I used them for classic Jaguar brake part rebuilding back in the late 1980s; their quality of workmanship was excellent.

Good luck on your project...

 

Putting the Mark VII on the back burner for now. Actually taking it off of the stove. I'm moving it into the sideyard so that I can better use my driveway and garage. I will be following up on different strategies for the brakes. I'm now going to focus on my XJ6.

 

It's kind of hard to believe that my last post on this thread was made only a week short of an entire year ago! I've been pretty busy during this time, involved with other matters that are really more important than my hobby cars. Still, I have been kept busy working on my XJ6 and even more lately on my ailing XJS. I was thinking about projects that I could do that wouldn't cost me too much money. I had found some problems with the carburetors, linkage and fuel system. I've ordered and received some rebuilding parts. so I've decided to rebuild the carbs and try to see if I can get the motor to run. If I'm successful this will give me a huge boost of morale and motivation to tackle the other problems. Let's see what happens!

 

Keep us posted!

 

Almost a year has passed since I last posted on this thread. The poor Mark had been sitting quietly waiting. I had moved on to other concerns and was willing to let it sit. Then last week I got an email from SNG Barrett.They advised me that they had expanded their parts coverage for early saloons. I wasn't expecting much, but clicked onto their site. I was quite surprised that they now carried both the brake and clutch master cylinders as well as the slave cylinder for the clutch. The three items would run about a grand, but they were finally available NEW! Now I can see a viable way forward for the car. I'm quite excited but I'm not going to order them just yet. My first priority is to rebuild and reassemble to carbs and see if I can get the motor to fire. I'll bypass the entire fuel system and feed gas to the carbs through a can and gravity. I already know that the engine spins easily, If I can get the motor to fire and run even briefly, even just for ten or fifteen seconds, then I know it's worth investing the money.

 

I have been preparing to clean the carbs and went looking for the assembly that I had stored in the car. I found them but some reason there were only three of the needed eight mounting nuts present. I remembered how I had wanted to replace them with new fasteners. I had thought that they were metric threads but I was wrong, they were Whitworth. A 13 mm or 1/2 in. socket will fit the nuts, but they are uncommon and not easily replaceable. I knew that I had stored them somewhere, but could not remember where exactly. After hours of searching I found them in the back of a drawer in one of my tool boxes. Thankfully! I had called a couple of fastener dealers who had never heard of Whitworth. I tried a British repair shop who couldn't help me. I'm so glad to find those nuts! It just reinforces the need to be very careful doing dis assembly, to prevent doing any damage and to save everything until the job is completed. Also best not to start a job unless it will be completed in due time. Progress continues.

 

I've been doing quite a bit of research on the Cadillac by pass filter that was in place under the hood. New elements are available as they were used for a long time on many GM products. I started to look for info on using toilet paper as an element and was pretty surprised. I had known about it's use for decades, but always thought that it was crackpot idea. It turns out that it can be very effective when used in a by pass filter. Early American cars up to the late 40's often used no filtration at all. Accessory bypass filters would take a small amount of oil and filter it then return it to the sump. (Think of it like a swimming pool filter, it only filters a small amount of water at a time but by constantly running it eventually cleans the whole pool. ) They had no effect on engine oil pressure. It was when hydraulic valve lifters were introduced that manufactures started including full pressure oil systems on their engines. Over the years there have been many add on by pass systems sold, primarily used on heavy equipment.
In my case the bypass canister has an inlet from the engine block and returns the filtered oil into the front of the left cam cover. I'm sure that a little extra oil provided to this area couldn't hurt. I had removed the canister to clean it and I'll replace the filter and hook it up before I fire the motor I will probably paint it beforehand also.

 

Re those carby mounting nuts.
They are not English threads. With the design of the MK7 Jaguar realised that their main market at the time was in North America.
North American mechanics servicing previous Jag models had complained about the use of British thread types and sizes and a lack of spanners to suit.
Consequently Jaguar adopted the SAE thread sizes and systems. You will still find some British threads such as BA in electrics, BSF in the Moss gearbox and strange pipe threads in SU but basically anything that Jaguar manufactured uses SAE.
The missing nuts were actually 5/16 NF (National Fine) which you should be able to purchase anywhere in the United States.
Cheers
Bill Mac
MK1
MK2
S3XJ6
X300
15 previous Jags MK5 to X308 (includes 2 MK7 &1 MK8)

 

I must say, you've got tenacity. You created this post in June of 2017, nearly 4.5 years ago. I am certain I would've lost interest and sold it for parts a long time ago. Good on ya'!

