As Shawn said, we only used the colored hose for vacuum. Fuel injection hose (not just fuel hose) for fuel. In the trunk before the pump you can use normal fuel line as there is no pressure until after the pump.

Any report back on the springs or is it too rainy to take the old girl out?

the cage has been torn apart, cleaned and being painted.
it's now ready to be reassembled. today was a successful Progressive day.

I persuaded sarc to remove the differential and the control arms so we could clean everything.

Yes, SARC wanted to do a "botchit and scarper" repair, but, taking things apart further allowed us to really get everything clean. We used purple power degreaser and one of these :-)

https://www.ryobitools.com/outdoor/products/details/748

Made things much easier.

The rust on the cage was very minimal, so after cleaning we painted it with rustoleum semi flat black. The diff got the same but in shiny black just for kicks.

We are all set for reassembly. I ran new brake pipes today...... a very rewarding job.

In other news...... I changed the steering wheel. I will of course keep the original but the new wheel is what I have on my XJS and I like the feel of these wheels. It is also 1" smaller in radius, so its a bit less like driving a semi.

The color is much darker than the existing dash, which has been bleached by the sun. We have a new dash all wrapped up ready to go in, which is a pretty close match to the wheel color

In yet more news, I found something to replace the broken chrome/plastic trim that goes around the edges of the center console. My replacement is slightly thicker than the original trim, but I think it looks pretty good. The trim matches the edges of the ashtrays for example.

This is the trim..... Trim Gard Chrome Door Edge Guard "U" Style Edge Molding 9/32"

I ordered 6 feet, but 4 feet would probably do. It goes on very easily...... I just pushed it on and it took to the curves on the center console really well, no heating required. It has some kind of adhesive already inside it, so once I pushed it on it stays on.

We ordered the same in black for smgdatas XJ-S as it has the same missing trim pieces.

The new wheel looks great. I really like that classic look.

Please don't be offended, but just having been there myself, I feel I must tell you to be Sure your pipe fittings are TIGHT!

I needed a soft blow hammer on a couple of mine (with a tubing wrench), the Only way they quit leaking under pressure of application.

Thank you for this link! My trim was replaced long ago with some rinky dink piping that doesn't fit anything and looks really dorky! This will be a Great improvement.
(';')

I find with copper brake line it's soft enough that it will deform slightly to fit any imperfections with the fittings. I havent had a problem so far. We will be able to hook up the flexi with the cage still on the ground so we can pressurize the brakes to check everything is not leaking before we bolt it all back in

I don't mean to argue, but merely to understand.
I put copper cooling lines from a transmission to radiator once for the same reason, but they work-hardened and broke off at the trans fittings leaving me by the side of the road at the end of a trail of transmission blood.

Wouldn't copper brake lines do the same (with possible disastrous results), even though those you show are short, but under much greater pressure? Not right away maybe, but quite unexpectedly and giving you a nasty surprise?
(';')

I don't know what "work hardened" means. It sounds like you fitted copper lines when there was something else used originally? Was there any movement AT ALL possible on the line that failed? Did you use copper when there was rubber there originally? The only way copper lines fail is if they vibrate and or flex or move as a result of their surroundings.

This stuff is made for brake lines........that's it's one and only purpose. I've been using it for 27 years with no issues. . The only thing it can't do is flex in any way on the application, otherwise it will fatigue fracture. I would not, for example use a single piece of line from a transmission to a radiator, because for sure that line will move in use (and fracture as a result)

AHA! Thank you for this explanation and the link. This is exactly what I needed to understand.

I didn't know copper was available for brake line applications. I'll keep this in mind for the next time.

Originally my trans cooling lines were steel, but they were such a bear to reinstall without crossing threads that I used copper because it conformed to the fittings better. After that disaster I put the steel back and just fought with it.

Thank you for taking the time to explain this to me.
(';')

Me, too. but, I got to thinking about it. Coppers differ. Not the soft
l[plumber's copper, a tougher kind. Nickel included.


