So, I just got home on leave, and immediately went out to check on the '90 XJS convertible I bought while deployed. Here's a list of the problems I was informed of:

-Torn convertible top
-Torn upholstery
-Slight water damage
-Bad fuel pump
-Fuel line leak

Manageable, right? Here's the list of what I found when I stripped and thoroughly inspected it for myself.

-Torn convertible top
-Rotted upholstery
-Major water damage (need completely new seats and upholstery)
-Bad fuel pump
-Fuel line leak
-Passenger side handle is broken
-Broken right mirror and overhead mirror
-Floor mats STILL soaked, and molded/rotted out
-Scuffed and scratched paint
-And the very best part: rusted-out floor pans.

Now, I resignedly but quickly set to work on the passenger side floor pan with a wire brush and WD-40, and it looks fine now. It was only surface rust. The driver's side, however, has a gross excess of rust. Piles and huge flakes. I started scraping it carefully, trying to determine the depth of the damage (it covers the entire pan from end to end). While scraping, the wood scraper went right through the pan. Basically, the whole pan is made of rust, with a couple small spots of metal left.

The frame of the car is still good and there's no rust outside of the pan, so I'm going to saw it out and weld a new one in. But it sucks. So my to-do list to simply get it driveable in the next two weeks:

-Fuel pump
-Fuel lines
-New seats
-New mirrors
-Weld in a whole new floor pan

And then so much cosmetic work. ._. Oh well. I bought it knowing it would be a challenge to fix... just maybe not this big of one. xD

 

Just look at the bright side. By the time youre done, youll be intimatly familar with every part of your car, have more time and money in it than youll want to admit, you wont be able to sell it because of this, and youll have a total love hate relationship to be proud of

 

You can get a pre-molded floor pan to weld in, and as far as the upholstery, that can be found on Ebay in all kinds of colors and options. You can also get a replacement top for pretty decent money on Ebay!
Fuel pump: $49.99 80-92 JAGUAR XJS Fuel Pump OEM New Hayg Bosch Walbro | eBay
Back seats: Jaguar XJS Convertible Black Leather Rear Seat W/belts | eBay
COMPLETE convertible top and frame! Jaguar XJS Convertible Top & Frame Complete 89-92 BRN | eBay

 

wow, sorry to hear jetmech....we'll be rooting foryou and here to help

Nice post Jamey

 

It would be no fun if it was easy!

Don't forget the pics, before and after.

 

Oh yes, we need pics!...uh...and of the car too! LOL

 

JetMech don't feel bad I had something similar happen to me but as stated before it is not really as bad as you think going by your list. Just breath and attack the easier parts first then work your way through it that is what I am doing. I feel these cars are worth the time because they look so beautiful when your done. Just think how cool you will look in it on the weekends!

 

I got your pictures right here
This is me replacing floor panels and then going all the way to restore original corner rigidity with steel angles.
I know that mine is 82, but these *******s are very rusty and the more you dig, the deeper it gets.

P.S. did not mean to jack your thread, carry on

 

Sarah, Sorry to hear of your negative surprise. Bummer. Beaufort have a MWR facility with a good selection of the really expensive and rarely-needed tools? Whiting Field was reasonably well-equipped 15 yrs ago, or one could go to Saufley near NAS Pensacola and find EVERYTHING! $5 or $8 per day..full usage of anything in the shop someone else wasn't already using, as I recall....and other enthusiasts working on their stuff that could be recruited for help if you started a rumor that your fridge may possibly be stocked with more brew than you could drink yourself.


...I think most are anxiously awaiting THOSE pics...

Yabbut....Ray...in JetMech's case....well.....go to the Mugshots thread....could bring "cool" to a Smart...or even Prius!

 

Well JetMech, I think that you can easily see that the Forum supports you.

Seems that you are not frightened of cutting out and welding in.

Go for it!

 

Heeheh, try the whole car! here in the UK a 1990 XJS is usually rotten to the core. A friend decided to restore a Lister LeMans version, it took 2 years of welding before it was ready for paint!
Welcome to the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club, whether you like it or not, your now a brother.

 

Floor panels on these are easy to bend out of 18 gauge steel, I did 16 gauge, cos it was free, but then ended up pounding too much with the hammer.
We need some pictures now!

P.S. I have an awesome source of XJS parts in SC, otherwise my queen would have ended up at the junkyard.

 

Sorry to hear about the much bigger job than expected. Should be a great car when you get it done.

Reminds me of a '56 Corvette my parents were going to buy when I was a kid. Ad said 'Just needs paint'. When we got there, it was totally apart and in cardboard boxes around the garage. Guess they didn't have room in the ad for 'some assembly required'.

 

Don't despair just tackle it like any project one step at a time

I like the beer fridge idea if I wasn't 20,000 miles away I would help you drink the beer

Just take solace in the WHAT V12 SPORTS CAR can you buy for so little money? They are fantastic to drive

 

Okay guys. After a couple of days of going *****-deep in the car, here's an update. And thanks for all of the support! Love you guys.

First off, the floor pans. After vigorously attacking the driver's side with WD-40 and a wire brush, I was very pleased to discover that most of it was actually intact metal, with a few card-sized holes and a few small ones. This is good, since I can't get a hold of new floor pans OR sheet metal until late July. So I sanded it down and put a good coating of rust treatment on it, then put fiberglass repairs on the holes. It's ugly, but it'll hold nicely. Put new floor covers on top of that.

The seats-
Since I can't afford whole new seats at the moment, I just cut new foam, duct-taped it, and put new seat-covers on. Tacky, maybe, but right now I just want to get my girl presentable and ready to drive.

The fuel system-
I replaced the fuel pump as planned, but I noticed a strong, corn-syrupy smell to it, so I got a bucket and started draining the remnants of the fuel tank (which, by the way, is leaking from somewhere.. *sigh*). The leftover gas is revolting. Gunky, gooey, and dark yellow with oily red drops and tons of sediment. So I set that to drain overnight, and this morning I'll be scrubbing out the tank itself since there's a good bit of rust... however, depending on how bad it is I may just need a new tank. My fuel system is the LAST place I want rust joyriding around, except maybe the oil. Another complication with the fuel system- the rubber boots on the fuel injection rails are rock hard and cracked, so I need to pull up the rail and replace them before I can even try to get my girl running. Phewww..

The convertible top-
...is not only ripped, but won't go down. The fuse isn't popped, there's nothing stuck anywhere. It just doesn't respond at all. I'd say I needed to fix or replace the hydraulic actuators except that when I hit the button, nothing happens. No noise, no vibrations, no sign that it even got the signal. I put it to manual and my dad and I tried to put it down that way, but no luck. Any ideas? Convertibles are new to me.

That's about all for now, but I keep finding more things everytime I look for them. Too bad I can't shut my eyes and cover my ears and go 'lalalalalala' and make it run. xD Oh, and the starter solenoid on my motorcycle just went. -_- Plus I need to clean its carberator. But that's off topic. So I'll post some pics up in a few hours after I run out to the auto parts store. <3

 

Just click your heels together three times and say....

"There's no place like J.C. Whitney..."
"There's no place like J.C. Whitney..."
"There's no place like J.C. Whitney..."

 

On the top, my model year and I believe most if not all, the vehicle must be in Park and have the parking brake engaged to take the top down. If you haven't been doing that, try it. If you have, then it may be the micro-switch at the base of the brake lever that tells the car the brake is engaged.