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Thanks for your help in finding those 'Stats' I'll mock something up Tomorrow to see what 550mm looks like but if you come across any on ebay, then please would you let me know, as the maths for doing this job is already making my head spin!
Glad you like the idea, not sure about the Wind Indicator but all the same I'm Psyching myself up, just in case and in the hope that 'Someday' might decide to CGI a 'Leaper' Style of a 'Weather Vane' to bolt on the roof!
You know, that's not a bad idea. Not on the car roof, of course, but on the roof of your garage perhaps. Get a weathervane, remove that silly ****, and replace it with a leaper shape cut out from steel.
Also, I did a search for the two parts Palm mentions, but no luck. Perhaps my Google-fu is poor, but also likely that the parts are well out of production--the biggest problem with Palm's book is that it's rather out of date in many ways.
I did, however, find this account of struts, which might be of use: Installing Aftermarket Bonnet Struts. Here's the money quote: "Earlier, [Palm] had recommended those for a 1984 Honda Accord hatchback, e.g., Pro-Lift #92307, but some list members reported bonnet damage due to the high opening force of these units." This guy, note, is trying to get the same opening width, not more.
Hmm. You might want to read this account as well: Jag-lovers-digest V1 #346
Ctrl-F for "strut" and you'll see a post from a guy who recommends the Pro-Lift, but a counter-post from another guy, who says:
"Sorry to burst your bubble but odds are these struts won’t work.
I’ve seen many different brands of struts used on XJSs and only the
factory ones work properly. Let’s see, the gas pressure can be too high
and the bonnet gets stressed when being closed. The seals let go
quicker than the OEM struts. For the last couple years I’ve been using
very high quality replacement struts on customers cars and even those
lost pressure. They just can’t take the underhood heat. Luckily my
supplier replaced the faulty units. Jaguar does make a strut that has a
lock mechanism built into it. It locks automatically at full extension
and unlocks easily. With this design, even with a pressure loss the
strut still functions."
So underbonnet heat and pressure are a couple of things to consider when buying longer ones.
A Million Thanks for your research and funny you should mention it but all the 'Gas Struts' on all of my Cars are 'Toast' all of which have been killed off by the Heat from under the Bonnet/Hood
So bad in fact that sometime ago, I did a simple mod that was recommended to me by Jonathan W. which worked fantastically well and consisted of a piece of Tube slipped over the 'Gas Strut' to Jam the 'Gas Strut' open when it was extended
And as a matter of fact I'm still using it to this very day and also made another one to keep the Boot/Trunk open
Jonathan's Amazing 'Gas Strut' idea!
But......and there's always a But! ....... My Celebration Convertible has those 'Jaguar Locking Struts' you mentioned! so if I get a chance Tomorrow, I will measure them up to not only see if they would fit
But also see if they would keep the Bonnet/Hood open wider
Picking up on what you found from your intensive research (for which I thank you very much indeed!) I can well imagine some possible Bonnet/Hood damage, from the Pressure of the 'Gas Struts' under the Bonnet/Hood
So maybe my Static 'Maintenance Struts' with the 'Quick Release 'R' Clips' was the best solution after all
But then again maybe not? as it will be interesting to hear what 'Greg' has to say, as what we are really after, is the Best of both Worlds, where you can have longer Struts that are affixed to the Bonnet/Hood all the time, even if they are Static
Without any upward Pressure on the Bonnet/Hood when it is closed
So what I am sort of thinking of, is something like the Bonnet/Hood Struts that were fitted to the MGB or something like that
Thank again for all your help, as I'm sure eventually we will come up with something
Well, as they're not that expensive, I think the solution's simple--get some of those longer ones, see how well they last, and if they're toast, go back to the standard and your clever bar thing. The only worry in that case is whether the excess pressure could actually warp your bonnet. Honestly, I'd be surprised, but it may be something to keep in mind.
So maybe my Static 'Maintenance Struts' with the 'Quick Release 'R' Clips' was the best solution after all
But then again maybe not? as it will be interesting to hear what 'Greg' has to say, as what we are really after, is the Best of both Worlds, where you can have longer Struts that are affixed to the Bonnet/Hood all the time, even if they are Static
Without any upward Pressure on the Bonnet/Hood when it is closed
SDSD: No need to over complicate the strut choice. I have OEM sized, but made by SGS struts, but I specified them uprated (ie gas pressure raised) by 15%. They are currently 8 years old and still perfect. The OEM struts are, in my opinion, not strong enough, and certainly not durable enough - which is typical OEM - anything to keep the costs down on non-vital parts. So there is no need to risk off the shelf parts from other types of car; as you say, too strong a strut will bend the bonnet, NOT at the closed position, but when starting to close from the fully open position when leverage against the bonnet fulcrum is at its highest.
