It feels like forever since we last visited our Jaguar XK120 body but today’s the day. The car has been rolled out of storage and all components have been removed and sorted, ready for them all to head off for media blasting.
Our technician Jon has been making progress on the resurrection of the 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe.
The next stage of the cars journey back onto the open road begins with Jon fitting a new rear brake master cylinder. Having the old unit and new unit next to each other, the positions are slightly different from the original to the new unit, so Jon had to make up new brake lines from the master cylinder to the the join in the offside front floor area. Then, he could fit the new flexi hoses to the front and rear of the car before bleeding the entire system. However, the front of the system bled without issue but the rear we were unable to bleed at this point.
Carrying on with recommissioning the hydraulic system in the car, Jon began work on the clutch. This involved removing the old clutch slave cylinder from the classic Jaguar and the pipework. After fitting up the new system and pipes, he could fill up the circuit and begin to bleed them after securing down the new brake pipes at the same time and then cleaning down/tidying up the work area.
Next up, Jon blew out all of the fuel lines and pipework to make sure that any dust or debris from the workshop wasn’t sat in the lines while the car has been on the ramp before securing them all down to the car.
This is when he could turn his attention to the steering of the car. The steering column support in the lower part of the bulkhead was excessively moving (see video) even after Jon had drilled out the lower universal joint and replacement the worn bolt which connects the two pieces with a new nyloc piece, which improved the movement but was still not clamping fully on the piece. So, he removed the upper part of the steering column first to upgrade the component with new elastin bushes and then begin to refit the piece, however the column still moved excessively in Jon’s professional opinion. The bulkhead column support was then put on order to be refitted into the car.
Whilst the steering column was out of the car, Jon could drain the coolant and remove the radiator from the car after the cars initial fire up and testing, to remove the offside steering rack mount and the lower steering column mount from the engine bay, and fully drill out the universal joint better to clean down all the surfaces and refinish it in a new hard wearing coat of black paint.
With the new bulkhead support on order, Jon turned his attention back to the hydraulics of the car. After topping off all the fluid reservoirs, Jon along with the help of our workshop manager John managed to complete bleed each individual system.
After that, Jon began to put petrol in the new fuel tank for the first time in order to check for leaks in the tank – all was ok. He also swapped over the fuse for the fuel pump to a more suitable and durable unit for the needs of the system. After that, he connected up the battery in order to get fuel pressure from the engine on turn over to prime the system all the way to the pre-filter sight bowl. Then, he disconnected the battery.
Finally, Jon moved onwards to getting the carburettors ready to accept the fresh fuel now in the new fuel tank. He carefully tightened down and inspected all connections from the filter to the carburettors before connecting the battery back up again and the turning on the ignition to prime the fuel system and test. Jon found there was a slight leak from the sight glass under the higher pressure and from the number 1 carburettor. This was found to be an issue with the washers used in the connection to carburettor 1 and fitted a new rubber seal to the sight glass sediment bowl. After that, all of the leaks were sorted and he could the refit and secure the boot floor and all necessary trims.
Our technician Jon has been diving deeper into the 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe currently in our care for its new owner.
As part of the appraisal process, he has drained the engine of oil and all fluids along with removing the oil filter to inspect. As part of removing the fluids, the team remove drain the fuel tank to inspect the fueling side of the car.
Because of the car being sat for an extended period of time (multiple decades it would appear by the paperwork) the corrosive nature of the fuel left in the tank has wreaked havoc. When Jon removed the sediment filter, which also allows the fuel tank to drive, it became apparent that the fuel had spoiled whilst in there. In Jon’s own words ”Fuel more like paraffin”. With the tank drained, it could then be removed and allow Jon to strip down the tank of its sender unit and pump. After inspecting these components, his opinion is that these components will need complete replacement and cannot be recommissioned, as he reports ”All fuel system items require replacement”.
Then, Jon could go under the bonnet to remove the fuel sight glass and blow through the fuel lines with compressed air to clean through any sediment or debris which could be lurking inside the fuel system.
Jon then began work on tearing down the carburettors on the Jaguar’s straight-six. Beginning with cleaning out the float bowls and then could clean out all of the jets and bridges to make sure that again, no sediment or debris had found their way into the carburettors.
