I had a '76 XJS back in the late 1980s, but just acquired a 1988 Hess and Eisenhardt XJS convertible.

Pros: the price was real good, and the car is real solid, no evidence of past wrecks, body damage or rust. The Stayfast top material looks new and the top mechanism works. The trans is very solid and feels like there is shift kit in it.

Cons: the previous owner started doing weird things to it, evidently he was suffering from dementia and his wife took it away from him and sold it. It sat for at least 3 years before i got it.

The tires are 23 years old, the car has 46K miles on it, and seems to run OK when warm, it hiccups a bit when cold, but that may be old gas, as I only added 3 gallons to what seemed to be a mostly empty tank.

The brake lights don't work, and the previous owner cut the glove box door hinge off..... And rejiggered the fuel supply system in the trunk, I will post a pic of that abomination later. The Left rear glass is way out of adjustment such that there is a gap between the door glass and rear glass weather strip.

For now, check out the hood mods. Those side vents are open/screen at bottom and the PO modified the air cleaner intake so an elbow points up and is a rain/water catch like a funnel in addition to the cold air i think it was supposed to get.

Will a hood from any year XJS fit the '88 or are there year ranges for hoods that will fit?

Thanks,
Doug

 

I am pretty certain all XJS hoods (bonnets) are interchangeable; 6 cylinder hood has a higher center bulge, and that hood/bonnet was adopted on the V12 to allow a cold air intake duct. Still fits.

 

The 6 & the 12 have different hoods. But yes any pre facelift hood should fit and work. Depending on where you are I may have an original rust free hood from a 84V12 to exchange.

 

I am in Arizona.

Doug

 

Oops! shipping would be horribly expensive. Check the San Diego / LA area. Lot of Jaguar XJS wind up there.

 

Hi Doug, I’m I Arizona as well. West valley. Nice XJS, I believe there are still a few in the local junk yards that you can source a hood from will have to repaint of course.