1959 Jaguar XK150 roadster (MM)
Team CJ restoration (modified)


 

 
Specification (briefly) for this project is as follows:

Team CJ modified restoration featuring a high performance Stage One CJ engine, CJ5 five speed, upgraded suspension, brakes, 
cooling, ignition, air conditioning, blue tooth capability, etc..

 
 

 


We were delighted to hear that this Team CJ restoration won its class at the exclusive National British Meet in Hot Springs, Arkansas over the weekend (May 2015). The Crown Jewels Concours at this event is an invitation only show limited to 100 invitees, and only one example of each model is selected. The Crown Jewels Concours is hosted by TV 'car guy' Dennis Gage.




Car ready for judging!











Great achievement to win at this exclusive
invitation only event
Dennis Gage adds his seal of approval!

 


One gorgeous Imperial Maroon XK150 roadster and two very happy customers!











More road testing today, dodging rain storms..












































Putting the finishing touches to this restoration...



























































Installing the new convertible top tonneau cover extension flap..

































Installing the custom AC unit beneath the dash...









More progress in the trim room...



Preparing to install the convertible top
Jack refinished










Restored spare wheel cover now installed
Budget key clamped in place





Carlos has been busy installing your dash and trimming out your doors...






















Installing the demister vents and trimming out the hide dash pad..



Laying hide dash cover in place
Hide dash top carefully trimmed around demister vents










Pulling hide tight demonstrates what the finished
dash will look like
Specially made canvas tonneau cover




Fabricating a new aluminum spare wheel cover from scratch..
















Trial fitting the new panel










New Triplex screen installed











Unpacking the new convertible top
Fawn top offers nice contrast against Imperial
Maroon coachwork




Doors now permanently installed and adjusted..




















Assembling the dash..
























Your car has been moved into the trim room for the final push to completion.



The shelves in the background contain the last
few items left to be installed











Rear bumper now installed
Restored grill fitted to bonnet




We have been running and tuning your XK150 on the Dyno for the last couple of days and I am pleased to report that everything is working perfectly. Next week the car will be moved to the trim room for the final push to completion.









Custom center armrest and cubby finishes off the Mk VII interior conversion..
   


Lots of progress in the last few days. The electronic seat adjustment controls and the adjustable heating elements have all been wired in and are all functioning perfectly. The only thing left to do is to secure the front seats to the floor, and select an appropriate center console, which we recommend should be trimmed in red hide to match the seats.

 
 
   

 

 

 
   

 


The following sequence of photos show Carlos fabricating and sewing up the rear cover for your front seat backs, and the first of the front seats completed. He is working on the second seat today.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

 
 


The following two photographs show the new hide seat covers we bought to trim the 2000 Vanden Plas seats (front and rear) that we will be installing in your Mk VII. It is actually quite amazing how well the rear seat fits!

 
New hide seat covers are very high quality and match the
existing interior trim very well
Amazing how well the rear seat from the 2000 XJ8
parts car fits in your Mk VII

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 


More progress in the trim room..

 
   

 


Carlos has now finished trimming your seats and dash panels with the new exquisite Suffolk & Turley hide..

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 


Restoring your seat frames and trimming your seats with beautiful new Suffolk & Turley hides...

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 


Installing chrome, wiring in lights..

 
   



 
 
   


Installing the new wiring harness, custom walnut gauge panel....

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 AC unit will be centrally mounted beneath dash
 Madera Concepts did a great job matching your custom
gauge panel to the steering wheel


I am pleased to report that we have now received all of your chrome plating back and the finish is absolutely spectacular. We sent your center gauge panel to Madera Concepts to have them apply a custom walnut veneer to match your woodrim steering wheel.

 
Center dash gauge panel has been sent to Madera Concepts
for a custom walnut veneer
 

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 
 



Trial fitting the battery box and inner wing panels prior to painting and installing them permanently...

 
 
Important to trial fit all the inner panels before painting
and installing them permanently

 

 

 
Adjusting fit of battery box cover
Everything is now lining up very nicely


Reuniting the body with the chassis...

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 


The following photos show your AC kit, which arrived yesterday. Tomorrow morning we will be reuniting the body with the chassis...

