Spit and Polish
 

Still no new mechanical or electrical issues to play with so detailing is the next best thing to keep busy.
It as amazing how well a tired paint job can come up with a bit of professional help. My brother who used to own a custom panel and paint shop back in the 90's(mainly rods and resto's) was in Brisbane for a couple of days so we spent a day cleaning and polishing the paint and chrome. And gave the interior similar treatment.
It looks like a different car now,so I tucked it away and slipped a cover over it until the upcoming All British Day.
He's back in town in few weeks so he is going to attack my new toy(2011 Jeep) that has been terribly mistreated in the Paint, interior, and mechanical department.
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Looks fantastic mate. I too recently went at my s3 with a clay cloth and lubricant cleaner, and then wax polish. She's by no means show condition due to the rust, but it made a huge improvement by getting through years of tree sap and grime!

So much more satisfying than cleaning up modern cars!

Aw man... you took off the Freemason sticker... :(

Looks bee-you-tee-ful :)


Cheers
DD

WOW, Clarke! It doesn't even look like the same car!!
THAT"S what a car Should look like.
(';')

Looks great!

As soon as my brother saw it he said "mate, we are going to fix that while I am here".
I didn't think it looked too bad before.

Still there, just cant see them as easily,right rear and left front over riders. We were going to remove them but I decided they were a link to some kind of history of the car. The only history I have is it was sold in Tasmainia new,and that the starter motor had a sticker from an auto electrician in Wagga from 1996, air con was re-gassed in Newcastle in 1997. And the car was traded on a new Corolla in 2012 in Brisbane,where the previous owner worked and bought it off the dealer.
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I really just wanted to uncover it today and go get a gas refill for the camper, but I wan't to keep it looking this good for the All British day,Sunday 28th. I hate not driving this car every day.
Only have 8 days to wait for another drive............

damn!!!! Clarke! Fire ball looks awesome!

wish i could of made it for All British day mate. Hope it all goes well bud!

Without sounding like a tosser, I think my older brother does have some merits. He did a good job on it using what I had in my garage,and some Mother glass and chrome cleaner. And a couple of products from Supercheap.

Proof you don't have to spend a million dollars or have the "name brand" items to make your mutton look like lamb. Everything was baseline products.
Technique and experience count for a lot.

:icon_beerchug:

Now you know how the Concourse crowd lives.
Theirs are not cars, useful conveyances, they're nearly objects of worship.

"Har-ley. Har-ley Da-vid-son. You are our god. Save us. Va-room, Va-room.":icon_worthy::icon_worthy::icon_worthy:
(';')

Right! Boutique products ....although many of them are very good....are not required to get a good result.

Years ago, when I was into the Concours thing, I took my Ser III XJ6 to 'Reginal First Place' standing in JCNA Championship class using ordinary off-the shelf, under-$10-per-bottle supplies :)

Cheers
DD

I Have 25000+ motorcycle pics in my screen saver(2 harley's).
What does that tell you...

It tells me they both belong to mates and it would be rude to leave out their bikes.

A pity mine doesn't have the same merits ( any of the three).

I would be more than happy to accept their offer of car detailing skills. Problem as I see it....

1. None have offered and,

2. They don't have the skill

BTW - great job, I do envy both your efforts.

It looks smashing.

Any chance the engine bay was detailed, or maybe when your (very kind) brother visits again? I'd love to hear an account of the engine detail, products used, etc.

Engine Bay
 

Unfortunately he only does body work,he doesn't like going near mechanical. Which includes engine bay unless it is empty and he is painting it.

The engine bay is 40 year old messy,but clean and has no leaks and everything works so clean hands when working on it.
It was about 3mm deep in oil and dirt mix . I Clean it with aerosol degreaser ($2 a can) and fine grade steel wool and old toothbrushes, and a pertol pressure washer.

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Oh man, you could spend weeks on that engine bay if the bug bit...

There is no oil or dirt in there, but it really needs the engine removed and a repaint and general tidy up. But that isn't going to happen any time soon as it get used most days.
It hasn't been moved since the big clean up, but we are away road/off road testing the new Jeep.

I can live with the engine bay as it all works ok. And it is clean to work on.

Hey Clarke, pretty damn clean, I'd say. Doesn't need to be Navy quality but I see from your pics mine needs more work.

Graham

I can see that it's clean. I was just thinking about the Concours and the judging criteria, I don't think i'd have the patience to go down that road with a traditional engine bay...

Getting the engine bay up to standard takes time and effort but the *real* test of patience is *keeping* looking good over the long haul :)


Cheers
DD

I have been down the concours route a couple of times with bikes, once with my Dad restoring his Norton in the early 80's(high school days). Then latter on with a beat up old Suzuki I found under a tarp in a guys backyard when I was there to buy used pavers (one income,2 kids and big mortgage). Came home with no money and no pavers but a new project on the trailer instead.
Concours is something I no inclination to undertake again.

