Hello all let me start this with my vision, I have fixed my series III of all it's mechanical problems and now I want to move on to making it my own (wheels, suspension ect) I'm interested in tastefully lowering cars while maintaining drivability and want to find a good set of adjustable coil overs and a tasteful set of wheels to set it apart from every other XJ6 out there.

I wanted to start this thread (if it has already been made correct me and I will ask to have this taken down) so we can show what we have done to our vehicle as far as exterior customization goes. I will attach a picture that intrigues me and if anyone would like to share their opinions and/or what they have done I think it could be very interesting!

 

The Jag suspension is very adjustable but you can not do coil overs in the front with out extensive modifications. The subframe bushings and upper shock points are not designed to suspend the car so you'd need to weld up many reinforcement and then the ride quality will be greatly diminished. Consider the folowing alternate techniques.

Front...The suspension from the factory has 1/8 nylon spacers. You can remove them. As I recall...each 1/8 spacer removal results in about a 3/16 inch drop accroding to the Jag service manual. You can also get additional lowering by adding spacers to the top side of the lower spring purch. This effectly raises the spindle or lowers the spring mount which lowers the car. You'll need need longer bolts too. There are six bolts on the spring purch and spacers can be made from some plate stock or bought from Mcmastercar. After you get the height you want you can adjust the camber with some shims on the upper control arm to improve the geometry for a perfect ride. I removed all the nylons except two and added 1/4 inch spacers on my Jag becasue the chevy engine weighed so much less the nose was pointing up. I know some one in Queens NY that used air bags. He siad it was easy and they dropped right in on the fronts. The rear needed custom fabrication to mount the bags. With the price of Air bags and the ride they offer it's worth a closer look.

Rear...The Jag IRS is used in many hot rods and customs so there are many coil over and air bag options available in the aftermarket. They make adjustible ride height coil overs and air bags. You probably can find something that will meet your needs but get ready to pay up for that stuff. You can also cut the stock springs (not recommended) or relocate the mounting point on the lower control arm down and outward to achieve a drop. You'll need considerable welding skills to do this right and you can only go so far with this technique. They make small air bags coilovers now and if you want to bag the rear you'll need to do some minor cutting to make them fit.

Get the wheels sorted first. My car still sits considerably higher than stock but looks lower than it is. I went with bigger wheels with larger diameter tires so they fill out the fender wells so the car looks lower.

 

Ser IIIs look great if they ride slightly low. Saggy springs usually take care of that :-).

The one in your picture, IMHO, looks terrible! Way too low.

If it suits you, that's fine. But you asked for opinions, so.....



Cheers
DD

 

So that's probably why my silver series 2 sits a lot lower than my black series 2 and there both factory, might check out those spacers when it fines up and see if it can go a tad lower, ill post up a picture on here of both my series 2 when I get home

 

I have saggy springs right now and it makes it slightly lower lol.

I know not many people are in to lowering their cars (especially in the Jag world I believe) I grew up around the VW/Audi "scene" and learned to love it.

My most important thing as far as cosmetic goes is finding wheels that look good on it. I was thinking the wheels from a XJR would look very nice but I'd have to use some photoshopping before I pulled the trigger.

 

Here are the wheels on a late model Jag with a LS engine. Car belongs to
Andrew Weinberg of Jaguar Specialties.

 

That is a very clean look! This may be a dumb question but are most Jag wheels compatible. The hub clearance is what I'm worried about because I saw an XJR the other day with factory wheels (not sure if they were meant for his year/model) and they had to have 8 1/2- 9in tires on them. I'll sneak a picture of it on Monday at work then ill askmhimmwhere he got his wheels

 

Offset is 33mm that we are looking for with a bolt pattern of 5 on 120mm which is right on for the Jag (5 on 4 3/4", or 120.6mm)

Try the fit before buying!

Had to use spacers on the front of my 1971 S1 Jaguar to put on these XJ40 wheels. The front hubs on these early cars are
different.

