Jonn began by carrying out an appraisal of our 1963 Jaguar MKII, performing a brief preliminary inspection to prepare the vehicle for a road test. Following the road test, the car was brought onto the ramp for a more thorough inspection, with all necessary points greased during the process. The wheels were removed and the brakes stripped down, revealing that the nearside front brake was binding on one piston. Axle oil levels were checked and topped up as required.
He continued with the appraisal and completed the brake inspection, confirming that three out of the four pistons on the front brakes needed replacement. The calipers were stripped and cleaned, and three new piston units from stock were fitted. Attention then turned to the offside track rod, which was removed along with its rubber components. The old grease was cleaned out, fresh grease applied, and new ball joint rubbers were installed and secured using lockwire. Additional grease was applied to ensure proper lubrication.
A section of reinforced rubber matting was cut and repurposed as a rear exhaust mount, which was drilled out and fitted. The handbrake cable was adjusted and tested for correct operation. A pressure test was conducted on the cooling system to confirm the radiator’s condition, which returned satisfactory results. The coolant was then drained and the radiator removed. To improve access, the grille was also taken off, followed by the fan and pulley. The crank pulley was undone and removed, after which the water pump was detached and the front of the engine cleaned.
Jonn then cleaned and prepared the front of the engine, carefully rubbing down the mating surface for the water pump. All bolts intended for reuse were cleaned thoroughly. Both the crank pulley and water pump pulley were painted. The top of the air filter and the intake pipe, which was found not to fit properly, were removed. A flexible pipe was installed in its place, and the air filter top was refitted.
