1974 V12 roadster
Team CJ Restoration


 

 
Specification (briefly) for this project is as follows:

Restoration of a 17,000 mile car - colour change to black coachwork with black hides.
 

 
 

 
 
Putting the finishing touches to the interior, including the seats, AC unit, etc.
     
     
 
     


Interior installation now largely completed.
     
     
     
     
 
     


The following photographs were taken 11/23/05.



 
     
     
     
     
     

 
 



 
   
   

 
 


   
   
   

 


As you can see, the engine bay is filling up rapidly and it will soon be time to fire up the engine.
 
Transmission re-sealed
Engine installed
     
Carbs rebuilt, although most components 
were just cleaned and reinstalled
Installing the gas tank
Old SS exhaust cleaned up
quite well
     

 


We now have the serviced (not rebuilt or restored) IRS back under the car. I thought you might appreciate a couple of photographs of the car outside in the sunshine for the first time in quite a while! It is difficult to photograph a black car, but hopefully you can see how straight the bodywork is and how well the doors and the bootlid fit.
Installing heat shields and
fuel lines
Serviced (not restored) IRS
is now reinstalled
In the Texas sunshine the
car looks magnificent
     
 
Check out the bodywork
Notice also the door fit
     
 
I am quite proud of this one!
 


Having completed the sanding and buffing, we have now installed the doors, bootlid, front suspension, etc, and have the car back on it wheels. In the next couple of weeks, it will start to look like a car again!
Front suspension was cleaned,
but not replated
Installing the door latches
.....sorry picture is blurred!
Back on the ground!
     
Bootlid also installed
Door fit is excellent
New brakes, seals and springs, but
otherwise the IRS was only
cleaned during reassembly



3M rocker guard is applied
to the bonnet wheel arches
 
Items to be Nickel plated


I am delighted to report that we have begun the final painting process and everything has so far gone very smoothly. Yesterday evening we finished the main monocoque and over the next couple of days we will be working on the doors, bootlid and of course the bonnet.

 
After stone guarding the underside
the shell was sealed
Engine frames are painted in situ
with the V12 cars
 
 
 
 
 
Clear coat gleams in Texas sunlight
 
 
 
 
   
 Original data plate already
reinstalled


Before applying the last round of high build primer, we adjusted the fit of the door chrome finishers. They now flow very nicely into the screen pillar chrome and are also at the correct height at the rear edge of the door.
Chrome finisher too low originally
Repositioned to be more
central on door top
Fit against screen piller chrome
also improved


All of your chrome has now been trial fitted. We were able to grind the new bumpers in such a way as not to damage the chrome. As you know, we are re-using your original lights and headlamp chrome without replating it. Although it is not perfect, you can see from the pictures below that it is in exceptionally good, original condition.
     


Time to start trial fitting all the new 1971 style bumpers and overriders...
     
     
 



 Cyl head reinstalled
Transmission just received new 
oil seals and gaskets
 
 
 
 
 
 Flywheel will be resurfaced and 
balanced with new clutch
 Waterpump will be rebuilt as
a precautionary measure
 

 


The photographs below show the removal of the right hand cylinder head and the repair of the loose helicoil.
 Engine put at TDC
Old helicoil came away when spark
plug was removed
Time to remove the head
 
 
 
 
Carbon build-up is normal
 
 
 
 
Although we are not rebuilding
the head, we have cleaned it
 When the old helicoil was installed, 
they cut threads all the way to the
combustion chamber - which is bad!
 This is what the spark plug hole should 
look like from the underside. In a
combustion chamber, smooth is good!
     
 
Jagged edge of spark plug hole smoothed 
out and unwanted threads polished away
 New helicoil is trimmed so that it does not 
protrude beneath surface into chamber
 



 
Bare metal areas are first sealed
woth DP epoxy primer
Those areas are spot primed
with K38 high build....
Then the whole car is primed
with K38 high build
     
Back in the bodywork area where
it will be blocked once more
Viewed from above the panel gaps 
are looking exceptionally nice
Boot lid fit has been
dramatically improved....
     