 

My car was a bit nose down when it was Jaguar powered. The Cad engine (SBC) allowed it to rise just a tad. Just about right. It was decent on 215 x 70 x 15 on the original wheels.

Then, I installed 15 x 7 XJS lattice wheels and a new set of B. F. Goodrich touring T rated tires. Height just about right and the wheel wells are filled and it doesn't scrub, anywhere.

This is an old house and in the country when built on a road. Paved with no sidewalks and no driveway aprons. Just a kinda slanted curb. Ok for most of the cars in the fiites. Not so much for the later ones. The car in question would not handle my driveway. And, most drives have been altered at least a bit to ease the transition.

In earlier years, my 4x4's had no issues with it. The cars just a tad, but OK if traversed with care.

he jaguar is just low enjough to look good and just high enough to have no driveway isues.

 

I'm sure this is a simple question but I saw XJR today with these BBS's and I'm wondering which model BBS's they are. Also will wheels that fit the XJR for my series III xj6?
Forgot to post the picture*

 

Contact the owner, Andrew at Jaguar Specialties, he can tell you that information....

 

They haven't been lowered yet but now i know how without buying new springs etc i might just do that. black one is my ford 460 v8 silver one is fully original and mint condition, engine rebuild trans respray new roof lining new dash new everything its perfect with not 1 spot of rust brought it from a guy that owned it from brand new.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

Wow, those pipes look very hotrod. I think the Jag Purists might send "The Wolf" to come take care of you. I'm surprised none of them chimed in with criticism yet and their silence has me worried for you. Watch your back...Lumping a Jag is one thing but pipes sticking out the hood...that's a whole other league.

 

maybe the fully original jaguar has saved his life, its lovely.

 

That is a brilliant idea! I just bought a set of springs and the front is just a little too high. This is now on my list of things to do!

 

the exhausts came like that with the car, so it wasn't me. I want chrome lake pipes down the side sills coming out just before the back wheel, when money lets me afford it. it also needs a new rear end as i think i snaped some teeth off the diff and the back brakes need rekitting.

 

[QUOTE=Kyle206;722154]I'm sure this is a simple question but I saw XJR today with these BBS's and I'm wondering which model BBS's they are. Also will wheels that fit the XJR for my series III xj6?


See the rims here 1/2way down, I doubt they will fit the series 3 without spacers it's the front hub that is the issue

OEM Wheels 2005 JAGUAR XK8 | Stock Factory Rims | Alloy Steel

 

Certainly some wildly different looking Jags in this thread. Nice...

3 or 4 sacks of cement in the trunk is also a cheap solution to lowering the rear.

and for affordable side pipes, a tractor breakers yard should be a good source for single large diameter exhausts. + they sound great with a big V8 instead of a diesel. Spot of welding and away you go.

Mind you, that set up is crying out for some enterprising kid and a box of hard boiled eggs.

 

Just because some have commented that the car in the first post is too low, I think you will find that it is resting on the ground with its suspension fully deflated. Before driving away, one would raise it up to whatever height was desired and then drive away.

In other words, it *would* handle your driveway, even if it isn't to your taste. Personally, I like that look (but not for my cars!), so long as the owner leaves the car looking classy and stock otherwise (like the car pictured). Unfortunately, most such cars end up tarted up (err...personalized) in so many other ways that they look silly. The one pictured sure does look well done. I saw this done to a W114 Mercedes, and it started looking pretty nice, but then the builder couldn't resist the obligatory massive chrome wheels with rubber-band tires, which made it look cartoonish. He went on to add a dubious (in my mind - no accounting for taste) two-tone paint job. Here's a shot prior to the dumb-*** wheel swap/paint:


Tom

PS: As far as I am concerned, I like my cars original-ish, but there's no accounting for taste, and it's not like these are rare and valuable cars, so if this sort of thing is your idea of a good time, then go for it!

 

that is one nice s3