Automotive Off TopicThis is the place for topics that are not Cayman specific but are automotive related in some way. This is not an anything goes forum, Keep it clean!
I only had my camera phone with me handy so I quickly shot this video:
The sound in the video is NOTHING like the sound of the engine from this car. Wow, I was blown away, it had been 33+ years since this car was last started. I only have vague memories of being a kid and riding in this car, I have never driven it. Those memories did not prepare me for the sound and FEEL of this motor running, no real way to describe it other than to see/hear it in person.
Today I reinstalled the fuel pump after we reassembled it and filled the rest of the oil into the engine. Something is a little amiss with the starter and solenoid, it seems to take a lot of power to turn the motor over, I think in the near term a new or rebuilt starter and probably a solenoid are in order (along with some wiring at some point too) but using some starting fluid it sputtered a died a few times until finally by giving it a little gas it started and ran, and kept running, all on its own!!! Woot!
I was shocked that gas wasn't spraying everywhere out of the carbs or that the carbs would even be tuned well enough to keep running but once it got up to temperature it just ran as smooth as butter as if it has been tuned yesterday. WOW!
I must have called a half dozen people I knew, and of course no one is home to share in the joy, but the smile on my father's face was more than enough satisfaction, that and the sound of that car. Wow!
So what is inside your exhaust pipes after 33 years? Take a look!
How about a nice pile of debris?
Take it for a drive you say? I wish, but right now the car has no brakes, I assume we are going to have to rebuild all 4 corners, while I'm sure we could get the car to "go" right now we wouldn't have a prayer of getting it to stop! All in due time, all in due time, but today we crossed a threshold that was a long long long time coming!
Now that's a car I know a little about; much more than the CS. Having owned a near-new 120 in 1955 and later another 120. Also had a 1951 MkV (same 7-main crank but push rod valves) for 13 years. If you get involved with a 140 you won't have time for your Cayman or anything else. It is amazing it started and ran so well. What body does it have? Congratulations and have fun.
Now that's a car I know a little about; much more than the CS. Having owned a near-new 120 in 1955 and later another 120. Also had a 1951 MkV (same 7-main crank but push rod valves) for 13 years. If you get involved with a 140 you won't have time for your Cayman or anything else. It is amazing it started and ran so well. What body does it have? Congratulations and have fun.
Actually I've been helping my dad with the Jaguar on and off over the last couple of years, more "on" lately as we've made good progress all things considered. It is an XK140 Roadster (OTS?) with the "C" type heads, in essence the high performance version. We'll keep plugging away on it, and besides how much more can I do to my car that hasn't already been done?
Dad and I just finished off some Boddington's Pub Ale from the UK for dinner to celebrate the starting of the Jaguar, we figured that was fitting and that's what was at the local liquor store. I don't know if it is highly rated or snubbed in the UK as a local brew but we enjoyed it!
It's good to hear of a 140 going again I saw a pristine 120 outside a local pub near my home in Derbyshire a couple of weeks ago and it brought back memories of an uncles 140 when I was quiet small.
I'm looking forward to hearing more!
Hope you have great fun with it.
Boddingtons is a nice beer, I've not come across the pub ale but have had their beers on draught and sunk a few cans. But here in the UK there are so many beers and ales to go round it's difficult to do a comarison as you tend to forget what they taste like going around the country.
After having 6 versions of the XK 4.2L Jag 6, I can tell you that when spec'ed like the one I had in my Lynx Engineering D-type replica, with 3 X 2 barrel Webers, special camshaft and who knows what all, the engine is superb sounding and performing. This engine was one of the longest produced engines in the world (from 1949-1992), won countless races for Jaguar, and helped make it one of the dominent racing companies of the 50's, while the XKE lived on in 6 cyl form until 1971. I still have a '66 Roadster. I believe Porsche Cayman is the reincarnated XKE.
After driving an XK 150, the suspension was not to my liking. Is your dads an XK 140 MC?
What is an XK140 MC? His is the roadster, often referred to as the "Open Two Seater" it is NOT a drop head coupe and is NOT a coupe. It does have the "c-type" racing heads which were good for what another 20hp I think? but is pretty much in stock form with some little things here and there that need replaced, like brakes, suspension bushings, rubber parts, etc. but at least now it runs!
What is an XK140 MC? His is the roadster, often referred to as the "Open Two Seater" it is NOT a drop head coupe and is NOT a coupe. It does have the "c-type" racing heads which were good for what another 20hp I think? but is pretty much in stock form with some little things here and there that need replaced, like brakes, suspension bushings, rubber parts, etc. but at least now it runs!
It was the higher horsepower version with the C-type heads and larger SU carbs, producing 20 HP more.
"SE Model (known as XK140M in the USA (XK140MC if fitted with the "C" type head)
gave standard wire wheels, two foglights. overdrive and twin exhaust system to replace standard single pipe.. As with the XK120 a futher option was an more powerful 210 bhp engine with the "C" type cylinder head and larger 2 inch SU carburetors."
So were you able to use the fuel pump I sent you? Or did you have to get one that was Jag specific?
Actually neither, I need to send that one back to you. What we did was completely disassemble and reassemble the one we had and making sure it was sealed up tight and it worked fine when we reinstalled.
And Boddingtons is a good choice, of course, being from Manchester. I suppose it would be considered a commercial Bitter in the UK, but that means it travels well for you.
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IT IS ALIVE! - 33 Years Later...
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