To get things into context you must remember that Sir William Lyons was attempting to break into the domestic sales area of the UK market when he first came up with the small 2.4 saloon which subsequently became known as the Mark 1.
At the time the Mark 7 was in production however it was viewed by the British as a large car. In fact the Mark 7 was aimed squarely at the export market as steel supplies in Britain were still rationed under a quota system. You could only get steel if you were in the export trade.
Sir William was no slouch in recognising that he needed a car which would be acceptable to the home market as being reasonably economical, fast and still be of a size easy to manoeuvre and park in the congested streets of that island continent. He also had to consider that in the UK domestic economy petrol was very expensive. Petrol rationing had only ceased in 1952 and nearly returned in 1956 during the Suez crisis.
It should be noted that in 1955 when Sir William introduced his MK 1 Australia was involved in a love affair with the FJ Holden which only ceased production in late 1956 It’s replacement which was the FE/FC series Holden was no faster. Sir William gave the world a twin overhead cam vehicle producing 112 Horsepower out of 2.4 litres or approximately 144 cubic inches, which did 100 miles per hour and easily did 100,000 miles without any overhaul. What General Motors sold to Australia was a vehicle called an FJ Holden with approximately the same capacity in a pre war pushrod GMH engine design that produced 60 HP, did 83 MPH and had a life of 50,000 miles between overhauls if you ignored the gudgeon rattle which started at 20,000 miles. In those terms alone the 2.4 Jaguar was no slouch. You could not compare the brakes and handling. The Jaguar was so far in front that it is like comparing a T model Ford to a post world war 2 car.
Anyone who has owned a 1950s British car will understand that the British paid slavish attention to fuel economy. The MK1 2.4 was no exception. It had a deplorable pair of Stromberg downdraft carburettors to miserly feed the fuel into the engine and a whimsical narrow tailpipe/exhaust system to get rid of the gasses. The early model also had very small valves. After all that, it is remarkable that the car did so well as to make 100 MPH. Some British reports claimed an economy of 26 MPG however in practice 22 to 23 MPG from a MK 2.4 is more realistic. By the way the MK1 2.4 was officially about 2MPH faster than the MK2.
Many 2.4 Jaguars imported into Australia are also saddled with automatic gearboxes, which further reduce performance. The old DG [Detroit Gear] series box, which is really, a Borg Warner 35 series in disguise does a good job but is very wasteful in power. They are also notorious for developing oil leaks.
What Are They Worth? Currently 2.4 litre sedans are very cheap and even an excellent example only brings a fraction of the value of a 3.4 or 3.8 litre car. I note that The Australian Jaguar magazine [edition 91] quotes
MK1 2.4 $1000 to $20,000 MK1 3.4 $1000 to $25,000
MK2 2.4 $ 2000 to $20,000 MK2 3.4 $3000 to $30,000 [3.8 $3000 to $40,000+]
The April edition of Australian Classic Car is a little more circumspect in quoting top price for a MK1 2.4 as $11,500 and a MK2 2.4 as $14,000 while the top price quoted for a MK2 3.8 is $29,000.
Better Brakes? Having faced up to the fact that a 2.4 litre sedan will never be worth as much as a 3.8 you still have a number of options if you feel that you want more performance. However before we go down that route there is one important aspect to remember particularly if you are dealing with MK1 sedans. It is no use making it go faster if you can’t make it stop. The drum brakes on a 2.4 sedan are “adequate” but on the MK1 3.4 are generally acknowledged as being at or even getting beyond their limits. If you are going to increase power then you should give serious attention to the brakes. There are kits available to install later series Jaguar disc brakes to the front of a MK 1 and I recommend you get in contact with suppliers such as Geoff Widdicombe , GBC, Jag World, British Cat Components and Don Milliner all of whom advertise in this magazine for advise, expertise and general cost of this conversion.
Heart Transplants Some of your power options include an engine heart transplant. If you can access a MK1/2 3.4 or 3.8 engine this is a simple and relatively cheap way to go. Unless the chosen transplant engine has really major problems you should be able to fully overhaul it for somewhere around $2000 to $3,000. If you are a do it yourself person you may get out of it much more cheaply. 4.2 motors are quite plentiful however you may have problems in sorting out engine mounts pulleys and other accessories.
