Hello Jag Lovers
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From: Arkansas
Hello Jag Lovers
Just a note to say hi and Introduce myself. Jack Shelby. I'am the proud owner of an 89 XJS. Which will from here forward be called a "Jacobra" I know what the heck is a Jacobra???
Well a little history lesson into my background. I was 18 years old and working at Continental Motors in Lagrange Ill USA, (about 1978) They as the name implies sold high end Cars from across the pond. Jags, Maserati's Ferrari's etc. I was working as an apprentice mechanic. I drooled over the cars, as I worked on them. One day the Boss come's back and says take my XJS, and follow the boys to the warehouse. He was a weekend road racer and his XJS had been modified quite a bit, and I didn't know where the warehouse was, so I had to keep up. The guys were moving several Ferrari's etc, to the warehouse, and I was the wheelman for the return trip. I was a white knuckeled kid in a hopped up Jag, and the race was on. Long story short I kept up, and when we returned I said I got to have one of them Jag's! I was blown away. I had always loved the XKE's but they were and still are out of my budget. But an XJS???
Well life goes on 2 wives and 5 kids later I was into Mustangs and Mach1's (I owned a 71 Mach1 with 500+ HP) for most of my adult life. I mean with a last name of Shelby, how could I drive anything else. It had to be a Mustang or a Ford. Anything else would be Blasphemy!
Fast forward to 2015 I'm also a Member of a site called the Mach 1 Club. After 5 years of gathering 3 Mach1's and parts my wife of 33 years tells me she thinks I'm trying to relive my life back when I was married to my Ex. way back in 1979 (I bought my first 71 Mach1 from my Ex's mother) I told her that wasn't the case but she refused to help me or work on the cars at all. So I said why the heck didn't you say something before I spent 3 grand and got all these cars? So I sold the Mach1's
Along about this time I found a Black 89 Jaguar XJS, it had a small engine fire that scorched the top of the engine, and burnt some of the wiring But did not harm the car itself. It is a well worn example but needs a lot less then the Mach1's did, and the price was right. So now I own a XJS.
After several months of research I have learned that they have there problems and being a everyday driver is not quite there specialty(Finicky Azzed Cat). Since no one wanted to part with a complete underhood wire harness, and the ridiculous prices they think stuff is worth. I started to hatch a plan, I would take a page from Cousin Carrolls Play Book and Shove a Huge azzed Ford 460 down this Little British sports cars throat, and call it a "Jacobra"!
Now you know what a "JACOBRA" is!
PS I know I'm gonna tick off the purists, but it's not like I'm taking a priceless artifact, (XKE) and destroying it. I'm building something I can jump in mash it to the floor and drive all day, and tomorrow do it again and again.
Hope you all will allow My craziness 89 Jacobra.
Well a little history lesson into my background. I was 18 years old and working at Continental Motors in Lagrange Ill USA, (about 1978) They as the name implies sold high end Cars from across the pond. Jags, Maserati's Ferrari's etc. I was working as an apprentice mechanic. I drooled over the cars, as I worked on them. One day the Boss come's back and says take my XJS, and follow the boys to the warehouse. He was a weekend road racer and his XJS had been modified quite a bit, and I didn't know where the warehouse was, so I had to keep up. The guys were moving several Ferrari's etc, to the warehouse, and I was the wheelman for the return trip. I was a white knuckeled kid in a hopped up Jag, and the race was on. Long story short I kept up, and when we returned I said I got to have one of them Jag's! I was blown away. I had always loved the XKE's but they were and still are out of my budget. But an XJS???
Well life goes on 2 wives and 5 kids later I was into Mustangs and Mach1's (I owned a 71 Mach1 with 500+ HP) for most of my adult life. I mean with a last name of Shelby, how could I drive anything else. It had to be a Mustang or a Ford. Anything else would be Blasphemy!
Fast forward to 2015 I'm also a Member of a site called the Mach 1 Club. After 5 years of gathering 3 Mach1's and parts my wife of 33 years tells me she thinks I'm trying to relive my life back when I was married to my Ex. way back in 1979 (I bought my first 71 Mach1 from my Ex's mother) I told her that wasn't the case but she refused to help me or work on the cars at all. So I said why the heck didn't you say something before I spent 3 grand and got all these cars? So I sold the Mach1's
Along about this time I found a Black 89 Jaguar XJS, it had a small engine fire that scorched the top of the engine, and burnt some of the wiring But did not harm the car itself. It is a well worn example but needs a lot less then the Mach1's did, and the price was right. So now I own a XJS.
After several months of research I have learned that they have there problems and being a everyday driver is not quite there specialty(Finicky Azzed Cat). Since no one wanted to part with a complete underhood wire harness, and the ridiculous prices they think stuff is worth. I started to hatch a plan, I would take a page from Cousin Carrolls Play Book and Shove a Huge azzed Ford 460 down this Little British sports cars throat, and call it a "Jacobra"!
Now you know what a "JACOBRA" is!
PS I know I'm gonna tick off the purists, but it's not like I'm taking a priceless artifact, (XKE) and destroying it. I'm building something I can jump in mash it to the floor and drive all day, and tomorrow do it again and again.
Hope you all will allow My craziness 89 Jacobra.
Last edited by 89 Jacobra; Dec 12, 2016 at 10:39 PM. Reason: Adding Pictures
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 26,736
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From: Tehama County, California, USA
Hello, Jack,
"Purists" live in a different world than those of us who are Pragmatic.
My Jaguar club would hardly talk to me if it wasn't for the fact they're desperate for members under the age of 50! They hear that 350 fire up and I see their shoulders drop; Until we get on the open road that is, and after following me for 50 miles they have a whole different attitude.
I *Like* Jacobra, and the best thing I like about it is it's BLACK!
Plenty of room for a 460 in there.
Welcome to the forums from ElinorB.
(';')
"Purists" live in a different world than those of us who are Pragmatic.
My Jaguar club would hardly talk to me if it wasn't for the fact they're desperate for members under the age of 50! They hear that 350 fire up and I see their shoulders drop; Until we get on the open road that is, and after following me for 50 miles they have a whole different attitude.
I *Like* Jacobra, and the best thing I like about it is it's BLACK!
Plenty of room for a 460 in there.
Welcome to the forums from ElinorB.
(';')
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 28,788
Likes: 11,269
From: Adelaide Stralia
Trending Topics
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 120,439
Likes: 17,004
From: Durham, UK
Welcome to the forum Jack,
Good to have you with us at Jaguar forums.
Follow this link XJS ( X27 ) - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to the XJS forum for help, advice and information. The 'HOW TO' thread at the top is a good place to start for information on regular issues.
Please remember to add vehicle details to your Signature to help others to give relevant advice. Go to the User CP button on the left of the top menu bar, then Settings & Options under Your Control Panel. Select Edit Signature and enter the details.
You can also visit the US Western Region forum by following this link US Western - 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.
Follow this link XJS ( X27 ) - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to the XJS forum for help, advice and information. The 'HOW TO' thread at the top is a good place to start for information on regular issues.
Please remember to add vehicle details to your Signature to help others to give relevant advice. Go to the User CP button on the left of the top menu bar, then Settings & Options under Your Control Panel. Select Edit Signature and enter the details.
You can also visit the US Western Region forum by following this link US Western - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to find other members in your region.
Enjoy the forums.
Graham
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 120,984
Likes: 6,648
From: PHX some of the time
Welcome to Jaguar Forums Jack,
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
