When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I got a bit bored and was wondering what this A1 Stuff was about
Having had a look before, it just looked way to complicated to get my head round, as none of those Guys on YouTube ever explain things in a way that 'newbies' like me can ever hope to understand, as they just go rattling on and on at 100 mph while assuming that we know as much as they do
So with the help of the GF who is going to take all the Credit for this, whether I like it or not, together we somehow managed to Crack the Code, where that little A1 drive down the road, took the best part of 8 Hours! to put it altogether!
As we wanted to 'Tweak it' so the Car was realistically drifting about a little bit instead of having it holding a dead straight line
You may have also noticed that we're driving on the wrong side of the Road, the reason being we kept piling into the Barrier and in any event we also found that it looked a bit better that way. although an expert could have done what we did in 10 minutes
The best part for me was that Sound Track, which I cannot stop listening to, that somehow seemed to sync with the speed of the Car and I might even try having Traffic coming down the road in the opposite direction but that might be a bridge too far as A1 is one heck of a learning curve, at least for me
Glad you liked it anyway but I don't think I'll give up my day job, whatever that is
You're not alone I'm also a one fingered Typist, so most of the time I leave it to the GF
Not really sure if I like this A1 as it seems like Cheating and many of the Voices on YouTube are A1 that seem to be driving everybody crazy, as they seem to make every announcement sound like fake news
Still if boredom gets the better of me, I might have another go where the ultimate Challenge I'm setting myself is to have the Car revolving like they do Mechanically in Car Showrooms
It was one of those day where it was really much too Cold to go out, where every roof was Covered in a very light layer of Snow but even so with Christmas, just around the Corner, owing to forgetting to turn back the Clocks! (That was apparently all might fault!) which it probably was!
We somehow decided not to put the Clocks back at all and Stay with British Summer Time, all Year through!
I'm almost sure not many people would have decided to do that but having done so all I can say is 'Don't Knock it till you've tried it!' because there isn't any downside, that's really worth talking about, as while it maybe a little bit darker in the mornings, at 6 o/clock in the evening, we still have broad daylight!
Its all about going your own way and doing your own thing and now that we have tried it, there is no way we will be going back, so if your going down the pub or want to go down to the Shops, all it needs is a quick Calculation to knock an hour off at least until you get back
The only thing that doesn't change is the Freezing Cold Weather or the Heating Bills, except that is no longer True for us, ever since I bought us one of those Chinese Diesel Heaters, that can run off Red Diesel or Paraffin or Kero Heating Oil and I bought this last Summer when they weren't selling many of these
Except I hadn't tried it out till now, where as such I had no idea as to what to expect as they all look pretty anodyne in many You Tube Videos, at which point I'm asking 'What could possibly go wrong!'
Well for Starters when you Start her up, the initial Noise it makes can Shred your Nerves like Grated Carrot and if you think an XJS is Scary, then let me tell you straight away that you ain't seen or even heard nothing like it yet!
So if the 'SAW' producers are looking for Scary Music for a Horror Film, then there isn't any need to look any further than this, although more likely I was just being a Wimp!
So after plugging this Gadget in to either a 12 Volt Battery or a 12 Volt Power Supply as I had done, I set this up in the Workshop part of the House, although the whole House is really nothing more than an XJS Workshop with an Air Frying Oven, as our Super Duper Range Cooker is now somewhat redundant (bit like me!)
So next I routed the Exhaust out of the Letter Box, in a part of the House where experiments have once taken place, where the peeling Paintwork, is a Testament to what can happen if and when, your Home Made Oil Fired Boiler suddenly gets out of Control, and nearly burnt the House down in the process
But even so I was Insured, at least I think I was, though delving through the Archives, I found out that I wasn't! but that's what Fire Extinguishers are for, except of course that was in the Boot/Trunk of the XJS locked up in the Garage but I couldn't find the Key
But that's what Bolt Cutters are for! I could go on, though I'm sure you have got the idea and so suffice to say that we put the Flames out, just like they did in 'Hell Fighters' Starring John Wayne, who as I remember wasn't returning my Calls, although I'm not sure I even had a Phone
But this time we were well prepared and ready for any disaster that might come our way!
Fire Extinguisher/Garden Hose and this time the House was Insured, no wait perhaps it wasn't but those Major Minor details have never bothered us, so now all that I had to do, was fill her up with Paraffin and then Push the Start Button
Seemingly Blissfully unaware of what was about to happen, while Standing there drinking our Tea, although I decided to film it, as there are always lessons to be learnt!
