First of all, I would like to thank many of you who have, and continue to be so helpful and instrumental in my modifications. Invariably mods are a personal exercise in expression but it is also my attempt at interpreting what the XK should look like, starting from their own design sketches. So it was important to create simpler lines, emphasizing clarity of line and form, suppleness and yet restrained muscularity. This meant reducing details, embellishments and gaps which invariably led to lowering the car, installing a new mesh grill, some plastidippig, etc. Here's a list of what I did, and happy to offer any further advice in addition to what has already been given.

1. rims - the Portfolio came equipped with Cremona rims, which though nice, always felt was a little awkward. Furthermore I was seeing similar rims on Challengers and Camaros. I replaced them with OEM Jaguar Callisto rims, similar to what I have on my XJR Portfolio, but staggered. I prefer the "machine-like quality" and elegant form, and I feel they work well with the similar recessed detail of the side louver (which I had intended to dip, but no longer).

2. lowering and spacers - originally with the Cremona rims I had 15mm H&R spacers in the rear and 30mm spacers at the front. Looked great and no rubbing. However, for the Callisto's I had to reverse to arrangement - 15mm in the front and 30mm in the rear. H&R springs lowered the car 35mm.

3. Mina grill - installation was fussy but doable, the grills (ordered black) was attached with a total of 4 screws (supplied) by screwing into the original grill at the centre of the grid. The original grill was visible through the new, so I had to spray plastidip over the original. Really like the look, the grill mesh pattern is finer and much more elegant than the widely spaced original. The XKR grill does not come with the centre emblem.

4. Adamesh wind deflector - extremely easy install and works very well.

5. rear Jaguar emblem - plasti-dipped the chrome emblem, but will likely have it painted in celestial black to match the rest of the car.

6. removed the XK and R emblems at the rear, and relocated the R emblem to the front. I think I will add a R emblem back to the rear.

7. new front emblem - replaced the black version to a red version - why not? A little playfulness in all that sober black.

8. gear shifter knob - replaced with a satin-finished chrome ball, ever since my early model Ferrari I always preferred the the solid feel of a spherical knob. Took me a while to get used to seeing it, but now I really like it, reminds me of the interiors of the TVR's. To remove the existing knob, generously cover the gear shift area with towels and heat the rod with a steamer. The red loctite will give and the existing knob with come apart with a forceful twist.

9. front headlights - there is only one design feature of the car that bothers me and that is the shape of the front headlights. My goal is to paint the interior surfaces of the fixture black so that one only sees the lights, but in the meantime I've applied a black film over the lights to create, in my mind, a more pleasing and perhaps aggressive shape. The film also covers the amber reflector which also bothered me. There was just too much detail, I also replaced the amber turn signal bulb to a LED that is clear but flashes amber. I know this will be contentious for the purists out there, and though I consider myself a purist from another point of view - which is the reason for these mods, no matter how I slice it I find that the film accentuates the lines of the front end.

10. rear lights - I also had the rear lights lightly darkened with a film to emphasize the circular shape of the reverse lights which I always found an interesting and distinguishable feature of the XK.

Next? I think that's it for now, but I'm thinking of a new supercharger pulley in the spring….

 

Very nice. Thanks for the well commented list and pictures.

Ok, I need to ask, how did you afix the R emblem to the grill?

 

Very nicely done
Nothing like personalizing your car
I'm all for it

 

Ok, I need to ask, how did you afix the R emblem to the grill?[/QUOTE]

Thanks for your kind compliments.

I have a roll of Butyl Tape that I use to adhere things temporarily and was using it to position the emblem. It's a very tacky material, and after leaving it there for a day I found that because I applied generous amounts of the butyl behind the emblem and pressed it up against the mesh there was enough surface area for the butyl to hold the emblem in place. Not as secure as a mechanical fastening but secure enough for driving purposes. You do need to expend some effort to remove it.