Hello,


Today or tomorrow I am going to check out a local 1995 XJR, also will get the VIN then. For now I have spoken to the owner who has had the car for a couple of years and does not have much information about its' past.








What puzzles me is the chrome window trim - were XJRs ever available with one? I have seen very few photos of such a combination on the net, admittedly the Motor Trend test car from the original 1995 review had it.


Also, the interior - mahogany instead of ash/black wood. The steering wheel is not from XJR either (swapped?).


Those things above - is this some kind of a conversion or special order? The car looks clean and original in the photos with an exception of the details I have mentioned, it has a clean registration and obligatory vehicle tech inspection passed.


Thanks a lot.


Sergio

 

That XJR has exactly the interior same options (wood trim on instrument panel, half-wood wheel, light-colored wood trim) as mine, although instead of the growler in the middle of the wheel, I just have "XJR" embossed in the leather, so that might be a swap. Chrome window surrounds were all we got in the American market; in fact, if it wasn't for the speedometer (kph only?), I would've guessed that this was a US-market XJR. The steering wheel center has me concerned though, but I'll let someone else speak to that if they have it in their XJR.

 

These minor XJR trim differences (there are quite a few) have been pretty well researched and sorted out in the past. Patterns emerged. I can't remember every detail but the consensus was they're nothing to be alarmed about. As I recall, the mysteries all came down A) to market differences and B) interior trim code.

For example, XJRs with xyz-trim code got the "Growler" steering wheel. XJRs with abc-trim code got the "XJR" steering wheel. That sort of thing.

Some archives searches will reveal several long discussions !

Cheers
DD

 

Hello guys,


Thank you very much for the answers. I went to see the car, the VIN is legit and it is a European car. The speedo is in kph. Also, just as it looks in the photos - everything is just too well put together to be an amateur job. Also, I got a reply from JH saying:


"The USA XJR had chrome window surrounds and also had the Walnut veneer as an option with Cream interior. The only anomaly would be the steering wheel, it should be embossed XJR. None of the features mentioned were available for UK specification XJRs."


So I am happy with that. I am surprised that even the steering wheel could be with the growler instead of the XJR embossed inscription. Now this is really surprising! Labcoatguy, is the centre of your wheel in the trim coloured leather or black?


I have looked through the forums briefly, it is just that I was in a hurry to get some answers before going to see the car last night. But now I will study the subject more in depth. I was just afarid that I was going to see a car made up of several others, but no, everything is fine with it.

 

My steering wheel is black leather rather than matching the rest of the interior.


The matte black ski slope is definitely not original though, as I can see dark wood in places where the paint is peeling away.

 

Thank you Ski slope - I am starting to learn the terms.

 

It's not difficult to change the airbag for a version with a growler, or it could have been a special order from the factory. What's more important is that there is a supercharger under the bonnet and it isn't a regular XJ6!

Otherwise a nice looking car, and the cupholder even looks like it's sitting in the proper position. Those frequently break and stay open.

 

That looks like a really lovely car - great color and pretty unusual.

As Doug said:

"A) to market differences and B) interior trim code." And also add : C) It's British, so whatever was on the shelf / whoever was on the line that day!

Truly, an X300 with a matching wood steering wheel is a rarity. I don't know if I've ever actually seen one... There's seemingly endless hues and personalities of veneer but only a few different wheels out there.

Also, the '95 was the only year with wood window switch trim - another bonus of that great car. Hope you go for it!

 

It's also interesting that you don't have the XJR seats either.

I see yours is a 5 speed conversion. Curious, does it have the XJR supercharged engine?

.

 

Yup, it definitely has that, and also the dual fuel pumps in the gas tank that the proper XJR has; the VIN also confirms that it's an XJR. Given how some parts of the interior were broken or not very well installed when I bought the car, though, I suspect that a previous owner did some swapping on the inside.

 

Yes, it is an XJR, the VIN confirms that and well, it goes as it should, if you know what I mean.
You have been very helpful guys. All my questions stem from my previous mainly german car experience where everything is much stricter defined and set in stone so to say, so all this is exotic for me. And yes, I will probably go for that car. Have to check it out the bottom parts, as there was some knocking when going over the bumps from one of the rear wheels.

 

Likely upper rear shock bushes

 

Thank you! Would that affect the camber in any way? I was driving behind the guy and that wheel seemed to have a bit of a negative camber to it as compared to the other wheel.


The guy passed the compulsory technical inspection dictated by the state and usually they are quite picky about things. So they saw/heard it, of course, and they passed him fine, saying the same thing - that probably it was the bush.

 

If you can jack up the rear wheels, you check the source of the camber by seeing if the wheel flexes or moves from the 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock position and reverse.

At one time, I had looseness in the out shaft of my rearend / differential that resulted in excess camber on one side.

 

double post

 

Thanks for the advice, Lee. I am planning to inspect the car on the lift one of these days and will try that.