So having pushed the Button and Turned the Camera on, the First thing we heard was the Fuel Pump, Clicking away with the kind of sound that Horror Movies have been Famous for and then as the Ticking got louder and louder, I could feel the beads of sweat cascading down my face
Which in total Contrast to myself the GF just stood there looking Cool
At least She did until the Turbo Fan cut in! and when this turned into a Wailing Scream (The Turbo Fan not the GF!) it shattered our Nerves just like throwing a brick through a Window (Think Meltdown at a Power Station) and you've probably got the idea
At which point I was praying 'Red Adair' was still on my Speed Dial!
Where just in case you're thinking that I am exaggerating just wait until you see and hear the Movie!
Though once the Turbo was up to Speed just a few Minutes later, everything quietened down and our lovely little Heater, ran like a Little Swiss Watch, while Chucking out loads of Lovely Heat, making our Central Heating System redundant, which has not been on for Years as its too expensive to Run
Unlike our Lovely Chinese Heater, which we all agree is the Best thing since they Started Slicing Sliced Bread!
The Build Quality is Amazing and looks very Modern and Stylish as well as being Mega Economical to run
I just cannot praise this Heater enough and definitely worth a very Solid 10/10 and now we are used to the Start up Noise that took the pair of us by Surprise to begin with, using this Wonderful Heater, is really a 'Walk in the Park' and only Wish I had bought one Years ago
Having had my small Trolley Jack break after many years of loyal Service and getting me out of all sorts of problems that I had got myself into, it was time to get a replacement, as when this Jack broke there were parts flying off in many directions and having decided it wasn't worth fixing, the search was on for a New one!
It wasn't so much I was Trolley Jackless altogether, as I've got 2 X 3 Ton ones but they are so big and heavy, that you can't exactly carry one round in the Boot/Trunk
just in case you got a puncture or got stuck in the mud
While a 3 Ton Jack is ideal for lifting your XJS in your Garage or Shop, you often need a Smaller Jack, to lift this Car a little bit to get the bigger Jack under, as the front beam of an XJS is often just a little bit too low
So I was looking for a Trolley Jack that would if possible give me the Best of Both Worlds, being one of these that was light enough to easily lift with one hand as well as being small enough to Carry around in the Boot/Trunk and in case I forget to mention it, also lift the Car!
Because when it comes to Changing a Wheel, a Scissor Jack can often be a bit of a 'Nightmare' to use and require the Muscles of 'Arnie' to try and turn the Handle that I for one don't have
So I decided to treat myself to an early Christmas Present, where after extensive research (which is never a waste of time!) I think that I have managed to find the perfect one that is said to Lift 2.5 Ton and can slide right under the Front Beam of my XJS with plenty of room to spare at £42 from ebay
In my eyes, its absolutely perfect for the Job, as it can even Slide right underneath the Front Spoiler of my 4.0L Facelift as well as my V12 although apart from Changing a Wheel, I would never leave a Car supported by the Jack alone, as I would also support the Weight with some Axle Stands
So I was beyond Excited, when my Brand New Trolley Jack finally Arrived!
What is in the Box?
Wowser! that looks Nice! and the Carrying Handle hooks on and off, in just a Couple of Seconds without any Tools
She looks even better out of the Box and is very Solid and well made, so I cannot wait to try it out to see if it lives up to the Hype
(Three Jacks beats a Pair!) The Red one is the one that Broke and the Grey 3 Tonner was given to me by a Shop who couldn't use it as a Wheel was Broken
This was a very easy Fix and now its as good as New! while the Blue Trolley Jack in the Middle is my New 2.5 Ton
Already looking very good, as I attempt to Slide it under the Low Front Spoiler of my 4.0L Facelift
She Slid Straight under No Problem at all and if I had needed a bit more Space, I could have un-clipped without the need for any Tools
Plenty of Space with Room to Spare! so this could be the perfect Jack for your XJS
But First a little Disclaimer! as I haven't yet used it to lift my XJS as before I do so, I want to make a Rubber or maybe Nylon Pad to protect the Car
Though having said that I have used it to Change a Wheel on my Trailer!
As expected it lifted my Trailer 'Easy Peasey'
Excuse the 'Mess' but this is the Boot/Trunk of my 'Daily Driver' my Merc that is always Full of Bits and Pieces but as you can see this Jack's easy to Stow and easy to Lift with one hand So if it can manage to pick up the front of my XJS or even my Merc as I'm sure that it will, then I am fully intending to get another one as at £42 it seems a good buy
Last edited by orangeblossom; Dec 3, 2024 at 04:46 PM.
- Get a piece of rubber and cut it to neatly fit over the saddle to avoid scratching and denting the subframes etc.
