'82 and getting her plastic surgery as we speak!

 

Wow! I love that colour! I used to have an '82. Now I have an '87.Awesome car!

 

Nice one. Definitely have me beat on the age front.

 

What are the specs on your wheels/tires. I like the look of those....did you have to have the center taken out to fit the hubs.


Thanks
Brian Felts

 

Although I don't know where she was for the first 24 years she has been in NZ since 1991.

Love the Gold though.

Cheers

 

These are Ronal 16" rims, these were available back in 82 as dealer supplied option for new car. Center cups are intact and say "Ronal".

 

Nice! Any details on the plastic surgery?

 

Not being blessed with Southern lack or rust, here is what I have for now.
This is stage one, currently car sits with front fenders and doors removed, rocker panels cut off, so I could weld in new inner rocker lips and also square piping inside the rockers, to stiffen up the old girl.

P.S. I did purchase car lift, just because these should be included with any Jaguar purchase, but for some reason I did not find one in original tool kit.

 

Here she is, still got it!

 

It just occurred to me that I've never heard my car from the outside. Exhaust mods?

 

Yes, no exhaust at all, for the time being

 

I know no one cares, but here little something I replaced yesterday, or why rednecks should never touch welding equipment...

P.S. work in progress, will tidy it up a bit

 

Be glad to see when all your hard work pays off

 

Not to brag, but mine is even older: 12/1975 on the door post. 2W 51180 BW. Take a look at photos and the original window sticker, at my website.

 

BTW, does anyone know of a good Orange County shop that might do some minor (I hope!) rust repair? It's in the tail light cavities due to leaky gaskets. Also the bottom door seal retainers need to be replaced. Most body shops won't do this kind of work at all, and the restoration shops would probably not be very interested.

 

Nice car you have there, very clean also!
Unfortunately mine was never cared for like yours, instead it was owned by series of stingy rednecks, who fixed it with whatever London, Ohio could offer. For example, front end collision from while back, was repaired with the use of brass brazing rods, so now I have to undo all of it and use my mighty MIG welder. My car had never had any rust proofing, besides that awful factory tar, which now fossilized and turned into coal like mud.
However, I am going inch by inch and restoring every section that rusted, or was altered, with southern car cutouts. Also, I added stiffening rails into rocker panels and along drive shaft, so when I'm done, this XJS will be as good, or better than factory intended.

 

I can give you contact to get late 80th section cut out for you. What you are talking about is not a huge job, if you provide original metal sections.
I would also recommend using restoration specialists and not plain body shops. Normal body shops have different approach to body repair, they want it quick and take no pride in what they do, however restoration people will have the right approach and chemicals to make it last.

 

What is "late 80th section cut out "?

So are you saying a big section has to be cut out and replaced, e.g., entire tail light recess and adjacent wing (fender)? Do you have any idea what I should expect to pay for that, including paint?

I was hoping it was just a matter of grind out and weld in a patch. :-(

I went to a restoration shop a few days ago. The quoted $2900 ($43/hr), but I think they were high-balling it. For example, they estimated 12 hours for repair of each rocker panel, plus another 2.5 hours each for refinish, whereas it looks to me like all that is rusted is the bottom door seal retainer. Also estimated 8 hours for repair of left rear qtr panel and 5 for the other. And after all that they threw in another $427 for "Additional costs," with no explanation of what it was for. Then they say this is only an estimate, might be more etc.

Does this seem high to you?

Thanks for your interest.

Ed

 

mine is a 1978 XJS roadster RHD,

i have a two hr. video of the complete restoration,all your pix brings back the two year build, back in 1994-1996.

all panels below mid doors were replaced , both side rocker panels,, both rears below bumpers, rear back panel, front panel, left -right below headlights, both side suspension arm mounting areas,

then i flared the rear wheel wells, added stiffining tubing.

custom plastic fuel cell(no more rusted tanks) , complete rebild engine V12(professional work), 4spd auto overdrive, rebild rear drive powerlock, gears 3.73, single piece Aluminum driveshaft.

custom interior , RECARO leather seats, have document that car is a two seater ONLY, originally done in England, around 1979.

and a lot i have forgotten, like suspension mods ,brake upgrades, calipers, pads ,shocks, roll bars, ETC.
and ENKI 18" wheels.

and custom paint!

i try not to think ANYMORE about how much money i spent,funny when you got good cash flow, how easy things can happen.

Ron,car is up for sale, ronbrothers@gmail.com

 

How did you flare the rear and stiffen the body? If she was coupe, it probably took you a while to make her stiff as roadster?
How do I watch that video, I could use some advice on re-routing vacuum and other engine related stuff.