I own a very low mile '89 XJS. It is parked outdoors under a car cover, in sunny CA weather.
So far as I know, the paint is factory original.
Recently, about 4 years after I bought the car, what appear to be long masking tape marks have emerged in the paint in various areas, mostly along the outer edges of the hood and front fenders, and on the top above the driver seat. They are very noticeable.
Looks to me like someone taped areas of the car, probably after prime paint, perhaps to apply paper sheets or pads to protect certain body areas during factory operations, then the car went through finish color-coat painting without first properly removing the tape residue.
It’s possible the marks may come out with some judicious color-sanding, I haven’t attempted it (I intend to have a paint shop do that).
I’ve been told that this issue is common and that it was a factory quality control issue on these cars in that (1989) timeframe.
Wayne,
I know someone who has/had a beautiful, red XJS… perhaps Edition Rouge. It had similar marks, most noticeable on the cowl. He bought it from the original owner. He told me it was due to the “protective” covering for shipping from the factory. I’ll get in touch with him and see if he has more to say on the matter.
"Ed, this is a unique flaw in the XJS- Rouge Edition. These cars were intended to be 1990-91 California cars. Jaguar could not get them certified for EPA Cat upgrade so they were sold as 1989 models only. The paint issue is this, these cars started out as Signal Red, if you look at the door jambs and engine and boot compartments you will see that colour there. These cars were then stripped and painted the unique Rouge Red at the Jaguar Terminal Island receiving facility which was a former FORD assembly plant next to the Admiral Heim Bridge. These cars were fitted with RECARO SEATS, Red piping, and magnolia interior, some early models had magnolia covered steering wheels and magnolia shift knobs, but most had the black steering wheel and shift knob. These cars also were fitted with BBS rims detailed with the ROUGE Red paint and diamond polished. These were also the first Marelli Ignition cars for the XJS line of cars. The GM Turbo 400 was updated with a shift kit, as was the speaker system. The flaw in the paint as described by your owner are authentic and unique to the ROUGE CARS. These cars stored at Terminal Island, cover with plastic, taped down with masking tape, hence the markings in the paint. The paint was never really cured like they do at the factory. So it was soft and the tape left marks. These cars were sold as special orders and left the TI facility only when they were sold by the brochure that was created in Los Angeles by the Jag Western Region Marketing Manager James Groth who basically ran the program. The gold Growler and boot badge are unique and very rare, I don’t recall seeing one for sale anywhere or by anyone. When I show my car, most Jaguar ex-employees tell me that they only heard about them but never saw one in the flesh. There were 200-285 cars that were converted as far as I have been able to determine. Tell your guy that leave those marks alone, they are unique and valuable and part of the XJS history and Jaguars challenge to develop more products to sell…
Thanks, interesting story, but I don’t believe my car started out as a Rouge Edition. I bought it with 17k miles and added another 16k since. Haven’t seen any red paint, seats are not red-piped Recaros, nor does it have BBS rims (chrome basket-weave) or special badges (had an aftermarket chrome leaper when I bought it, which I replaced with the normal chrome/black Jaguar face). Body color is a grey-brown, "Dorchester Grey Metallic, I think.
Tape marks only surfaced recently, I believe as a result of the sun’s heat raising those flaws beneath the finish coats.
I agree that these tape marks were not limited to the Rouge cars. My wife’s Signal Red 1990 XJ-S convertible had these marks on it when we got it and they just got worse over time. A bare metal repaint in 2014 fixed that. I have also seen these tape marks on other color XJ-S cars other than the Rouge cars and I believe that it had something to do with the adhesive used on whatever tape and protective covering that may have been put on the cars when they were shipped to the USA. I suspect that the adhesive destroyed the paint surface over time but I have no proof of that. Do the marks on your XJ-S look like these in the attached pictures?
I recently bought a black xjs with vin sajtw5842lc175662 it has gold badging front and rear, magnolia interior with light brown piping car fax said it’s a pallette edition I can’t find anything about it . Currently doesn’t run I found low compression on a cylinder should I rebuild this motor or will it be ok to replace it
Jerry,
My wife’s 1990 XJ-S convertible is VIN 175XXX and was made in 8/90. So you car was probably made in late 1990 and would have the Marelli ignition system.
The cars with contrasting colored piping in the seats, and gold badging were often the Classic Collection cars with this upgaded trim package. If the car is black it should have black piping, unless the seats were swapped out or the color faded. I have never heard of a “pallette” model. Maybe others have heard of it?
Loss of compression on one cylinder is possibly due to dropped valve seat. This can happen if the engine overheated. I have no experience with this kind of problem but I suspect positively identifying the reason for the loss of compression and fixing it will be much easier and cheaper than removing and replacing the engine.