OB: Touched by your faith I shall try to justify it! Either
If 550mm does the job: Ask SGS for a 550 mm strut pressured to OEM plus 15%, or
If it does not: Ask SGS if they will make a 600 mm strut closing to 13 inches similarly pressured (they do bespoke for damn-all more than off the shelf), or
Buy a 650mm strut (again similarly pressured) and make a 1.5 inch or so, bolt-on rearwards extension to the OEM wing bracket.
The bonnet is really heavy, I mean really heavy, and with no strut it is extremely hard to raise it single handed. I think a longer properly pressurised strut is a terrific idea, and at about 40 quid for two from SGS, a damn sight cheaper than driving the car!
Tried lots of different setups today and 500mm is the only comfortable fit as the 'Gas Strut' needs to Telescope down to 13 ins as you were both saying
But both of the 'Gas Struts' on 'Cherry' 500mm Telescoping down to 13 ins are completely shot away, meaning I have to lift the full weight of the Bonnet/Hood and have done ever since I got her back on the road again, with help from 'Greg' and 'The WOZ'
Although the weight of the Bonnet has never bothered me, its just something that I have got used to and the only real reason for making those 'Struts' was to Safely hold the Bonnet/Hood open, as far at it would go
For stuff like Changing the Fan or replacing the Spark Plugs and so with that in mind I started to wonder, if I really needed any 'Gas Struts' at all and just use my Homemade Struts for doing the sort of jobs, where wide open access is required
And just use a Bonnet/Hood 'Prop' to keep the Bonnet/Hood open while either doing 'The Pre-Flight Checks' on the Oil and Water and to also make it easier for putting on my 'modded' Struts' whenever I needed to use them
But as I hadn't got a 'Bonnet Prop' I had to find something to make one from
So while I was down a 'Thrift Shop' today, I found the very thing! which was a long pole scoop for picking up Golf *****, which just required a little bit of 'modding'
Which was to take off the Scoop parts and then replace it with a bolt, with Plastic Tubing on each end to protect the Car, where by way of a bit of a bonus, this Pole had a friction lock to adjust the length
'Ron' was using something similar, which inspired me to give it a go and found out that it was a great solution, which also holds the Bonnet/Hood up, in case I want to put the 'modded Struts' on
Golf Ball retriever with friction lock to make a Bonnet/Hood Prop
Cup removed from 'Golf Ball Retriever'
Hook protected with Polythene Tube was a perfect fit! with the other end tucked underneath the 'Brake Pump'
Blunt end with rubber handle tucked underneath the 'Brake Pump'
Bonnet/Hood Prop seems just the job and the Cushion is only there in case the 'worst should happen' while I am lifting it up
In all the excitement or should that be 'Freezing Cold' that's the thing that I forgot to measure doh!
But the Homemade 'modded' 600mm Struts are so easy to put on (takes no more than 60 Seconds!) that anything less might be a bit disappointing, though its still a work in progress as I might be able to come up with something else
Unless you get there before me, I will measure the height of the Bonnet/Hood at 550mm but its just too Cold at the moment to do any stuff outside
Making And Modding A Pair Of 'Double Acting' 600mm Bonnet/Hood 'Gas Struts' For My XJS V12 'Cherry Blossom'
While I know you can go and buy these things, I didn't know for sure if they would fit and so I decided to try and make my own just for the hell of it and if they fitted and they worked maybe I would then go out a buy some 'Stock' ones later
As you may have read in this previous thread, I have already made some 'Fixed Maintenance Struts' for doing under Bonnet/Hood jobs like changing the Fan and Spark Plugs and Hardcore Stuff like that
Where with so many tools around maybe laying on top of the Engine, the last thing you want is a gust of wind, to have that Bonnet/Hood crashing unexpectedly down without any warning
And you also want the Bonnet/Hood up in the Air as high as you dare, without breaking the Grill, where the 600mm Fixed Bonnet/Hood Struts are really ideal for that
But as for 600mm Gas Filled Struts, I have heard tell they will not fit or at least not fit well, so rather than part with 'Shedloads' of Cash on something that for all I knew may not do the job, I decided I would try and 'Custom Build' my own
Though first I had to ****** Victory from the Jaws of defeat, as otherwise this project would have never left the ground and so it is at this point that the 'Saga of my Home Made 600mm Gas Struts really begins
'Darlink'
'Say what!'