Jon then went through his check lists of resealing the engine with all its various sumps and bungs before cleaning down and continuing on with the carburettor rebuilds.
Once completely stripped down and cleaned, Jon then used vernier gauges to set the static depths of the carbs to their base specifications, and reusing components where possible, in preparation for the team to begin testing ignition and compression once the fueling system has been resolved.
May 8, 2024 3:15 pm
We’ve just had several new arrivals at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ, one of them is this truly stunning 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe.
This one has a funny connection to us! We recently were at H & H Auctions for there most recent auction and actually saw this car. As it went across the block, it had been bought by an enthusiast overseas. Well, the very next day when the team got in the office – the owner had contacted us to recommission the car ready for road use.
It’s always a pleasure to work on these automotive icons, and we’ve recently been doing a lot of them but thankfully with our world class restoration teams – we’ll have this early back on the road in no time!
Another beautiful classic car has arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. This time it is our 1959 Jaguar XK150 that has come in to be prepped for an MOT.
While classic cars older than 40 years are exempt from needing an MOT, it can be reassuring to have them put through their paces to make sure everything is as it should be.
This looks to be a fantastic example of an XK150 and we are excited to get to work on it.
Our workshop team have inspected and assessed our 1970 Jaguar XJ6 Series 1 and confirmed it is now ready to go!
You can now buy your tickets to enter the draw to become the new owner of this beautiful classic car.
Head over to Bridge Classic Cars Competitions for more information about the car, including how to win it for yourself.
One of our classic car technicians, Jon, has been investigating issues with the starter motor of our 1972 Jaguar E-Type.
As this is such a great-looking classic car, we are really keen to see it back on the road and in full working order very soon. While it is in our workshop though, Jon and the rest of the workshop team will get all the necessary work completed so it can cover a lot more mileage in the near future.
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on completing the last few jobs to do with the interior of the 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 Roadster, Fern Grey.
The trim team have completed the handcrafted hood cover made specifically for Fern Grey. The team have hand-finished the piece by putting in the stud fasteners to the material to it can be held down tightly to the body of the classic Jaguar.
With this piece finished and put onto the car, the workshop team can continue with the final tests of the one-off E-type.
April 25, 2022 1:54 pm
The technicians in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ have been working on a slight issue with the driver’s door on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster, Fern Grey.
Jon has been looking into the door mechanism which when the window is closed, cannot be opened from the inside.
Upon inspection, Jon found that the window regulator was interfering with the door latch mechanism and had knocked the release bar out of its guide. After removing the bar to modify and straighten the piece, he reinstalled the mechanism into the door and tested its function.
With the slight changes to the door release bar, everything was all okay after testing.
March 9, 2022 8:37 am
The restoration teams at Bridge Classic Cars have been working together for the first test fitting of the removable hardtop on Fern Grey. The bespoke 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster being built at our Suffolk HQ.
The hardtop has been completely restored by the team here at Bridge Classic Cars and gone through by every department. Brian, our head trimmer, worked alongside our other restoration technicians to get all the trims, seals and hardware onto the roof. Then, gingerly slip it over the back over the car and down into place.
This has to be done so that Brian can check to make sure all of the brackets and fittings line up perfectly between the body and the roof.
February 10, 2022 11:21 am
Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians, Jon and Scott, have been working on some minor repairs and revisions to Fern Grey after its tests.
Fern Grey is of course the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster we have been building in our Suffolk HQ. After the tests, Jon and Scott noticed some issues with a couple of interior/dash lights which were solved by removing the cover plate and rerouting some of the elaborate wiring with a few pins needing to be recrimped and shielded.
Along with that, Jon has made a new fuel return pipe for the car as he found the original was not returning correctly to the fuel tank. So, with all of the underside jobs finished on Fern Grey Jon could begin to fit the shields to the underside of this one-off E Type.
Now, with everything buttoned up on Fern Grey, our technicians can begin retesting and rechecking the car before its road tests begin.
January 21, 2022 11:04 am
The team at Bridge Classic Cars have begun work on the stunning bonnet of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster we have built for a client. With all of the weatherstripping installed into the headlight surrounds, they can now begin with the final brightwork.
