Hi there!

My XJ6 sport needs a leaper... All XJs need leapers... They match the car perfectly. So I bought one



Now, I don't know how far back the leaper sat. European cars never came with them from factory, but the US cars did. How far back from the front edge of the hood/bonnet is the leaper FOOT (the base) mounted?

Can anyone measure up? I'd like to fit it in the original position

Cheers!

Damien

 

Hi Daim,

There may have been a standard mounting position depending on the size of the leaper being installed, but since many leapers were installed by dealer service technicians or owners, their positions seem to vary.

One mistake some owners have made is to install the leaper too far forward, so that when the hood/bonnet is opened the leaper's nose comes into contact with the grille. So part of your process should be to fully raise the hood and note the minimum distance from the front edge of the hood that the leaper can be mounted and not touch the grille. I applied masking tape to the hood so I could make marks on the tape to indicate where the holes would need to be drilled. This is definitely a job where you'll want to measure three times before you drill!

Also, you may find that there is a central rib welded to the underside of the hood that you'll need to drill a larger hole in so you can fit the fastener that secures the leaper.

Cheers,

Don

 

As Don stated, the leaper sits far enough back to clear the grill when the hood is opened up. From memory, I think the nose of the leaper only sits less than half an inch from the grill when the hood is opened. I would think that measuring that distance (from the leaper nose to the grill) would be the easiest way as you'll be able to tell if it's too far up front or too far back.

I'll try to get a picture of my leaper with the hood open for reference

 

I've always assumed mine was factory fitted, but it may have been done by the dealer, who knows! Either way I think they got it right, the leaper itself is 130mm long nose to tail and the nose clears the top edge of the grille by 30mm with bonnet open. I agree that too far forward could create issues, equally I've seen them set too far back, which aesthetically spoils the look completely. Hope the pics help.

Cheers,

 

There is a hole for the leaper nut in the centre of the front strut
See attachment I've put a big arrow on where it needs to go, just measure from the centre of this hole to the front of the bonnet and transfer this measurement to the outside (with masking tape) and drill.
You will need a step dril to get the hole big enough.

 

From looking at the base of your leaper it looks like it was installed at the dealer and not the factory. I think that is the leaper for an xj40 and not an x300.

Below are what my leaper looks like and also the distance from the front grill with the hood closed and opened.

This is on my XJ6 which has the Jaguar logo on the grill as opposed to my XJR that doesn't have the Jaguar logo on the grill but I think the leaper is the same distance

 

Now THAT helps me a lot! That will make sure the leaper is mounted in the correct position! Cheers for that mate!

 

I think the reality is there is no set configuration for the leaper that applies worldwide for any of the XJ series. The leaper seems to have been available in a range of sizes and plinth styles (most likely for retro fitment) on different XJ models in different markets E.G. I'm looking at an XJ40 Sovereign which has a leaper similar to yours with the elongated plinth but squared off at the front like mine. Not sure what mine is off with the shorter plinth, but it seems to me there was no factory standard for XJ40 or X300 leapers. Very many of them have no leaper at all. Also XJR's, here at least, did not have them factory fitted.

I've heard it said previously that the MKII from the '60's was the last model to have the leaper as standard fitment. Given the inconsistencies since then I reckon that's probably right!

 

Another interesting note, you mention that on your 97 XJR you don't have the "growler" on your grill, as you do on your XJ6.

On my 97 XJR, I have both the "leaper" on the hood and the "growler" on the grill. Based on various photos of "Titanium" colored 97 XJRs, this seems typical.

Of course on the 97 XJR in "Titanium" the normally body colored grill and other trim for the XJR are chrome as on an XJ6. So maybe that's why?

Again, interesting variances....

.

 

Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if that "growler" on the grill was removed by the previous owner. Is it just attached with adhesive?

The car was repainted so I'm not sure if that growler was there originally or if someone just forgot to put it back on