Well, I purchased my first Jaguar two days ago, and Im in the process of fully sorting it out, and getting it home. My wife and I have a bad habit of buying old cars on the other side of the country and driving them home, and perhaps this thread can document that. If it should be somewhere else, let me know, but I figured the Series XJ folks would be the most interested.

We took the Victoria Clipper ferry up to Victoria, BC to purchase the car, and drove it home that night. Here it is in the MV Coho ferry from Victoria, BC to Port Angeles, WA:




I still haven't made my mind up if the Dayton wire wheels will stay, or if I am going to put the original steelies back on. I'm leaning towards the steelies, but they Daytons sure are nice and smooth!

The car has obviously been well cared-for, but it needs some minor TLC to sort out various small things. To begin, I had to sort out why the headlights were not working. Same for the dash lights. The fuel selector switch is only half-there, and the system has been hard-wired to run off the RH side only. Lots of cleaning switches, dielectric grease, and the like. I think I have a list a mile long of minor things that need doing. Got the Map Light working, though:

 

After a day off, spent with my friend in Seattle and his family, plus some time spent giving the car a once-over, I hopped in and wound up in Albany, OR.


It drives well, and is comfortable, though I think I need an alignment to help with directional stability. The sunroof is really nice, and I look forward to having it in the summer to let hot air out of the car, but it sure does introduce a lot of noise into the cabin!


Tomorrow I will pick up some supplies and continue south to the Bay Area. Hopefully my schedule will allow for a detour out to the coast instead of hammering down the freeway the whole way!

 

Sounds like a fun road trip and looks like a beautiful car! Always loved the front end on those Series 1s! Can't wait to take mine for a little road trip once I have everything fixed up to be roadworthy (:

 

That Series 1 looks in ace order, and cherished by it owner(s). Hope you have lots of fun with it.

 

Nice S1. I've got a '71 S1 also. The body and interior look a lot better than mine from the pics. I say put the stock steel wheels with hub caps and dress rims back on if you have them. Vinyl roof + sunroof is a nice extra. The US spec side markers always look like a bit of an afterthought to me, are you allowed to get rid of them?. Thankfully we got the UK spec cars over here in Aus with the clean side profile. Look forward to more pics good luck with the resto. Davo

 

Realy nice S/1 i also have a 71 4.2 manual with O/D' but my original seat were scruffy so i fitted S/3 seats also fitted series 3 head with tripple S/U carbs.
I like your red upholstery and the original wheels will look good.
Enjoy the rest of your trip.
Cheers Ray

 

Thank you for the kind words! The car is in good shape, and has indeed been well cared for.



All of the big stuff (body, driveline, etc) seems to be in good order, but I found a lot of the little things wanting:

1. Headlights inoperative (loose +12V wire, now fixed.)
2. Sidelights unpredictable (petrified dielectric grease in the switch, now fixed.)
3. Fuel system hard-wired to RH tank and pump (I just sorted this out in the hotel parking lot this evening: half the switch was missing! Now I need to verify that the LH tank isn't full of garbage before using it...).
4. Map light inoperative (bad bulb, now fixed.)
5. Driver's Door switch inoperative (Interior lights don't come on with door open).
6. Heated rear window switch not receiving power (Just noticed this evening)
7. LH panel light for central gauges intermittent (Now fixed. Brass brush and bending contacts on the bulb resolved this one).
8. Burned ground trace on the central gauge cluster (I did this myself, don't ask. Fixed it this morning.)
9. The white switched circuit (the one that comes on with the key in the middle position) has been disconnected from the fuse panel and replaced with a wire run directly to the battery. It looks like that was likely done at the same time an old analog cell phone was installed? I plan to remedy this, as the turn signals, blower fans, and various other bits all work even with the key off.
10. Heater fan only worked in Low setting (Cleaned switch. Now working).
11. Windshield washer pump inoperative (I'll have to order one up).
12. Dash lights inoperative (Wires disconnected from switch, now fixed.).
13. Bad ground on LH outer headlight (Temporarily fixed with jumper wire).
14. LH Inner headlight inoperative (banging on it resolved that one!).
15. RH Inner headlight inoperative (Ground wire disconnected. Now fixed.).
16. Turn signal switch is floppy, but generally works, even flash-to-pass.
17. No vacuum line to distributor for vac advance (where does it connect?).
18. Needs a battery tie-down installed (I think most of the pieces are in the trunk).
19. Radio not fully functional (currently only working on the RR channel, and intermittently at that). The radio in there right now is a mid-'80s Radio-Shack special. I'd like to source a period correct deck to replace it. What would the factory original radio be?
20. I have a "Cold" control knob (is this for A/C?), but after taking apart the console, it seems that it is just a dummy control that is not hooked up to anything.
21. Latch on the sunroof is loose. Hopefully it can be tightened back down.
22. Vacuum switch on air intake disconnected (opens the flap to draw air from the exhaust manifold)
23. Oil leak near filler. Could be valve cover or perhaps something else?
24. The back of the gauge glass needs a good cleaning.
25. The clock does not work.
26. The speedometer reads about 25% too high (likely the angle drive).
27. The radiator hoses could use a renewal.
28. The kickdown mechanism for the transmission is inoperative. How does this normally work?
29. A trillion other little things like that.

