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I've already posted up a few times and found some great info. This looks to be a fun group. The F Type is a car that, like many of you, since the day I saw it, I wanted one. I honestly never thought I'd own one though. Didn't seem practical as a second car with a family. However having owned and customized Motorcycles, I had started building cars instead. This started almost a ten year run building Factory Five cars and really enjoying the people and experiences of a lifetime that came with building their kits.
There's nothing like building your own car and driving it. And that goes both ways...by that I mean that the good days are amazing but the bad days well, can really suck. There's no warranty, no dealers, no specialists to drive the car to so you learn to take responsibility for all of it. Still I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.
My latest FFR car was a '64 289 Cobra with a scratch built 331 stroker with Hilborn 8-stack Fuel Injection. Beautiful car and looked period correct as I built it with both EFI and Electric Power Steering (which I designed and still sell as a kit) which made it livable. 400HP and it weighed about 2200lbs so it was fast. However it was harder to troubleshoot the EFI and we had to rebuild the motor at 500 miles and I still don't know what happened.
Anywho, after fixing her all up I decided I really wanted to enjoy driving again without worrying about a failure. I also wanted my wonderful wife to have something she could drive as well. "What a 5sp 400HP Rocket on 2200lbs with no traction assist isn't ideal you say?" Well, right. So out with the Cobra and in with the Porsche Boxster!!!! Wait, ***pull the needle off the record!**..
Yeah, that was the plan. CPO Boxster. Why?? Because "Porsche, their is no substitute" is all I kept hearing in my head. And then I drove the Base boxster, and was promptly passed by a 12 year old kid in a Honda Civic while I pretty much pushed the right pedal through the firewall and into the frunk. It was kind of like a big Miata? Nothing on Porsche but with only 265HP it's the 914 of our era...for those who just have to say they own a Porsche.
Then I thought...Jaguar????.... nah too expensive...wait a second...maybe....prices have come down on CPO??? Safari on the iPhone worked fast and furious. Wait another second....I can get 340HP for 45K...with that shape.....and that sound (insert Jeremy Clarkson video) and a warranty? I wonder if the base model is as fast as the Porsche?? Queue amazing test drive with beautiful sales girl at the local Jag dealer and I was sold in the first 1/4 mile. It's been a while since I laughed that hard and grinned ear to ear while driving like I did that day but it showed me that it's still possible. (Yes, I was trying to stay cool in front of her but it lasted for about 30ft). The rest is history.
In the end, I looked at some other cars at $45K in different colors as that was the budget but they weren't that car I just drove. No, that car...we had something special... I could tell...Sooooo, I went up a notch to get the color I wanted with the active exhaust and a lower miles 13K (Hell that's hardly broken in!) all with the CPO warranty for 3 years and 100K. Around 50K was the number. At least, that's what I told the wife..and I sold the Cobra for $48 so not a bad flip.
So that's it. I'm loving driving again, and so is the wife!! The only problem is the wheel and tune mods that are keeping me up a nights!!
Welcome to the club. Don't ever expect to get posted gas mileage, you will develop lead foot and semi-permanent grin listening to that exhaust note.
You didn't say what year, but based on price it is probably 15. So it had few years since new, and with low miles and likely lease, PO might not have cared. Unfortunately AJ engine uses direct injection. Great tech, but side effect is that you sludge intake ports unless you religious about oil changes. So it is time for you to discover Oil Change Jesus. Change your engine oil frequently.
So that's it. I'm loving driving again, and so is the wife!! The only problem is the wheel and tune mods that are keeping me up a nights!!
Keep in mind a) tune will void your warranty b) there is number of bad F-type tuners out there that grenaded engines. Do your research, there are few vendors on this forum that have proven track records.
Keep in mind a) tune will void your warranty b) there is number of bad F-type tuners out there that grenaded engines. Do your research, there are few vendors on this forum that have proven track records.
Yes I've been reading up on the VAP tuning. Enticing and looks pretty solid.
Sweet ride! Enjoy! I know what you mean about getting hopelessly hooked on the test drive. That Cobra sounded sweet. Light and fast...a labor of love for sure. You’ll love how your new cat handles though. Congrats!
CRS
Depending on a use case. With my heavy track use I change oil 4 times a year or approximately every other track day or 10 hours of track use. I change oil filter 2 times a year or every other oil change. I do chemical intake clean once a year (since I don't have drip can to catch blow-by).
If you drive all highway miles always going speed limit with your left blinker on, then you can stick to the schedule. Anything else, reduce service interval by at least 30%.
I recently read through AJ133 training manual, and was surprised to see how many things controlled by oil pressure. For example, it has 3 chains each with separate tensioners, including high fuel pressure pump. These chains start to wear out with old or contaminated oil. Variable camshaft timing units require clean oil - "Angular phasing is achieved by the internal transfer of oil between the chambers of the phaser, via check valves, controlled by a hydraulic control valve". If you neglect oil on this car pretty much everything going to go to ****.
Sweet ride! Enjoy! I know what you mean about getting hopelessly hooked on the test drive. That Cobra sounded sweet. Light and fast...a labor of love for sure. You’ll love how your new cat handles though. Congrats!
CRS
The Cobra was sweet indeed. I actually ran it with cats too to keep it clean.
Last edited by ehansen007; Sep 29, 2017 at 11:14 AM.
How did my FNG thread get turned into a thread about Chameleon paint jobs? If you guys are f'ing with the FNG well then game on....I'm pretty good at photoshop.
Love the starter thread 007, brings back memories except I bought old Jags, as daily runners and of course worked on them most weekends. The last one, an XJ40, cracked a Valve, it took me 4 complete weekends, and a lot of evenings to get it running, during that time I thought FTS!! This is the last time. And it was. So I can empathize.
Anyway, moving on, enjoy your fantastic new ride, I'm sure you are!!
How did my FNG thread get turned into a thread about Chameleon paint jobs? If you guys are f'ing with the FNG well then game on....I'm pretty good at photoshop.
FNG (F Type New Guy) and proud Owner!!
