Jaguars....

I've seen a few Series IIIs around Dallas. Then again, there is probably one of everything around here.
 
There's quite a few Series IIIs running around Dallas. Mine's unique, though. :D
 
There's quite a few Series IIIs running around Dallas. Mine's unique, though. :D

Yeah. I haven't ever seen a modded Series III. Most of the ones I see are driven by some guy who looks to be in his 60s.
 
There's one I see in the vicinity of Texas Stadium all the time. It's gold and has the Erebuni kit (or pieces of it) installed. It's also got dinner-platter-like drugdealer wheels on it... overall, quite hideous. On the other hand, it *is* still running.
 
There's one I see in the vicinity of Texas Stadium all the time. It's gold and has the Erebuni kit (or pieces of it) installed. It's also got dinner-platter-like drugdealer wheels on it... overall, quite hideous. On the other hand, it *is* still running.

That is more than you can say about most 80s American cars. I hardly ever see any G-Bodies or anything from the 80s except for the occasional k-car :lol:
 
And you know, the K-car got revenge on us all. Who would have thought that the most numerous survivor of the early 80s domestics would have been the much derided K-car????? Like I said in a post here last year, I never thought I'd have to defend the K-car that we all made so much fun of back in the 80s and 90s... but you know, turns out the K-car is having the last laugh on us all.

In the case of the Series III, the post-82 base car is quite sound. The big problem areas are the underhood wiring harness that gets brittle and cracks with age and the somewhat weak transmissions. The giant boulder of an engine and the rest of the car are pretty reliable. Since I've upgraded mine, I don't see why I couldn't get another 250K or more out of it. I've taken the heads off 250K mile engines and you can still see the crosshatching in the bores.
 
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Heh. The advantage of the US bumpers is that you can ram smaller cars with impunity, as well as getting rear ended by them. I got rear ended by a Camry a year or so back, and the Jag was totally undamaged. Dead Camry, though.

The US bumpers are giant 3/8" wall box-section aluminum beams suspended on ~2" hydraulic cylinders.

Really? I never thought they'd be able to handle that sort of force without any damage... I guess Jaguars known to be like tanks for a reason.
 
Yeah, pretty much unless you plow the thing into something solid like a pole or bridge piling, you don't have to worry about low or medium speed collisions in the thing, provided your point of contact is the bumpers. I've been rear ended more times than I can count by small cars in Series IIIs, and the worst I've had to do is replace the hydraulic cylinders back there. Those bumpers are unbelievably sturdy and protective of the body.


Here are the hydraulic cylinders that the bumpers "float" on:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Part...uck_Parts_Accessories?_trksid=p4506.m20.l1116
 
I'm interested in the four-speed auto conversion. I've seen one done on a S3 XJ12. A friend in my local Jag club has an '86 XJ6 Vanden Plas (in "Antelope", with "Magnolia" hides) in fabulous condition that he'll sell me for a steal at $3,000. I'm thinking of using the money from the sale of my Miata to buy it (if I don't find a mid-to-late 90's Triumph Thunderbird first), and I think a four-speed auto would be a great modification for daily driving.
 
Well, I'm keeping a photo diary/gallery of it. It's not a recommended configuration per the kit vendor because of the tall stock rear gears in the S3, but what the hey, I've proven him wrong before.... And all he wants to do is sell V8 conversions anyway. :p

I see you found the animated version of the avatar. :D
 
I've also considered converting my X300 to a manual. However, I've heard that the dual-mass flywheels are hard to come by. Don't know why, suppose I'd have to write one of the blokes at Jaguar World about that.

Changed the oil on my car today, and found the front pinion seal on the differential leaking. I topped up the diff while under there. Any idea how hard it is to drop the driveshaft and change that?
 
I've also considered converting my X300 to a manual. However, I've heard that the dual-mass flywheels are hard to come by. Don't know why, suppose I'd have to write one of the blokes at Jaguar World about that.

Changed the oil on my car today, and found the front pinion seal on the differential leaking. I topped up the diff while under there. Any idea how hard it is to drop the driveshaft and change that?

I'm fairly certain that to change a pinion seal, you have to take the pinion out, which would entail disassembling the diff.
 
CJ, Jags are a special case. I don't remember which diff the non-blower X300s have. On some of the Jags, you just take the driveshaft off (four bolts), block the axles from turning, then after determining the preload with a torque screwdriver, remove the giant nut that is revealed. Then the pinion just comes off and you can replace the seal.

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The above is only useful if you have the Salisbury/Dana 44 type rear differential.

The dual-mass flywheels are difficult to come by because few X300s were ordered as manuals. Besides, honestly, it's easier just to fit a paddleshift kit.

As for my progress, I have the block and crank adapter on, the cooler lines cut and the stock driveshaft out. Almost ready to install the trans and be done...

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As soon as I get this reclocked, it goes on:

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Transmission's in!

Transmission's in!

Spent 8 hours on it today; got the transmission installed. I'm still recovering from the effort (yay, muscling in transmissions) so I'm not responding to some topics here like I "should."

The latest pics.

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All the grunt work is done. All that's left is little things like wiring and the control cables; then it's back on its wheels and ready to roll out again.

Also, I figure this is a good time to throw this out there.

PUBLIC SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT

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Every year or so, a Jaguar falls off whatever is supporting it while its owner works under it. The owner is, of course, often killed by the 2.5 tons of Brit steel smashing them into a 3" high smear. Those that aren't killed are pinned or maimed.

Therefore, it is an excellent idea to make sure that your Jaguar is multiply supported while working under it, with the jack somewhere nearby. Any jackstands used should be of the ratcheting type and *each* one should be rated for the entire weight of the car plus a safety margin. (Three American Tons is a good start for a jackstand rating.) In addition, do not work on your Jaguar alone! Make sure someone knows where you are in case your Jag slips off the stands and you get pinned under it.

This is *not* a joke. Just check out the various Jaguar forums for the various reports by surviving spouses and friends, etc. This is a good idea for all cars, but the only cars I've ever encountered that regularly killed the people working on them are old Jaguars. Don't be the next poor bastard; I know I sure don't want to be.


 
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Sorry for the OT, but what`s that goldish brown car off to the left in that one pic...

I totally agree with the multiple jackstands BTW... I had a close call with my El camino`s hand brake coming undone. It rolled about 4 inches before the gears caught it... Always remember to block the wheels :)
 
That car is my friend's El Camino. I forget what year it is, think it's a 69. That's his Chebby pickup behind the Jag, too.
 
<shrug> It doesn't run (no gas tank) so it's academic....

Edit: Here's a better pic of it from a couple weeks back:

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HAHA! I knew it... I can spot an Elco from a mile away! :D
 
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