1990 Jaguar XJS V12

VIN: SAJNW4846LC174601

More pictures are in this PDF file - http://washburns.org/1990JaguarXJS.pdf

I bought this car on eBay in 2009. I should have returned it, as it was not as advertised. It had rust in some parts of the body, the cruise control did not work, the AC was not functional (much less ice cold as advertised) and it had a warped head. Returns were not so easy back in the day.

In any event, I have been trying to restore it over the past (almost) 7 years. I have replaced all the wood inside, the rag top, the rag top cover and more. I have had the engine fully rebuild (2 years ago), added a CAT COOLER, and replaced most of the critical support parts (alternator, starter, wiring harnesses, battery, etc.). I’ve spent about 20K on parts and labor to get it where it is today, but there is more to do.

I replaced the instrument dash when I had the engine rebuilt, so the millage is not right. The vehicle has about 105,000 miles on it by my best calculation.

The car runs great. I have put about 5K miles on the newly rebuilt motor. I enjoy long rides along the Tennessee River and in the lower Appalachian Mountains here in north Alabama.

This is not an inclusive list, but the best I can recall.

The AC still does not work. There is an ABS light on the dash (always has been) – the ABS does work just fine. The fuel gage sender needs to be replaced (or the connection cleaned). The rods that hold up the engine hood need to be replaced (I have these and they will go with the car, just need to be installed). The electric/hydraulic convertible motor does not raise or lower the convertible top (I have a used one I purchased, it just needs to be put on – this goes with the car). The gas tank is building up pressure after a bumpy/long ride, I’m guessing one of the vent system hoses or filters is the problem. Cruise control does not work. All the cloth/carpet needs to be replaced. The leather needs to be replaced. There is a squeak in the front passenger’s side, either a shock or one of those rubber joints. There is a blemish on the paint job (picture shows this) caused by one of the mechanics. Some of the loops on the rag top cover do not correspond to the fasteners on the rag top (photo shows this) – it does not make a real difference.

Anyway, I’ve included several photos, I did not get the car washed or waxed before the photos, it is a bit dusty – so know that when she is shined up, she looks really great.

If I did not have to get rid of this car, I would finish up the restore job.