All of the chrome for Fern Grey was sent off to a specialist, Wyatt Polishing, for refurbishment and polishing to make sure it looked as good as the rest of the incredible car. Now Paul, one of our in-house technicians, will start the meticulous task of getting the chrome back onto the headlights ready for when the bonnet is finally installed onto the car in the coming weeks.
Expect to see a lot more on the progress of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster here on the Bridge Classic Cars newspage.
January 13, 2022 9:08 am
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians have finished up the custom-made exhaust on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster that we refer to as Fern Grey.
Paul has been working on getting the new exhaust safe and secure underneath the iconic sports car. From the exhaust collector to the stunning, bright double-tipped outlet which perfectly follows the line of the bottom of Fern Grey.
With the new exhaust fitted underneath the E Type, our in-house restoration technicians can move forward wit the final assembly of this stunning classic Jaguar.
January 12, 2022 10:54 am
Dave, one of our most experienced technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on replacing the rear pinion seal of the 1954 Jaguar MkVII.
We noted the seal was leaking during an inspection and with the newly refurbished gearbox soon to be back in the car, Dave took this opportunity to get the rear pinion seal into the rear end before the gearbox is fitted and the driver shaft installed.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars newspage for more updates soon on the 1954 Jaguar MkVII.
January 11, 2022 10:21 am
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house have been finishing the final pieces for the interior of Fern Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster before it goes into the main workshop for final assembly.
Brian, our head trimmer, has got the cars handmade seats back into the car to complete that part of the interior and they look absolutely fantastic. This car is intended to be a true GT car so they are comfortable and well-padded to add to that sense of comfort while covering huge distances.
Next, Brian began fitting up the Hardura padding underneath the dashboard. Hardura is a vinyl wrapped sound deadening material used in place where it is remained exposed and is also close to the original style material used on the car.
Then, for the final piece Brian fitted the chrome stalks from the old sun visors onto the new pieces. These were then fitted up into the car and really finish of the dash and windshield surround.
January 7, 2022 10:56 am
Our head trimmer here at Bridge Classic Cars, Brian, has been perfectly tailoring a tonneau cover to protect the interior of Fearn Grey. The 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster we have been restoring in-house.
Brian has masterfully created the new cover entirely from scratch using his wealth of knowledge and experience to produce a tight, elegant fit on the cover. Just like every piece on Fearn Grey, our restorations teams have tailored everything around the car and for the lucky owner of this stunning roadster.
There are a couple more jobs to do in our trim shop on the E Type and then it will be going into the workshop for the team to begin final assembly.
January 6, 2022 11:05 am
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians have been working on getting to the bottom of some noises that have been noted by the owner of this 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4.
After looking into the issue, our senior technician Dave found several components that could cause the sound. The biggest one was that there was a pin missing and perished rubber isolators from the gearbox mount which can allow the vibrations and movement of the gearbox to transfer through the chassis and into the cabin and present as a sound. Along with that, Dave also noted that the exhausts would move occasionally and when they touched each other would also cause noise.
Whilst under the car, Dave also noted that the Universal Joints had become severely worn. For that, the prop shaft had to be removed in order to replace the joints. Whilst out of the car, Dave also cleaned up the splines and assembly to make sure everything was in good condition before reinstalling back into the car.
January 4, 2022 2:07 pm
The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been incredibly busy just before Christmas. One of the jobs that has been done was fitting the foldable soft top into Fearn Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster.
Brian, our head trimmer, has been carefully pulling and stretching the new material into place and securing it to the spars on the hood to make sure that the fit and finish on the soft top is perfect with no creases or loose spots. Once it was in place, Brian could then focus on testing the mechanism worked flawlessly up and down without binding up or damaging the new soft top material in any way.
Along with the completely refurbished hard top, Fearn Grey is looking absolutely sensational! and the interior is definitely a massive part of that process.
January 4, 2022 10:51 am
The next job to be done on the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 by Bridge Classic Cars is to replace the steering coupler. This will help to tighten up the loose steering for its owner.
