Greetings, I came across an auto salvage yard that has a few X100 XK8s [coupe, conv and XKR coupe] in various conditions.
Was looking for an fender emblem that recently grew legs.
Are there any parts, modules, etc anyone suggest I attempt to look for and acquire?
Fuel system, lock modules, etc.
I'm wondering if it's better to acquire and stock myself a few hard to find parts that will cost much more online.
Thanks,
Chris
1997 XK8 coupe ice blue
Greetings, I came across an auto salvage yard that has a few X100 XK8s [coupe, conv and XKR coupe] in various conditions.
Was looking for an fender emblem that recently grew legs.
Are there any parts, modules, etc anyone suggest I attempt to look for and acquire?
Fuel system, lock modules, etc.
I'm wondering if it's better to acquire and stock myself a few hard to find parts that will cost much more online.
Thanks,
Chris
1997 XK8 coupe ice blue
What comes to mind are interior plastics. Which reminds me, if you find a pair of child seat anchor covers in decent condition, would you mind selling it to me?
Same on getting anything plastic, including door clips, clips used to secure hoses, etc. in the engine compartment. Although if the car(s) have been sitting in a wrecking yard for a time the plastic stuff is probably already brittle.
Years ago I noticed the fabric on my A-pillar driver's side (left here in the States) was puckering. Rather than go through the removal and re-gluing I just went ahead and bought a new one of these at the time (price was not that bad). Stupidly I should also have bought one of these for the passenger side (this is the one that has the little screen to detect if there was a passenger in the seat). Of course the fabric on that A-pillar is now also puckering and last time I checked from a bunch of sources, the part (C2N2927LFJ) is no longer available. So if you happen to see one of these in nimbus grey and in decent shape, let me know. Otherwise I will be doing the removal and re-gluing on that one.
Greetings, I came across an auto salvage yard that has a few X100 XK8s [coupe, conv and XKR coupe] in various conditions.
Was looking for an fender emblem that recently grew legs.
Are there any parts, modules, etc anyone suggest I attempt to look for and acquire?
Fuel system, lock modules, etc.
I'm wondering if it's better to acquire and stock myself a few hard to find parts that will cost much more online.
Thanks,
Chris
1997 XK8 coupe ice blue
Convertible top seals, if they are in good shape. Since you have a coupe, sell them to convertible owners or give them as gifts...
When I bought mine last summer I started collecting spare modules and switches etc right away.
These cars are getting older and parts are getting harder to find but make sure that they are compatible
Some of the modules and parts for the convertibles don't work on our coupes and even within the same
model year you have to be within a certain VIN range. My VIN ends in 2693 and certain things changed
after VIN 3300. I've been using the parts list and diagrams in the stickies as a guide and there is a lot
of knowledgeable people on the forum that can tell you what else to look for.
Knowledgable people indeed!! I have learned a wealth of info already in my short time on the forum. I can't thank you folks enough for the education. And every you buy something different than you had before, it surely is an education trying to fix a few things and keep it going.
So to those that have contributed and see this assume I mean you, Thank you Thank you.
My suggestion to the question: sport mode switch for the trans. Mine is wonkie but I managed to get it to stay down. Look to see if any of the wreckers have had the thermostat housing changed to a metal one. If it's a wrecker than maybe it's not been taken care of but you never know.
Here’s my scrap donor car which had a head on collision.
Check the trunk VCATs label in the trunk to see if the control modules match your car. These will be worth taking.
I took plastic interior trim too but as it’s old sun baked plastic they didn’t last too much further. Items in the centre console are worth taking, including the J Gate, original radio, ashtray, coffee cup holder.
Also grab the overhead map light console and the mounting bracket. These are NLA.
Is the wooden dash trim trim and vents in good shape? If so take that too. Be careful as the tabs and plugs are easily snapped.
As someone said, if it’s a convertible, the rubber seals are worth taking, along with the hydraulic pump in the boot. If the music amp is there that’s worth taking esp as the wiring is already in your car if you have the standard base system. Also if the tonneau cover is there grab that too.
If the transmission is there and matches your car I would take that too esp if it’s the ZF5HP24 unit.
The headlamp little power wash cover is an easy part to nab, plus wheel centre motifs. How are the rims? Worth taking?
No one likes to give away their secrets to their potential competition, but my philosophy is to collect the easy to store bits that:
- wear quickly in normal use, such as window/CC/sport/drophead switches,
- will get destroyed in a common low-speed/parking-lot collision, like the head/fog/tail lights
- might resale well: full 3-gauge instrument panels.
I've learned that you have to move fast as these parts get harvested very quickly once the cars hit the yards.
So far, each of the XK8's that have shown up in the yards near me were _completely_ stripped of anything useful by the time I got to them.
And the yard prices aren't the bargain they used to be, particularly if there's a core charge added.
But for a frugal old car guy like me, not only allowing me keep my antique vehicles in good shape at a very modest cost, going through the yards is fun, almost like a treasure hunt for adults. https://forums.quattroworld.com/9080/msgs/52790.phtml
For example we have an nice old Audi Cabriolet that we keep around as an appliance/spare/guest vehicle, which has unique-to-that-model tail lights that are almost impossible to source anymore.
A kid rolled into me at 2mph at a stop sign, putting a tiny dent in the trunk and breaking the tail lights: https://forums.quattroworld.com/9080/msgs/52149.phtml
The cost of sourcing those rare tail lights totaled the car, for which I was paid full value.
I bought it back for 5% of the payout, installed the spare set of tail-lights that I had sitting on my shelf back in Colorado, and was right back on the road with it.