Darling that ends with a 'g' is something I can handle but when its Darlink, with a 'K' I know from past experience that its a sign of trouble and the GF must be surely after something
Darlink!
Yes my little Princess!
There is something that I could do with right now!
But We've already just............
No..No..No...what I need is a 'Rack'
You want a what! Have you been reading that book 50 Shades?
What the hell are you on about, I want a Free Standing Clothes Rack, one of those Clothes Rail 'Thingy's'
Am I pleased to hear that, or am disappointed? I don't know!
You don't need another Clothes Rack, where are we going to put it?
You've already got more Clothes than anyone I know, you've got two Wardrobes full of Clothes and so a Clothes Rail 'Thingy' is the last thing that you need
How about I keep it in the Garage?
You must be joking have you lost your marbles! 'Cherry Blossoms' in there and so as far as you're concerned, that's a Restricted Area, a Total No Go Zone!
I don't need a Big Clothes Rail, just an 'ickle' one, Aww Please can I have one 'Pretty please with sugar on'
She's done it again! She's done it again! That deluded Princess knows just what buttons to push!
So in a moment of weakness, I took her out Shopping and then went and bought her one, which I have regretted until this very day as it was nowhere near as 'ickle' as She told me it would be
And so with nowhere to keep it and certainly Not in the Garage, its been the 'bain of my life'
But then suddenly and without Warning, She went 360 on me, lost interest in the blinking thing and so told me that I could chuck it out!
At which point I dismantled it and put it in the Garage!
'I know'.............
And here it is!
Or at least what's left of it anyway, after having attacked the rest of it with a FBH and my newly acquired Power Hacksaw
That is not a 'Clothes Rack' that you are looking at, those are Uber Super Douper Double Acting 'Gas Struts' 600mm long
or at least they will be, although not as we know it in about 3 hours from now
The reason being that the Tube is an unusual size and absolutely perfect for just what I have in mind
So lets begin........
The Stock 'Gas Struts' on 'Cherry Blossom' had seen better days and as I was about to buy some New ones anyway, I thought that I would use these as a prototype and what's more you never know, they might even work!
And so the very first thing that I had to do, was to file the eye bolt down on the sides of the blunt end of the 'Gas Strut' so that I could slide them into the Tube that this Clothes Rail was made from
That is all I had to do, as once that 'eye bolt' was slimmed down about 1/2mm, the rest of the 'Gas Strut' just slid in! absolutely perfect with virtually no play
At which point I got the 'Chills' as I had a sneaky feeling, that it this was now going to work
Which if nothing sometimes shows just how wrong you can be, or maybe not as we will have to see!
Cutting the Tube the same length as the 'Stock Gas Strut' with the 'eye bolt' of the 'Gas Strut' just inside the New mounting Bolt
Drilling out a 5/16 Mounting Hole in the Tube
Slimmed down 'eyebolt' of the 'Gas Strut' (which is made of plastic) about to be slid in the Tube, where this actual Tube was a 'Mock up' just to take the Photo, the Actual Tube I used was the right length (dimensions to follow later)
Stock 500mm 'Gas Strut' now slid into the Tube, with the head of the 'eye bolt' that you can no longer see, sitting on top of the New Mounting Bolt (the Bolt does NOT pass through the 'eye bolt' of the 'Gas Strut' or we would be back to square one!
As Crazy as this is going to sound, that dreaded Clothes Rail even came with its own Locking Collars OMG!
So just so you don't lose your way to what is going on: Stock 500mm 'Gas Strut' Slides into Tube and because the New Fixing Bolt does Not go through the 'eye bolt' but instead sits on the top of it, that Stock 500mm 'Gas Strut' is Free to Slide in the Tube
Which makes it 'Double Acting' although not as we know it
Locking Collar that came with the Tubes on the Clothes Rail can adjust the Stock 'Gas Strut' to the Length required before being locked in place with the Locking Collar
So much for the 'Theory' except by very careful Measuring or should I say just Luck!
