Changed my brake fluid today so I thought I'd take the calipers of and paint them as they were looking well dull. Use VHT paint SP735 $7.49 autozone.

Cleaning them was a real pain but they look ok now lets see how it lasts!!

Simon

 

Look awesome!! Silver really shows up well!

 

The calipers look great now. Stuff like that really helps keep a car from looking old.

Wondering why you did not paint the back of the outer pad in the rear?

 

Looks great. Been thinking about doing mine.

 

simonallen,
I see you're from Sunnyvale, I bought my 2002 XKR from a private party in Sunnyvale about 4 years ago. Your calipers look great. Did you ever entertain the notion of a contrast color?

 

I did look at other colours but as the car is silver I want to keep it original.

When I next change the disks/rotors I'll paint the inner disk lip to match. I see Autozone now do front dics 325mm for $56/each. Mine are on their last legs 57K miles and have been turned once.

Just wish I had the Brembo option brakes, but I would need 20" BBS rims for those and the kit is $2K just for fronts. So just not worth the money on a $15K car.

So I keep the car original in the hope these cars become classics and that market is all about being original!

 

Although the Brembo brakes are larger and nicer looking, they are not more effective at stopping the XKR. As a matter of fact, if you check road tests results from Brembo vs. non-Brembo models from 2002 or 2003, you will see that the stock brakes have considerably shorter stopping distances from 60 to zero than the Brembo units. So, be happy you've got "better" brakes.

 

Ted,

How well is the lettering standing up to time and use?

Graham

 

Graham,
Because, as you know, these cars shed a tremendous amount of brake dust, and as there is restricted access to clean them between the "spokes" of the "double nickels," about once a month I take some degreaser and 0000 steel wool, squeeze my fingers through the gaps and scrub the calipers. Obviously, this abrasion has taken a little bit of the corners of the lettering. I am out of town or I'd post a picture to show what I mean. The calipers are a pain to keep even partially clean because of all the nooks and crannies in the castings. I think philhef's idea of attaching a smooth prepainted cover that can essentially just be wiped off may be a better way to go and easier to maintain.

 

I purchased a 2001 SS Camaro new, and still my everyday driver. One of the first things I did was paint the calipers. I use a parts brush that I got 30 years ago. I clean the wheels and use it to do the lug nut area and valve stem area then I clean the calipers with it. Works great.

 

I have an XKR in Phoenix Red, I have decided to do a full body spray in same colour, loved the contrast calipers, I had the same plan, however who did the sign writing on them for you, that looks so good.


John

 

I used these brake pads. They have been the best money spent EVER!! I literally have no brake dust. And they work very well. I'm putting on my XF as soon as the current ones are ready to change.

This is the brand, may not be the actual pads. My mechanic ordered them.

 

As quoted by T- berg
I couldn't find test results on the 2002 and 2003, but when Motor Week tested the 2000 XKR and the 2001 with Brembos the Brembos stopped the car 15 foot shorter
Brembo's 60-0 103 foot
standard XKR 60-0 118 foot
You have to take into consideration lager tires on the 2001, but 15 foot is considerable. These are basically the same brake setup on the 2002 and 2003

2000 Jaguar XKRProgram #1913 |*MotorWeek

2001 Jaguar XKR Silverstone Program #2023 |*MotorWeek