Hello and thank you for allowing me in the forum! I just purchased a MK IX and would appreciate any advice or thoughts on this beauty. I'm some what familiar with Jags in general, but this is the first MK IX I've ever owned. I'd like to get it tuned up, fluids changed, hoses and belts replaced. Any suggestions on parts or what and where to purchase would be appreciated!

A buddy suggested a "flame thrower" or "magic eye" to replace the points and condenser? Is anyone familiar with this?

The tranny scares me a little. It leaks fluid and reverse is all but impossible to engage. It's a Borg Warner and I know it has a less than stella reputation. Any thoughts?

Thank you in advance!!!

Jim

 

Hi Jim

You have a very late Mark 9 if its a '61, as the Mark 10 came out in October 1961. The mechanical parts have much commonality to the XK120-140-150 sports cars made at the same time. As these sports cars are now so valuable, and popular, the spares backup is very good, but body panels are almost non-existent, as is trim items. The good news is that trim items are mostly made from material "on the roll", with little use of mouldings like modern cars. Headliners are held in with listing-sticks and secured with tacks, (staples were used later on). The tacking guys stored the tacks in their mouths and used magnetic hammers. They were on piece work BTW !

Oh, and the gearbox is the Borg-Warner DG type