I got a call the other night from a friend who works for a nearby small town auto repair shop…he was asked to go pickup a car from a local residence and bring it to the shop and hold it for the transport company to fetch up in a couple days. He was a bit confused about what he actually had.
Apparently the buyer from New York found this XJ6C (manufactured June of 75) which had been sitting in a garage for 12 years(?).
(I must have been asleep…I thought I knew of most all classic Jaguars in my area)
The story goes that the transport company would not pick-up from a private residence…so the buyer asked this shop to retrieve the car and hold it for pickup. The shop reports they were advised to do nothing to it.
My curiosity found me at the shop the next morning to see what they had actually uncovered. When I arrived, the owner of the shop had the hood open and a battery boost pack connected. He proceeded to tell me that he is always fascinated by people who report barn finds and with little effort…get them started, for which he repeatedly tried cranking it over. The first several attempts yielded relay chatter and a poor attempt at engine cranking.
After numerous attempts the slow turing engine began to spin…he sprayed ether in the carbs and fired it up. Lots of clatter from the cam covers.
He wanted to go further in getting it to run…I finally convinced him it was best to leave it alone. Hope he didn’t do damage.
I’m disappointed that even after the buyer had advised they did not want anything done to it…the shop “played” with it anyhow. Buyer beware I guess.
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
2
It would be fun to convert that beast into an XJ12C!
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
3
BTW, the XJ12C – and I presume the XJ6C as well – had some serious scuttle shake. Much later, Jaguar fixed a scuttle shake problem on its XJ-S convertible by installing X-braces under both ends of the car. It was so successful that kits became available to retrofit an X-brace to the front end (the important end) of earlier convertibles. If I had an XJ6C or XJ12C, I’d be looking to install an X-brace under the front end.
Did this car not have a set of keys so that the owner could lock it and keep the curious idiots away from the engine and cabin.? There just doesn’t seem to be a quota for stupid.
Looks like a wonderful project.
Phillip
Ofttimes, having one carb choked is adequate to get it started: I did a fair number of these conversions on TR7s, and it really lit the car up.On 1200 Datsuns–on which I did a metric f**k-ton of the conversions~~ at this altitude, they didn’t even need a choke: a few pumps of the accelerator, and they’d light up, even at -10F.
That’s the way my 3 strombergs were set upon my 39 ford v8 flathead. worked great. one choked, the others smoked and fired right up. prettiest sound made by man.
phillip
Yes the car had a set of keys…handed from the seller to the local shop tow service. The local shop was to hold it and do nothing…bit temptation got the better of them. I would not be happy if I had bought a car that sat for 12 years…and some dumpling tried starting it.
Yes in the world of AVIATION and OLD FARM TRACTORS apparently. (I see that often enough)
In the case of FLOODING it is a good idea to limit the possibility, other than that I see no reason. The fuel cannot flood the engine if it simply drains to the ground!!
Just an observation. (unless you fly or plow upside down)
I clearly recall those!!! School chum, Roy had a real neat “A” “roadster”. Began life as a battered 28 Sport coupe. Lost it’s top, fenders and bumpers. @1{ wheels gave way to 16’s. Home built engine and tuned to the “T”. ran perfectly. Flipped the intake and added a one throat down draft. didn’t run a whole lot better. The d draft did have an acceleration pump that the original Zenith lacked. But lacked the infinite main jet adjustment of the Zenith… Then the float stuck filled the crankcase with gas!!! Back to up draft Zenith!!!
Could have lived with it by using the easily accessible shut off valve at the cowl tank!
When I was messing with my Faux Corsa Corvair, I swapped out it’s well worn Carter side draft for a side draft DHOE 45 Webber. The turbo engine on headers came alive!!!
The first Corvette was the ubiquitous GM 6. Three side draft Carters featured. Not bad. I knew a fellow that used one in a 34 Chevrolet coupe. Bad car of the neighborhood…
Shouldn’t really say that, I modified the brothers SP250 V8 with a Holley way back in the ‘80’s