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I'll try to skip through the redundant crap that people post on here about wanting one of these things. My reasons are about the same as anyone else's. Love the body, always wanted one, etc. I didn't buy one for pretty much the same reason as everyone else, age, reliability, etc.
Last summer though, something changed. I watched my brother restore his 1966 122 completely by himself. It took him weeks and weeks, but the idea of "building my own car" has stuck with me and I'm consciously or no, been looking for such a car to invest my precious bodily fluids into. I seriously considered an E38 Sport, but it's a little to "new" for what I'm aiming towards.
I saw the Arden XJ Series 3, and I think I've found my automotive soul mate aesthetically. I don't plan for it to be a show car, I don't plan for it to be period correct, and I don't plan for it to be particularly fast.
I do plan for it to be aesthetically similar to the Arden car, white on black, lowered, etc. and most likely some interior tweaks.
Similar to the one featured here at 1000SEL.com
Now, I'm a Volvo man, that dull predictable Toyota of European Luxury cars. I have my own Volvo salvage yard and have an infinite supply of parts. I was thinking of getting an 85-87 Series 3 and dropping a 96 Volvo 960 drive train into it. Not a particularly powerful drive train, but dependable and an improvement over the stock set up performance wise. Not light years ahead, just better and more reliable.
I currently have a 85 with a pretty much unsalvageable body, but I'm thinking I'll pull everything out of it and see about the fit before going to far. No need to rush, yes?
I was measuring dimensions and the engine sizes are very similar in width and length.
Anyone have any thoughts on this project? I'll try not to be just another **** with a hair brained idea. And please, don't suggest the V8 conversion. I'm not doing that. If it gets another engine it's something Euro. End of discussion. I don't know anything about Chevy, and I have no interest in learning.
I was measuring dimensions and the engine sizes are very similar in width and length.
Anyone have any thoughts on this project? I'll try not to be just another **** with a hair brained idea. And please, don't suggest the V8 conversion. I'm not doing that. If it gets another engine it's something Euro. End of discussion. I don't know anything about Chevy, and I have no interest in learning.
But, am I flaming mad?
I like your way of thinking, being a straight 6 lover a SBC would be my last option. A mate and myself have done some measuring of a Ford 4.1 liter crossflow from a 1977 XC Falcon that he has getting in the way.
With what he has in parts it will bolt straight to my BW12 trans(same as ford FMX auto) so only engine mounting to condsider.
But my engine is still strong and reliable,just planning ahead.
Good luck, I hope you follow through as I will follow the build with interest.
That sounds like a Very Interesting project.
It's certainly a Beautiful example of your goal.
I'll be watching with interest, even though my car came to me with a Chevy 350 and I love it. I'm not a proponent of V8s necessarily (I'm certainly not a purist), but I am a Huge proponent of owners being able to do Exactly what they want to do with their cars.
FWIW I'm really just agreeing with most others here, so doing it as you want it and not as someone else would like it is the only way to go. Thankfully we're all different! Either way, the SIII is sheer style on wheels and they are worth saving. Look forward to hearing of your progress.
There was a thread on here by a guy named Wilfred. He put an aj6 into a series 2 i think. He did it in a barn. If you can find it you might get an idea or 2. Good luck. And DO it. It is your car, cash, time and bodily fluids.
Oh and to answer your question, YES you are flaming mad. We all are here...... you have to be to own one of these big cats.
There was a thread on here by a guy named Wilfred. He put an aj6 into a series 2 i think. He did it in a barn. If you can find it you might get an idea or 2.
at one point in 1975 I owned two Volvos, a 1971 1800-E manual 4-speed OD and a 1973 1800-ES automatic, my favorite luxury sport cars of all time.
the 1800-E with its 5th gear overdrive was a car ahead of its time, after 90 mph and up to 130 mph on a straight line nobody could catch me, not even a race-prepared BMW which had a nasty reputation for being unbeatable, so I usually ended with $50.00 bucks bet in my pocket, until the BMW owner decided he was NOT going to race with me. CHICKEN !! ha ha
But that smooth B20 F.I. engine also had a reputation for blowing the water pump gasket which I kept replacing and replacing.
1. In the late 70's BART went on an extended strike. About four of we key folks in the office depended on it to get to work. Smart boss, VP, loaned the office car to us. It just sat in the garage at night anyway. A nice new 79 Ford Granada. One guy had a new Volvo wagon. His gorgeous Swede wife insisted. Odd, similar Bosh EFI to the Jaguar one. We were to meet at the Brt lot and join for the trip, taking turns as to who drove the Granada. Ok, except for some AM's. Volvo no start. he lived close by and we picked him up or he walked. Odd, they had traded in a Granada for the Volvo!!!
2. A young lawyer I worked with had one of those sleek little Volvo coupes, 1800's or similar, I think. Well, his trophy wife stacked it up on a pole. She OK. Good. he extremely upset. He asked me if he should dump her. consensus. Naah, divorce too expensive...
3. My dear departed wife's gal pal was a Finn by birth. Stiff accent, never figured out if it was a by choice or just the way it was. Hard to understand for me. Wife did just fine??? .A Volvo wagon at her insistence. Scandanvian pride I guess. Troublesome.
Then, it got "T boned". Not her fault, according to her. Wife's translation to me indicated otherwise. But, aside from a bum knee, she was OK. Wanted another Volvo. Her hubby won that one after a considerable dry spell. Nice sedate Honda this time!!!. She fussed, it ran..
