Hi,
I've just found this forum and it looks great.
I am in England and have owned my coupe for over 30 years. Initially I drove it every day and loved it, but rust was becoming a bit of a headache (one of the rear axle radius arms got ripped out of the body when I accelerated one morning) so I parked it in our covered barn in 1989 and it's still there now!
I'm finally starting to look at the car and start the restoration. All of the interior was removed back in 89 a stored in the house ever since, so is in good shape. The engine and running gear will be rebuilt, but it's the body shell that's the headache.
Thanks.

 

Welcome! I love the coupe design. What year is yours? Smart move to keep the interior indoors.

 

Yep it's a 1976 4.2 straight six in Regency red and biscuit leather. Hopefully, there should be an image attached of it in 1988.

 

Sorry, not sure why the image is upside down ?!

 

I'm told iPhones do that. "They" say you need editing software to fix it.

Pretty Jag!!
Not a bad looking Roadster either.
Welcome to our playpen from ElinorB.
(';')

 

Welcome!! Glad to have you with us. Interested in hearing more about your experiences over your 30 year ownership.

 

Lovely XJC, I hope you get it restored.
Is that Dorset, UK? I used to work in Verwood at one stage.

 

Hi Clouder,
Welcome to this forum.
You will find all the knowledge and support required here.
At the end of the day, all of us here know how special these cars are, that's why we bother and interact to keep them alive.
Nice pic!
Are you going to keep the vinyl roof, or did jack dancer get under the lining as well?
Good luck with your journey,
Cheers,
Nigel

 

Thanks again guys. Yep, I live in a place called Lyme Regis in Dorset UK. As for my coupe, I spent a few hours this morning digging years of rubbish off of and from around the car, to allow a clearer inspection of the body. Stupidly I didn't take any photos, but I can see I'll need a lot of panels. For a start, inner and outer sills, toeboards, rear chassis legs, floors, rear crossmember, the panels each side of the boot (sorry trunk) that the lower part of the fuel tanks bolt to. Door skins............ And so the list goes on.
I guessed I would need most of these parts before I looked at the car this morning, so started enquiring here in the UK for panels. Is it me, but I feel it looks like most suppliers here want to make money selling XKE or E-type panels and are ignoring the XJ series of saloons,coupes and the XJS?
As for the vinyl roof still not sure which way to go.
Cheers.

 

Wow, you sure wouldn't know it needs that kind of work from the pics! That is a beautiful car.
Funny how even though I have one of these, I still have that envious feeling (in a good way) when I see a nice one in a pic. Good luck with all the rust repair, that's a pretty strong project. Even though I painted the roof on mine, every time I see one with the black vinyl still there it makes me want to put it back on mine. Actually I'm thinking of newer solutions now like black Plasti-Dip or a vinyl wrap instead of the porous vinyl roof fabric.

 

I think my coupe must have been desolving as it went down the production line!
I've been searching for panels and so Far I've managed to get a new front valance, new rear valance, new rear side valances and 2 new Right hand side rear quarter panels, shame I can't find a left hand rear quarter panel.
The panels I'm struggling with are the rear crossmember RTC1185, the LH and RH rear valance extensions 12137 and12138. These 2 panels are the ones that the the lower part of the fuel tanks bolt to. If anyone is lucky enough to have any of these panels that they no longer require, I would gladly buy them from you.
Thanks

 

Welcome and good luck with the project. I can already visualise her in finished condition meandering around the beautiful town of Lyme Regis!

 

Thanks Tony. Yep looking forwarded to getting back on the tight roads of Lyme Regis. Quite a few people have asked me about the coupe, or tell me they remember it, but can't believe I still have it! Live in Lyme Regis all my life.
Andy.

 

I should have kept the shell from my donor xj6!!
I'm regretting it as there are quite a few bits I would have needed as well as the bits I took off.
You may have to resort to cutting them off a donor or fabricating them from sheet.
Most bits are the same as the four door and some are the same as the series 3.
The floor pans are only available AFAIK for the four door and have to be shortened by about 4", do the joint under the seat rail.

 

Hi Anjum,
Yes this is what I'm thinking. There is a Specialist about 30 miles from me with about 120 jags so I'm nhoping if I can't get new, I should be able to get some used ones to fit, or use as patterns. As long as I can get a pattern, I'm sure I can make new ones.
Andy

 

That's lucky, not many jag breakers round London!
You should be able to find some salvageable parts there,

 

I've just come across an un-rusty and un-damaged SWB saloon shell. Has anyone taken the coupe panels and fittings and put them onto a saloon shell? A lot of work perhaps, but no need to deal with rust!
What's people's thoughts?

 

Errr, might have done

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-121475/page2/

Still didn't take enough off!

I didn't have a good look at my XJC to see exactly what I needed to cut off, just made some half educated guesses and underestimated the amount of rust in it!

A none rusty jag in the UK is as rare as rocking horse poo!

If you have the space to store it then grab it and cut pieces off as you need them. You will be surprised how many parts you will need!!

A plasma cutter is a great help!! Definitely worth investing in one especially if you have a compressor which is another essential.

Parts like the chassis rails front and rear, the rear suspension mountings are rarely available and when they do come up they cost and arm and a leg. You'll soon be limbless!! They are identical to the XJC.

Most of the panels etc are the same as the SWB or can be cut and welded to fit.

 

Ooops just realised you were asking about fitting coupe bits into the SWB, not the other way round.

Yes, they'll almost all fit bar the rear seats, interior door panels, rear wings, doors and rear side windows.

But the XJC is the prettier, rarer and when you've restored it, the more valuable.

My advice would be to either restore the XJC or buy a donor SWB with a decent interior etc and use that as a donor. That way you can sell or save the XJC as a project.

If you do decide to go with the SWB project, please contact me as there may be bits on the xjc I need. I've got some bits that may be useful to you for the four door.