No adjustment was needed, as they turned out to be the 'Perfect Length' at 600mm which is a much as I dare to open the Bonnet/Hood without breaking the Grill
And so although the Locking Collars were not needed, I left them on there anyway to cover any sharp edges and hopefully make it look like a Pro-Job
Looking Good in my eyes with my 600mm Home Made Double Acting Gas Struts, which Jack the Bonnet/Hood up in the Air as high as it will go!
But don't rush out and buy Stock 600mm ones yet, as they may Not Fit and they could either damage the Bonnet/Hood and or the Mounting Brackets (these were Custom made by me so they would fit my Car)
What the Hell am I talking about! at this point I don't even know if I can close the Bonnet/Hood because its virtually impossible to try and measure the mounting brackets on the Car, when the Bonnet/Hood is closed
So this could really turn out to be a reckless gamble on my part
Squeaky Bum Time! as I very gently close the bonnet and pull the Towel that's holding it an inch clear out the way
Nearly there but at this point, my hearts beating out of my Chest in anticipation of what could possibly go wrong!
Yassss! It fits no damage to anything and I can even lock the Bonnet/Hood in the Closed Position
Absolutely Perfect: 'It was never in doubt' (lol) although I'll always have the Bonnet/Hood Prop handy just in Case
To be Continued...........
Last edited by orangeblossom; 12-20-2018 at 02:47 AM.
The OEM 500mm 'Gas Strut' is Not anchored to the Wing, it just sits into the extension Tube, where it holds up the Bonnet/Hood in much the same way as a 'Bonnet/Hood Prop' might do
Which seems to work fine in the Garage but could blow over outside if hit by a strong tail wind, so it would need a tether to stop it doing that, although I have plans to connect it to the mounting bolt from inside the tube so that can't happen
This is just my prototype which is still in the early stages of R&D but it works well for what I want it for, as this is 'NOT' A 'How To' Guide but just something that I put together for myself
Which does seem an improvement on what I had before, as I was restricted on how high I could lift the Bonnet/Hood up without the need of taking off the 'Gas Struts'
The ones that you had Custom Made undoubtedly work better but since I like to make things, this was something that I really wanted to try out, even if I have to go back to the drawing board
Although for any serious work I will be using my 'Maintenance Struts' to much more Safely hold the Bonnet/Hood high up in the Air
Last edited by orangeblossom; 12-20-2018 at 03:32 AM.
The OEM 500mm 'Gas Strut' is Not anchored to the Wing, it just sits into the extension Tube, where it holds up the Bonnet/Hood in much the same way as a 'Bonnet/Hood Prop' might do
Which seems to work fine in the Garage but could blow over outside if hit by a strong tail wind, so it would need a tether to stop it doing that, although I have plans to connect it to the mounting bolt from inside the tube so that can't happen
This is just my prototype which is still in the early stages of R&D but it works well for what I want it for, as this is 'NOT' A 'How To' Guide but just something that I put together for myself
Which does seem an improvement on what I had before, as I was restricted on how high I could lift the Bonnet/Hood up without the need of taking off the 'Gas Struts'
The ones that you had Custom Made undoubtedly work better but since I like to make things, this was something that I really wanted to try out, even if I have to go back to the drawing board
Although for any serious work I will be using my 'Maintenance Struts' to much more Safely hold the Bonnet/Hood high up in the Air
I too could not see what the fixing point looked like to the wing. While I was reading and trying to imagine the workings of your idea, am I to understand that all you did was place or slide the original 500mm strut inside the new tube with no change to the original tube? Meaning the old strut is free to move forward in the open position but stops at point inside the new tube. This overall stopping point, which I assume is right up against the new bolt/eye position. It is at this position that a 600mm dimension is achieved? At this new position, could you not place a pin through where the old eyelet sits in the new tube? This would fix the old strut in the new tube with no fear of the hood/bonnet moving any more forward in a gust of wind. Once the best position is established, for both open and closed positions, you drill a hole in the right place for the inside strut to the outside tube. ..or ..have two hole positions on the outside tube. One for the best closed position, and one for a "maintenance" open position which you could lock the tubes in the most open position and lock with a removable pip pin.
Last edited by carsnplanes; 12-20-2018 at 05:28 AM.