I note what looks like a late model [4 litre?] fuel injected engine under the bonnet of a MK 2 in edition 91 [page 69] of Australian Jaguar. I also knew of a MK 1 with a Holden 179 engine, which lived in inner city Brisbane and regularly towed a trailer to the family weekend farm. Jaguar also put a V8 Daimler engine into the MK 2 body shell and called it a Daimler 250. From that point of view your options are pretty open.
Staying with the 2.4 and originality. A relatively cheap way to go is to look at the upgrades available on the 2.4 engine. Jaguar did offer a number of options in both manufacture and aftermarket products so you could make a number of improvements and modifications and still be “original”. It is worthwhile noting that Jaguar quotes the following HP figures of MK1/112 hp: MK2/120hp and 240 saloon/133hp. The 240 was fitted with the 13/4 SU carbys.
If you have one of the very early 2.4 engines it has small valves and as such the head is hopeless for any upgrade in power. A “B” series head with the larger valves and higher lift camshafts is needed. These are amazingly plentiful once you start looking as the majority of later 3.4 motors had them. Experts talk about “C” and “D” heads but they are rare, expensive and probably an overkill on a 2.4 engine.
Along with the B series head a MK1 or MK 2 3.4 intake manifold and SU HD 6 1 ¾ inch carburettors along with the starting carby are needed. These should preferably come off a MK1/2 3.4 or 3.8 engine. That will allow you to use standard plumbing for the cooling system and standard carby linkages. Another possible source is the S type sedan. The original 3.4/3.8 engines used a thermostat to control the starting carby. Most owners have modified them with a switch under or in the dash panel to allow direct control of the starting carby. One cunning place to fit such a switch is a push off/pull on switch fitted in the bracket just above the bonnet release knob and operating in a parallel direction with the knob. Somebody had done this to my MK 1 “hotrod” and you cannot see it or find it without being in the “know”.
Finally the crummy little narrow single pipe exhaust system used on the 2.4 should be replaced with the 3.4/3.8 dual exhaust system or at least a much-enlarged single pipe system. Note that the 2.4 exhaust system will not fit a 3.4/3.8 engine, as the increased height from below the vehicle to the exhaust manifold becomes a problem. There is about a 2 to 3 inches difference in pipe length due to the deeper motor, higher block and increased depth to get below the vehicle floor.
Jaguar also recommended 9:1 pistons. In view of the current environmental lobby and phase out of leaded petrol this may not be the best way to go. 8:1 seems to be about the limit for compression ratio with modern fuels and old engines.
With all of the above modifications including the 9:1 pistons it is suggested that an overall increase of about 45 Hp was possible. This would put the modified 2.4 engine at about 157hp which is pretty much the same as the original 3.4 engines rating of 160 hp as fitted to the XK 120 and MK7 sedan. Even without the higher compression pistons 20 to 30 HP should be achievable and would make a significant improvement to the performance of a 2.4 saloon.
Cooling the engine. I have had queries as to whether the 2.4 radiator would need modifying. As yet I have not been able to establish any difference between 2.4 and 3.4 radiators. I would suggest that if you have a marginal 2.4 engine that tends to overheat you would have problems if you did anything to increase performance. It would be best to have the radiator cleaned at least. John McDonald from Stafford Radiator Service who advertise in this magazine assures me that standard cores are readily available and special high capacity cores can be ordered for cars with specific problems such as air-conditioning added on etc.
If you have an early MK1 2.4 with a cast alloy four blade fan remove it and replace it with a late model MK 2 multiblade fan. The 4-blade fan is hopeless in the Qld. environment even when the engine and radiator are in perfect order.
Getting rid of the Slushbox [Automatic Gearbox] As previously mentioned the DG automatic gearbox is does waste a significant amount of power and ultimate performance will only be gained by replacing it with a manual gearbox. This is serious stuff as there are numerous areas that need to be addressed in such a conversion. [Been there - done that]
The simplest approach is to get a MK1/2 manual [moss] box and bell housing. However an engine previously used in an automatic car will need a flywheel and clutch plates. A slave cylinder, a different [single piece] tailshaft as well as a manual pedal box setup with clutch master cylinder and flexible lines will also be required.
