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1989 Jaguar XJS

 

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1989 Jaguar XJS Coupe
(click on all pics to enlarge, more pics at the bottom of page)

 XJS Main Page
NEW: Front Door Speaker Upgrade
Heater Core Replacement Project
 


Well, here's the back story on how we got here..I blame my Dad.  He taught me to appreciate all things mechanical:  Airplanes, cars, guns, trucks, big civil engineering projects, you name it.  In 1980, I was 13 and relatively content with fooling with my Honda 90cc powered 4-speed go-kart and watching him work on his 428 powered 66 F100 (which I now own and will one day restore,) when out of the blue he came home and announced that he was looking at an old Maserati.  The Maserati didn't work out, but Pet Cat, a 71 Series III 2+2 E-type did.  He said he'd wanted a Jag ever since the days of his MG TD (a '53 I think?).  To make a long story longer, over the next two and a half years, the E-type underwent a complete restoration.  Down to the last nut and bolt.  With lots of tasteful chrome, anodizing, improved cooling, mechanical guages, and cool aluminum parts fabbed in his machine shop.  It was completed sometime in '82, and was featured a couple of times in EJag magazine.  (If you are familiar with EJag you have been at the Jaguar game awhile..)  The car is still spectacular, although on the rare occasions when it is shown the concours judges beat it up.  They don't appreciate a dressed up V-12 as a work of art.  They just see it as "non-original.."  Oh well, the car wasn't built for them anyway.  During the first few years, we attended lots of shows, including Western States '84.  Which is when I first got to drive the E-type.  I think I took about 10 years off of Dad's lifespan.  Or at least added a few more gray hairs.  I always had a thing for XJS's and would wander over and admire them at the shows.  I still think they are a truly classic design.

Fast forward to July 2005.  I am mindin' my own bidness, glancing thru the car ads in the Sunday paper (just in case) and I spot an 86 XJS for something like $3800.  I suddenly recall that I always wanted one.  And I am surprised at how cheap they are.  "Honey, how about a nice Jag to drive around in?  It can be 'your car'.. " (fingers crossed under the table..)  Rene' thinks this sounds great!  I poke around on-line and find something even better:  A red 1989 with 39K miles on it.  Wow!  I call my Dad for some fatherly encouragement.  He has two phrases, neither very encouraging:  Very Complicated Car (VCC) and Engine Fires.  He finally concedes that they are a gorgeous car and I should really have one.  Rene' and I drive out to Laveen, Arizona, to take a look.  In a nutshell, it appears to be a 100% original car.  Including the belts and hoses.  Except for the lower radiator hose, which failed awhile back and was spendy to replace (no overheat resulted, apparently).  Which is why the guy wants to sell it:  He knows it needs major maintenance, can't really afford it, and knows it is worth more running than not.  We haggle around a bit and settle on $3000.  At that price I am confident I can overcome the VCC and flames.  The story is that the car was originally owned by the owners of Chris Craft boats.  Ordered "special".  The only thing I have to substantiate this is that the CarFax shows it originally lived in Wisconsin and was driven very little.  Probably just a story but fun to think about.  It appears to have some but not all of the "Rouge" trim package.  The mileage checks out based on the annual inspections.  We bring it home and I start figuring out where to start.  With a bit of luck I stumble across Jag-Lovers.org and Kirby Palm's book.  What a great find!  I was commuting between Phoenix and NY every week, lots of time for reading on the plane.  Just learning how to re-build my fuel lines saved me $300 right off the bat.  After driving the car for about a year, I decided it needed some cosmetic attention to really show off the V-12.  "It will just take a couple of weeks.." is what Rene' claims I said.  I don't exactly recall, Your Honor..
 

 

In addition to all the usual belts, hoses, and new hardware, listed at the right is a list of "Fixes" that I have performed so far. 

Several are per Kirby's book.  I honestly didn't know what I was getting in to when I started this, and maybe I still don't. 