 
 
Your air conditioning kit has arrived
Vents will be centrally mounted beneath dash

 


Gerardo is currently busy sanding and buffing your new paintwork...

 
 
 
Wings have already been buffed to perfection

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
 
New data plate stamped and installed
 

 


We have now painted the outer body panels Imperial Maroon....

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 


Applying the first of the Imperial Maroon...

 
 
Masking the outer body panels
Seam sealer applied to all seams and joints
in B pillars, firewall and inner  wheel arches

 
 

 

 
 
Textured rocker guard applied to inner arches, lower firewall
and entire underside of bodyshell

 
 

 

 
   

 
 

 

 
Applying the first of the Imperial Maroon
 

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 

 
Spare wheel well in Rocker Guard, prior to painting
This photo more representative of the Imperial Maroon
color than earlier images in artifical light of booth

 


Gorgeous Suffolk & Turley hides...

 
   

 



The following sequence shows the chrome trial fitting process, as well as trial fitting the convertible top frame...

 
   

 

 

 
A huge amount of work has gone into making the
screen chrome trim fit like this
 

 

 

 
 
Trial fitting and adjusting the convertible top frame

 

 

 
Bumpers and overriders have had 54 years worth of
dents hammered out!
 

 


I am pleased to report that we have now completed the bodywork stage and your car has been put into high build primer. The panel fit on your car is as good as you will ever see on a Jaguar XK.

 
 
Jake, Oscar and Gerardo are justifiably very proud
of the work they have done to your Jaguar
All of the bodywork has now been completed and the
car has been primed

 

 

 
The panel gaps are absolutely beautiful
 

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
 
The best fitting XK door you will ever see

 

 

 
   

 
 


We have spent the last several weeks blocking and perfecting the panel fit on the XK150. All panel gaps throughout the car are absolutely spectacular.

 
 
 

 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 

 

 
 
 


Installing drivetrain to chassis, fitting doors, etc...

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   


More lead loading progress...
 Trial fitting the bonnet and grill revealed some panel fit 
issues that need attention
 Left front edge of bonnet now fits correctly

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Right front was better, but still needed work
Right front now fits perfectly, too 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Lead loading the right front wing
Right front wing after hand filing the lead

 
 
 
 

 

 
 About to lead load the right side cowl
 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 With bonnet closed, gaps now starting to take shape
 Left side bonnet to cowl gap

 


Lead loading in progress, chassis assembly underway...

 
 
 Jake preparing to start the lead loading process

 
 
 

 

 
 
 Applying the first of approximately 50 lbs of lead

 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 New gas tank looks great after a trip to the CJ paintshop
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 Front suspension components have been powder coated

 
 
 

 

 
 Grade 8 fasteners will be used during assembly process
 276 items to be Nickel plated

 


Welding and sheet metal replacement is now virtually complete, chassis has been blasted and powder coated. Next task - rebuilding the rear axle and front suspension...

 
Trial fitting spare wheel well and hold-down bracket
Jake spot welding new engine side panel into place

 

 

 
Aluminum bonnet was stripped by hand
 

 

 

 
How the chassis looked after we lifted the body off
How it looks today, blasted and powder coated

 

 

 
We used a semi-gloss black on the chassis
Poly suspension bushings for the front end rebuild


Almost finished with the boot compartment....

 
Side panels fabricated and welded in place
 

 
 

 

 
 Inner rear cowl support the last rust in the entire car
Rust cut out, new panel fabricated and welded in place

 
 

 

 
 Jake spot welding boot floor braces in place
 

 


Removing the body from the chassis...

 
 
 Time to put the body on the frame jig
 

 
 

 

 
 The body restoration and paint will be completed
on the frame jig
 Chassis will be disassembed, blasted, repaired as 
needed and powder coated

 


Jake has been busy the last couple of weeks dealing with rust in the boot compartment and on the rear lamp panels. Next week we will be placing the body on a precision jig, and the original chassis will be stripped, media blasted and powder coated, ready for reassembly.

