1959 Jaguar 3.4 Sedan Driver restoration

Specification (briefly) for this project is as follows: This great old Jaguar has been in the same family ownership for decades. Our mission is to completely rebuild the car mechanically and to freshen the paint and interior. Not a total restoration, but the finished product will be a very high quality driver.

Another wonderful old Jaguar back on the road...

All of the interior wood has now been completely restored and looks absolutely stunning. The new steering wheel matches the dash veneer quite nicely.

Installing the all important leaping cat mascot
Main dash panel cleaned up reasonably well

Installing new rubber seals, glass and replated chrome...

We now have your chrome plating back and will be replacing the glass and brightwork in the next couple of weeks. We have also installed a new set of whitewall radial tires.

Rebuilt engine and CJ5/600 five speed...

Yesterday we painted the main body. We will be painting the bonnet, doors and boot lid later today.

Your engine rebuild has now been completed.

Rust repairs to left hand rear door skin...

Assembling the short block...

Repairing stripped out threaded water jacket in top of cylinder head...

Common for these water jackets to be stripped out	Threaded hole is first welded closed
New hole and threads cut on mill	Good as new...	Head now surfaced and ready  for assembly

Short block assembly underway...

Balancing crankshaft		Pistons and rods now installed

The following sequence of photographs show Carlos making (and installing) new hide seat covers from scratch.

3 hides will be used to make covers for front and rear seats	Old covers used as templates	Measuring and marking the pleats for seat base
Sewing the pleating
	Stitching base beading in place
	Carlos putting the finishing touches to a seat base
	Removing old vinyl seat back
	Making seat back cover
		The finished article

We have now rebuilt your front suspension and brakes and have the engine rebuild well underway.

Before...	After...	Wilwood brakes up front
Surfacing block after honing cylinders

We have now removed and torn down your engine and also begun the rebuild of your front and rear suspension.

Lots of corrosion as a result of decades of inactivity		Overdrive trans will be replaced with a CJ5 five speed
Front suspension will be completely rebuilt and upgraded	Timing chain cover is nasty and will be replaced

I am delighted to report that your faithful old Jaguar arrived safely at Classic Jaguar late last week and we will have the mechanical rebuild underway in the next few days. I  hope you enjoy following the progress in these pages over the coming months!