I too could not see what the fixing point looked like to the wing. While I was reading and trying to imagine the workings of your idea, am I to understand that all you did was place or slide the original 500mm strut inside the new tube with no change to the original tube? Meaning the old strut is free to move forward in the open position but stops at point inside the new tube. This overall stopping point, which I assume is right up against the new bolt/eye position. It is at this position that a 600mm dimension is achieved? At this new position, could you not place a pin through where the old eyelet sits in the new tube? This would fix the old strut in the new tube with no fear of the hood/bonnet moving any more forward in a gust of wind. Once the best position is established, for both open and closed positions, you drill a hole in the right place for the inside strut to the outside tube. ..or ..have two hole positions on the outside tube. One for the best closed position, and one for a "maintenance" open position which you could lock the tubes in the most open position and lock with a removable pip pin.
You have understood the workings 'Bang on exactly right' though maybe I could have explained it just a little bit better and also today I have 'Modded' that Strut, so that the 'Body of the Gas Strut' cannot pull out of the Tube
Where apart from that the Advantage as it occurred to me, was to have the 'OPTION' to 'Temporarily' EXTEND a 500mm Gas Strut to 600mm
So that you have the 'OPTION' of having the Extra Distance should you need it, WITHOUT the Extra Strain on the Bonnet/Hood Hinges and then you would SHORTEN them up again back to 500mm BEFORE closing the Bonnet/Hood
But being as it's Chrimbo it has been nothing but holdups and unwanted interruptions
Darling!
Yes my little (deluded) Princess, what ails thee?
What did you do with that Clothes Rack?
In a moment of Sheer Panic! I could suddenly feel the beads of sweat breaking out on my brow, as if She ever finds out I cut it up to make some 'Hybrid Gas Stuts' then I am going to have to try and sleep with one I open for some time
I dumped it just like you told me!
Oh No! you didn't did you?
Just carrying out your instructions my pet, sure that if She ever finds out, then She is going to kill me!
Why what is the problem?
Oh never mind it doesn't matter really, its just that a friend of mine wanted one and I could have given it to her as a Christmas Present
Trust me, you've done her a favour, its much better out of the way as those things take up too much room and just like I told you, She'll soon find out that She won't have anywhere to keep it
I know, I wish I'd listened to you as I think you are probably right!
Not so much of the probably, I told you not to buy it in the first place, so anyway you can go Shopping now and leave me to carry on working down the Garage and don't get her anything useless that takes up space like that 'blinking thing'
And talking of useless Surprises, just as I was about to get back to 'modding my hybrid Gas Struts' Low and behold out of nowhere, there was a knock on the door!
It was her friend Debbie, a face I will never forget, as She was the one who bought us the most useless Christmas Present of all time last year!
And if you think that Clothes Rack was bad, you ain't seen nothing yet, as Debbie bought us one of those 'Cheese Cutters' which I hate with a passion, more than words alone could ever describe
Its was one of those things with a Marble Base and a pull down Wire like a Hacksaw, which not only takes up Acres of space in the Cupboard but also has the kind of design which makes it such a PIA to store
And what is more because it is used so infrequently, you have to wash it up before you cut a piece of Cheese and then wash it up again straight after before you try and put it back in the Cupboard and then pile everything on top of it
The Ubiquitous Cheese Cutter, that seems to be impossible to store out of the way
The only thing that you can do is accidentally drop it and use it for Hardcore! or else pile some stuff on top of it
Hi Debbie! so what do we owe this unexpected visit of yours to 'Orange Blossom Towers' ?
Oh nothing really, I was just passing and thought I'd drop you in a Christmas Present!
At this point I'm thinking Nooooh, what has She brought us this time!
Well don't just Stand there, said the GF, make Debbie a Cup of Coffee and then bring it in the Lounge
Where if it hasn't gone unnoticed, at this time of the Year its easier to let the GF take charge, as basically it saves a lot of hassle
Ok Debbie, coming up! Nescafe, decaf or that fresh ground stuff?
Nescafe will be fine but can I have decaf?
Course you can and would you like some Biscuits, I've got a really nice packet of Chocolate digestives!
Or if you're cutting down on Chocolate, then we've got some Salted Crackers?
Oh Yes! I'd love some Crackers and a piece of Cheese!
What!.......