This job is being done by our master tech, Dave. Dave has a huge wealth of knowledge and experience working on classic cars so a job as delicate and crucial as this was given to him. Carefully, Dave began by removing the shaft from the coupler in order to gain access to the bushes and balls inside the steering box. As opposed to some MkII’s that we have worked on in the past, this MkII remains as a steering-box car.
After removing the original parts from the car, Dave began to check the new replacements would work with the car and were correct. Then, it was a case of getting everything back together and into the car. Dave took his time to make sure that every component cleared the steering box and its boot so it remained happy for many years to come.
After the job was complete, Dave manually checked that the box rotated as it should and also meshed together with as little play as possible thanks to the new parts.
There will be more updates soon as work continues on this stunning MkII 2.4.
December 10, 2021 11:26 am
The 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 has been in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop where our paint expert Alan has worked his magic on the rear valance.
The valance had been coated with a thick black stone chip protection across the lower parts, so Alan pulled out his trusty DA sander and got to work. Carefully knocking back the stone chip, Alan exposed the paintwork underneath. Because of the thickness of the protection, Alan had to take it back quite a way. Once the area had been thoroughly cleaned down and smoothed out, Alan could begin his detailed and meticulous work.
Carefully, Alan applied the new stone chip to the area to protect the car from any possible marks or damage while it’s being enjoyed by its very lucky owner.
After the area around the new stone protection had been masked off, Alan carefully colour matched a small amount of paint to the rest of the car in order to seamlessly blend the new area into the existing rear panels and behind the rear bumper.
December 9, 2021 3:54 pm
The windscreen of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster is now in the car!
This moment has been a long time coming. The curving and elegant windscreen for the E Type is like a jewel in its crown. This completely bespoke Jaguar has been cherished by the in-house restoration teams at Bridge Classic Cars throughout its build so, having one of the final aesthetic pieces complete was a true milestone.
For windscreen removal and installs, we use a local specialist called Car Glass and Trim who we have worked with for many years. Their technicians came out to install the glass into Fern Grey with the same attention to detail and care as our very own technicians. With the windscreen and its seals in place, it was time to let the adhesives cure while Kath and Brian in the trim shop carry on fitting out the E Type.
December 8, 2021 11:14 am
Jaguar. A legendary name in both performance and luxury. Just the name is enough to conjure images of elegant, long-legged coupes and saloons powered by the now infamous XK straight-six engine. But, what is the story behind this incredible powerhouse which lived 1000 different lives?
Debuting in 1949, the XK straight-six came with a sizeable 3.4-litre displacement, it was the brainchild of four very important icons in the Jaguar world. Sir William Lyons, William Heynes, Walter Hassan and Claude Bailey. The introduction of this engine however stretches back nearly a decade before. During World War II when the company still went under the name SS Cars, the team were actively seeking and developing replacements for its engine lineup so, during its wartime efforts they worked on the new powerplants for its post-war cars. Jaguar had begun to produce and develop the engine just after the nightmares of war had begun to subside at the end of the 1940s. The cornerstone of these engines was to be higher output, higher quality and higher style, thus the XK Inline-Six was born.
The XK engines first saw service in 1947 with the 3.2-litre units (XJ 6 Cylinder) but during testing of the engines, it was found they severely lacked low-end torque, so the blocks were bored out to 3.4 litres (XK 6 Cylinder) and were destined to be the beating heart of one of the most beautiful cars ever made, the XK120 which broke cover at the 1948 London Motor Show. This would then see the engines fitted to the upcoming MkVII’s and countless other models over its production run.
The cast-iron engine blocks were not the lightest but were highly durable. The construction techniques developed for this engine would push other manufacturers to refine and develop new and improved engines to try and match the level that Jaguar was achieving. Jaguar fitted special vibration dampers to the crankshaft of the engine to absorb and limit the number of frequencies travelling through the crankshaft and ultimately the XK’s split case engine design.
In 1951, Jaguar began work on developing the idea of a smaller displacement but still useable version of XK straight-six. The results for the 2-litre engine were mixed and by 1954 the engine had grown to become a 2.4-litre unit. The engine itself was actually shorted than the bigger displacement engines but remained under the same name and architecture. These engines would be put forward to power the upcoming stylish and sleek saloon, the MkI. The road engines were entirely carburetted until 1978 (the first year of road engines being fuel injected for the US market) but would use a combination of two or three SU’s. Webers or Zenith carburettors except for the MkII 240 which had a set of downdraught Solex units.