 

Thanks for the response Bill, great info to know. DG, I've two other Jags that I'm fussing with so it's easy to get distracted. Out of sight, out of mind. I had bought some carb parts a time back, and stored them somewhere clever. So clever I don't remember where! So I'm ordering them a second time. I just need to get the motor to fire and run for a minute or so. I'm actually considering sell off two of my Jags. Trying to do my due diligence before making that choice.

 

Rivguy
Almost unbelievably a friend who lives a couple of doors away from me picked up a MK7 auto a couple of months ago. It had been in dry storage since 1967!
We soaked the engine and used a boroscope the check the internals. Eventually it came free. Checked plugs, points etc and made sure we had spark
We gravity fed the carbs from a gas can and spun it over and it fired right up. We only gave it 30 seconds as there is no coolant because the radiator is out.
Oil pressure came good at 40 psi.
There is still a long way to go but having a working engine certainly gives the project some encouragement.

Bill Mac

 

I'm glad that things have turned out well for you, that's what I'm hoping will happen. I had reordered the minimum of parts and a couple of days ago I started repairing the damaged carb. I checked the operation of the starting carb and the coil is working properly. The engine turned freely by hand back when I first got it, it spun over quickly with a battery installed. I've got some Marvel Mystery oil in the cylinders to keep it lubed up. We finally started our rainy season and the car is parked out doors. When the weather clears up I might be able to get the carbs back on before Christmas. I am hoping that the clutch disc is not stuck to the flywheel but that's a concern for further on down the line. If all is well with the motor then I will buy the new hydraulic stuff from SNG Barrett. I admit, I'm such a cheapskate, I got the car for very little but those new parts will be more than twice what I paid for the car. Updates will follow.

 

Rivguy
RE-hydraulic cylinders.
Why aren't you considering re-sleeving the old brake and clutch master/ slave/wheel/cylinders with stainless steel liners. I am sure that it will be much cheaper than buying new off SNG Barratt (and will probably last forever.)
In addition most of these places doing the re-sleeving can supply "kits" for a fraction of the Jaguar specialist prices. Some will actually do the assembly for you at very little cost.
The clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder are absolutely simple affairs and I never had any problems sourcing seals from aftermarket suppliers.
However I urge you to get that engine going as it will make a heck of a difference to your attitude to the car.
Bill Mac
MK1
MK2
S3XJ6
X300
15 previous Jags MK5 to X308. Drove MK7s from 1964 to 1979 as my daily driver.

 

I am aware of the re sleeving process, but the site that I checked required that the master cylinder be dis assembled. Which is the problem. These have an inch long threaded cap that refused to be undone. I did a bit of damage to the mounts on the brake cylinder trying to undo it with an impact wrench.( that was from trying to hold the master in a vise). I also surmised from reading reviews that it would probably cost around 500 dollars for each master cylinder, the price for the new part does not seem so high compared to that.
Do you have any suggestions on how to remove that end cap? I tried soaking in and out with Kroil, I used heat, breaker bars, and finally that impact wrench.I might bolt it back in place on the chassis and try again with the impact, it can't be any more solidly mounted than that!

from the shop manual

The original master cylinders look pretty rusty on the outside. I was able to remove the piston by forcing them out with a greasegun. I might give it another try.

That can be fixed, filed flat and a spacer used on the mount.

 

Bill, pics please! I'd love to see what a Mk7 stored since 1967 looks like (presuming it was stored indoors; if it was left out to the elements, I don't want to see it. Too depressing!)

 

DGorvetzian
Apart from being repainted in an awful red/brown the car is intact and not rusty. It was in dry storage, undercover in subtropical Queensland.
The latest as of last night is with the rear jacked up and fluid in the DG box the rear wheels are rotating. Still no radiator as owner is waiting for a water pump overhaul kit.
I will try to get some photos in the next day or so.
Bill Mac

 

It's good to see any movement on a Mark VII thread, I'd like to see those photos also. I did reach out to Apple Hydraulics with an inquiry, More info is always better than less.

 

It has taken a bit of time to get the pictures of the barn find MK7 which last ran in 1967.
Currently it has the engine running dry for short bursts as it awaits a water pump. The original pump was frozen.
The rear wheels are off the ground on jack stands and the DG transmission is working.
The bumper bars and grille are in excellent condition and don't need re-chroming.
The interior is original and untouched, except the door cards have had screws inserted to hold them in place and t

Grille and radiator out but engine runs. Note 1 gallon can and electric pump under car for fuel

interior original and leather treatment underway

Grille in safe place between front and rear seats. Note wood rail in good condition

Original mileage

Bumpers were off but chrome in very good condition
he front doors toolbox and light bulb box are missing

 

The car looks great and the wood and leather look to be quite intact. Hopefully I'll try to fire up mine after the New Year. Good to see your progress.

 

Amazing find. I love these majestic big saloons.

Am I right that the grilles and separate front indicators mean that it's a MKVIIM?