New to me #413090, 48 Mk IV 1.5L Saloon

Pre-XK
#1

Hello all, as the title says I just became the caretaker for a 48 Mk IV.
She wears an older restoration she still presents very well. PO swapped out the drive train for a Ford 2.5L 4cly with a 4 spd auto trans. Other wise shes orginal.

As the damage has already been done I’m planning a supension upgrade to independent coilovers and disc brakes. Otherwise no real changes in the plan, she’ll be a driver and I plan to use as often as possible.

I also have an 03 XK8 and hang out on the other Jaguar Fourm mostly however Jag Lovers appears to have a more active bunch for the pre XK’s.

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#2

Enjoy the drive. If your car still has the rod brakes and they work properly, you may be pleasantly surprised how well they work. If the rod brake elements are worn out or the car was already converted to juice brakes a shift to disc brakes may be fun to do. Modern tire grip and discs may be more than the spoke wheels can handle, consider the whole picture to maximize your fun! What a great looking car you have obtained.

#3

James,

I think you will find 413090 was actually built in July 1947 rather than being a 1948…

Any chance of a good photo of its complete tool-kit …

#4

Well that’s interesting. The title lists it as a 48. Unfortunately no tool kit, it was removed and a solid filer panel installed by the PO.

Tks for the note, I’m looking to find as much info as possible on the car. The PO kept no records except for one pre- restoration photo and a less than detailed record of parts purchased.

#5

Thanks, yes brakes are orginal but work very poorly. Plan to take an in depth look at them before going forward with conversion. I am concerned about the orginal wire wheels also so will need to research the conversion package as a whole.
I do want the end result to be a fun and safe car to enjoy without safety concerns.

I’ve been attracted to the MK4 for quite awhile and love the stance and factory “chopped” look.

#6

James,
I suggest you get a Jaguar Heritage Certificate for your car…
Will provide you with all sorts of useful history of car as it was built new, and where it was dispatched and when…

#7

Good idea! Thanks again

#8

My '38 has the original mechanical rod drum brakes, and after I discovered and rectified some of the PO’s assembly errors, like parts installed backwards and upside down, and then did a normal 4-wheel adjustment per the instruction manual, now the brakes work very well. I have felt no concern with driving it in traffic.

#9

Good to hear, how about the steering, other than normal items anything special to look for?

#10

Perhaps if you want to be a true ‘caretaker’ you might put a 1.5L MKIV engine and gearbox back into the car, as well as original instruments and tool tray? It’s far more edifying to reinstate the integrity of the car than to deepen the ‘damage’ which has already been done, as you say.

#11

@Timothy2963 , that’s a very good observation and one that deserves investigation however one of the reasons I decided on this car is that it had already been molested.
I love the style and grace of the MK IV however wish to have and enjoy a MK IV as a daily driver. This means modern power train, brakes and supension for safety and reliability while keeping the appearance intended. I know this is not a choice for some but it is my choice.
Thanks for taking the time to comment and all comments are respected and appreciated.

#12

That doesn’t prevent you from un-molesting the car. :innocent:

As others have observed, the original brakes are more than safe if correctly set up. There is nothing unreliable about the original powertrain and suspension. After all, it’s a 1940’s car. It may well be your “choice” to further molest the car but owning such a car comes with sense of responsibility to preserve the integrity of the car. I do think that ‘stewardship’ is important but then that’s just my opinion. :thinking:

#13

For the suspension, you want to check over the leaf springs for any wear or breakage, for example at the rubber bushings. The leaves should be greased because the tips have to slide against each other. I haven’t looked but I imagine the bushings are the same as some modern pickup trucks and trailers. New ones should give you a perfectly safe and secure ride.

The shock absorbers can easily be refilled with shock absorber oil if they are low, and if there is leakage at the lever shaft, the seals can be replaced. There are places such as Apple Hydraulics that do this if you don’t want to do it yourself. Then you should have perfectly safe and secure handling, unless you want to do vintage racing or something.

For the steering, check the box to see you have enough oil in it (mine was empty but it had sat idle 20 years), and if it leaks out as fast as you pour it in, you will need to remove it and put in a new seal. There are 4 ball joints and 2 king pins that could be worn so check them.

#14

@Rob_Reilly , tks buddy good info and I appreci
ate your reply.

Hope to tear into the mechanics in a couple weeks. Had neck surgery last week and can’t work on the old girl for awhile.

If I can get her handling and stopping ok with stock configuration I’ll likely leave her stop k for awhile as I evaluate the remaining issues.

#15

Well I’ve had so time to look the car over and assess the brakes and supension. Have decided I’ll get a great deal more use and enjoyment from the car if I go ahead and upgrade all componets.
Now to find a shop to assist with the heavy lifting.
Anyone a referance for a shop in the Eastern NC, Southern VA or Northern SC areas, basically a 300 to 400 mile radius of where I live in near Goldsboro, NC.

#16

Ok, rec’ed my Jaguar Heritage Certificate, #413090 was born 7-2-47 and dispatched to Geneva Switzerland on 7-24-47. Born black with brown interior.

1 Like
#17

Hi,

Out if curiosity, did the build sheet say ”brown” for the interior, or ”Tan”? Or ”Pigskin”???

Cheers!

#18

Brown, see attached.
68878.pdf (71.2 KB)

1 Like
#19

Mark IV colours combbination
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Quite rarely, but they used brown leather.
The one and only Ivory / Brown is my DHC.

#20

Nice, you have a one of one, woohoo! Looks like my black/brown is the common