Keeping that bike clean was a nightmare as we had one car in those days so it was my daily transport as well(all weather). I decided I had to replace it with the same model but just average condition. And bought the pavers with change 18 months late.
This Jag will eventually cop some new paint and maybe upholstery ln the future, but have to get rid of 2 cars in the near future so I can do anything at all. At the moment I am moving 3-4 cars every time I want to get whichever one is in the garage.

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WOW, Clarke! Wouldn't know it was the same bike!!
(';')

You could still get almost all NOS parts for it then, and I had the perfect place to work on it.
My brother still had his panel/paint shop in Brisbane at the time so I spent a lot time there working on that bike. Of course he did the panel,paint, decals and powder coating at no (or very little cost to me), in exchange I spent many hours with wet & dry rubbing back his customers cars because he hated that part of the job.

10 days passed with car under cover, long,long time to sit in the garage not driven.
"All British" day tomorrow, I get to take it out. Rain forecast,typical.

Great if you can get these things under cover. I dont think 1970's-80's era materials cope well with our sun with extra juicy UV added. And of course you are in QLD where the sun always shines:icon_banana:

Hope it all goes well Clarke. Ill be there in spirit mate! Looking forward to the pics :)

How have you been able to stand that, Clarke?! I would have a *Very* difficult time watching Nix sit in the garage unless weather was bad. It's not easy even then!

I hope you have a Great turnout!
(';')

perfect Day for it.
 

Pictuers of the All British day, link below
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...-122181/page2/

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It does look like a Perfect Spring day for a car show, Clarke,
Poofie cotton ball clouds wandering across the sun, offering a bit of shade; friendly and inviting.

I'm glad you had a good turnout. In our club, I'm told 4 cars is a good turnout.
(';')

Well, I'm not much of a joiner or club guy, but those pictures are very neat.


The Suzuki reminds me of the one my son bought new some decade or more ago. The last of the motorcycle looking bikes, before the Star War crotch rockets. Very fast, and when son modified it, even faster!!! Not sorry as a Dad to see it go!!


Well, my daughter's Passat was sidelined for fixing. I loaned her my Jeep. gee, she brought t back, washed and with a full tank. It's Pewter color never looks real bad, but when clean, quite nice.


Now, I guess I'll give the Jaguar a much needed bath. Unlike the Jeep, because of it's darker color, it looks real bad dirty, but spectacular when clean and shiny!!


Her pal was concerned that I'd have no car while the Jeep was away. I reminded her of the Jaguar. "Gee, I forgot about it, really sad that you have to drive that gorgeous a Jaguar!!!". Oh, yeah, tis sad....


Some time ago, daughter and I picked her up at the court house. She was enthralled
by the super clean Jaguar. Her late Dad was not only a Claim professional, like I was, but a car nut as well!!


That gene only passed sorta.


Carl

Doing it all again for the Ballina day and Sunshine Coast day a week later.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...2014-a-127568/
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...6/#post1073042

Now the old Jeep has gone this one is getting the treatment(I think it may have forced the demise of the veteran Jeep)
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Carl, not much of a club guy myself. But the contacts I have made on these forums are down to earth,real people.
And the members I have met in person just solidify that comment.
:icon_user:

Yep, 4 looks like the the magic number for JF members too. See pics of yesterdays meet on page 3 of link below.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...-127568/page3/

Back to the daily grind
 

As of Monday "Fireball" has been back to daily duty. All nighters in industrial factory car parks, hardware carparks, supermarket carparks.(3.6 metre timbers to get home)
All seems to normal. Yep,that's the way I prefer it. Tucked the new Jeep away for camping duties and weekly food shop now.

Ah, yes. The comfort of routine.
I'm assuming then, the house is painted and Fireball has new suspension parts.
(';')

Just the way I use the Blue Goose when I'm home Clarke. Good on ya mate. IMO they aren't made out of sugar lol!

Missed this thread, but your car looks awesome!

Concerning engine bay... Lots of work to get it nice... Would only consider doing it if there is nothing left in life. Clean is nice, when working on it. Shiny is another level which takes days of cleaning and polishing.

House still to be painted, made a start.
Looks like the wrong ball joints arrived, they are marked XJ40/X300.

As to the ball joints. Look some more and compare. I think these are the replacement units. No lube provision, but fit and function just as well.




Carl

Replaced mudflaps
 

I finally after a year decided the front mud flaps were not very effective,so sourced a used set.

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While I was searching I found new OEM rear flaps so got them too. I think the car looked better without them, but they are stock so they will stay.

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It is about to handed over to the next learner this week, wish me luck.....this is the over confident one who learned to drive on X box WRC at primary school and now need for speed on PS4!