Here is my build log but more of a conffesion of my ownership of a 1985 XJS HE in the UK.
The day's are sometimes a week apart but it's just when I have money/time to do all these little/big jobs.
Day 1
I eventually went for a 5.3 V12 HE version of the XJS after looking at quite a few purely on good engine/gearbox/ extremely good body work/underside.
The interior is shabby to say the least at the moment but £400-600 later and it will be like brand new which of course is a lot cheaper than a good interior and £1600+ for bodywork.
Couple of things like wheel tracking and minor issues but I can sort them.
I started cleaning all the sponge/interior/carpets as it was full sun shine literally 15 minutes ago and its started to rain so only pictures I got at 4am and some a couple of minutes ago from inside.
Going to be a fun project and while fuel is cheap I want the chance to run one of these cars for probably the last time in my life,
The V12 grumble is also just awesome although a couple of backbox's would help the sound as the ones atm are crap, the alloys are also beeing changed to the much nicer lattice ones that were included in the deal for the car.
Day 2
Got some better pics, new lattice wheels should be this week and exhaust top end needs sorting (hopefully just a gasket but could be a cracked manifold
Oh and the battery is not charging and the alternator does not run the engine....
But dont worry The A/C still works I would cry if I was not laughing. (I should have gone for the 328i convertible that needed no work at all but it will be worth it in the end)
Day 3
Update,
Just changed all the belts today and sorted out a few wires and the battery is charging like normal
Power is again brilliant when the car is running off the alternator again and puts a massive grin on my face when slamming the auto box down to the "1st" gear.
Just tapped the gas pedal not even 1/8th and got a nice rear wheel drift in the car park
Although I connected a sensor that sits over the brake fluid bottle and now im getting a "BRAKE" warning light on the dash.
Brakes are more than perfect though for a car weighing lol ton so I think its another loose wire or bad circut somewhere.
Day 4
Update:
Currently wating for a good quote on head skimming and head gasket fitting and radiator recore, otherwise I will be selling it/using for parts.
(Getting so many different quotes for places £250-£1200)
Looking at a 1990's XJRS 6.0 V12 and a 1998 XJR 4.0l supercharged V8 (370bhp 4 door saloon with a 5 second 0-60)
The XJS is crying not to be put down and looking really nice and having the bodywork exceptional should make it fairly valuable as a project vehicle
This is the furthest I have got and the geadgasket may not be blown I am in the process of trying to fix it now.
Day 5
Turns out the head gaskets are fine and it's running ok now but a little hot due to the radiator not being recored yet.
I will however be changing the head gaskets and coating/painting the manifolds as a precaution as running long distances with a 25 year old head gasket just makes me feel uneasy.
Onto to more fun things though I started stripping the interior today, the back seats, head liner, pillar carpeting is out the metal behind all of this stuff seems perfect so that’s win
The head liner crumbled away whilst taking it out and had mould spots so I binned it, once the rain stops I'll remove the front seats and floor carpet ready to be taken away and have brand new stuff cut and trimmed to order.
I will probably go with jet black leather/fabric depending on cost for the head liner and pillars and blood red carpeting all round for the bottom. To some (most) that will be vulgar and unoriginal but I want it like that so meh.
A bit worrying though when I removed the back seats there was moist/water on the bottom with the sponge seeming to be the cause, hopefully this is just damp sticking being caused by the plastic liner off the seats as I cannot see a leak anywhere.
The leather will also be sent off for restoration and maybe a colour change any suggestions/recommendations?
The day's are sometimes a week apart but it's just when I have money/time to do all these little/big jobs.
Day 1
I eventually went for a 5.3 V12 HE version of the XJS after looking at quite a few purely on good engine/gearbox/ extremely good body work/underside.
The interior is shabby to say the least at the moment but £400-600 later and it will be like brand new which of course is a lot cheaper than a good interior and £1600+ for bodywork.
Couple of things like wheel tracking and minor issues but I can sort them.
I started cleaning all the sponge/interior/carpets as it was full sun shine literally 15 minutes ago and its started to rain so only pictures I got at 4am and some a couple of minutes ago from inside.
Going to be a fun project and while fuel is cheap I want the chance to run one of these cars for probably the last time in my life,
The V12 grumble is also just awesome although a couple of backbox's would help the sound as the ones atm are crap, the alloys are also beeing changed to the much nicer lattice ones that were included in the deal for the car.
Day 2
Got some better pics, new lattice wheels should be this week and exhaust top end needs sorting (hopefully just a gasket but could be a cracked manifold
Oh and the battery is not charging and the alternator does not run the engine....
But dont worry The A/C still works I would cry if I was not laughing. (I should have gone for the 328i convertible that needed no work at all but it will be worth it in the end)
Day 3
Update,
Just changed all the belts today and sorted out a few wires and the battery is charging like normal
Power is again brilliant when the car is running off the alternator again and puts a massive grin on my face when slamming the auto box down to the "1st" gear.
Just tapped the gas pedal not even 1/8th and got a nice rear wheel drift in the car park
Although I connected a sensor that sits over the brake fluid bottle and now im getting a "BRAKE" warning light on the dash.
Brakes are more than perfect though for a car weighing lol ton so I think its another loose wire or bad circut somewhere.
Day 4
Update:
Currently wating for a good quote on head skimming and head gasket fitting and radiator recore, otherwise I will be selling it/using for parts.
(Getting so many different quotes for places £250-£1200)
Looking at a 1990's XJRS 6.0 V12 and a 1998 XJR 4.0l supercharged V8 (370bhp 4 door saloon with a 5 second 0-60)
The XJS is crying not to be put down and looking really nice and having the bodywork exceptional should make it fairly valuable as a project vehicle
This is the furthest I have got and the geadgasket may not be blown I am in the process of trying to fix it now.
Day 5
Turns out the head gaskets are fine and it's running ok now but a little hot due to the radiator not being recored yet.
I will however be changing the head gaskets and coating/painting the manifolds as a precaution as running long distances with a 25 year old head gasket just makes me feel uneasy.
Onto to more fun things though I started stripping the interior today, the back seats, head liner, pillar carpeting is out the metal behind all of this stuff seems perfect so that’s win
The head liner crumbled away whilst taking it out and had mould spots so I binned it, once the rain stops I'll remove the front seats and floor carpet ready to be taken away and have brand new stuff cut and trimmed to order.
I will probably go with jet black leather/fabric depending on cost for the head liner and pillars and blood red carpeting all round for the bottom. To some (most) that will be vulgar and unoriginal but I want it like that so meh.
A bit worrying though when I removed the back seats there was moist/water on the bottom with the sponge seeming to be the cause, hopefully this is just damp sticking being caused by the plastic liner off the seats as I cannot see a leak anywhere.
The leather will also be sent off for restoration and maybe a colour change any suggestions/recommendations?
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