I have found a '86 Hess and Eisenhardt convertible conversion for sale locally. The seller told me he had purchased the car from a friend that had restored the body and interior but sold it when it began "running poorly. The seller believed that it would start, even though he had not done so even after buying it about six months ago.

I hooked up a battery and we tried to start up the car, I was unsure if the car would start or run because the fuel had to be pretty old. We turned the key to energize the pump several times and hopefully prime the motor. I've been studying this forum and Kirby's book and picked up a little knowledge. The car spun easily and after a bit of cranking, fired. There was no cloud of smoke or spewing of coolant,oil or fuel. It actually idled rough but steadily. after a bit the the oil pressure read at about 50lbs. so I didn't think we were going to cause any real damage. The motor would pick up a few revs but not smoothly and felt rough. There was a light metallic noise that sounded like something was spinning and rubbing on the top side of the motor. I immediately thought"is this what dropped valve seats sound like?" I remember that Kirby said that it would sound like an old Chevy truck with clattering valve lifters. I was familiar with that sound. This didn't really sound like that. I wonder if the sound was coming from a loose cam chain tensioner. maybe the loose chain was banging around somewhere inside the motor. My other thought, and of course I am hoping that this is what it is. maybe one or both of the advance weight springs has broken and the spinning weights are hitting the inside of the distributor housing. This happened on my old Harley Sportster and set up a similar sound as the weights struck the sides of the point housing in the cam case.

I am appealing to all of you to give me your feedback. This is one of those take it as is, where is, sales. He;s not going to let me partially tear down the dizzy to take a look inside or drag the car off to a mechanic . I understand that. I've sold a lot of old cars like that so I've gotta make my best guess. The asking price is already pretty low, and this includes a bunch of extra parts. The car is straight with a pretty good paint job which can be touched up fairly easily. The interior has been redone and looks really good. The top has a couple of problems, mostly a rear window which has started to pull loose, but is repairable. Probably the thing that really grabs me about this car is the nice set of Dayton wire wheels, which look great on this car. I've already decided that I will not pay more than a thousand dollars for this car. I'm driving a hard bargain but around here these cars are a bit of a white elephant.

 

Tough call.

Sometime the front accessories.....p/s pump, a/c compressor, air injection pump, etc can make some weird metallic noises and the sound can migrate.

Problem with chains and tensioners seem rare on the V12s

The clattering of 12 injectors can take on metallic sound.....and they're certainly at the top of the engine

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks for the response. It does sound like something is rubbing something spinning. I turned the steering wheel from lock to lock and didn't hear any change. Stepped on the brake, no change. I tried turning on the a/c but the pump compressor didn't engage. The seller told me, that that his friend told him there might be something wrong with the distributor. I do like this particular car, I've read opposing views of these H/E converts. Did Jaguar really buy up a lot of these and crush them? I read some comments that the cars are more flexible than the factory built cars. I also read the views of some owners that say that the cars are very solid. There is this huge x shaped cross brace under the car. It is a rare coachbuilt convertible and definitely worth saving. I found that the Dayton wheels are currently priced at over 500.00 apiece. These really give the car a classic appearance.I haven't made my offer to the seller yet. He is in his own bind and he has to move out of the country in a few weeks. He had been gone for a couple of weeks so I hadn't heard from him. so I had given up on this car. I need this car like a hole in the head, and was supposed to sell my old Mustang first, because I don't really have extra room for a non running car. When he called me back I went over and we started it up. Would like to hear some more feedback from the forum. I'll try to post some pics.

 

Ouch:


1. In my part of the world. Temptation must be resisted. A very nice looking car.


2. if the price is right, well worth fixing the V12. Or even finding a sound quiet one.
Like Doug did.


3. And, for me, dare I say "lump?


4. Those wires are costly, but $500.00 each????


As Cote de Pablo croons, "Temptation". !!!!


Carl

 

Have you tried using a stethoscope ( or screwdriver to the ear) to try and isolate the sound? It will be loudest at its source.

Wire wheels - while they look great, I'm told are a nightmare because the tend to leak air, break, and flex with hard cornering.

The X brace is supposed to help stiffen the convertible chassis considerably, the original designer of that piece had a posting with great info on this forum

Good luck

 

Thanks for the response. I wish that someone who is familiar with and has heard the sound of dropped valve seats would give their opinion. The desire to buy this car is very strong for me. Even with a bad engine it would be worth saving -at the right price. There are a couple of running converts offered at 3,000 to 5,000 dollars. It would be nice to be able to enjoy the car for awhile before the inevitable problems show up. I'm not looking for a show worthy car, just some thing that is presentable and will be worth the effort. The problem with a non runner is that I have to assume the responsibility for passing the smog check. When you buy a vehicle that can pass smog you have some assurance that the motor is in somewhat acceptable condition. So I will have to get the car at the right price. I have been working on my own motorcycles and cars for over 40 years so I'm confident that I can put this thing right. It should just be twice as much work as fixing my Datsun 280Zs. I just didn't want to start out with such a project. Concerning the wheels.I just checked the Dayton wheel website and that was the price I found. I found a set on this site in the classifieds that were going for 850.00.

