Hey everyone, just looking for some advice on upgrading my 1972 series 1. My car needs front and back suspension/brake rebuild/upgrade. Looking to find out if series2 or 3 brake systems/suspension can be retrofitted into my car. Seems like brake parts are a bit cheaper for a series2/3 cars. If there is a sticky/thread/guide that anyone can point me to that would be great. I think you guys term my car a lump(v8 conversion)? Looking towards the performance side of things with this car(bigger brakes/stiffer suspension/posi/possible manual trans). Thanks in advance.

Almost forgot, can I add a clutch pedal to series 1 pedal box or do I need to switch over to a series 2 box?

 

Ah, so you found your way over here!
Several of us drive converted Jaguars.
Welcome to the section!

(';')

 

Yep, made it.

Just being nosey, Tehama? You're out by Willows/Cottonwood?

 

Cottonwood is in Shasta County (just barely) and Willows is in Glenn County; they are 60 miles apart. Tehama County is between the two.

Are you familiar with this region?
(';')

 

Rear suspension and brakes is the same Series 1,2 & 3. Front suspension is the same except that the brakes were upgraded at some point to include 4-piston calipers and ventilated discs.

Other thing to bear in mind is that the front lower ball-joint can be replaced with the Lemforder unit used from the XJ40 onwards. It is a reasonable swap-out and they last forever, unlike the adjustable ones. When replacing you must first remove the old ball joint, then knock out the ball joint bearing ring from the hub carrier, then bolt on the new joint. The new ones need no adjustment or greasing. Lemforder also make a top bvall joint too, again very long lasting.

 

The lower front wishbones on the series 3 are different from the series 1. The series 3 wishbones give better ride. Small difference though.

I just replaced my series 1 rear with a series 3. No difference at all, except the diff but that was a choice I made.

Basically series 1,2,3 suspension and brake parts are interchangable so you can look for the cheaper series 3 scrappers

 

Later model S3 master cylinder can be installed, but the one brake line end must be converted/changed to a Metric fitting.


Good upgrade as more of them are available and they are cheaper... have photos if you desire?


If you upgrade the front brakes etc... the easiest way is to just change out the whole front suspension with the later S3 steering rack.. you do need the proper top piece to adapt the two models.


That way you would not have the early hubs that cause fitment problems with the later wheels and hitting of the tries on the tie rod ends (can be shimmed out to make work).


I have later model XJ 40 wheels, with spacers and longer lug nuts... but I also spaced out the steering arms about 1/8" by adding hardened washers to allow the tire clearances with tie rods.


Once you get past the "performance upgrade areas" there are lots of other upgrades possible, dual AC vents, intermittent wipers, seats and seat belts etc etc.

 

I would be interested in the master brake cilinder upgrade!

Are there any benefits, besides cheap replacement if needed?

 

As you can see in the poor lighted photo, the new plumbing to the front of the master cylinder using the stock tubing and "adapted".


The reservoir is now on top instead of remote in the other old picture. Mine went out one day and getting the later model replacement
was quicker and cheaper.

 

LnrB,

Somewhat familiar, I've done a cupla' track days at T-hill and use to drive thru on 5 about 2-3 times a week on my way to Grants Pass or Pollard Flats. I'm down in the East Bay.

 

Fraser,
Thanks for the ball joint tip. I'm pretty much of the "Do it once and do it right" mind set. Anything to increase reliability is fantastic.

Roger and Wilfred,
I have a line on a '76 XJ6 front end from a car that will be junked after the engine/tranny is pulled. If it's cheap enough, do you think it's worth it for the brake set up? Or find a late model front end? I've seen some late model suspensions for pretty cheap(CL ad complete front and rear '85 XJS suspension for under 500.00). I've read the XJS front suspension/crossmember is a bolt on, but the steering rack is taller? Also, can a clutch pedal/clutch master cylinder be mounted in a series1 pedal box? I've seen series2, but not series1.

Roger,
What size rim/tire and any rub?

Thanks again.

 

If I were you, I would go after a very late series 3. Over here in the Netherlands, these go very cheap. Even if parts are similar, they are newer. And that usually means things aren't rusted in place etc.

In fact, that is what I just did. got a complete scrapper. Already swapped the entire rear end, so now I have power lock. I could sell parts, so in the end it didn't cost anything.

I have an xj40 steering rack in my series 1. The xj40 was a 94. Relatively simple job still. You need to weld brackets, to which you will mount the steering rack. these brackets then bolt up to the original bolting holes for the s1 steering rack.

The steering rod connection fits straight away. Take the lower part of the xj40, upper part of S1. that's it.

 

Tires are Goodyear Assurance 215/70/15 and they do not rub at all. Modern directional tires that work well in the rain... no snow in So Cal.


With the front sway bar, the steering arms moved outward and with the wider XJ 40 wheels and wide tires the SWB car handles like a four door sports car.


The V8 engine is set back with the Sun Coast mounts and needs to be lowered due to lack of front end weight now in the car. That is high on my list of things to do - put (1) one inch spacers in the bottoms of the spring retainers... plus remove any packing parts that may be in with the springs.


Right now my time is being used installing sound insulation (only done in LF door now) and fixing rear headliner pieces that are destroyed by the sun. You can see one side in the rear of the "C" pillar by the rear window.


Then new carpets and the PT Cruiser front seats have to be recovered to match the rest of the Mercedes 500 material used in the rest of the interior.

 

The whole of the front and rear suspensions are mounted on sub-frames, and almost everything is interchangeable Series 1, 2, & 3. Thing to check is the front sub-frame itself, as this can rust out in the wrong places, like the spring towers, and the box section across the car. Wishbones are steel forgings and never wear out, but the spring pans do rust out. The bottoms of the front springs can break about 1-2" from the end of the coil and tend not to get noticed, although the car will sit lower.

The 'Slipflex' bushes on the top wishbones tend to rust and seize up, but are easy to replace. In fact almost everything is maintainable unlike modern cars.

Front stubaxles wear on the bottom at the inner end and must be replaced if they have worn out as taking up the bearing clearance does not work.

The age of even the youngest cars is such that the lower wishbone inner bushes will almost certainly be worn-out by now. Replacing these is a PITA as the spring must be removed, and the securing bolt can be very difficult to remove.

 

If you really want to replace the suspension then the xjs may be the way to go.
The xjs (at least here in the uk) had an LSD/ powerlock diff as standard and anti-roll bar at the back (you will have to fabricate/ weld mounts on the body AFAIK).

The steering rack is better esp the sports rack. You will need the lower steering column from a series 3 to connect to it (same way as the xj40 mentioned) but it will mount in the same mountings. Get polybushes.

Obviously you will need to check the condition of the parts before buying fitting them.

 

Didn't the xjs also have the brake discs moved to the outside, so you don't need to take a week off when replacing them?

 

The later ones did. Not sure of the date but probably 1993 or so.

 

Thanks for the tips.

Well then, I'll start scrounging parts.

 

Ventilated rear brake rotor kits are readily available.
Inboard brakes save a lot of unsprung weight.
Makes for a much better performing ride, too.
Especially with an XJS rear sway bar.
Just swap out the radius arms, with the XJS arms and bolt the top of the sway bar to the rear seat bulkhead, using large fender washers. No more wallowing around corners.