I was asked by my Taiwanese friend to help organise his fleet of Jaguars, especially to pen up a plan of action for the 4 spare cars he has.
So I took off with Edward, his staff member, for a 2 day mission to the south of the island, starting in a Topaz colored Daimler S/C.



This car has power problems, but drives beautifully, and is in for some mayor repairs next month after we receive parts.
400 km in 4 hours, super relaxed, and the very first time I was a passenger in “my own type” of car …



Once arrived, a quick inspection of 3 of the 4 spare cars (the other an X300 XJR in an other location).
3x X308 N/A, two of them long wheel base, the other a base SWB, all in not the best of shape, but plenty of parts to remove for future use.



After that, lunch time, so off with a very well maintained X300 Vanden Plas to the harbor area, the very same area where my ancestors landed and stayed for a brief period of time loooong time ago.





With a full stomach of the best beef and beef fried rice I had in years, back to the cars.
Did a quick inspection of the running cars, including a just restored X300 XJR, several nice Daimler S/C’s, and as a plus 2 nice F-types from the neigbour.





Sun was shining, so off we went further south to a Jaguar specialised garage to pick up some parts.
Decided to take the very first Daimler he accuired, a Racing Green S/C.



At the shop, wandering between walls of parts is where the kid really came out … if this place only was closer to where I live …





Then, after a good local dinner and overnight stay back to the North in the just refurbished and repainted ‘Lexus-red’ Daimler.
My first real drive in a S/C, and yes, I can imagine what it is all about, absolute beautiful and smooth power supply.
That said, if you are not in a hurry and follow speed limits (with camera’s here everywhere), I think my N/A drives a tat more comfortable, bit less hanging on the accelerator, more lazy …






Everyone who has ever been to Taiwan knows that it is covered with convenience stores, and they are great places for a rest and refreshment.



Finally, checking on the last car of the trip, the XJ40 of Edward himself, just back from the 2017 Jaguar meeting, and with the decals of it still on the side.





After that, just back to the cold and rainy North, totally satisfied, and ready for an other trip soon.

 

Awesome !

 

WOW, what a superb collection, THANKS for sharing!

Many of my 'car guy' friends think I have an unhealthy obsession with Jaguars and I guess to some extent that's true. But seeing posts like this, other than making me feel all warm inside, let me know it could be worse - lol!

 

Quite an interesting collection of cars there, someone clearly likes the X308 more than me! I didn't realise the Jaguar brand was so popular in Asia, I'm impressed. It's nice to see they're stored safely under cover and not left in the weather though.

If I was able to accommodate another X308 I'd have an XJR in a heartbeat.

 

Oh, you should have been the other kid in the same store ... that is less than half of the running cars in my pictures.

There is also a blue XJR, and alpine green Daimler, a blue Daimler, a seafrost Daimler, all x308, all S/C, and several with the only option I really still want to have in my car, the Captains Seats.
And I still guess I miss 1 or 2 ...

As they show so nice on pictures, some more:

 

What an experience. Wish I was with!

 

We're all really jealous, Eric, but grateful that you took the time to share your incredible experience and post the great photos!

Cheers,

Don

 

Well, nothing to be jealous at, they are not my cars .

Besides, it once again proved to me that even if I could, I don't want such fleet of cars.
It is simply impossible to keep them up to date, unless you hire someone for a full time job.

After this trip, I am even more happy with my single, but 99% perfect Vanden Plas .... although that X300 looked tempting haha ....

 

Amazing!

 

Absolutely epic! Very cool

 

The trunk is loaded .... tools, jack, stands, and a whole lot more.....

Will take the best of all cars here (my own...), and drive south tomorrow morning for a week of taking 3 of the 4 spare cars apart.
Going to be a hell of a job, but will be fun!

 

So many Solar wheels!!

I couldn't find any near me for my car.

Rob

 

Looks like you had one great trip, thanks for sharing

 

Sounds like a good week, I'd enjoy that. It's surprising how quickly you can strip an X308 down, especially if you work methodically and keep your work spaces clean. However I've never managed that LOL

 

Can he donate just one black center consul cover or a fuse box cover

 

I don't mind to help out if I can, but I am on the other side of the globe, that's not really practical.
There are several part-finder sites in the US, use one of those, there must be plenty.

 

So down to the South we went, 5AM in the car, to have at least the afternoon to make a start.
This time of the year, the north of Taiwan suffers periods with lots of rain.
But once we passed the middle of the Island, the sun was out, and it was a beautiful 4 hour drive, plus a camping-style breakfast stop.





Upon arriving, and an other careful inspection of each of the 3 part cars, we decided to disassemble the blue 3.2L, and send it to the scrapyard.
Car was in such horrible condition that besides the basics and the wood-set (surprisingly nice), there was not much to desire for.













The black 3.2L was in a better condition (although also suffered a catastrophic overheating), so we disassembled most, but kept the body and its body parts under a neat cover, at least for a while).

The green 3.2L (although with >350k km on the gauge) was by far the nicest of the 3, still pretty smooth and strong, and we decided to keep it in a running condition for a while.

The owner of these cars is in the process of establishing a Jaguar service center for classic cars, and those 2 will be the perfect initial supply of parts when needed.



With 3 days working from early morning till 9PM (they call it a hobby, right? ), I awarded myself on a early morning ride in a 1996 XJR, 90% restored, just 70k kms, and I fell in love ...
Maybe not very refined, but just raw power, beautiful dark wood, light interior, a wet dream ...



Then finally, on the way back, we passed a friend working in car tools.
As all this stuff is made in Taiwan, he arranged a Jaguar timing kit for us.
Wandering through his showrooms full of stuff, there was an other moment of the kid and the store .





Finally, we passed the 4th parts car, also a x300R, but with a blown engine.
We will disassemble this car next month, and the 4 rims will be my little award for all this work ... to be used on my XJ-S once running again.

 

The escapade continues !

 

And so we went for a third time, finishing up all pending issues.

First down to the south to pick up the Topaz Daimler, which is scheduled for service to tackle the Supercharger boost problems.



Then pick up the spare wheels from the junked blue x308, always amazed about the total mess these junk yards are here.



Then back to the middle of the island to collect an other spare car from its previous owner, and prepare it for transport to the south.

My friend, the owner of all these cars, is in the middle of establishing a Jaguar service center, and these 'cheap' spare cars will be a useful part source for his own, and other owner's cars.



Also took the opportunity to deliver my own old VDP rims halfway to its new owner, who drove up and picked them up.



Then, finally, the reward for all the work done in the last weeks, switching the rims on a dead XJR, and bringing them home for my XJ-S.
Found a full spare in the trunk, and having 5 of them makes me very happy.









Then finally, as a closure to these crazy trips, delivered the Topaz car to the service garage, and appreciating an other, absolutely mint Daimler in one of the most beautiful colors I have ever seen.

 

The saga continues !