Hi all,

As threatened, my restoration project on my 1992 (on a K)
XJS 4.0L auto.
I got this car with 119k miles on the clock and a full Jaguar main dealer history. The car is mechanically excellent (as far as I can tell so far) and structurally very sound.
As I got it (ignore the black paint on the roof as I put this on there as a srt of guide coat)





The body, wings, bootlid, bootfloor, floorpan, doors are all sound as shown in the pics below:



























Now the bad bits! The paintwork has extensive lacquer peel, is this usual on these cars? The bonnet has been dented beyond economic repair by some toerag walking on it before I bought it  , just before in fact! Luckily I sourced a replacement bonnet in the same colour but could have done without the extra work.

The work begins!!

First cutting out the rusty bits back to sound metal, for example:





The panel behind the rear lower quarters were also rusted so I cut sections out them too.

Future plans are to fininsh the bodywork, I will only take it back to bare metal where absolutely necessary as the metal is galvanised and I beleive where paint is sound then its best not removed. I will epoxy primer the bare metal (and other bits) before appling filler and then anther layer of epoxy primer and then 2K primer filler where required.

The interior leather is going to be refurbished.

The chrome is in excellent condition but a couple of bits are dented so I will replace those.

The wood inside needs restoring, I am looking for the door wood trims if possible.

Because the wood is elm and is aged it's difficult to buy new veneer to match it, any ideas, anyone?

I will take it to a very good professional bodywork shop to have it painted to my specification.

The wheels will also be refurbished in powder coat.

I wil then finally sort out the underseal, which is in good condition but you never know whats under there! I have poked around fairly extensively so should be no surprises I hope.

Are there any drawbacks to using fibreglass rear lower quarters? other than not being original.

Welding is just one of those skills I aspire too. Poor me all I have is a 2 speed gasless mig welder.

This is a quality "facelift" they don't rust. Must be taken from an earlier vehicle and superimposed.  Foot-well issue probably a result of blocked air-con drains.

Happy daze
Nick

Thanks,
I think the main cause of rust on these sills is the mastic they put into the seams without prepainting the galvanised metal. Once the water gets behind it it stays in there and promotes the rust. Hence the fairly extansive use of POR-15 and epoxy primer, before I put the seam sealer on and then I will waxoyl thoroughly after it's been painted.
The rear lower quarters always seem to be rusty to some extent, hence I'm considering the fibreglass option.

There's not much wrong with the footwells, just mainly dirty, I will clear the air-con drains though as you suggest.

Getting the roof and boot 'flat' is taking a long time!

Nick, invest in a gas mig and an autodarkening helmet, it makes it so much easier. I've heard that the quality of gasless wire makes a difference a recent comment i read on UKSaabs was "Lincoln Innershield is a good gasless wire, albeit a bit more expensive than others. ..."
The main problem with gas migs is the getting the gas at a reasonable price, I've just finished my BOC argoshield bottle and have no way of getting it refilled!

Some recent pics,

Front panel was rotten so removed, lower valance was good so cleaned and painted with epoxy primer



New front panel also painted with epoxy primer


Rear lower quaters replaced in fibreglass so the never rot again!! Rivets painted with epoxy primer just because I'm compulsive I guess!





More pics of the car just before being ready to take to paintshop.



Note the rear valance was welded, derusted, epoxy primered then stone chip paint applied. It will be painted the same colour as the rest of the car.



Stone chip was only applied to the underside of the sills, as original I believe, because I prefer the smooth finish.



I'v also been restoring the wood work, a long labour of love/ hate. Stripped it all down to veneer then applied umpteen coats of rustins plastic wood, flatting between coats, and a final polish at the end.
As they were before,



and finally


Very happy with how they came out, in the end.

I finished colour coding the wheel centres to Falmeco Red.





I will fit them when the car is finished!!

First pics of the car resprayed



Wheels all refurbished and looking good!

very nice looking car its credit to you.
 

There are lots of pics below but not very close up.

I've been welding for 30 years now (on and off, not professionally) and my welding, although not pretty, is very sound. I grind the welds back on visible bodywork and then apply a hammer to check that they are strong! Where not visible or not visually important I leave them alone but still apply the hammer test.

I also use weld through primer and galvanised metal (cleaning off the galvanising locally to the weld) and epoxy primer/ por15 in all accessible areas prior to closing off. I then waxoyl/ dinitrol thoroughly through access holes.

I hate rust!!!! I can't beat it but I'm giving it my best shot!

Is a project ever completed??? My Saab isn't!!!
I plan to get it driving within a few weeks then have the leather seats refurbished hopefully.
Just been fitting the boot carpet loosely back in, I need some spray adhesive or carpet tape, still don't remember where a couple of bits fitted. I also fitted the rear bumper.
I broke one of the clips to hold the sunvisor in and one of the square side indicator lights.
Can't see why they changed from the earlier ones as they look much better IMO.

Does anyone know what bulb/fitting goes into the glovebox light. It's not a t10 or anything else Ive got lying around.

Very lovely job, the paint just gleems. I wish I knew how to weld.

I'm new to the board and a very young XJS owner, 23 but adore Jaguars, especially the XJS. Well done for getting one looking so lovely!

   Some missing pics drom the painting process















Freddie the painter posing





Further work done

Replaced front shock absorbers

Rebuilt steering rack tower as it was leaking at a vast rate!!



MOT passed with just two advisories, steering rack leaking, which turned out to be a crack in the steering fluid reservoir, now replaced,

and slight corrosion on bodywork. I looked underneath and the only slight corrosion I could see was on the front lower wishbones and spring bottom, not really significant to warrant an advisory  but it bugged me so I took care of it

Rust treatment applied after wire brushing etc.









Painted with rustproofing paint









I will apply some underseal later as well.

Have also sourced and fitted new seats for the front in excellent condition, thanks Southwestjags.

All the electrics work as well, no more niggles!!!

Anjum wrote on 22.02.2013 at 17:02:42:


You'll need to get it fully finished, on the road, full MOT, then a value can be placed upon it.

With a proper description, list of work carried out, it should do OK at an auction.

More photos!!

Very nice! totally different car to when you first got it, well done. I always get a great deal of satisfaction from a rebuild, especially when you unmask it and refit all the chrome, all the hours of lying upside down welding some how seem worth it. whats next?

                Brian

Plasma cutters are great tools, as is a TIG welder, Mig is good for general welding, but TIG is so much more controlable, less distortion and no sparks!
I.ve got a classic Mini waiting major surgery in the summer, can't wait... Brian