In any case, I have to say Thanks to:
 

  • Rene', my wonderful wife

  • Mom and Dad - lots of emotional support and commiseration.

  • Kirby Palm for "Experience in a Book"

  • Bernard Embden for a great how-to website.

  • The Jag-Lovers forums

  • Gary Ilcyn at Jagbits.

  • Extreme Powder Coating (Mesa AZ)

  • Valkyrie Industies (Phoenix AZ)

More links where I found good stuff:

Below are various pics from the recent 3 month leak fix / last of the maintenance / cosmetic improvement effort.  Feel free to email me if you have questions or comments, happy to share what I learned (and learn more!)

  • New factory Marelli cap and rotor, shortened and potted dizzy shaft.

  • Re-worked banjo bolts on top of radiator and back of tappet blocks.

  • Dual electric fans from V12 Supercars - removed all factory wiring and replaced factory thermo switch for a 185 deg version.  Wired fans for continuous run-on (no latching ckt) and installed manual fan switch and "fan on" light in dash.

  • Replaced passenger door window motor with rebuilt unit from Florida Window Lift.

  • Replaced heater core elbow gaskets.

  • Replaced DAC4591 speed transducer (in trunk) after I did not disconnect the battery while working under the dash.  DOH!

  • Trans service

  • Radiator rodded

  • Front seal replaced

  • Both crank sensors replaced

  • Updated cam cover gaskets

  • Updated intake manifold gaskets

  • Replaced fuel rail hoses and regulators

  • Installed a service harness and bought a $100 LCD oscilloscope so I can read the wave forms from the crank sensors, and the output to the Ignition ECU, right at the Fuel Injection ECU.  I had "no start" problems for awhile..this makes it super-easy to troubleshoot the most common causes.

  • Glass beaded intakes, powder painted cam covers and lots of other stuff, chromed various tubes and brackets.

  • Fabricated new fuel injection harness

  • Re-grounded instrument panel

  • New stainless steel water rail pipes

  • Upgraded center vent

  • ..more but I can't think of it all right now

"Before" on the left..


Just getting started..

"After" on the right..


3 months later!


 



Cool chrome fuel cooler cover from Bernard's website..



Need to send in a good archeologist, this grime could be from the Jurassic era..

 



eek.. dust on the chrome!!  All the harnesses that used to hang on the balance tube and fuel rail have been pushed back to the firewall and outward to the top of the left intake.



I put the re-finished covers on and decided I couldn't stand the ugly leaky water rails any more.. a classic case of "scope creep.."


Hard to see the new stainless water rail hiding down there...

   


   





 


   
Fans are from V12 Supercars.  Initial indications are that they offer much improvement over stock.. They definitely move some air.  One good thing about the Marelli cars is the Bosch 115 Amp alternator, (knock on wood) so far it keeps up fine.

Just "After" Pics from here on..


 



Jeg's fuel pressure guage in inlet line - again, great for quick troubleshooting..

 

 

 

Upcoming Projects (check back once in awhile..)
 

  • Install cast trans pan

  • Jet Hot, weld on O2 sensor bosses, and install euro down pipes.

  • Rework the remainder of the exhaust, thinking hi-flow cats and removing the middle silencers.

  • Thinking about Growler intakes

  • Fix drivers seat welting, worn in the usual spot

  • Some cracks in the finish on the dash wood

  • Install ISS Guages: Water Temp, Trans Temp, Oil Temp, Oil Pressure

  • Pan and sandwich gaskets

  • Replace license plate lights

  • Better stereo

  • Replace trans cooler hoses

  • Replace gasket on rear diff

  • New tires and possibly wheels

  • Decide whether or not to put the cruise control back in.. solenoids are corroded, needs some TLC.

  • ABS system needs to be detailed (this scares me) or have a nice aluminum cover made.  This is the last "ugly" area under the hood.