Thanks for the intros guys I am sure going forward you all will be of help to me.

Anyway time to post some pictures of progress!!!!! to date. enjoy

Engine is currently in UK being rebored, skimmed and new crankshaft seal and I am goig shopping at the end of the month to replace the parts from the underneath that are not there now like cross memeber, crows feet etc.

 

Ray,

I'm sure I've seen that first photo in Robert Ballard's book about finding the Titanic.

I'd forgotten just how dirty the insides of the straight sixes used to get compared with V8's nowadays.

It looks time to have your own restoration thread in the MKI/II section. Shall I move this post to a new thread there for you or do you want to start a thread yourself?

Graham

 

Dirty, this was the clean part!!!!!!!!

If you can move it for me this would be better and I try to keep it updated,

Wish me luck

 

Ray,

Moved from Intro to your own thread in MKI/MKII section.

Good luck.

Graham

 

Ray, looks like another thread I'll be subscribing too and checking out.

I've edited your pics to show larger and within the body of the post, looks so much better!

If you want to learn about this, check out the how to's in the help n suggestion centre.

 

Any update Ray?

 

Lets go back to the beginning of this project.

I was discussing with my wife one evening in late 2011 when she said what was I planning for my retirement, this came as a bit of a shock as I am only 54!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.I said I would mind restoring an old car such as a Jag XJS but she said she remembered her father had driven a Mk2 and she liked it, so with that positive remark I said maybe I would do a MK2. Better having her support this venture than being against it.

The next issue was what to buy, so I bought some books on the MK2 restoration and thought I should go for the worst example I could find rather than buy something someone else had restored. After a couple of months I found exactly what I was looking for, a MK2 Jag parked up in a field for a couple of years with a siezed engine and cheap!!!!!!

The next problem was to travel form Germay to England with a trailer to pick it up and bring it home. No problems on the journey there and back but when I got home my garage is up a small slope and we had snow on the ground and me and a couple of large neighbors could not push it into the garage for slipping in the snow. Anyway decided to get my BMW out and push the jag into the garage, success, just before the next snow fell down.

The pictures below are from the advert I saw online and I already had negotiated the final price before setting off so I knew what I was getting before I got there.

I will follow up with the first installments of the restoration next time.

 

Engine bay looks a bit of a fright! The seats are in remarkable condition after the time it had stood out in a field.

Keep the installments coming.

Graham

 

but I thought cars were Left Hand Drive in Germany?? how come you purchased a Right Hand Drive car?

 

Because I am an Englishman and will take car back to England when I am finished working here.

In any event it is no problem to drive here with a right hand drive car.

 

Engine was a fright and I knew that when I bought the car - quote was engine siezed -but you are right the seats are in great condition even though I have now bought XJ40 seats in leather with recline and headrests front and back to install when car complete. If anyone wants these old seats ( covered in Ambla) give me a message.

Next problem will be how to modifiy the floor to suit these new seats. I have seen that some people cut the Intermediate Cross Member but if anyone has any other ideas let me know. However it will be many a month before I need to make this decision.

 

Thanks for the update and the pics Ray..........Subscribed and I'll be checking in to see what progress is made as and when....

Thanks

 

My guess is the seats aren't original. Unless 340's left off the bits....MK2's had these "shields" in the corners where the back hit the lower cushion, both sides, just cleared the console. No shields, no impressions where they were. They screwed to the seatback, hidden under the back cover below the picnic tables.
Just an observation.
Dave

 

Dave,
240s and 340s left off the bits, the interiors were vinyl, un-leathered, un-picnic tabled, un-MK-2 emblemed, and seats were un-shielded.

there's a 1968 RHD 340 where I live complete without the shields, MK-2 emblems, or picnic tables, and the seats are vinyl "Ambla" (which lasts a lot longer than leather but it doesn't smell as nice).

by 1967 Jaguar was concentrated on the 1968 debut of the Series 1 XJ-12, the supercar that replaced all the Small Saloons (MK-2, 240, 340, S type, 420), and the Big Saloons (MK-X, 420-G). All gone by 1969.

 

Hi Ray, looks like you will have plenty to do in your retirement.
My first Jaguar was a 66 S Type, had some good times with it.
What sort of restoration are you doing; original, modified for driving, or concourse.
Whichever way you go, I would suggest power steering. With modern tyres they are heavy for a man to drive, and your wife will be much happier.
Manual transmission or 4/5 speed auto?
If you do change to manual Jag trans, you will need to change the starter motor, as bell housing is different.

good luck
Pete

 

I'm currently restoring a 3.4 - I liken it to mechanical archaeology. I bought it because the crows feet are solid and the chrome is very good. It's a great basis for a drivers car. I hope I can help on any ideas you might have. I'll second the power assist too.

 

As I said earlier I am putting leather XJ40 seats in so these seats are spare.

 

I am planning to do a driving restoration hence the new seats but have and going to keep 5 speed auto and not go to manual. I have also purchased an original MK2 power steering kit second hand including dynamo with rear drive ( going to exchange to alternator with rear drive though) but cannot seem to find any pics/drawings for RHD cars for the set up, all pictures seems to only show LHD cars. Any help would be appriciated. Planning to also mod to electric fan so original engine drive fan will be removed..

But all thats in the future, this weekend off to England to pick up rebored and reskimmed block and head as well as a lot of metal peices from Martin Robey that, on the car, seem to be a lot lighter than when they left the factory, must be something to do with the rust worm that has enjoyed a feast on the bottom of my car.

To remind myslf and all you guys this is what the engine looked like when I split it.

 

Mr. Jaguar in Texas has the alternator:

Jaguar XKE, Mark II, 3.4, 3.8 S, 72-89 Porsche Air Conditioning

 

Hi Raym

Did that engine ever get an oil change ? It is seriously worse than a 2.4 I restored in the 80s.

BTW, if you ever want assistance or advice, please PM me, as I rebuilt this 2.4 MOD, from a bare shell in the 80s. I dont think any part of the car was untouched, and the result was a peach of a car. One thing I remember was I was advised to take pics before dismantling any electric parts or taking leads off. This paid dividends some years later when assembly commenced. The job took me 7 years, but I did get married about 2 months into the start so had to be a bit circumspect subsequently in the time I spent each week on the car !!