Also, what is the white item on the left here, and what should be connected to the bottom outlet (note the piece of deteriorated hose still sitting in the bracket to the right)?:



Even with all the little things needing attention, I'm still quite happy. I mean, I jumped in the car and drove it 920+ miles in the last three days with no major incidents. In fact, she didn't even blink! This was today:



Lots of really, really beautiful country (including Mt. Shasta, which really snuck up on me. I turned the corner and...BAM! There it was!). The car also is ever so well-suited for the highway. These two details combined for a really nice drive.



On I-5, I found myself driving through miles of orchards in full bloom on both sides of the road. The smell was out of this world:



Resting at the hotel after a long day:





Tomorrow I will go through some remaining details, then meet some friends in the area, before putting the car in storage and flying back home to NH. My wife and I plan to come back in a month or two and ferry her down to Austin, TX, or thereabouts.

Tom
(who needs to find someone to buy his MGC. The driveway is full, and a Jag is one the way!)

 

Orchards in bloom. Snow still on the ground here.
Ho hum.
Good write up, thanks.
What will be the total travelled when she gets home?

 

Whatever the XJ6 cost, it was worth the purchase price for that trip alone.

Graham

 

Well, this will be my last update on this thread for a while. Today was a short day, distance-wise, but I met up with a friend, sorted some things out, and found alternate storage after a sudden change of plans. The car is now snuggled in a warehouse awaiting my return in a month or two.



Last night I was able to restore the proper function of the fuel selector switch, the blower motor switch, and the Interior lighting switch. The wiper switch is still iffy, but there are so many wires attached that I didn't dare touch it without a bit more time available to me.

Now that I had a functional fuel selector switch, I found the fuel pumps (one Ecco, one SU), verified that the LH tank wasn't full of sludge, and ran the car for a while on the LH tank. I'm still surprised by the sheer amount of fuel on board when both tanks are full!



I was able to confirm that the tax disc in my paperwork folder does, indeed, match the UK plates I found in the trunk! Pretty neat, and makes me wonder if the car was originally picked up by the first owner in the UK. The car was made in June, though. Would it have sat for over a month before being picked up?





Now I need to consolidate a few lists of parts and services needed, plus find a time to come back out and start part 2.

Tom

 

Nice write up. Glad you made it back.

 

So, I am in the process of planning the next leg of the trip. Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Perhaps a place to store the car in Austin?

Here's what I am thinking right now: Hayward, CA to Austin, TX - Google Maps

This trip basically takes us from San Francisco, into Big Sur, and across to Bakersfield. From there to Flagstaff, and then up through northern Arizona to the Grand Canyon and the four-corners area. On to Clovis, NM, and ending in Austin, TX, where I would plan to store the car for another month or two.

After that, I would hope to go through Dallas and Arkansas, on to Gatlinburg, TN. From there into the Great Smokey Mountains National Park and up the Blue Ridge Parkway to VA, finally hammering the last portion home on the highways. Experience suggests that we'll be able to smell the finish line at that point and will be itching to get home. Besides, NJ, NY, CT, and MA aren't as interesting to us New Englanders. We see it all too often!

Tomorrow I ship my MGC's vacuum advance 25D distributor to Jeff at Advanced Distributors. Once rebuilt, I plan to use it in the Jaguar in place of the original vacuum retard unit, until such time as the salt clears and the MGC is back on the road (or perhaps until the EDIS kit shows up from Ray Livingston!).

My wife and I are both officially excited for the trip, and itching to go. Any suggestions you might have are welcome.

In the meantime, we'll be thinking of this (even if it wasn't fitted at the factory...):




Tom

PS: If you know someone who is in the market for a 1969 MGC GT, let me know!!!

 

I have a recently purchased 71 and am based in Albuquerque. If you're having troubles, my tools and assistance are at your disposal. Wish you the best in your trip, I'd love see that car!

And very cool MGC GT. I had a MGB GT years ago, neat cars.

 

That is a very nice looking car, and the fact that it has taken you almost a thousand miles with no problems is a good sign.
IIRC, the transmission is a Ford? model12/FMX with a vacuum controlled kickdown module on the rear. Diaphragm may be ruptured, vacuum line disconnected. They are adjustable via a little screw inside the vacuum tube.
Warm up flap in air cleaner is, I think AC delco.
Oil filler cap has a large rubber O ring.
Speedo reading high could mean trans or diff have been changed.
Wheels are personal taste, I would keep them, as they seem in character with the car.

 

Tom,

You can tell a lot from a UK Tax Disc.



The UK Registration Number ADU 689K arrowed in orange indicates the car was registered in Coventry. Under the Vehicle Registration system in force at the time, Local Authorities each had a two-letter identifier. DU is the identifier for the city of Coventry. The final K is the Year identifier for 1971/72.

The number 1 arrowed in blue indicates it had one previous 'Registered Keeper'. UK vehicle registration documents always make clear the 'Keeper' is not necessarily the legal owner of the vehicle but is the person responsible for it. This previous keeper could have been the supplying dealer - a regular practice if it was being supplied in the UK to an overseas buyer.

