Have purchased a front subframe with suspension from a mk2 to install in my Mk 1.

My question is whether to fit up with polybushes or rubber?

The best outcome would be that polybushes would take out any slack, but don't transmit road noise.

Would welcome experience on this one?

 

markone1957
Don't go for poly bushes.
I have seen them decay in a short period of time.
I recently looked at a MK2 which had new poly bushes about 5 years ago and they were coming apart badly and needed replacing.
I would go with rubber and only use poly if you can't get rubber.

And by the way welcome to the extremely select band of MK1 owners.
The Mk1 has become close to the point of extinction. I don't know of any others on the road in my part of the world.
I have restored 5 Mk1s over the last 35 years. I always get people offering me "stupid" money ie wildly in excess of my own estimates so they were let go.
My current MK1 is a 2.4 manual with the upgrade SU carbie system which really changes the motors characteristics and vehicle performance.
cheers
Bill Mac
Mk1
MK2
XJ6S3
X300
Previous 15 Jags MK5 to X308

 

Hi Bill

Thanks for your reply on the bushes

The Mk 1's are very few and far between in the UK, I'm very much looking forward to completing the car and getting it back on the road!

 

They can still be turned into very pretty cars.

 

I like the smaller rear windscreen of the MK-1 better than the MK-2 or S type. Looks more "limousine", same as the very early Volkswagens with the tiny rear windscreen. Sure, rear visibilty is affected but what are rearview mirrors and door mirrors for?

However, I would adapt a S type dash to a MK-1, The S type dash is the best of all three small saloons. I never cared for the MK-1 dash.

 

I really like the full fender skirts on them.
There calling this one restored, but the wood has not been done very well.

 

They need that full skirt/spat if you are not going to widen the rear track. I think the narrow rear track looks particularly odd unless covered up.

 

duplicate???

 

Actually the wood finish in the original MK1 was not too flash.
It appears to have been finished in nitrocellulose lacquer and the wood was a bit second class.
Many years ago I stumbled onto a MK1 which had never been restored and the original wood finish had decayed to almost black but the veneer was untouched. The original finish was easily removed with acetone
I have stripped several MK1 dash panels and invariably find flaws which have been covered up with some sort of putty or filler.
Perhaps the better (flawless?) wood was reserved for the MK7/8/9 exports as the MK1 was really intended for the UK home market.
The MK1 also appears to have lighter coloured wood than the MK7/8/9
Incidentally many years ago in a concourse competition I saw a MK1 with a really well done darker two pack wood finish penalised for "lack of originality" against other MK1s which had lighter lacquer wood finishes.
Bill Mac
MK1
MK2
S3XJ6
X300
15 previous Jags MK5 to X308

 

Bill very interesting on the nitro cellulose finish - the wood on mine is still original and unrestored - hopefully a sympathetic treatment will enable me to complete to its former glory.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and where I agree that the S type dash (Jose earlier post) was beautifully conceived, I also really like the Mk 1 dash styling with its 4 spoke wheel. The thing that I really loved about the 1950's and 60's Jaguars and each time I stick my nose inside a car I hope to be transported back in time to the wonderful aroma of the interior. I'm sure most came from the conolloy Vymol leather but one can't discount the glue and vinyl were not adding to the heady mix. Sadly even the cars that have survived unrestored have no longer retained the joy....

 

The full spats are the way I wish to go, there is something about the original design that I find very 50's period appealing and as mentioned the small rear screen was very much of the day (VW mentioned). I also appreciate how Jaguar evolved the Mk 1 into the Mk 2 and had I been the designer would have been well satisfied with my work in giving the rear window and the rear quarter light a smoother and fresher look.

However although the Mk 2 front seats nicely integrated a drop down surface, I still find the Mk 1 in manual form has a far more pleasant and sculptured looking front seat and certainly less heavy in appearance.

 

For me, the MK1 nose is an example of where less is more. The absence of the teardrop side lights is a definite positive. Take away the fog lamps and round and it's even better. For the rest I'd take the Mk2 ... with Coombs arches.

 

Getting back to the original topic, my only experience of poly is on the steering rack of my Daimler. In that very different and nominally zero motion application, they're a significant improvement over rubber.

 

Sorry Peter, in re reading my comments on the front I was referring to the front seats (my poor sentence construction - since edited) I notice you have a daimler double six - one of my wish list cars!

 

I agree on the seats as well. The Mk2's look big and comfortable, but aren't good for a long journey or fast corners.

 

Peter's favorites I would suspect. (All genuine)

Mk2 Coombs.










Mk1 Coombs.

 

I'll make it simple and take all three.