 

I'm not a mechanic, and you've already had good advice from the gurus here. I'll just add a few observations:

- the top is lumpy as hell
- not a fan of the whitewalls with wire wheels
- the headlight surrounds have been blacked out (what other modifications lurk??)
- interior doesn't look bad

 

Blacked headlamp surrounds and other chrome bits was a standard mod for 'specials'; Listers, TWRs etc.

 

Yes, the top does need some work. I don't have any experience with the Jaguar engine. I'm going to do some more research. I appreciate the responses. Thanks. I have decided that I do want an XJS, It doesn't have to be this one.

 

I have an engine with a dropped valve seat. It difficult to tell you if the sound you are hearing is a valve seat or some other issue.

Two things I can tell you for sure;

1. If a seat has dropped then the engine will not run smoothly because that cylinder is no longer sealing.

2. The best way to know if a seat has dropped is to do a compression test of all of the cylinders. Any cylinder with a dropped seat will have 0 compression. If you dont have a gauge already they are easy to find and only cost about $30.00.

It takes a little time to do the test on a V12 because you need to get access to all of the spark plugs but doing the test will tell you for sure if you have a good engine.

If you have good compression in all of the cylinders then everything else on the engine is not too difficult to repair.

Mark

 

Thanks for the reply and advice. I guess I should brace for the worst case scenario and get the car as cheaply as possible., if at all.

 

Hi

Ask yourself the question.

Do you just want an XJS or this Particular Car because it is rare.

As She is already showing signs of being a 'Money Pit'

You could easily spend $3,000 only to make it worth no more than others you have seen.

So do you really want the 'agro as well as the expense?'

In any event I think it best to make the Owner aware, that the Engine could have a dropped valve and in the event that is the case, then the Car is worth no more than scrap.

Its the Owner who needs to be taking that Chance that it hasn't rather than you.

So if you can't fix it for nothing at all, then you have wound up with a 'Parts Car'

With the time frame that he has, the chances of him selling it, are to all intents and purposes practically Zero.

So with that thought in your mind, I would offer him $500 or then walk away.

While I'm not a big fan of 'Wire Wheels' on an XJS, that's really just down to a matter of personal choice.

Where unless you point them out there is a chance that the owner, doesn't tend to regard them of being added value to the Car.

 

$500.00 !!!! were it my car, I'd consider that an insult. I would have to resist violence.


That car, even with a dropped valve seat V12 is far from junk.


Ugh, nearby, that temptation thing.....


Carl

 

H&E's did not come with blacked out headlight surrounds. The H&E fuel tank setup from what I've heard can be a headache and impossible to find parts for.

 

I was going to say he should pay him to take it away! (lol)

 

I'm with you, with the knockoffs missing from the wires to that top, white walls, mystery noise and all the hassles of H&E ownership I'd have asked him to pay me not to come look at it!

 

Thanks for the responses. While Hess cars are rare, I know that doesn't male them especially valuable. They have that weird double fuel tank system along with some other idiosyncrasies. However that is one of it's attractions. I think the car is worth something, even if it had a blown engine. How much is up to debate. I'll let you all know what happens

 

I think I may have found you an Einhardt and Hess Convertible from someone who might not know what they have got.

She looks an absolute beauty, compared to the one that you were looking at as too does the price.

While the description of the Car never mentions Einhardt and Hess

'its just described as being a Standard Car'

I freaked when I saw those badges behind the front Wheel Arches, it simply has to be an Einhardt and Hess HMOG!

That being the Case, I think you would walk over broken glass to buy this, I certainly would!

If I post it on the Forum, then it will be gone in a 'Blink' you can do that yourself when you've bought it (Lol!)

Or I can PM you?

 

Go ahead and PM me. I'm curious where the car is located. Thanks for the lead.

 

Hi

She's a little bit down the road from you 1.700 miles away (22 hrs drive time)

But as She looks good enough to eat, 'if' She is an Einhardt and Hess, then I for one would take a Punt and buy her sight unseen.

Then using a Transport Company have her delivered.

I don't think that you will be disappointed, as She looks good to go, in one of the most beautiful Colours I have seen.

Just remember if you buy the 'Black One' you could be throwing money down a hole in the ground, so although this is more She does look a bit of a bargain, as you would never stop spending money on the 'Black One'

They only made 2000 of these and some say there are only 900 left.

So I'll send you a PM then you can decide for yourself.