Thanks for the show of support. I was going to snap pictures of the victims that are going to be pulled apart for measuring purposes, but the day did not provide enough time.
I am trying to approach this with both eyes open, and if something complete lunacy, feel free to call me out. The thing I'm loving about the older car forums is the members have an air of decency and civility about them. Reasonable grammar is a plus too.
This is a very personal project for me, and I hope I can see it through. Even if in the end I get a different power plant or change some design ideas. There is really no reason for targeting specifically the 85-87 years except that it's the end of the production run and I assumed the later production models were build better than the earlier examples. Is this not true?
I'm reading through Wilfre88's build, and hopefully I can get a few ideas. Rust bothers me as I have never welded anything in my life and will have to out source that of the repair.
I'm not sure how quickly you will see progress as I also have an X350 project that I'm finishing up. If I want a break from the Ser3, I also have a black 1993 XJ40 "barn find" waiting in the wings. But I'm trying to focus on one thing at a time. More than two car projects at a time is probably to much. I like the XJ40, but not as much as the Series 3.
I have a very different end in mine for the XJ40 than the S3, but again, trying not to think about it to much.
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On the Volvo comments: my wife also insists she only wants her Volvo wagon. She has no Swedish blood, she's Persian/American actually, but she insists I can get her anything I want as long as it's a Volvo station wagon.
There is really no reason for targeting specifically the 85-87 years except that it's the end of the production run and I assumed the later production models were build better than the earlier examples. Is this not true?
On the Volvo comments: my wife also insists she only wants her Volvo wagon. She has no Swedish blood, she's Persian/American actually, but she insists I can get her anything I want as long as it's a Volvo station wagon.
during the years of 1981 through 1985 or thereabouts, a man named John Egan took over Jaguar Quality control and through a heavy handed approach, raised the quality of the Series 3 to a very high standard. It's a matter of opinion, but in my experience, the 1983 thru 1985 XJ-6 were the best as far as electrical and mechanical reliability, but a lot depends on the care the particular car has had. This is not to say they are or were perfect. The issue of the roof drains and the rust around the windshields was never resolved, and other issues went un-addressed. John Egan was "stolen" from Jaguar by Aston Martin in 1985 and again Jaguar was left to itself in terms of quality controls, at the same time it was developing and building the XJ-40. Big mess I suppose.
Curiously this afternoon I saw a real nice, used Volvo Wagon being sold in my neighborhood. I THINK it was a wagon. I went by too fast.
I was going to snap pictures of the victims that are going to be pulled . There is really no reason for targeting specifically the 85-87 years except that it's the end of the production run and I assumed the later production models were build better than the earlier examples. Is this not true?
Opinions vary on that. But, at this point in time, *present day* condition is probably a lot more important the any original build quality issues that surfaced 30-35 years ago.
IOW, a *really nice*, well cared for, minimal rust pre-85 car would be a better buy than a 'fair condition' 1985-newer example.
But, hey, you're gonna be going thru the car from stem to stern anyway. Your main concern should be finding a no-rust or minimal-rust car
during the years of 1981 through 1985 or thereabouts, a man named John Egan took over Jaguar Quality control and through a heavy handed approach, raised the quality of the Series 3 to a very high standard. It's a matter of opinion, but in my experience, the 1983 thru 1985 XJ-6 were the best as far as electrical and mechanical reliability, but a lot depends on the care the particular car has had. This is not to say they are or were perfect. The issue of the roof drains and the rust around the windshields was never resolved, and other issues went un-addressed. John Egan was "stolen" from Jaguar by Aston Martin in 1985 and again Jaguar was left to itself in terms of quality controls, at the same time it was developing and building the XJ-40. Big mess I suppose.
Curiously this afternoon I saw a real nice, used Volvo Wagon being sold in my neighborhood. I THINK it was a wagon. I went by too fast.
I had heard about the quality control revision brought in by John Egan and I assumed the progress he made continued to improve things through the production cycle.
For my project I suppose reliability isn't really a concern. I was already assuming I will be re-wiring a lot of lights, new wiring harnesses for the engine bay, and misc bits and bobs. I couldn't seem to find a year by year change I just assumed later would be better.
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Haha, now if you see a Volvo wagon you are thinking of purchasing give me a year and model and I can from memory quote the service intervals of just about everything that brakes and how much it costs to fix.
Though, I'm most familiar with the 1990 something and newer. In my area I only have a couple customers still hanging on to their old bricks.
I had heard about the quality control revision brought in by John Egan and I assumed the progress he made continued to improve things through the production cycle.
The only thing that went downhill was the engines.....some bad crankshafts and line boring. But I have to think any duds were either fixed (under warranty, probably) or are already in the scrapyards.
For my project I suppose reliability isn't really a concern. I was already assuming I will be re-wiring a lot of lights, new wiring harnesses for the engine bay, and misc bits and bobs.
Right.
Frankly I've been neck deep in numerous Series IIIs and haven't noticed any difference of any kind in the wiring, be it early-middle-late production. And the Lucas wiring horror stories are a bit overblown to begin with. Clean the connections, clean the grounds. Bingo, you've just solved 90% of the "Lucas" problems
08-24-2015, 08:17 PM
Considering a Series 3 Project
