on one condition: You drive the Jag up and take me for a ride! I never got over 35-40mph in mine. I'll PM you my cell #. Ronnie

 

This thread kinda makes me sad... Rev if you come up to gawk at his car, you gotta let me take you for coffee after.


Hiya from across the water!

 

Well at least he isnt putting a Chevy engine in it ! Oh wait, he is, LMAO. His car... he can do what it wants to it, right ?

 

Well yeah it's his car to do whatever with-- but it kinda hurts to see such a sexy car in bits-- whether it's on purpose or an accident... Though, like a lot of the rest I'm excited to see how it comes out.. at least he's not turning it into a Honda.

 

I lucked out on the exhaust. I'd had it down to cats only and decided to try just the two small stock resonators. Turned out way too loud but raspy like I want. Rearmost mufflers are same design just larger so I went with cats and those. Put them in backwards and I'm in business. And, all of this will be cost free! I'll get an exhaust video of that and y'all can Tell me what you think.

Cut the passenger quarter panel off. Not hard with a cutoff wheel. Pics to come.. Ronnie

PS not lumping it unless the 4.0 or tranny let me down..

 

Ok, check this car out... On Ebay and asking $44,000 for it. It's the Ash Mart kit like I have.. Salvaged XKR... "
aston martin vanquish convertible custom with chassis jaguar xkr supercharger" is the headline...


Personally, I don't like the car. Too pimped out for me! And, the hood and fender vents are too much as well.

 

I have only one thing to say, UGLY. Like a beautiful woman painted up like a *****!

Mark

 

Wow what a pile of poo! Ronnie and I discussed this kit in length.. if done correctly it does look quite nice. I doubt this fool will see anything above 15K at best unless he finds a seedy type buyer with "cash".

Ronnie any updates on the rear quarters ?

 

Hey, John. Just the passenger side. I did a quick fitup of the kits passenger door and side panel but wasn't initially impressed with the results. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself here, but the pieces just didnt fit together naturally. I'm going back and looking at other peoples efforts and look for details in their pics. Drivers quarter panel this week..

Well, I was wrong. Operator error.. I have the car on jackstands and the nose piece wasn't "level" i.e. angled down toward the front of the car and made everything else fit-up wrong... Gonna take the car off jackstands and see how that works....R

 

Hey, all. Back home from the holidays and ready to get back to work on the Jag. Passed a later style black XK8 coupe on the interstate and what a nice car to see! R

 

Ronnie, you don't have time to go on holiday, we want to see some results soon. LOL