As I stare at this pile of Rock Auto parts boxes that have been arriving in the mail for the last several years- I am having one of those ‘old man’ moments and cannot help but reflect how it was that I got here. So with that I start my first forum entry.
It was a bitter cold morning in a small railroad town in 1975. Winslow, Arizona to be exact and in front of a little store called the ‘Triangle Store’ the Arizona Republic newspaper was dropped in bails for the town boys to assemble and deliver through-out the neighborhoods. That particular morning, parked across the street there appeared a black XJS with red interior. I was certain that I was looking at the most beautiful object I had ever seen. It was exotic and precious, an art object not unlike a church sculpture or saxophone. I was absolutely taken with the machine and there was nothing like it for hundreds of miles around. Then again, I was only 15 and had yet to see a museum.
Later in the week I took my grandfather to see the car. He gave it a good long look and then his judgment- in his ever slow and considered manner. The car was indeed beautiful but not everyone would think so. It was a car particular to an individual. His final word was that when the time came for me to get a highway car I should get myself a fine Cadillac- this car looked like trouble. As rare as it was for me to disagree with him, I stood my ground and declared that ‘No, I want this one.’
The car was gone but a couple of weeks later. Railroad towns were like that. Not too long after I also struck out on my own. Every year for many years I ordered out the sales brochure from the Scottsdale Jaguar dealer. I studied the car and company as a hobby.
I married young, worked hard, raised a family and paid the bills. We are not big on credit and pay as we go. And for us, tuition has priority over fancy English cars. That is to say I had to wait.
Fast forward to 2006. The family is raised and it is just the wife and I. I am a Shepard and having put my flock away for the fall I was looking for work. The opportunity to sail on a merchant vessel as a deck hand came up and because the money was good enough ($75 a day) I took the job. We sailed the Bering Sea area around Alaska moving freight to the several Island communities. I am told that a swinging ball and hook from a crane line clocked me. I was out cold with a lot of busted teeth. This was bad news in that in America the men working at sea are not covered by labor and industries insurance. The ships private insurance policy was not much but it allowed me to pay the dentist and doctor. There was a bit left over…and I thought…now is the time. So I bought my XJS. I had just enough left over.
I wanted one between VIN #176101-179736 and finally chased down a rust free #179673. About that time the government sent me notice suspending my driver’s license. My doctor had reported the seizures that occurred after the work accident. The law was I had to go a year without an epileptic seizure to get the license back. My doctor would not sign off until I went two years. So, I waxed the Jaguar and paid to have it stored indoors in another town. That was 2007. And last November I got my license back.
So, the car covers came off and we were free. However, when I tried to push her out of the garage- I found that the brakes had frozen solid on both sides in the back. That being the next order of business, I took care of it. I cannot begin to tell you what a tough job that is on your back, alone with hand tools. Everything was tight and frozen. It can be done, but if you have money it is better to have someone with proper equipment do this for you. Have them also do the u-joints and bearings while down there.
I am ready to go another round with my car. Like I said in the beginning, I am looking at boxes of parts. All new water pipes, under hood fuel hoses, clamps, air filter, thermostats, side-marker lens, antenna grommet, heater control valve, (2) crank position sensors, throttle position sensor, distributor cap, rotor, plugs, lead wires, (2) coils, water temp sensor, pigtails, soldering gun, prestone flush kit, radiator flush, seafoam, lucas SAE 85w-140, lucas red-n-tacky, Lucas assembly lube, Pentosin Pentofrost nf, Castro 20w-50, oil filter, dielectric grease, electrical contact cleaner, marine epoxy.
Then I am going on a road trip.