- Order a genuine hockey puck and drill a hole carefully so it can exactly fit over the end of the jacking point and goes up to the "shoulder". It spreads the load and provides a much more stable platform on the trolley jack saddle. Best thing I ever did for my XJS jacking efforts! I carry 2 of them in the boot of the car.
Yes, I'd seen that video and had similarly commented on our Club Forum that I felt it was big money for a 3.6 with a less than perfect recent MoT history. The interior looks pretty good, but, as we know with XJSs, it's all about the structure and the suspension frames. and the underside.
It's true that Manuals are desirable (more so than when they were new). But some people don't appreciate that 3.6 Manuals are not that rare. In fact most 3.6s were Manuals, with Autos being the minority option. Of the c1100 3.6 Cabriolets, only 104 were Auto, with 1000 being Manuals. A situation that was completely the opposite with the facelift 4.0 cars, where only a tiny numbers of Manuals were made.
So, it's an interesting project. But if I were Mr. Harris, I think I'd have tried to find a better, or cheaper, car to start with.
I agree, even though I didn't know about those Stats you mentioned although in general terms I think She looks a little bit too 'Sketchy' to command such a high price and is one that I would want to be Steering Clear of, unless I wanted to break her for Spares
As I don't even think She is Old enough to be TAX Free and MOT Exempt, though I guess if you're making a Video and are a TV presenter, then its more about the project than the actual cost, where as such this Concept is a lot more interesting than the other Restomod that we were looking at
So maybe he just wants her for a 'Track Car'
Though in my Search for a Cheaper one that didn't take that long, I was very pleased to see that the Price of an XJS were now on the rise, as I have a vested interest in the Sale of my own Car
Although in any event I am Planning to treat myself to what I think could well be the Ultimate 'Big Boys Toy' as the Pop up Garage, is now becoming a 'Thing' for under £500 and so I am now in the Process of Clearing out a Space for a 20ft X 12ft which would be the Perfect Size for my XJS
With maybe a Work Bench and a few not 'nickable' Spares while being close to Power as well as Water
Clarkes and Harbour Freight do these, although I've also had a look at one that has its own Compressor, that Inflates just like a 'Bouncy Castle' though all of them look pretty durable and could also be used to sit under during the Summer, even in the 'Unlikely Event' that we might see a little drop of Rain! Lol
Though leading up to 'Crimbo' we had a knock at the door, that had the GF in a state of Panic! as it was a Man or possibly Men, all dressed up in Red Jackets, that She thought could only mean one thing!
Which was that we had Won ourselves a Big Prize on that Lottery, that most Brits would be familiar with, as when we had Won a couple of much lesser prizes or maybe a Free entry in the Next Draw, they usually send an email letting you know
Though if you've Won a 'Big Prize' then 'They Send The Boys Round' so to speak, where they would be wearing their 'Jackets' and in the event that this was the case, this would be the perfect Start to 2025
At which point the GF was now beyond excited! 'Side together, Side together' 'Kick!' 'Side together, Side together' 'Kick!' and just in case you think I've lost my 'Marbles' it seems to be 'The Winning Dance' that you are expected to do!
Though I said No! there is no way that I am doing that!
But you must! you must! you can't just say No! and let the Side down like that 'said the GF'
Though I stuck to my Guns and was adamant, as I insisted that 'No meant No' as there was simply No Way that I would be doing that!
Not even for £250.000 Smackerous?
£250,000 and maybe even more! said the GF!
It's got to be a 'Big Prize' or they wouldn't call round in Person, as appeared to be happening right now
Hang on I said, let's get this straight! 'Side Together, Side Together' 'Kick' is that it?
Yeah! almost it said the GF but then you've got to Cheer! and do the 'Jazz Hands'
OMG! Not 'Jazz Hands' as well, Yup! said the GF put on a Fake Smile and then just think of the Money and how many more XJS's you can buy with all that!
Ok let's do it, you Answer the door, while I go and look up the Number of my Bank Account!
Though when I returned, the GF had lost all her Sparkle!
As instead of the Big Money that we were expecting, we had Won Two Pairs of Bed Socks, that must have cost me over £1,000 pounds by now
Its been a pretty Mild Winter as far as Winters go but its still blinking Cold when you have to out to the Garage to get a Screwdriver to mend something or other and I thought I'd build a Secret Workshop in the Hall, which we very seldom use for anything except storing various bits and pieces like a Barbecue and all good stuff like that
So incorrectly thinking that 'her indoors' would never approve of such a move, I made an Executive Decision not to tell her, purely and simply for her own good, which roughly Translates, as that had I had done so and had She said and I'd gone ahead with it, then it did seem certain that my life could be in danger!
