If I could change one thing on the car, and would have no problems getting the "historic car plate" here in Germany, I'd get more power out of that V12. 24 valve heads, equal length headers, cross pipe, better air flow, ...

But because that isn't legal or is, if I don't want the H-plate, it won't happen...

Oh, if I were to change a few things to the car, I'd do a fair bit more

- larger bonnet bulge
- 5 speed manual
- 17" alloys
- remove the B-pillars and make rear power windows
- lower the car about 15 mm
- quad exhaust tips (about the size of the current standard pipes)
- remove the rear foglights
- enlargen the doors a tad
- lower the seats a tad
- improve the sound system (Bang&Olufson)
- etc.

 

There are several size louvers, I chose this set and they fit perfectly down the two low grooves on hood. Like I said, the hardest part is picking up the cutting grinder and placing it on hood. I never thought I would do it, But it worked out. I kept thinking about my Etype as it had louvers and went to work.

 

Yes, Doug, I have noticed, but they ALL have door mirrors.

Perhaps I expect too much of townie drivers, but where I grew up, the center mirror was set for someone other than me anyway (or almost anyone else who drove the vehicle) so we had to use the door mirrors.

I don't mean those big honkin truck mirrors, but they weren't those tiny useless things that look like they were stolen from some woman's compact either.

The rear window was often so dirty you couldn't see out it anyway so the door mirrors were the only sure way to see what you were about to back into.
(';')

 

I'm pickin' up what yer layin' down !


Actually I was taught (when's the last time you've seen anyone do this?) to roll down the driver's window, stick my head out, and turn to look rearward to see where I was going as I backed up! You'd get docked on your driver's license test if you didn't!

(So long as you made sure you didn't hit anything with the *driver's side* they apparently didn't care if you hit something with the *passenger side*! )

Cheers
DD

 

What I would love to do, is work on an XJS that would complete the Peking to Paris Classic Car Rally. I know maybe its a dream, but that's what I would love to do. Start at the Great Wall and finish at the Arc de Triumph.

 

Chriskindbooks, that would be an epic road trip for the ages.

 

I would like to get some lattice alloys maybe like Daim's and also personalised plates like this:

 

Paul, shouldn't you be working instead of posting here??? Gotta make that money for Goosey Upgrades!

 

Paul, I have a set of 5. But they are in Cambridge UK......

 

The rims were what made me buy a different XJ-S. It had the polished lip and I thought they looked better than the painted Lattice. So €800 later, I had a set of good rims - AND an XJ-S to go with it

 

lol Flint its keepin me sane mate!

whats a reasonable price for some lattice alloys these days?

So are there variants on the lattice alloy rims? What are your ones called Daim? Are they 16" ?

 

Nope, standard 15". My older ones were painted silver. I would assume these are "Diamond Cut" or "Machine Polished" Lattice... I can look for the parts number. I have seen several XJ-S' with these polished rims.

 

How do you keep them looking 'Polished' do you have to lacquer them or something to prevent them going dull?

 

There doesn't seem to be any lacquer or clear spray over them. Basically a normal metal polish is enough. As the car is stored dry, once a year should do. Kind of like with normal polished rims with a deep lip

 

I didn't read all of the posts, but I'd like for them to take that 'emergency brake' and shove it!! I've already torn the left pocket off of 2 pairs of pants!

 

I've scuffed my heel occasionally, but never trousers! We must have different methods of ingress / egress, or you wear trousers with cargo pockets?

 

[QUOTE=Bc xj;1056844]I'm doing this as part of my restomod on JagZilla. I'm using the box from my 89 donor car, and, after an initial test fit, I see that the height of the box will need to be modified quite a bit to fit. Also to be considered is that the side ends of the box will need to be trimmed to fit between the upholstered side panels with arm rests, or new side panels will need to to be fabricated.

A far better way to do this mod would be to use the box from the XJ-SC, as that car started life as a coupe, and, has the same floor pan as the coupe, so, the box fits better than does the convertible's, which has a different floor than the coupe.

Other items to use from the XJ-SC are the upholstered side panels, and, what Jaguar calls the Sqwab Panel. This is a form-fitted carpeted panel, which takes the place of the rear seatback.

The only problem with this approach is that the XJ-SC is a very rare car, having had just over 5,000 examples built between 1986 and 1988. So, finding one in a junkyard will be quite difficult. Finding parts suppliers for them is just as difficult, but, in some cases, it can be done. I have a NOS sqwab panel on it's way to me as I type this, and, it perfectly matches my existing OEM carpet for color, material, and weave.

 

Well, way back when. our family 38 Dodge that took us through WWII had only the inside center mirror. OK in our little town and the open countryside of West Texas.
Passed my driver test in it. It included backing in a straight line and parallel parking.
Turn my head and look. As Doug says many states still insist.


But, my T either had none at all or lost it in it's morphing from a truck to a roadster.


Later, my pickups sported big "West Coast" mirrors ala the big rigs. Very useful when the bed was loaded full up and more.


Then, for a time, I had a multi lensed mirror in my IHC Scout that spread most of the way above the wind screen. Didn't last long. Just too much input for my brain to process in real time.


Now, decades later, arthritis has restricted my neck up, down or sideways. Still try looking back, but, rely on mirrors as well. But, I'd rather have the right mirror depict real distance not that effected by the shape. "closer than appears".


And, keeping a peep for CHP's is a "needed" to avoid tickets!!!


My 69 Toyota FJ40 Land cruiser had jump seats facing inward. Undid those for cargo space and to allow the roll bar and forward cage to be somewhat solidly affixed. I did carpet the floor and some passengers didn't mind sitting there sans seats.


I almost did that to it's successor, a 79 IHC Scout II. Worse seats of any cars I've ever owned. The front bench went early on, replaced by a pair from Montalban's Cordoba. Nice shape and Corinth skin is decent. No affront to a living critter either.


Close or so in comfort to my Jaguar seat. Although the buckets ion the Jeep are qute decent in adjustment and shape. Twenty year old vinyl is just fine.


Carl

 

JagZ, gotta love a restomod XJS!

very rare, indeed.

 

And you should know that very well, Ron.
Yours was one of the first

I'm not sure restomod was the correct term for me to use. It's going to be more like a personalized, performance-oriented custom XJS, rather than a restomod in the sense of putting a modern engine/suspension in an old car, as is the current trend with old muscle cars. I'm working up some sketches, and,I plan to start the bodywork over the winter, but, I'm still torn between Group44 style flares, or, 70s-80s IMSA GTO style widebody fenders (steel, of course). Whichever I choose, they will have to stretch wide enough to cover these 18X10s