You know, 'Crackers and Cheese' go together, just like Peaches and Cream
Silly me course they do, you and Ali go into the Lounge and I will bring it through
There you go Debbie! One Cup of decaf Coffee with a Plate of Crackers and a Packet of 'Lakeland' Cheese!
Thank you Alex I can see that you've been 'House Trained' but what is that knife for?
To Cut the Cheese with!
But I bought you that gadget last year, that Cheese Cutter 'Thingy'
Its just as easy with a knife but just one look from Ali, sends me back into the Kitchen to get out this device, just to cut one little Slice of Cheese! OMG!
And if that isn't bad enough before I can get in the Garage to finish the work on my 'Gas Struts' I'm told to leave them nattering while my next job is to wash and dry the kitchen floor
Washing it is easy, except in this damp Weather, it can take ages to dry
Or maybe Not!
Don't try this at home!
Job done in 5 minutes, the Floor is bone dry and so now I can make the 'Great Escape' and get to work on those 'Gas Struts'
Where the problem that I thought I had was locking them in position, until I suddenly realized that the Solution to all this was Staring me in the face!
As the Clothing Rack I'd made them from, came with locking Collars and Screws to Clamp everything in place but since these Clamp Screws were facing up, I didn't want to use them, in case they fouled the Bonnet/Hood when I tried to close it
When these Adjusting Clamps were facing upwards, it looked like the Adjusting Screws were going to foul the Bonnet
The Solution was quite simple, as the only thing I had to do was to drill a hole in the Side of the Tube, so that the Adjuster would be laying on its side
Note: I took the Tube out of the Car to drill a Hole in the Side before putting it back, this time with the Screw Clamp, laying on its side, where I'm please to say it didn't foul the Bonnet
If you decide to make something like this or hopefully even better:
DO NOT DRILL A HOLE IN THE STRUT ONLY THE TUBE IT SLIDES INTO
So how does it work?
With the 'Stock Gas Struts' Clamped in place at 500mm The Bonnet Hood opens as Normal but if I need any extra height, then all I do is to undo the Locking Collars and Clamps and then 'Manually' push the Bonnet/Hood up another 1000mm
Where on my Car anyway 600mm is enough to have the Bonnet/Hood Open, as far as it will go
With the Advantage being because the 'Hybrid Gas Struts' are a combination of Manual and Auto, I've found I can get the Bonnet to open that much wider without increasing the strain on the Bonnet/Hood Hinges
As you also have to undo the Clamps and Manually close the Bonnet/Hood 1000mm before the Gas Struts take over
This is Not a How To, I did this for my own Car but if you do something similar, take very accurate measurements and be extremely careful that you don't strain the Hinges or Damage the Bonnet/Hood
I am also looking into the Pin idea from carsnplanes, although at the moment, it seems to work fine as it is.
Last edited by orangeblossom; 12-24-2018 at 03:26 AM.
The Day That All My Christmases Could Have Come At Once!
'Dear Santa'
Please may I have my first Socket Set
Up and until just a few years ago, I'd hardly picked up a Spanner as I had never really been that mechanically minded but Thanks to Forum Legends like 'Greg' and 'Grant-The Wizard Of OZ' and 'Warrjon' I started to take a bit more of an interest
As it suddenly started to dawn on me that if I was unable to fix my XJS when She went wrong, then the only alternative would be to Win the Lottery on Roll Over Week, as they otherwise can be a little expensive to run!
Which I found out the day that I bought 'Cherry' my red XJS that I went to collect with my previous GF, who was a sane and sensible Girl and quite the opposite of the Total 'Fruitcake' that I hang out with now!
Who somehow managed to get us locked in a 'Windmill' on the Norfolk Broads but that's another story for another day because as of this moment in time, 'Sensible Girl' was taking me to get 'Cherry'
She was parked outside the Owners House right up at the end of his driveway, which I remember as being so long that if you were doing that journey on foot, you would probably need to take a packed lunch just to keep you going
Then as we swung her little Car around this massive Fountain on this gorgeous Summers day, it was a case of 'Wham Bam' there She was!
