Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

argatoga said:
You don't need to wonder. He stated that he hated those people with a passion.
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On the other hand, the only reason a lot of these ultra rare cars are even around today is because someone knew/guessed that they would be valuable one day. I was talking to the owner of a Bugatti Type 57 (Ventoux I think) who said that he bought the car in shit condition for a few grand a few decades ago and restored it because he knew it would be worth something one day. If not, the car would have probably disintegrated by now.
 
So, I went for a short drive around town and I've done something remarkable: I've drove for quite some time at 5th gear and revving only 1000rpm. No shakings, no bumpings, the car simply flew by.
 
Seeing as the wikipedia knowledge base for XJs is rather miserable, I'm gonna ask here.

I saw a jag today that looked just like an X81

2093950274_14d71db0b9.jpg


Only instead of the big rectangular headlights, it had double round headlights on each side, sort of like the ones on a X300 or Series III.

Is this some kind of custom job, or was such a thing built? What is it?
 
Jaguar%20XJ40%20Deal.JPG


Like this? Some XJ40s, like that one, did have double round headlights on each side, but the hoods/bonnets didn't have the headlight-following curves of the X300, X308, and X350.
 
I'm always amazed at how much the old money sends their kids to college here. The 4 weeks around the start of college classes here bring more nice vehicles to town than any other time. Just going for lunch a bit ago I saw a 4th gen SL500. There are countless other Merc coupes and BMW 5 and 7 series, Jaaaags, and other nice expensive cars. I can tell it's old money though because none of the cars are flashy and brand new, they're all 2-3 generations old and driven by the 40-50 something year old parents, the kids themselves are always in your classic beater college car. The new money are the ones with the new cars in the $40-50k range and their children driving the same. It's interesting.
 
Last night I had a fantastic dream.

I dreamt that the LeMons series from the US came across to the UK, and raised the "value limit" of entries from $500 to ?3,000.

I then (somehow) got my hands on a second-hand Dacia Logan - dirt cheap new, cheaper second hand - and somehow won with that. It was blue.

I can remember it in really good detail, although it's fading. That was fun, last night.
 
klankymen said:
Seeing as the wikipedia knowledge base for XJs is rather miserable, I'm gonna ask here.

I saw a jag today that looked just like an X81

2093950274_14d71db0b9.jpg


Only instead of the big rectangular headlights, it had double round headlights on each side, sort of like the ones on a X300 or Series III.

Is this some kind of custom job, or was such a thing built? What is it?
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Labcoatguy said:
Jaguar%20XJ40%20Deal.JPG


Like this? Some XJ40s, like that one, did have double round headlights on each side, but the hoods/bonnets didn't have the headlight-following curves of the X300, X308, and X350.
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klankymen said:
Exactly like that. So it's just a late model XJ40?
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Just to expand on what Labcoatguy (correctly) said, the XJ40 was available from day one with both the rectangular composite headlights as well as four sealed beam headlights set in frames (with the four sealed beam variant appearing on the lower-end models). The sealed beam configuration was dropped by 1990, IIRC. Both variants are still XJ40s, and yes, the lighting assemblies interchange. So if you see one, it's usually a base or low-spec early model XJ40.

The XJ81 is an XJ40 with a V12 and a longer wheelbase. It was only made for the 93 and 94 model years and is pretty rare. The only way to tell it apart from the other XJ40s is to look at the rear doors (they look significantly elongated) and the badge on the back (XJ12). Otherwise, it's the same boxy appearance.
 
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And you say the XJ40 is horrid? Cause I rather like the look of the 4 headlight one.

And are all XJ81s automatically the Daimler model? Or are there non-Daimler V12s?
 
klankymen said:
And you say the XJ40 is horrid? Cause I rather like the look of the 4 headlight one.
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Top Gear destroyed a few (in the tank proving ground minefield and in the VW commercial bit). That should tell you something. :mrgreen: There's one in my neighborhood that's a dark green/brown that has three diamond-shaped portholes on each front fender. :sick:

On an unrelated note, yellow supercars look hilariously out of place in Manhattan. There was a yellow Gallardo Spider there, and it was completely lost among the sea of yellow taxis. Those things, btw, are like pack animals. I was boxed in by six of them for a brief moment, and I felt like a beast at bay.
 
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klankymen said:
And you say the XJ40 is horrid? Cause I rather like the look of the 4 headlight one.

And are all XJ81s automatically the Daimler model? Or are there non-Daimler V12s?
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Depends on what market you're in. In the US, XJ81s were sold as Jag XJ12s. They all have the Daimler trim-spec, though.

And yes, unfortunately, all but the last two or three years of the XJ40 are horrid. And even they still had the damn door handles break off.

Labcoatguy said:
Top Gear destroyed a few (in the tank proving ground minefield and in the VW commercial bit). That should tell you something. :mrgreen: There's one in my neighborhood that's a dark green/brown that has three diamond-shaped portholes on each front fender. :sick:
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Bingo.
 
I prefer that round sealed beam look over the boxy units. Don't know why, just prefer it.
 
Nabster said:
I prefer that round sealed beam look over the boxy units. Don't know why, just prefer it.
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It's the four headlights - it looks more like the original XJ, which is what everyone thinks Jaguar sedans should look like.

The rectangular headlights never went over well.
 
I wish I had my camera this morning. Some moron in a Civic tried to make a left turn out of a parking lot, only there was a concrete divider in the way. And the divider dropped away about 2-3 feet on the other side. So he drove over the concrete divider trying to turn left and got high centered at a very odd angle. The police showed up and everything. It was a pretty hilarious sight.
 
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