Very sad for you my friend,hope it don't cost too much to repair,could say some things about so called kids but better not,
Take Care
Andy

 

Thank you Andy. Unhappily looks like I will have to pay for repairs myself, as ins. wants to write it off, due to low book value of this my2000 model. Not going to happen !! She is far too good for that.

 

Seriously? They write it off for this? That's crazy, and I should fight it.
Glad to see you don't let her go for this, good luck!

 

Let them write it off then ask if you can keep the car.
Insurance companies do this all the time. It's cheaper for them to let you keep it then it is for them to PAY to scrap it.

 

They've changed the system in this country now Rpach. They now give you a list of repairers they deal with, you choose one, they deal direct with them. You don't even get to know the estimate amount. They then use a scrapper on their lists, and have a price deal from the scrapper to take it. All done and dusted. Rather pay the damage myself. Already spent far too much on this car to let them do that. She's a beauty, and I want to keep her.

 

Just put the new wheels on.

Before:



After:

 

Now that is a different looking car!

 

That jag looks like it's ready for some drag slicks and a shot of NOS awesome!

I didn't do much to my jag today except for looking into the crank pulley issue which I started a thread on a couple days back. Ordered some parts, got an email that some parts shipped, pestered a distributor about parts that haven't gone out yet, and received a part. All for the XJR. At least most of those things are <$40 small parts orders but it adds up...

The part I got in today was a earlier-style oil pickup tube, I noticed it had a bit of a rattle so I shook it a bit and some scrap pieces of tensioner fell out

 

My car's been patiently waiting for it's time in the only paint shop in my area that I trust (for monthes now). Today I get the call that he(the painter) has broken his arm. Go figure lol.

 

Ever since I have my new rims, which are way more open than the originals, I have been slightly bothered by the look of the OEM calipers.

Last week, with the front wheels off, I cleaned them up to some satisfaction, but their casting is rough and I have no doubt they will get dirty soon again, and I don't think that painting them will really help.

So, to my shame, I have been looking at those cheap plastic Brembo covers.
Considered some mounting alternatives (definitely not going to glue them), and finally even found some plain ones (without the Brembo lettering), where a Jaguar decal could fit.
But never got to the point where I was enthusiastic about all this.

So yesterday common sense prevailed, and instead ordered a set of 4 MGP covers.
You can design them to your own ideas, and I played a bit with their customizing tool which can have some cool results.
However, at the end I settled for a set of 'standard' red ones, with silver JAGUAR lettering front and rear.

I will most likely drill the fake holes, and add some Allen head bolts instead.
Someone on the XK8 forum did that, and it looks so much better after doing that.

Now waiting for the postman to ring.

 

There's a company in the uk called Bigg Red Calipers and they specialise in caliper repair, restoration and colouring. One of the things they offer is anodising of your calipers to keep them looking box fresh. They will also colour your calipers.
I've actually got a car set of calipers which I'm going to take my time cleaning up and painting myself, I've found a nice RAF blue caliper paint that goes with my car well.

Eric, would you not consider doing the Calipers on your car silver or black with red text? I think that would look subtlety cool.

 

Well, we don't have such service here, and from what I have heard and seen, just a paint job does not last long.

On the caliper covers, I actually selected the silver Brembo ones, as I thought the red ones were even more over the top of fake-isnesh ...
Still glad I never bought them.

However, MGP only has red or black, or you will need to pay a 100 dollar more, so I choose to match my center caps.

The double Five wheels have a quite large center section, and I am rather sure that the red part exposed is just a fine and decent accent, nothing eye catching.
We will see...

 

Eric:
I made my own.
I bought the caliper painting kit from rust-o-leum and pained the calipers. I put 3 coats on the caliper of red. I then bought the Jaguar logos and appiled them to the calipers in the correct position.
Once that was done, I clear-coated the calipers with 4 coats.
Yes, this was done on a re-built caliper before I installed it in the car.
But they look great. No covers. what you see are the actual calipers.

 

I of course thought about it, but I have simply too much work on my XJ-S.

What I like about the MGP covers is that they are smooth and simple, and they could have easily been a Jaguar part if caliper-look was anything of fashion back in those days.
And by cleaning them in the same fashion as the rims, they will remain clean and shiny, or so I hope.
Oh yah, and they don't have the godforsaken fake Brembo name on it .

 

I shoveled mine out today.

 

Took her into repairers yesterday. Hopefully have her back and looking good again by the weekend. Can't wait.

 

Well while in Phoenix I detailed the car for the first time since buying it. Afterward I took it to a weekly car show and to my surprise drew a lot of attention. I answered a few questions then ran across a really cool XKE.

 

Did my first "short-interval" oil change after 1100 miles. Dropped the oil pan so I could replace the pickup tube, the previous one was broken at the "crown" intake part. Spent a can of brakleen and a half hour scrubbing powdery metallic sludge from the bottom of my oil pan Got all of that out, stuck a little magnet on the drain plug just to be safe. Hoping it was only from the crank pulley spinning on the crank, but still worried that all that dust was floating around the engine and machining the cylinder walls and other important things away, and that there might still be some in there...

 

Cut open you oil filter that came out. See how much of those particles have been picked up by the filter. I would keep an eye on it and do another short oil change. I don't think the metal from the balancer problem would get in the oil. If it did I think your front seal would be leaking.

 

Well, the covers from MPG came in, and I just installed them.
Heads up for a supplier, the packaging and instructions all look very professional.
Can't be happier with the result, it all came out just as I was hoping for.

One day I will drill the 'bit silly' bolt holes and add some heads in them, but for now they are about the icing on the cake.