 
 The boot compartment requires extensive rust repairs
 Replacement panels are fabricated and trial fitted

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 Slowly but surely, the affected area is reconstructed

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Tail lamp/bumper panel was a mess
Panel is first reconstructed internally 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Trial fitting replacement panel
 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Panel was shaped on the English wheel and the flanges
formed on the shrink/stretch machine
 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 New panel matches the shape and countour of the 
original perfectly
 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 New panel is first tack welded in place
Then the repair seam is TIG welded 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 Fabricating a new pedal box seal panel

 
 


With the doors now rebuilt, Jake has turned his attention to the boot compartment. The boot lid itself is in good condition, needing only some minor repairs to the wooden frame. Unfortunately, we found a fair amount of rust previously concealed by the spare wheel tray.

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 



Reconstructing your doors...

 
 Forward shutface section of door frames were deformed and 
cracked after apparent failure of door check straps
 

 
 
 

 

 
 Hinge plates reinstalled after door frame shut face panels
were repaired
 

 
 
 

 

 
 Hinges were rebushed and repinned
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 Time to install the new door skins

 


With the front and rear floors now largely restored, Jake has turned his attention to the doors.

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   



 
Restoring the passenger side A and B pillars, rocker assembly, etc...

 
Attaching the A pillar and rocker panels
Beginning to reconstruct B pillar

 

 

 
Trial fitting B pillar and door shut face panel
 

 

 

 
 
Modifying shut face panel for perfect fit

 

 

 
Upper RH cowl needs major repair
Last photo in this sequence shows this area reconstructed

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
 
These upper cowl panels will be fabricated

 

 

 
 
Wurth Body Wax applied to inner B pillar

 

 

 
Inner B pillar structure now welded in position
Repair panels now welded in place

 

 

 
Before....
 After...

 


We have now finished reconstructing the driver's side A and B pillars, the shut face panel and the rocker panel. It is now time to repeat the process on the passenger side of the car.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 


Reconstructing the driver's side B pillar and shut face panel..

 
 
 Wurth Body Wax applied inside B pillar
 

 
 
 

 

 
 Side panel tack welded in place
 

 
 
 

 

 
 Seam is then TIG welded
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 Upper and forward panels now welded in position

 
 
 

 

 
 
 Trial fitting door in relation to new shut face panel

 
 
 

 

 
 Trial fitting rear wing repair panel
About to weld the various upper panels together


Starting to go back together with lots of new sheet metal...

 
 
 
Inner A post now reconstructed
Left hand rocker panel welded in place

 

 

 
Using the door aperture jig to position the B post in
precisely the correct position
Trial fitting new inner B pillar

 
 

 

 
 
Ready to weld B pillar sections in place

 


More rust repairs...

 
 
Top of driver's B pillar requires extensive surgery
 

 

 

 
With corroded metal cut away, there isn't much left
Various repair panels have been fabricated

 

 

 
 
Welding securing bracket to LH rocker panel

 

 

 
 
New LH rocker panel ready to install

 


Dealing with extensive rust in left hand rocker panel as well as both A and B pillars....

 
What is left of the driver's "B" shut face panel
 

 

 

 
Back side of LH rocker panel where it attaches to the A pillar
 

 

 

 
Significant rust inside A pillar
 

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
 
Bracket that attaches rocker panel will be reconstructed

 

 

 
 New bracket fabricated from scratch
 

 


More progress in the Coachworks...

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 


Repairing rusty headlamp pods....

 
 
 Repair panel for top surface of wing clamped in place
 Tack welded in position

 
 
 
 

 

 
 TIG welded along seam
 TIG bead cleaned up..

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Fabricating complicated lower section of headlamp pod
 Cutting the new sheet metal with the shear

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
Creasing the new panel in the bead roller

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
Hammering the flange into shape

 
 
 

 

 
 
Using the shrinker/stretcher to produce the desired shape

 
 
 

 

 
 
 Almost ready...

 
 
 

 

 
 To be continued...
Trial fitting the new panel
 

 
 
 


Both headlamp pods had rust issues that required attention in the CJ Coachworks.

 
 
 
 
 Rusted metal cut away from right hand headlamp pod
Repair panel being fabricated from new sheet metal 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Repair panel clamped in position
Tack welded....