From this, all the subsequent Jaguar XK straight-sixes were laid out. Short block engines would make up the smaller displacements such as the 2.4 and 2.8-litre engines and the longer, more torquey powerplants would go anywhere from 3.4 to 4.2 litres by the end of its production. Jaguar officially retired the XK 6-cylinder in 1992 replaced by the newly developed AJ6 platform it used alongside the faithful XK until the AJ6 was then also retired in 1996.
During this incredible engines lifetime, it would see all manner of changes and applications. From racing to agricultural work. Le Mans to Leicester and beyond. This incredible piece of not only industrial design but of engineering excellence and durability should be remembered and revered for the legend it surely is.
Long live the XK Straight-Six.
December 7, 2021 9:38 am
Jonn, one of the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians, has been working on cleaning out the engine block of the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 currently in our workshop.
In the last update, Jonn had discovered the block of the straight-six packed with brown sludge.
Jonn has been working on thoroughly cleaning out every passage inside the engine as well as cleaning up the threads of the head studs. Jonn has methodically worked his way through the entire engine from front to back, cleaning and flushing through any remnants of the dirt.
With this complete, Jonn is confident that the engine block is now completely clear and ready for the next stage of the work to begin.
December 6, 2021 1:49 pm
Kath and the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim team have been continuing to fit-out of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster that we call Fern Grey.
Kath and Brian have been working the rear of the E Type to get the rear compartment entirely trimmed and installed into the car. Below the rear hatch is also trimmed in matching green carpet with leather accents. Kath and Brian test fit each piece multiple time to ensure that each component of the rear of the interior in Fern Grey worked together and had the right fit and finish.
After the carpeting and rear bulkhead had been trimmed, it was time to install the deck-lid which Kath had built for Fern Grey. This really finishes off the rear part of the interior and completes its bespoke look in some ways. Next up, Brian and Kath will be working their way forward into the cabin of Fern Grey by trimming the tunnel and footwells with that incredible thick green carpeting.
December 3, 2021 8:45 am
Unfortunately, it is a problem that plagues all classic cars at some point in their lives. But, caught early enough it can be easily sorted. We’re talking about rust. The dreaded plight that rears its head on old metal. That is the case of this 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 which Dave has been been working on.
Previously, this car has been in with Bridge Classic Cars for some sympathetic rust repairs but now it’s time to continue. There were two areas Dave concentrated on. The spare wheel well in the boot floor and the drivers footwell.
The hole in the drivers footwell had crossed out over onto the chassis rail so, Dave has made up custom patch panels to be able to bridge the gaps safely and securely underneath the MkII. Through years of experience and skill, Dave evaluated how much of the original metal would need to be removed in order to get rid of any corrosion and also create a strong enough span for the piece. After that, Dave used as close as original thickness material to create the multi-piece patch panel for the drivers foot well. After tacking the piece in, Dave slowly moved around the panel to allow it time to cool and settle and avoid any warping which may cause interior trims to not sit correctly.
The boot floor was much the same story. Using a patch panel, Dave carefully cut only what was needed to achieve a strong bond and a stable floor. All of the exposed metal was treated and then covered in several layers of prime and matching black paint to prevent the new pieces from rusting prematurely.
Expect to see more on the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 very soon on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
December 2, 2021 12:19 pm
A while ago, you may remember that our in-house restoration technicians were looking into a misfire issue on the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 that is in at Bridge Classic Cars. It was discovered the head gasket has failed and damaged the cylinder head which was sent off to a specialist to be remachined.
With the return of the cylinder imminent, our in-house restoration technicians have been preparing the rest of the engine block to receive the head. After Jonn had begin to inspect the block for assessment, he discovered that most of the coolant galleys and water jackets were packed with thick, brown sludge..
Jonn has spent a considerable amount of time to carefully remove the blockages and the sludge. Using a series of tools and removing the core plugs to get better access to remove the debris, Jonn has managed to remove the majority of the sludge from the straight-six but the last few bits and pieces will need to be flushed out and then the passageways rechecked for any remnants.
