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This is a fabricated tubular IRS Cage that uses the same Jaguar stock mounting points but allows for easier access to the brakes than the stock pressed steel version. In this case it has an upper arm and will use CV joints. Doesn't have to use CV's. I could just run the stock Jag drive shaft with the Jag hub but where's the fun in that.. Also uses longer tubular radius rods that triangulate the centre line of the the lower arms. The hubs are slightly modified Jaguar design with added upper mounting point for the upper arm. Designed in CAD and then built in the UK. This is not an advertisement. I think the company who made it for me found the project to be time sink on their part.
Once it's fitted to the car I'll attach the Go Pro and see how it performs.
This hasn't been tested in the car yet so its all purely a CAD experiment until that time to see if it works. You could contact Wisbech Engineering in the UK if you were after the cage and wanted to use the standard Jaguar driveshaft and lower arm. This design - upper arm with CV joints and centrally located radius rods - is more like a multi link so will remove some of the rear steer affect that you get from the factory designed more compliant radius rod bushes so it needs some trial and error testing including with and without an anti roll bar. My car is going through a full strip down so there is room to do some body work mods if necessary. I'm hoping it wont be as all the mounting points are taken from the pressed steel factory mounting cage. It's not an off the shelf replacement or a new idea as the Cobra and hot rod guys have been using hard mounted tube cages with Jag IRS for quite some time to reduce fore and aft movement. The new idea is to try and use an upper arm and CV joints for the driveshaft. Early days thanks for the encouragement. The Cobra guys also use an alloy housing Salisbury 4HU which saves about half the weight of the rear end.
First the bonnet/hood redesign, then the boot/trunk lid redesign, now this. Plus all the unique upgrades we've posted. What's next? Maybe we should all put our heads together and design the PERFECT car?
When I was a kid the second car I bought was a Jaguar XJ6 Series One. I've always loved the look of the big grilled Series One sedan. However that car broke me. It had so many problems and the amount of unscrupulous people who took me for a ride on the engine rebuild is another story entirely. Now restoring cars is a bit of hobby in my spare time and the amount of unscrupulous people hasn't declined I just have more idea when they are trying to rip me off and if they cant explain something with science instead of their feelings I walk away. A couple of years ago I came across a SWB RHD 73 XJ12 and decided to buy it. I drive it everyday to work and have some longer 1000km drives in it and it occasionally breaks down and I get towed. Its a great car, very comfortable but has some serious issues - fuel consumption, heat, wipers, air conditioning etc etc. For its time it was a marvel. Seems like a steam engine now compared to the wife's Tesla but that's 46 years of development for you. As these cars are virtually worthless - compare any money you put in compared to what you can get out of it - I decided to restore it in the way I would like it to be done. A subtle resto mod keeping the Jaguar engine but upgrading to Fuel Injection, higher compression for better consumption, more modern automatic to make it more fuel efficient, general lightening where ever possible. The rear end is to take significantly more power and hopefully save some weight. I'll do a comparison when it goes in compared to stock. Lengthening the height of back of the seats, rewire - the list is endless. It will take forever and wont ever be worth it financially but the car will look almost stock and continue to be fun to drive for another 46 years or until IC engines get banned.
IRS Cage