 
 
 
 

 

 
...then TIG welded...
TIG bead cleaned up 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Making repair panel for headlamp mounting lip
 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Trial fitting the new headlamp lip repair section
 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Jake now turns his attention to the LH pod
 Similar issues on left side...

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Rusted area cut away from right hand pod
Repair panel fabricated and clamped in place 

 


With side lamp pods replaced, we turn our attention to the rust repairs needed at the base of both headlamps.

 
 
 The RH sidelamp repair panel is tack welded in position...
 Then TIG welded....

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 New sidelamp pod then spot welded in place

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Both headlamp pods were rusty
Fabricating repair panel

 
 


Stage One engine rebuild completed, more rust repairs on front wings.

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 


Assembling the short block...

 
 Spin balancing the crankshaft
Measuring thrust 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 Team CJ forged pistons assembled to rods

 
 
 

 

 
 Measuring deck height
 

 

 

 
 
Ready for the cylinder head....

 
 


The following sequence of photos show Jake replacing one of the front marker lamp housings. There was significant rust in the housing and the sheet metal beneath.

 
 
 
 
 Both marker lamp housings will be replaced
Sheet metal beneath marker lamp housings badly rusted 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Jake shaping replacement panel
 Replacement marker pods differ slightly from originals
and will have to be modified

 
 
 
 

 

 
 The  countour of the replacement sheet metal has to
match the top of the wing perfectly
Panel will be trimmed to fit the hole exactly 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Trimmed and fitting perfectly, the new panel is
first tacked into place
Jake TIG welding the patch in place

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 View from beneath

 
 
 
 

 

 
 With TIG beads cleaned up, repair is virtually invisible
 Hole cut in new panel for marker light harness

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Trial fitting the new marker lamp housing
 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
Housing spot welded into place, seams will be
lead loaded in due course.


More progress in the Coachworks....

 
 
 Drilling out spot welds to remove floor section

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 More corrosion to be dealt with

 
 
 
 

 

 
 Floors removed in one piece
Unfortunately, lead has been used to hide corrosion at
a number of locations around the body

 

 

 
 More issues hidden beneath lead
 

 
 
 


We now have the body restoration underway. The photos below might look a little scary, but there really isn't anything for you to worry about. Everything is very easily fixed 

 
 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 
 


I am pleased to report that we have now rebuilt and flow tested your cylinder head. We kept the intake valve size at 1.75" but still picked up around 40 cfm, which should make for some great power at lower rpm.

 
 
 

 

 

 
   

 


Your cylinder head needed some major repairs!

 
 
 Most of the valve seat pockets had to be welded
up and re-cut
 

 
 

 

 
 
New spark plug inserts were required
 

 
 


The outer body panels have now been blasted back to bare metal and sealed with Glasurit primer. The car will need some extensive repairs in the boot compartment, as well as the replacement of both door skins and both sill panels. Having said that, things really aren't looking too bad. All four wings, as well as most of the main floor and firewall section, are in surprisingly good shape!

 
 
 
Front and rear wings are all reasonably solid
 

 

 

 
 
Firewall is in good shape

 

 

 
Removing the tappet guides, which were well out of spec
Stripped out spark plug holes will be repaired

 


Your car is now largely disassembled and we have completed the machine work to the short block.

 
 Surgacing block after installation of new liners
 

 
 

 

 
 Preparing to perform an align hone
 CJ forged pistons hung on rebuilt rods

 
 

 

 
 Machined block is painted inside and out
 

 
 

 

 
 
 Interior cabin is quite solid

 
 

 

 
 There are a number of places that will require sheet
metal repairs, although nothing too serious
Dash completely stripped out 

 


This engine came to us in very poor shape and needs significant repairs above and beyond a normal rebuild.

 
 
 Cam caps were shimmed. Cam saddles will have to be 
align honed
 

 
 
 

 

 
 Block will be resleeved
Valve seats are sunk into the combustion
chambers

 
 
 

 

 
 
With the valve seat removed, the step above the seat
is clearly visible
 


I am pleased to report thatyour car is now safely in the CJ workshops and we will have the project underway in the next few days.

 
   

 

 

 
There's a Jaguar engine under there somewhere...
Rod caps had been removed prior to arrival

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