The date 11 Aug 1971 arrowed in purple is the actual date the vehicle was taxed and COVENTRY in the date stamp shows it was taxed in Coventry.

The £ NIL circled in green shows the vehicle was exempt from Road Tax, now know as VED (Vehicle Excise Duty).

UK vehicle export regulations in 1971 allowed a vehicle to be registered with zero Road Tax payable and used on the road provided it was exported with twelve months. It was a regular thing for overseas owners to have a car ready for collection in the UK, drive it around here or on the Continent for a few weeks or months and then have it shipped home.

Graham

 

Graham: Thanks for the information on the tax disc. It's not conclusive, but perhaps the car was indeed made in June, sent out to have the Weathershields roof fitted, and then collected by the buyer in August. That or perhaps someone bought this disc and the plates at some point after-the-fact and just liked that they were the same place/time as when the car was made. Who knows?

Pete: I am going to have to track down the transmission, as it is reluctant to kickdown. Could be adjustment, disconnected line, or ruptured diaphragm as you mention. I'll keep you all posted.

Johnny: If there's any way that we can detour into Albuquerque and meet up, then I'll definitely be there. Keep up the work on your project!

Tom

 

Well, we're back in the saddle again! I picked the car up on Friday and spent Two days straightening out small items and preparing for the next leg of the trip. Installing 7" headlights took the most effort and time, counter-intuitively. The headlamp trimpieces still don't fit properly, and I cannot figure out why...

I was also able to install the freshly rebuilt vacuum-advance distributor from my MGC, which made a big difference. If you haven't had your distributor rebuilt and recurved by Jeff at Advanced Distributors should really give him a call.

I also gave the carburetors a little balance, and found two missing screws on the temperature compensators, plus that the remaining two screws (one on each) were loose. I replaced a number of broken rivets in the sunroof, including a number in the latch mechanism that were causing lots of rattles. A new washer pump & reservoir, some adjustment of the accelerator calbe to restore the kickdown function, plus a small amount of time chasing vacuum leaks behind the dash, and we were ready to go.

Yesterday saw us leave the San Francisco area and head south to Big Sur, where we traveled south on Highway 1, surely one of the most amazing routes in the country. We got a late start and pulled up somewhat early, stopping in Cambria, near the Hearst Castle. The car performed very well, other than an annoying rattle that crept into the sunroof about 15 minutes prior to the end of the day.

 

Today was another short-ish day to Victorville, CA in the high desert. We got a late start, but got to see lots of very interesting parts of California, from the coastline to the high desert and from farmers' fields to oil fields. No matter where we were, though, it seemed like the wind just never stopped.



Anyhow, lots of amazing vistas and beautiful country.



With all the wind, the tumbleweed seemed right at home. All that brown on the right is a giant pile of tumbleweed! There was no way to dodge them all, but the XJ took it in stride.



A fellow on The MG Experience had mentioned the Woodford-Tehachapi road, and we took it for a nice diversion. Not as much fun in the XJ as it would have been in the MGB-GT, but still a fun drive, and really cool to the the Tehachapi Loop, where trains headed up the grade loop around and cross over themselves - quite an engineering marvel:



The day ended in Victorville, which is an odd city, what with it being in the middle of a desert, but looking like it could be any American suburban sprawl, including the sprinkler systems, green grass, and all the stores you might find anywhere. Every time I find myself in a city in the desert I find myself marveling at it, not always in a good way.

 

Without the beauty rings, the car looks like its wearing eyeliner. A bit haughty for an old dame.

Have a safe trip!

 

Johnny, I hear you! I hated to leave the trim rings off, but there is no way I can make them fit without scratching the paint (more). I am guessing that the front end was damaged at some point, and that the reconstruction was less than perfect.



Today was a fun day. We left Victorville, and traveled along I-40 to Arizona, including a short detour onto the old road, plus stops in some of the towns along the way. The area looks to be trying to embrace tourism based on Route 66, but it's also pretty depressing, as the tale of Route 66 is always a tale of decline and desolation in the end. Lots of towns that really seem to have no reason to be there anymore...

Johhny: We might make it to your neck of the woods tomorrow (after a detour through the northern reaches...), but we're on a VERY tight schedule. Will you be around?

This is the arch over "Historic Route 66" in downtown Victorville. What a shame that downtown is all but dead while the sprawl goes on for miles all around.



"Arizona (Noon)" (Anyone that knows the movie "Convoy" will hopefully get the reference. I found myself grinning here and there as I thought about the "Jaguar haulin' ***"):



I saw the old road running alongside the interstate and thought "Hey, that would be fun to take for a while!":



The wisdom of my idea was called into question after the pavement ran out and we found ourselves at the corner of Apache Rd. and Buchanan St. It almost looks like someone had laid out a town here and never built it. A cool side-point was that this brought us right past the Chrysler Desert Proving grounds in Yucca, AZ:



The Grand Canyon at Sunset, right as we arrived. It looks so familiar from having seen so many photos, but the sheer scale is still so overwhelming!