Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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Dblebill
Joined: 22 Nov 2012 Posts: 42 Location: Surrey
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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Since getting the car back from the restorer in May I’ve enjoyed a brilliant summer visiting loads of events up and down the country. Aside from the great feeling I get from driving the car, I’ve enjoyed seeing the many smiles the car has put on people’s faces and it’s been nice to make some new friendships in the classic car world as well.
The car runs sweetly but I’ve discovered a blocked radiator is the cause of the tremendous heat coming from under the bonnet. I’m aware V12‘s generate loads of heat, but mine gets seriously hot, even when the engine has been running a short time. So in the new year I’ll be changing the original radiator - clogged up with years of Barrs Leaks no doubt - for a aluminium version and at the same time I’ll replace all the hoses and the thermostats.
I’ve been considering changing the alternator from the massive original one to a more modern ultra lightweight smaller and more efficient version, which I’ll do at the same time the radiator is out and the bonnet is off.
With the good news in the last budget that us 1973 classic car owners will become tax exempt from next April, I decided to sorn my car when the tax ran out last month. In fact, now the winter is approaching, last weekend I put Jagger away in a Cair O Port. Once I figured how to rig it up, I plugged it in and hey presto my pride and joy is as warm as toast inside his bubble, which is intended to keep any condensation away.
After the horrendous cost of four Michelin XWX’s earlier this year I invested in a set of tyre trainers in the hope the tyres won’t get any flat spots, only time will tell if they are a wise investment.
The first year of ownership has been brilliant, helped by the great summer weather we had and I can hardly wait for next year. The ferries have already been booked for a Jag club tour of Brittany in May and a trip to the Le Mans Classic in July organised by a fellow E-Type owner I’ve become friends with this year.
I now know why so many people love owning and driving their classic cars, only wish I’d bought one years ago!
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22446 Location: UK
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Dblebill
Joined: 22 Nov 2012 Posts: 42 Location: Surrey
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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Separate cooling fan for the battery? you must be kidding Rick, the heat this thing kicks out a fan would be dead and buried in no time at all. Oh and just like the XJ12, there ain't too much spare space under the bonnet either. |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22446 Location: UK
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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Dblebill wrote: | Separate cooling fan for the battery? you must be kidding Rick, the heat this thing kicks out a fan would be dead and buried in no time at all. Oh and just like the XJ12, there ain't too much spare space under the bonnet either. |
Maybe the battery is located differently on the E? On the S1 XJ12 it is tucked away at the back of the engine bay, encased in a metal box into which an electric fan is built.
I remember changing all the coolant hoses on mine, quite fiddly, plus several of the balance pipes that sit across the top of the "V" had been removed, it took a while to work out where they all went back again
In dark blue it always looked smart, especially parked outside Stockport Job Centre once a fortnight in the early 1990s
RJ _________________ Rick - Admin
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Dblebill
Joined: 22 Nov 2012 Posts: 42 Location: Surrey
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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In dark blue it always looked smart, especially parked outside Stockport Job Centre once a fortnight in the early 1990s
Now that's funny, I would love to have seen the faces on the folks that saw you cruise up each fortnight - Priceless |
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lowdrag
Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 1585 Location: Le Mans
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Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:33 am Post subject: |
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Looking at all your photos Bill I get the impression that the restoration was done at Plantation Farm? If so, we are using the same man, and while he is young he is top notch, and impressively he knows how to lead load, which I thought was a lost art today. I should get mine back about the end of May.
ETA Just had Lee on the phone and he has given me the bad news about the floods and your E-type. I knew I had seen the registration before, and of course it was in Classic and Sports Car. Could you update us all when the assessor has done his worst? And if you read this, John Hedges is in hospital. |
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Dblebill
Joined: 22 Nov 2012 Posts: 42 Location: Surrey
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Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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lowdrag wrote: | Looking at all your photos Bill I get the impression that the restoration was done at Plantation Farm? If so, we are using the same man, and while he is young he is top notch, and impressively he knows how to lead load, which I thought was a lost art today. I should get mine back about the end of May.
ETA Just had Lee on the phone and he has given me the bad news about the floods and your E-type. I knew I had seen the registration before, and of course it was in Classic and Sports Car. Could you update us all when the assessor has done his worst? And if you read this, John Hedges is in hospital. |
Well spotted in identifying Plantation Farm I hope you will be as happy with Lee's work as I am, he's done an excellent job on my car and I'm so happy.
Yes I got hit pretty bad with the floods, my daily runner got written off due to the water getting into the electrics, the house is a mess and the E-Type.........
I guess I got off pretty lightly, I woke up the morning after the floods to find 4 foot of water outside the house, so I couldn't open the garage door to switch off the fans on the air chamber I put him in back in November. A week later the fire brigade pumped the water out of the estate, which then allowed me to open the garage door, 55 litres of water were pumped out of the air chamber that day! When the insurance guy came he said the carpets and under felt were saturated and needed replacing and suggested I get it dried out as soon as possible.
I got a Jag guy to come and take him away on a trailer, the best part of that day came when I jumped in and even with the dampness, he started first time (Old Jagger ain't gonna be beaten) but loads of water came out of the exhaust pipes and when he was driven onto the trailer, a load more came out.
The carpets and seats have been removed and he's currently sitting in a barn to dry out. In a few weeks time the Dynamat will be replaced, new under felt and carpets will be put in and a complete new exhaust system will be fitted and I know he will come back better than ever.
Everyone who has read this thread from day one knows how much I love this car and whatever it takes I'm going to get him back up and running again and can hardly wait to get back behind the wheel of my all time favourite car.
God only knows what the insurance premium will be next time round but never mind
The worrying thing is that I've lived in my home for 21 years and never had to think about being affected by flooding before, but it seems nowadays nowhere seems immune from the ravages of nature, or whatever it is that causes these things to happen.
Thanks for the heads up on John Hedges, I call to find out how he's doing. |
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