 
As has bonnet to cowl fit, which is
now pretty much perfect
Slightly blurred (sorry!) but this picture 
gives you an idea of the bonnet fit
 


The blocking process has been going extremely well and the bodyshell is due to receive its second round of K38 high build primer tomorrow afternoon. Your car is scheduled to be painted during the first week of December.
 The entire car was guide coated prior to 
being extensively blocked
 Bonnet gap shaping up beautifully
(see below)
 Car almost ready for second application 
of K38 high build primer
 
 
 
 
 
     


With the car now in high build (K38) primer, it is time to address the rather poor factory panel gaps before embarking upon the lengthy blocking stage.
Boot lid fit is fairly poor
Trial fitting the bonnet
We will improve significantly on
the factory door gaps
     
Filing away lead at the top of
both doors
Rubber seals all installed
during trial fit process....
as are all the latches
     
 
Fit of passenger door already
vastly improved
We will open up the gap at the
bottom of the driver's door
 


With the repairs now completed to the license plate panel, it is now time to put the car into high build primer. The main bodyshell will be primed on Monday morning.
 License plate panel and
boot floor now repaired
Only the outer panels will be
primed with K38 high build
Boot lid, doors and bonnet
primed in this shoot
   
 
The firt pass of K38
   


The following photographs show what happens when two pieces of untreated sheet metal are welded together. Basically, moisture invades the space between the welded panels and rust begins to form.
This panel formerly supported the
bracket for the rear overriders
Drilling out the numerous
spot welds
Rust beneath the panel
     
Bonnet hinge anchors used to be
attached to overrider shocks
Tack welded back in place
Bonnet will be mounted in the
next few days



 
 Acid washing bonnet
Note welded and leaded holes
where overrider shocks had been
 Holes also welded up and lead loaded
in the bonnet centre section
     
Sealing the bellypan and bonnet
with DP90 epoxy primer
Underside of bonnet like new
Inside the bellypan in truly
remarkable condition
     
The rust cut away from the 
boot floor
The view from underneath
This is the metal that
had to be removed
     
 
New metal welded in place
Amazingly, this looks like being the
only welding that will be required!
 


I am pleased to report that there were no nasty surprises following plastic media blasting. The rust holes in the boot floor ended up being a little more extensive than they had first appeared, although we really didn't identify any significant rust anywhere else. This might just be the closest thing to an original E Type that I have ever seen!

 
 Floors 100% solid
 
The only rust is in the boot
floor
 
 
 
Notice how the factory used lead
on the A & B pillars
 Sealing the bodyshell
with DP90 epoxy primer
 
 
 
 
 
 


Lots of progress in the last few days. We have scheduled the bodyshell (and the bonnet, doors, etc) for plastic media blasting on Tuesday of next week. Other than a couple of minor rust holes in the boot floor (see photographs below), the body really looks to be in great condition.
Pretty grimy underneath
   
     
Torsion bars strangely corroded -will
certainly have to be replaced
Factory painted car largely
assembled
Out with the engine and trans
     
This underseal was not
dealer applied!
This spark plug hole will
have to be repaired
Rust holes in boot floor
     
Runs in factory applied paint!
Another view of corroded
torsion bars
 
     
   
Factory obviously painted the
boot lid installed
     
Grimy IRS
Lots and lots of parts!
More parts..
     
More parts...
More parts...
More parts...
     
More parts...
More parts...
Throw-out bearing was not your
clutch problem..
     
This is the input shaft of your trans..
Which slides into the pilot bushing
in the end of the crankshaft
Engine date stamped
     
   
Pilot bushing was loose in the end of 
your crankshaft and spinning
   


I am pleased to report that the disassembly process is now well underway. Other than a loose helicoil in the right hand cylinder head, there isn't much to report so far....which is a good thing! The engine, transmission and suspensions will be removed early next week.

My thanks to Andy McCreadie for taking the following photographs during my absence last week.

Not much colour beneath the
carpets
So far, no significant rust
found anywhere
Darker areas are primer
and trim glue
     
Dash completely stripped
What happened to the cross-member
of the picture frame, I wonder?
Someone 'spray canned' the steering
rack putting overspray on the swaybar


As you can see, your car is now safe and sound in the CJ Workshop. The car really is something of a time warp in many ways. The spare wheel is still protected by the factory cosmolene and has obviously never been on the ground. Thank you for entrusting this important project with Classic Jaguar - and I hope you enjoy watching the restoration unfold in these pages.
Spare wheel never been used
Boot compartment in truly
amazingly original condition
 
     
Interior is in amazing condition
Car is 2,000 miles and 27 years
overdue for an oil change!
17,000 original miles

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