I recommend that you download and read Kirby Palm’s “Experience in a Book” from Jag-Lovers and also review the archives for “dropped valve seats” to see if that applies to your situation.
I own a 1988 XJS Cabriolet gold/bronze color.
Same thing - tape residue marks along edges of trunk lid and hood.
I’ve wondered for a while what caused it.
Does this mean I should not have it repainted?
Thank you,
Blake.
Blake,
The tape markings were one of the reasons that I did get my wife’s XJ-S convertible repainted. That and the door dings, failing clear coat and the scrape someone made along the side of the car with a key. With the new paint, the convertible top that I and a friend put on, the rechroming bumpers and a lot of other odds and ends, the car is starting to look like it did when new.
I have a 89 conv an a 90 coupe both with tape marks both with production dates of 8/89, 8/90 The 89 conv has them on the hood also. The 90 coupe is signal red with doeskin interior with red piping, also has the gold grower on the hood. Don’t know if it is one of those cars.
I have these “tape” marks on my 1991 XJS Classic Collection. I have yet to find a way to remove them - I’m not even sure it’s possible. I do find this story fascinating though. Is the only way to rid yourself of these by way of a respray?
Ut oh … good luck on that … Superblack arrived with a lot of old tape residue marks - apparently from regular-width adhesive tape - on her. I think what happened is all the time (maybe years?) she spent in “storage” in a salvage yard someone had taped a tarp over her, only to remove it shortly after the PO got it (before selling her to me). I have tried every compound known to man to remove it - from old adhesive removers for just that purpose to other products to even some homemade concoctions - but it persists. Her body color certainty doesn’t help any, either. Probably the only way I will ever defeat it is when she’s sanded down to primer for re-paint.
Yes, black is a pretty unforgiving color - I know that with my Lexus GX 460.
In addition to my current “adhesive stripes” I had one on my hood as well but I had a scratch repaired on my front fender. In the paint fade process they ended up clear coating the section with the stripe and it’s completely gone. They said sanding and clear coat got rid of it so maybe yours wouldn’t necessarily involve actual paint. Here’s what they said verbatim: “ Sanding and clear coating the panels removed the stains. We could possibly lightly sand the spots. Buff. I can’t guarantee it will get rid of it and the paint is pretty thin we might burn through some areas. If we burn through areas in those areas will have to be repainted along with clearcoat on the panel.”
Pretty risky but - an option.
I have also tried MANY products to remove these imperfections. Everyone I talk to insist it’s super old hardened duct tape residue on TOP of the clear - so in theory it should be removable. If so I have budged any of it - not even a bit with anything!
I have heard that Jaguar’s rework spray painters were playing rock-paper-scissors while trying to fix the rock-paper-scissors jobs from manufacturing line. Apparently James McCormick was employed in Coventry as Manufacturing Improvement Engineer, but found something more exciting in his career (ADE 651).
Yes, what’s above makes perfect British Standard…
I have found bare metal degreased quality control sticker on already painted fuel tank so I was investigating it a little bit. Then, I’ve met Brian. Brian was building sheet metal fabrications for XJS model while working on one of the production stations. He was working there part time as normally been doing postman job. Sometimes he was allocated to different stations with short training given: “just do what they do or whatever - just push it forward.” said mr foreman…
I blame British government. Just look at the typical English terraced house: no garage, no workshop, no interest with technical or mechanical aspects of life.
Just look at the lifestyle: no father to flow down any technical interest to his children in the garage or workshop mentioned above. No father means more social benefits and allocated terraced house mentioned earlier. More no-father children - more benefits. Same children later on are being sent by Jobcentre to factories - to get a stamp that they’ve been there and don’t liking it - as unemoyment opens the gate to all kind of benefits…
This was the Great Britain of 80’s - not saying that still is no-no…
If you’re buing a British Car - take this into consideration (and most famous British Engineer James McCormick as well).
Factory. if the tape residue is under the color coat, the only fix isa sand and repaint.
ATTY Dallas. I bet it is duck tape residue. over the color. and, somewhere, some place is a concoction that will dissolve the residue. OTH, all may not be lost. Wet sand, polish and wax!!! Perhaps, even the body clay to remove detritus.
I am indeed lucky. Teh original thermoplastic on my car has done well. A couple of dings, one by me, but overall pretty good for an 83 car…
I think what happened is all the time (maybe years?) she spent in “storage” in a salvage yard someone had taped a tarp over her, only to remove it shortly after the PO got it (before selling her to me). I have tried every compound known to man to remove it - from old adhesive removers for just that purpose to other products to even some homemade concoctions - but it persists. 
Her body color certainty doesn’t help any, either. 
Probably the only way I will ever defeat it is when she’s sanded down to primer for re-paint. 