Way back when copper was used in short stretches as fuel lines.
Then others came in and "nixed" it. Note, no cap!!


Disturbing molecular structure "work hardens". Take a chunk of coat
hanger wire, bend it back and forth in the same place, it will harden and become brittle, keep at it and it will part.


Annealing is the name of the process used to undo the hardening.


And, fittings. yeah, on installing the "lump" the new lines at the rack weeped. Tubing wrench and son's strong fingers stopped it.


Same when I swapped in a new Ps hose on my Jeep. Better access, and I tugged hard til it stopped weeping.


When I was rassling the old tech water heater, it took hard tugs
on the gas lines to stop a seep. No room for error there....


It seems endemic to flare fittings..... wherever found.


More rain on and off here. Storm blew my repaired "whirligig" off it's post.


Coco and I out really early, beat the rain!!!


Carl

Rear Cage back in :

Not concourse by any means, but not bad for a pair of amateurs !

Brakes --> Check
E Brake --> Check
Ride Height --> Check
Damping --> (with Boge shocks) Seems a little bit harder than the weak stuff we took off. Will run it for a while to let it bed in and reassess
Weird Noises --> None, yay !

We're still having problems sourcing exhaust parts so I sleeved the parts I cut to get the cage out to give us a running system for the time being. We will probably end up going to a custom shop to get the whole lot done. We found in the documentation that came with the car that the middle section (which is coupe specific) was replaced with a piece from a standard XJ12L, which obviously required a bit of cutting. What we have learned is that the exhaust on the Series 2 is not the same as the XJ-S of the same period, so we can't parts swap with one of those.

I forget the orientation,but each bolt enters a different way so that they can be removed in situ. Your case sounds like someone installed the bolts while the front sub frame was out, not realizing it would not be possible to remove these once installed.

Rob



can anyone confirm that the top bolt gets taken out towards the engine?

Hard lines:


When it came time to connect the transmission coolant lines to the radiator, I found the ones that came with the donor car package much too long. The 93 - 97 Cadillac Fleetwood Broughams were really big cars.


Bending and cutting looked likely to result in a messy look.
So, I got out my tubing kit. Cut them off just before the radiator.
After some looking, a local parts place let me at their Dorman fitting cabinet. Found two 90 degree flare units. Perfect. another place yielded straight flare to barb fittings, designed for trans cooler installation. I'd want 90 degree units. No issue, my tubing bender made two of them into 90's. Double flared at the 90 flares. In with a flare to barb, A short length of hose on supply and return. Hose tot eh bent flare to barb units. double clamped each. neat, workman like and leak free. The slight flex of the rubber accommodates engine movement. Yet stiff enough not to rattle. Yeah, much torque for the flares to avoid any seeping of the red juice.


Well, it turns out the hanging big branch was/is from my neighbor's
Locust tree. It is hanging on his phone line as well as mine. So far phone and DSL OK.


I've devised a plan. A bunch of chain to the limb. Attached to Jeep's
trailer hitch, but well away. Pull it into my yard. Deferred to a sunny day. It may take out one or both of our phone lines and we will need the phone company to put them back!!!


Then, whack it into manageable slash and chunks with my little electric chain saw.


Did one smaller branch yesterday. Went well. One green recycle can full....


This big one will take his can and mine several times over...


I've a possible plan "B', but it needs some more thinking...


Daylight Savings has really messed up my sleep time...


Carl

Exhaust:


I lieu of a home brew mx and match, just visit the local muffler guy.
Pick an "undersatanding" one, Not a catalyctic change emporium.
Usually the chain franchise outfits.


The local guy, old time independent place, a bit pricey, but did a nice job on mine. Broadway Mufflers, no longer on Broadway, but kept the name...


Carl


.

Hi Rob

Assuming you're talking about the steering rack bolts, they can all come out easily from the outside. Thats how we put them all back in. There's plenty of room from the outside

SMOG passed.

Today was a good day....... The old girl performed admirably.

Without even breaking a sweat it looks like!
Congratulations!!
I know the feeling.
(';')