The X308 came with non chrome rear lights too, mine don't have any chrome on them.

If you're still interested in that steering wheel I have, please let me know. I'm going to Belgium tomorrow, so could post it from there to make it cheaper for you?

 

Right, but the X300 units had darker glass, and they have a light bulb for the second rear light where the X308 has an reflector only.

 

Mine did as well.. Just I don't like how "bright" and "clear" they are. I always prefered the standard X300 lights in dark...

Oh, and thanks for the offer. I will first be getting my old banger looking pretty again to make sure I can put more cash into it in future

 

The X300 lights just look soooo right mate! Just take a look... Boy I miss my old XJ6 Sport...




I actually prefer the X300 over the X308, just I have started to love that V8 and the 5 speed slush box more... Ideal would be an X300 interior and exterior with an X308 suspension and drivetrain

 

I'm sorta partial to those wheels. I have the same wheels on my black car only they've been chromed. If you're gonna go wild, I think Orange would be more appealing to the body lines and give that bold look you want. not emesis green.

 

Ok cool, the wheel isn't going anywhere if you do decide you want it.

Personally I like the clear lights on the 308, much crisper. I like only having the single tail light rather than the double of the 300, it's a retro touch. The X300 lights in my opinion just look dirty, they remind me of diesel cars who's lenses have become dirty from the fumes. But each to their own, it would be boring if we were all the same.

 

Daim, hard to admit, but I agree with you on the color of the rear lights of the X300 .
Especially on darker colored cars.
So much so that I tinted mine long time ago.

 

I would love to be able to tint mine... If I do it, I get in serious troubles with the rozzers. So I just ordered some good used black ones... They are legal

 

Well, I've just decided on my paint... Not going matt/flat green. Turns out, a simple "quick" car wash is "impossible". As it is technically illegal to wash your car on your property here in Germany, I need to be able to "throw" it through a normal mechanical car wash every so often. Wax will result in the paint discolouring...

I'm still going green but totally different and def. hate'able!

How does the saying go? "Haters gonna hate!"

 

More parts ordered... Holy banana! I think it might have been cheaper to buy a rear ended car!

-> front left inner wheel arch

 

Very spontanious purchase and delivery: 2 new upper shock absorber mounts from Meyle...

Was really a bargain. They normally sell for €164 (discounted!) a piece here... Got two for ~€100 from SNG. So, at least that job is now going to be done (after 2 1/4 years ) short notice.

Still waiting for the big parts to come, but at least the bumper mounts and mounting kits as well as the side markers (which look awesome in new!) habe arrived. The new rear window has been dropped off too. So, only need the big metal parts and to get the engine and tranny out and back in again and I am driving properly again! Yay!

 

Presents! Yay!

 

Yessssssss .......

 

Engine and tranny are now out on the front axle... So at long last a Jaguar exists which uses the subframe properly (okay, the predessor did too ). Next step: replace the ATF pipe which is damaged and it all goes back in again

 

Right, the engine is now ready for installation. All hoses have been sorted. Pipework replaced. The subframe brackets are now new, as they were badly worn and very soft (should remove a clonk my suspension would make going over slow bumps and a wobble at higher speeds - haha) as they were starting to delaminate (vulcanized rubber on metal brackets). The cross over pipe at the front is also new, as the old one cracked and was crumbling away. Cheap parts, yay! A new harness between power steering rack and body is also now in the car... New O2 sensors/lambda sonds also found their way onto the cats, as well as some new gaskets.

Only waiting for some rust to be repaired. No bad holes but just a nastily rusted surface. Could be better. The driver's side is a lot better looking, though I'll sand that off and also give it some care. Otherwise I'm ready to reinstall... Just need the new octopus hose for the heating system...

 

Sooo... Now just getting the finishing jobs done this week so the car starts and drives again so I'be been able to think about some new things to do.

My car will change it's model name... As I technically have an XJR just with a 3.2l NA instead of the 4.0l SC (interior has the XJR seats, wood, wheel, trim codes etc.) and as it is lower than a standard XJ, I thought it would be clever to rename it properly.

Currently it is an XJ Executive. Which was a better trim level than the XJ8. So I am going XJ Sport. Mainly because that is the only good looking badge with a black plinth. I could stick an XJR badge on but that would look weird. Or XJ Sport from an X300. But that also looks weird.

New badges (Jaguar as well as XJ Sport) are already at mine. Just need to spray the car!

 

Moving along now... The engine is, as I have said already, in the engine bay. All wired up (apart for the LPG system) and all hoses (apart from the radiator and aircon) are connected. The octopus hose was the worst of all, as it just won't sit right but I managed to fit it without it rubbing on anything... It isn't perfect but it'll do me...

The new shock absorber mounts are fitted and were urgently needed. They were crumbly on the outside AND inside. Worse inside... I thought I'd get a few more miles out of them... Nope! They just fell apart as I dropped them by accident.

The rust hole has been patched and sealed for life. The driver's side has been derusted (just surface) and has had the same treatment done. So that should last a few years to come. Doesn't look perfect but luckily it is in the wheel well... So it doesn't bother me.

Otherwise I am moving along... Not as fast as I would like to, but Friday I should at least to a high possibility have the car running again... At least I hope so!










First time it has been on all 4 wheels for a long time and also the first time the bonnet has been closed...




I started to paint a part to see if my desired colour would pop and I think it actually pops really well



Then checked to see if my grill is actually okay... Has some rust under the paint, so I took it to be sandblasted. So that will get a coat of paint soon...



Also my new badges arrived... YAY! Black for the win!




I have also got some plans for my rear lights... Well, for the new darker rear lights. And other parts... I guess it will still be a few weeks before my old man is looking as I hope he should!

 

Dunno about you guys, but my car is alive again! Yes, started basically at the first flick of the (Ford derived) switch!

Didn't like the idea of running at first though, as the AJ26 (the early Jaguar V8) doesn't like a short run. Means it suffers from bore wash (no compression for no real reason) and will then, once you just hold the starter for a while, will cough itself back to life, of course with clouds of smoke! But when it was there, the idle was PURRfect haha... Jaguar pun... Tranny is now all refilled and ready to rumble. The Audi parts make it shift fantastically. More clutches, quicker shift times, less judder more comfort... Not much off a DCT to be honest!





So, here is a quick clip of the car running and of course some exhaust grunt As it must be...

 

Moving right along, nice !

 

Busy me... First part has now got a coat of the new colour and: me likey