Though as it happened I think I picked the perfect Night to traverse between the garage and my Secret Workshop, which was already starting to take on 007 James Bond Vibes and so if they should ever decide to Film 'On His Majesties Not so Secret Service' then I could well be the Man for the Job!
As this was a Pitch Black Night with a Waning Moon and hardly a Star to be seen in the Sky, as trying not to make a sound that might wake the GF from her Slumbers, as She lay on the Sofa looking like a Princess who was completely Off Her Face after one too many Glasses of Vodka and Red Bull after a Night out with the Girls
That has to be a Drink I'd never heard off, as apparently you can get hammered although instead of passing out, you Stay awake all night and probably for the night after that, until your body tells you much to late in this sad case, that perhaps you ought to have a little lay down on the nearest thing that doesn't move!
And so my timing could not be more perfect, as I started building my Secret Workshop in the Hall, Crashed out Girlfriend, Lots of Tools, and endless Cups of Tea, so tell me Guys, what on earth could possibly go wrong!
She Woke Up! is what went wrong! as I might have known that using my Electric Drill at that time of the Night, was with the benefit of hindsight something of a Big Mistake for which there was usually quite a high price to pay where so as expected, she promptly went Bananas even though She didn't know exactly where She was!
And so I decided to call it a day for the Night, feeling that in her state, essential services may well be withdrawn for quite some time at which point I decided that I myself should go upstairs to bed, with a Cup of Hot Chocolate and an Electric Blanket to keep me nice and Warm, as Tomorrow there would be another day
And so imagine my Surprise when I found there was and the GF was just miles of smiles, now she had recovered from the Morning after the Night before, at which point I'm thinking that something could be wrong with her, as She was being unusually quite pleasant!
So what are you building Darlink She said in her best fake Russian Accent
Its a Workshop in the Hall, I nervously replied
Great idea the GF said, its high time we made better use of that empty space!
You mean you don't mind?
Of course I don't as from what I've seen so far, it looks a Work of Genius to me!
OMG I'm thinking, I better Catch the Wave, just in case She later decides to Change her mind!
So it was out with the Electric drill to Screw the Storage Containers to the Wall, which She said gave it Ambience in a 'Steam Punk Way' where even I am thinking, its already 'Looking Kinda Cool' as now at last I can find everything and so standby for Photos as the Project now gathers momentum and as such continues apace!
My Not So Secret
Secret Indoor Workshop Is Now Starting To Take Shape
Who Put all the Lights Out! Candlelight Is Best If You Are Building Secret Workshop!
Maybe Not The Best Idea That I Ever Had
Plenty Of Space For Those Nuts In The Garage That I Had To Keep Running Outside For
Disused Hallway Was The Perfect Place To Build A Workshop
Charging The Battery Of My XJS 4.0L
Can You Turn A Pillar Drill Into A Food Mixer (I think I'm about to find out!)
Probably A Good Time To Stop For A Cup Of Tea!
Looks like a great use of space. Nice job. It's always a serious P. I. A. to have to run out to the shop to get something, especially when it's cold, raining, or both. Yuck.
We could drink that Pot of Tea Between us and very often do, as were not too big on Coffee down here in the UK, the Tea Pot is Collectable and we used to have matching Cups, until the GF Started throwing them at me!
I'm only joking, we still have the Cups! but the Stainless Steel ones that you see on the Tray, were what I picked up at a 'Thrift Shop' for only £5 the lot, as they just feel amazing to drink from and are a little bit 'Steam Punk' which is what we are into at the moment
Next I'll start unboxing, some of the Tools I bought, that include a Cordless Bandsaw, which is Trending on TikTok as the ultimate 'Big Boys' Toy don't tell me you haven't got one of these, as you have probably got more Tools, than everyone on this Forum put together!
The Flowers were a Valentines day Gift from the GF and I bought her a Tool Kit of her very own, so please don't tell me the Age of Romance is dead!
Cannot believe I've done without these Storage Boxes for as long as I have, as that door you see in front of you leads into the Lounge and so the Secret Not So Secret Indoor Workshop has become a bit of a Talking Point with Visitors
Its a bit like having a Cocktail Bar, for Sheddies! where instead of having Tea Spoons, I am going to have Spanners and maybe one or two XJS Posters as well
Unusually the GF was really on board with this right from the Start, although I very obviously didn't tell her what I was doing until it was too late!
A Cordless Bandsaw?!!
I bet it won't cut that Model T front axle husband had carried around since well before I knew him, but I'd certainly give it a shot!
