Long time lurker going legit XK8 on the road
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Joined: Jan 2017
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From: Nevada, USA
Long time lurker going legit XK8 on the road
I should say thanks before I say hello.
In fall of 2015 I decided to take the plunge and purchase the xk8 that I admired since it was first released.
Southern car which followed its previous owner to Texas. Had it shipped to NYC and proceeded to go through it thoroughly. Very solid, just needed the items recommended here corresponding to age and mileage and idiosyncrasy. I decided to repair some poorly done stone damage repair on the bumper, hood and fenders (ok, bonnet and wings). The previous owner took very good care of it and we became friends.
Turned out that a second generation Jaguar specialist services a friend and is ten minutes from my house. Originally planned to enlist some of the recommended specialists in the North New Jersey area for the things that I could not or would not do. It worked out great as he made the car a long term project, saving me money, while I was doing other things. Finished everything late spring 2016, and drove it for the first time since originally test driving a new one. Could have purchased it in 2001 but not justify the expense. Not bad for fifteen years later. Wanted this iteration of the car as it is my preference in terms of looks. I think that they got it perfect for the second iteration. She is blue with the ivory interior.
No, I missed the Nikasil liners by a few months. Maybe it is a blessing, depending upon what side of the bed one wakes up on. It will however be easy to do a ring replacement if ever needed.
The car is 99% original and sports all of her original paint and body parts with the exception of the stone repair rework described above. Never been dented or hit in any way. I would rate her as a very good almost excellent driver condition which is what I want. It will be used, but with care. Planning a drive from NYC to the Southwest in the spring.
The only modifications made were the installation of Real Gauge with the oil pressure option and a preventative upgrade of the A drum to a stronger part. It was necessary to pull the transmission to fix an oil leak at that little plug above the crank shaft, so pulling the original A drum was a no-brainer. Additionally the car was just treated to a professional application of the corrosionfree rust proofing. The body and frame are like new without a spot anywhere, so it is worth keeping that way. I am not going to drive in the snow, but there will be salt in the air and when we get a nice day (defined by me as no rain, hail and temp above 40 with the sun out) I can take her out with the top (hood) down and not worry about picking up the salt crystals on the road. When it is colder, the roof stays up. I drive it as often as I can, it is a joy. Trust me, I have a car that I do not use in the winter in the back of the property and it ends up with salt all over it including the engine compartment and under-body from what is just in the air. You should see the house after winter. NYC uses five inches of salt for every inch of snow. The application of the rustproofing did not make the car a mess and honestly, it lubricated everything including the windows. It is like a new car in terms of things moving smoothly. Smell was gone after two days of driving and was not that bad even the first day. The product is clear although you can see the layer of it coating everything. And I mean everything. Make sure you go to a place that is heavy and thorough with the application, or do it yourself. I highly recommend Stateline service station in CT at the NY border; they give you your money's worth and are great people. Figure that I should give something back to the folks who became my tutors and reference library for the past year. If any questions, just ask. Corrosionfree.com
Thanks again, looking forward to being part of the community.
In fall of 2015 I decided to take the plunge and purchase the xk8 that I admired since it was first released.
Southern car which followed its previous owner to Texas. Had it shipped to NYC and proceeded to go through it thoroughly. Very solid, just needed the items recommended here corresponding to age and mileage and idiosyncrasy. I decided to repair some poorly done stone damage repair on the bumper, hood and fenders (ok, bonnet and wings). The previous owner took very good care of it and we became friends.
Turned out that a second generation Jaguar specialist services a friend and is ten minutes from my house. Originally planned to enlist some of the recommended specialists in the North New Jersey area for the things that I could not or would not do. It worked out great as he made the car a long term project, saving me money, while I was doing other things. Finished everything late spring 2016, and drove it for the first time since originally test driving a new one. Could have purchased it in 2001 but not justify the expense. Not bad for fifteen years later. Wanted this iteration of the car as it is my preference in terms of looks. I think that they got it perfect for the second iteration. She is blue with the ivory interior.
No, I missed the Nikasil liners by a few months. Maybe it is a blessing, depending upon what side of the bed one wakes up on. It will however be easy to do a ring replacement if ever needed.
The car is 99% original and sports all of her original paint and body parts with the exception of the stone repair rework described above. Never been dented or hit in any way. I would rate her as a very good almost excellent driver condition which is what I want. It will be used, but with care. Planning a drive from NYC to the Southwest in the spring.
The only modifications made were the installation of Real Gauge with the oil pressure option and a preventative upgrade of the A drum to a stronger part. It was necessary to pull the transmission to fix an oil leak at that little plug above the crank shaft, so pulling the original A drum was a no-brainer. Additionally the car was just treated to a professional application of the corrosionfree rust proofing. The body and frame are like new without a spot anywhere, so it is worth keeping that way. I am not going to drive in the snow, but there will be salt in the air and when we get a nice day (defined by me as no rain, hail and temp above 40 with the sun out) I can take her out with the top (hood) down and not worry about picking up the salt crystals on the road. When it is colder, the roof stays up. I drive it as often as I can, it is a joy. Trust me, I have a car that I do not use in the winter in the back of the property and it ends up with salt all over it including the engine compartment and under-body from what is just in the air. You should see the house after winter. NYC uses five inches of salt for every inch of snow. The application of the rustproofing did not make the car a mess and honestly, it lubricated everything including the windows. It is like a new car in terms of things moving smoothly. Smell was gone after two days of driving and was not that bad even the first day. The product is clear although you can see the layer of it coating everything. And I mean everything. Make sure you go to a place that is heavy and thorough with the application, or do it yourself. I highly recommend Stateline service station in CT at the NY border; they give you your money's worth and are great people. Figure that I should give something back to the folks who became my tutors and reference library for the past year. If any questions, just ask. Corrosionfree.com
Thanks again, looking forward to being part of the community.
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 120,439
Likes: 17,009
From: Durham, UK
Welcome to the forum WhiteHat,
Good to have you with us at Jaguar forums.
It sounds like you've already found your way to the XK8/XKR forum so there's no need for a link to it from me. The 'HOW TO' thread at the top is a good place to start for information on regular issues.
You can also visit the US Northeast Region forum by following this link US Northeast - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to find other members in your region.
Enjoy the forums.
Graham
Good to have you with us at Jaguar forums.
It sounds like you've already found your way to the XK8/XKR forum so there's no need for a link to it from me. The 'HOW TO' thread at the top is a good place to start for information on regular issues.
You can also visit the US Northeast Region forum by following this link US Northeast - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to find other members in your region.
Enjoy the forums.
Graham
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 26,760
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From: Tehama County, California, USA
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Welcome to Jaguar Forums WhiteHat,
Good to have you with us.
Enjoy the forum.
If you haven't done so already you should add your car details to your signature to help others to help you.
If you need help with getting around and using the forum follow this link for some help Forum Help
Good to have you with us.
Enjoy the forum.
If you haven't done so already you should add your car details to your signature to help others to help you.
If you need help with getting around and using the forum follow this link for some help Forum Help
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