Considering the level of blockage in the engine, Jonn has done a great job in making sure that when the cylinder head for the XJ6 is ready to be fitted back on that everything else will be at the same standard to ensure a happy and long life for this wonderful piece of British engineering.
December 1, 2021 10:52 am
Scott, one of our in-house restoration experts has been hard at work getting ”Fern Grey” the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster plumbed and wired.
Recently Scott carefully got the newly built 5 litre V12 into place in the car, taking his time to make sure everything was exactly where it should be and safely locked into place. Then once the engine was in its final position, Scott got to work hooking up the various systems needed to fire this stunning 12 cylinder Jaguar into life.
First up, the team fitted up the newly rebuilt Stormberg carburettors onto either side of the engine. Along with that were the large aluminium intakes that feed the Strombergs. Along with that are the various pipes and hoses that need to be spread across the engine bay and allow the long-legged V12 to run faultlessly and reliably. All of these components needed to go into place first to then get the heater system into place as it sits close to the back end of the carburettors.
From there, Scott worked his way from the engine bay into the cabin with the wiring. All of the related dials and lights needed to be wired up to the engine and the fuse box for when Fern Grey bursts into life. Each of the wires was meticulously run by Scott to ensure they would not chafe or mar the elegant green/grey paintwork that flows with the elegant, iconic lines of this E Type Roadster.
October 26, 2021 9:58 am
The 1954 Jaguar MkVII that was in with us for restoration is back in the workshop to look into a leak from under the car.
Upon inspection by the Bridge Classic Cars restoration team, it was found to be an issue with a gearbox seal. This has been sent away to a specialist gearbox expert to have the proper rectified in order to the engine and gearbox back in the car as soon as possible.
Keep a look out on the News Page for more updates on the Jaguar MkVII
October 21, 2021 3:11 pm
There’s always certain parts of any build that can be classed as milestone moments. That rings especially true for the first time the chassis is reunited with its powertrain.
This 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster being built by us here at Bridge Classic Cars has just met that fabled milestone. The built 5 litre V12 is now safely in place between the immaculately restored frame rails and securely in the car. Scott has been working hard to get all the necessary systems in place for a few days before the engine was carefully lowered into position. Firstly to ensure they will fit and secondly so that no damage is done to the long list of refurbished or brand new parts.
The engine looks incredible inside the car. In terms of its packaging, it is a feat of engineering to fit an engine this large in such a compact but stylish skin.
Once Scott has finalised the installation into the car, it will then be time to get everything hooked up and ready to be tested.
October 21, 2021 11:00 am
As with any classic car, you want to try and exercise a certain amount of reserve and caution when working on them. Try to be sympathetic to their age and their condition. So, when the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 that we have had in at Bridge Classic Cars developed a misfire our in-house restoration team did everything they could before having to dive deep.
The XJ6 has had its fuel tanks replaced, new fuel lines and was tested by our technicians. Before the tanks were replaced this classic Jaguar had real trouble staying running. Now though, it will run for as long as there is fuel in it. However, now that it was running long enough, Dave noticed a misfire on the big straight-six.
Originally Dave thought it to be connected to the ignition system. It would arc out to the nearest metal point. We also discovered exposed wires in the connectors that join the condenser. Those were all then replaced along with the HT leads but to no avail. It had got marginally better but the misfire was still rather prominent.
With that, our in-house engine guru Ady was called in to take a look at the straight-six. The only thing left to do was to gently remove the cylinder head. Carefully and patiently, Ady eased the head from the block to expose the pistons but more importantly the head gasket. On the cylinder closest to the firewall, the gasket was in tatters. The XJ6 had blown a head gasket. Also, Ady had noticed coolant marks down the side of the block. Another sign that the gasket is not sitting correctly between the cylinder head and the engine block.
With that, it also damaged the chamber of the corresponding cylinder in the head. A large chunk of material is missing from between the leading edges of the valve. But, all may not be lost. The head is currently in the process of being stripped down and assessed so that a plan can be made to get this wonderful straight-six back in action.
Once the plan for the XJ6 engine has been confirmed, work will begin to get the car back to its former glory.
October 14, 2021 7:04 am
