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Gang, I'm prepping my 94 XJ12 for paint, I'd like to know how easy it is to remove the emblems and mid line trim piece between the door handle and the lower body line (the top one will be removed completely and holes welded).
I'm not sure that your trim piece is "genuine Jaguar." I have never seen one that high. But I am human and prone to faults. If it is not, then it is probably just on by 2 sided tape which will peel off rather easily. I think that the "factory" ones lower down (about midway on the body) are sticky taped on too though. And the leaper on the fender is on by 3(?) holes so a simple matter of a bit of tack welding and grinding smooth. Good luck!
I'm pulling the upper off, it's aftermarket. The lower appears genuine.
Well, maybe it's aftermarket; mine certainly isn't and even one of my 87 parts cars had the same factory molding.
VDP's and other high end cars (like the 12) seem to have that molding.
The small black and silver leaper badge on each fender/wing should pry off. I’ve replaced one on a 94 XJ12 and a SIII and they had two pins that push into the fender and some double sided tape, but no screws or nuts holding the back of it. I used a plastic pry tool to get between the body or the rubber gasket and the badge.
The ‘V12’ badge on the fender is not stock/factory so hopefully the previous owner just used tape to affix it. The chrome wheels arches would not be from the factory either. I’ve seen them glued on or held in with screws.
Just based on my knowledge, I don’t think the chrome and body color trim running along the middle of the doors and front fender is from the factory or a Jaguar option. Seems like a lot of N. America dealers added them to add to the sales price and profit margin and they were usually riveted on. I wanted to remove them from an XJS I owned until I realized they were rivited, and would require welding the holes and a paint job.
I don’t know how that upper chrome trim or coachlines attached. My XJ12 didn’t have them. But I agree with Lawrence that those were offered from the factory, usually on the VDP.
The small black and silver leaper badge on each fender/wing should pry off. I’ve replaced one on a 94 XJ12 and a SIII and they had two pins that push into the fender and some double sided tape, but no screws or nuts holding the back of it. I used a plastic pry tool to get between the body or the rubber gasket and the badge.
The ‘V12’ badge on the fender is not stock/factory so hopefully the previous owner just used tape to affix it. The chrome wheels arches would not be from the factory either. I’ve seen them glued on or held in with screws.
Just based on my knowledge, I don’t think the chrome and body color trim running along the middle of the doors and front fender is from the factory or a Jaguar option. Seems like a lot of N. America dealers added them to add to the sales price and profit margin and they were usually riveted on. I wanted to remove them from an XJS I owned until I realized they were rivited, and would require welding the holes and a paint job.
I don’t know how that upper chrome trim or coachlines attached. My XJ12 didn’t have them. But I agree with Lawrence that those were offered from the factory, usually on the VDP.
Thanks, all the V12 badging got tossed in the bin as soon as I bought the car. The upper moldings had screws in them on the leading edge of each panel they attach to so the holes will need to be filled. The other others if riveted will be taped off as I don't want to damage them.
Some pictures of the progress, Leaper and fender badging removed and the car is 80% sanded after today. I had to fix a small dent on the rear quarter which I will sand tomorrow.
The small black and silver leaper badge on each fender/wing should pry off. I’ve replaced one on a 94 XJ12 and a SIII and they had two pins that push into the fender and some double sided tape, but no screws or nuts holding the back of it. I used a plastic pry tool to get between the body or the rubber gasket and the badge.
The ‘V12’ badge on the fender is not stock/factory so hopefully the previous owner just used tape to affix it. The chrome wheels arches would not be from the factory either. I’ve seen them glued on or held in with screws.
Just based on my knowledge, I don’t think the chrome and body color trim running along the middle of the doors and front fender is from the factory or a Jaguar option. Seems like a lot of N. America dealers added them to add to the sales price and profit margin and they were usually riveted on. I wanted to remove them from an XJS I owned until I realized they were rivited, and would require welding the holes and a paint job.
I don’t know how that upper chrome trim or coachlines attached. My XJ12 didn’t have them. But I agree with Lawrence that those were offered from the factory, usually on the VDP.
IIRC the chrome upper trim was fitted to late North American spec XJ12s at the factory, with only the earlier XJ81 XJ12s not being fitted with it. I'm fairly sure I read that in the Jaguar Cars 'Supplementary model information' CDROM which the Jaguar-Daimler heritage trust used to sell years back which I also seem to have lost. These late N.American XJ12s often seem to be fitted with 'ruched' leather too. This was an expensive cost-option in the UK and is genuinely rare here, but seems to be fitted on late XJ12s sold in the USA so frequently I suspect it may have been standard in your market on late cars. Does your car have the 'ruched' leather? Unfortunately I wish I could be more specific and post up the actual document to support my theory - but I do believe the upper chrome trim was fitted to your XJ12 at the factory.
I also agree with Noah and don't think the chrome and body color trim running along the middle of the doors and front fender is from the factory. These seem to be very common on North American cars, but IIRC they were a dealer-fit option and riveted to the door.
I quick Google of XJ12s offered for sale in the USA would tend to support my recollection that the upper chrome strip is factory-fitted on later XJ12s - and the chrome/body colour strip down the middle of the car is dealer-fit:
Thanks, the upper chrome strip is now gone. It may have been original or dealer installed (no idea) but between the lower strip and the pin stripes, I had 3 body lines across the side of the car and it looked silly. When the car is repainted, I plan on leaving the pin strips and the chrome arches off. The interior has gathered leather (not sure if that's what you mean). So does my 94 XJS V12.
Yes I do mean the gathered leather. Jaguar called this 'ruched' leather and (on the XJ40/XJ81) it it was only ever fitted to the late Daimler/VDP cars and the late XJ12. It was an expensive cost option in the UK but may well have been standard on your car. The upper stainless steel strip is original and not dealer installed - I'm sure of that. Of course if you don't like it then it's sensible to remove it, but it isn't how the car will have come from the factory.
Just to add to this discussion, our U.S.-spec '93 VDP did not have the stainless steel body trim, but it did have lower rubber "bump protection" moldings with chromed upper edges that were positioned in line with the tops of the bumpers:
Our '83 Sovereign had the same moldings:
When the moldings on my '93 began to deteriorate I tried to purchase new ones, but by then they were NLA. My recollection was that the local dealer told me these had been offered by Jaguar as dealer-installed options. I removed the moldings using Nylon fishing line like a cheese-cutter to work the molding off of the double-sided tape, then used a hair dryer to warm the tape so it could be peeled off of the body. I cleaned the moldings and sanded away the flaking plastic chrome, then painted the previously chromed strips with metallic silver paint made for painting plastic. It looked surprisingly good and held up really well.
Thanks all, as I was removing the rear bumper, I found a ton of water in the boot of the car that smelled like it's been there a while. Any idea where it's coming in from?
Thanks all, as I was removing the rear bumper, I found a ton of water in the boot of the car that smelled like it's been there a while. Any idea where it's coming in from?
Very common points of water ingress into the trunk are the fuel filler neck rubber gaiter and the radio antenna rubber grommet. Look for damage to the rubber in those areas and confirm that the radio motor housing drain tube has not become detached.
Personal opinion on the trims ...upper (mine) and lower (Don's) suit the lines of the car very well ...mid-line molding, not so much -although would help in parking lots I guess.
So after two years, i finally got around to putting this thing back together again and taking it home. So many projects. It's hard to keep focused on one car and get anything doen.
Don, she drives really well. I was very concerned as it sat for almost two years. I may need new front shocks because the ride is more like a cadillac. I'm not sure if this is by design but it seems a little too soft for me.
Prepping my 94 XJ12 for paint