A Red Hot Little Stunner with her Top down and looking a lot like one of those girls that your Mother warned you about
OMG! She looked so beautiful I almost burst in tears, as I'd already paid for her and now 'Cherry' was mine, the owner sort of smiled at me just like he understood how I was feeling, then said I think you might be needing these
As he tossed me a couple of sets of keys, just like they do in the movies as they flew through the air like Ninja Stars as I made a grab for them and somehow managed to catch them in my hot sticky hand
And can well remember the feeling of opening her door and sliding in on that Connolly hide and then putting the key in the Ignition, with a Click and then a Whoosh! like a demented turbine before She settled down into a Purr and we were off!
As the nearly new Pirelli's crunched the gravel on our journey down his drive until we hit the two lane Black Top, where all bets were off, as She took off like a guided missile
Where it was nearly clearly a case of Deja Vu as something very similar was about to happen today, when 'The Fruitcake' and I went out for a Trip in her Mazda MX5
When as we pulled into a Car Park we saw this!
(photo to follow too big and wouldn't upload, so to be continued.....)
Last edited by orangeblossom; 12-24-2018 at 08:57 PM.
Continuing from the previous thread, I am now supposed to be uploading a Photo of the XJS that we saw in the Car Park which looked absolutely stunning
But in my somewhat cackhanded attempt to try and take an amazing photo, I cranked my 'Canon' up to the Max resolution of 18 pixels and then to make things even worse if they could get worse
I tried to blank out the number plates of the other Cars in the surrounding area so when I tried to upload the Photo, everything came to a grinding halt when it got to 50%
And on top of that I only took the one photo! which is very unusual for me as when I see an XJS, I usually go a bit crazy and just keep snapping away from every angle
Maybe I felt inhibited in case the owner turned up, as I don't like taking photos of other peoples Cars without their permission especially if intending to use them in a thread, where they might raise an objection
So not sure how you are meant to go on about that sort of stuff, which all together has left me with an unexpected 'cliff hanger' that I haven't yet have managed to resolve
Except to say this Car was grey and looked absolutely gorgeous and was a 1989 just like '50 Shades' my Grey XJS except that this one didn't look grey but much more like a Tungsten sort of colour
Which made it look even more edgy than it already was and as you don't see many XJS around in this day and age, I decided to hang around and try and have a bit of a chat with the owner if he turned up
Which low and behold he eventually did and as it turned out, this guy bought and sold Classics and so now for the really, really Bad News!
This Tungsten dream machine was up for Sale, at which point I could somehow feel my Credit Card starting to burn a hole in my Pocket, as when you see an XJS especially as nice as this one was
Common sense just seems to fly out of the Window along with any Willpower that you may have had to walk away and while most people think you are Crazy, it gets you like that as you know!
And She was a Convertible and the Top was down and every time I looked at her, my heart was beating so fast, that I was starting to shake and while I could have taken more photos
I thought if I seemed over keen, it may have put the price up, or even made it less likely that we could do a deal, which believe me isn't easy when you're faced with this kind of temptation and your teeth are chattering like a pair of demented castanets
Where during our Conversation, I happened to mention 'Carmen' my 4.0L Celebration Convertible, at which point I very clearly saw his eyes light up like Flaming Torches!
And the Conversation quickly switched to doing a part exchange, where his opening gambit was doing a straight swap which maybe was not all that surprising as prices for the Celebration Model have started to climb up
Where I have seen a couple of adverts for these which were in the region of £40,000!
Now while I might not get that myself, a Classic Car dealer might, as he would be able to put her in his Showroom and also offer a guarantee to a prospective purchaser
And just in Case you may be thinking that 40 Grand is somewhat 'Wishful Thinking' Austin Healey 3000's are around £60,000! and while I know they are a 'Cult Car' that have a massive following, the XJS seems to be slowly moving in that direction
Where my Car is very low mileage with just one previous owner and FMDSH so even on a bad day I should get 30k or at least I should do in the Summer
So by doing a straight swap with me, this Classic Car Dealer could do very well and could make 10-20k without having to try too hard, which seems to be the only thing that is stopping me from going to bite his hand off at the wrist
And while I don't need another Car this one is a V12 which somehow seems to tell me that I do!
As while the 4.0L Celebration Convertible is the highly sought after model, that many people do seem to be after because they are supposed to be a lot more economical and easier to maintain
I much prefer the V12 as for one thing I would miss my weekly trips to the Garage in order to try and satisfy her outrageous Fuel Consumption of around 17 mpg!
Although I haven't said no we are still talking and he wants to come and see 'Carmen' so we yet might do a deal!
12-13-2018, 01:13 PM