There are also a number of other Jaguar manual boxes available however the gear lever position might take some working out as well as gearbox mounts. Don’t forget or overlook other conversions such as the 5 speed Toyota Celica box conversion developed by Ron Moore.
Differential ratios I refuse to enter this minefield. There are undoubtedly experts out there who may be able to assist. Limited slip differentials and their ilk sound great and have their uses but I think you need specialist expertise to get involved in those areas. If you have a diff that works OK for you then leave it alone. If you need some better ratios after a heart transplant the find out what original type was fitted to a 3.4 or 3.8 vehicle and use that as a starting point.
A fellow club member who regularly drops in to my place had been having some trouble with a series 3 XJ6 blowing head gaskets. He eventually checked the engine block and found the typical warp which in this case was about 9 thousandths of an inch [.009]
He finally bit the bullet and removed the engine for some serious machining work to get the engine block re-decked i.e. ground back to get rid of the warp. . Along with that he had a typical problem with a broken head stud when he removed the said studs for the machining work. He requested the workshop carrying out the machining to extract the broken stud.
He was put onto an alert by the workshop that he should also check the length of the old head studs as they do have a history of stretching. When he did this he found that they had in fact stretched. This may not sound serious but it is a problem in that Jaguar use a domed [acorn] nut to hold down the head.
If the stud has stretched the nut may feel as if has tightened down onto the head but it may have only tightened down onto the stud and may be exerting little or no pressure onto the head. This is a condition known as becoming “thread bound”. I.e. the nut is tight on the thread but is not holding the parts together with sufficient pressure.
Upon checking the head studs he found that they had all stretched beyond limits and a new set of studs was definitely needed. The XJ workshop manual does give guidance on checking the stud length but how many of us amateur mechanics read the manual before tackling the job?
In fact one wonders if the stretched head studs were not the problem in the first place as the engine had not really done any serious distance since an “overhaul” by a previous owner
In discussion with this member who like myself has lived in remote areas we agreed that if we struck this stretched stud problem well away from any reasonable engineering facilities we would either add an extra washer onto the head and use the Jaguar acorn nut or ditch the acorn nut and use common plain nuts. That would at least allow us some chance of carrying out a repair sufficient to get us home.
In relatively quick succession two family cars decided to have flat batteries namely the MK 1 and the Datsun 120Y. There was no basic reason for this problem as both vehicles had relatively new batteries. Both were recharged and the MK 1 had the battery lead removed from the battery terminal.
About two weeks later I went to start the Datsun but only got a very weak starter and no inclination to fire. I promptly hit it with jumper leads and it started and run normally. However this loss of electrical power was a problem that needed solving. I connected the multimeter on amps range between the battery and the lead and noted a very slight drain of under 1/10 of an amp. In fact it was about 80 Ma. Now that is not a high discharge as 80 Ma equals 80 thousandths of an AMP.
Those words came out of a recent edition of the R.M.Williams Outback magazine and referred to a 1927 Chevrolet utility, which had featured in a story on the Deneliquin utility gathering. The owner was in fact treating the vehicle sympathetically and is applying reasonable cost control in returning the vehicle to roadworthy condition whilst maintaining the originality and ethos of the project.
It left me thinking that here is a lesson that we should seriously consider in handling many private restoration projects. I have seen many vehicles of assorted makes where the owner has stripped them out with the concept that they are “going to restore it one day” and in the end they loose enthusiasm and all to often lack the money to go any further. I call them “Gunnados”. [one of these days I’m gunna do it up”]. Invariably they end up on the market as partly gutted hulks of little value compared to an intact vehicle
Very few people properly estimate the costing of full restoration on a motor vehicle. This is a fairly normal human phenomenon where enthusiasm overcomes common sense. It is commonly compounded by a lack of technical expertise and the right workshop equipment. In addition some specific areas do require specialist skills such as upholstery and when it comes to Jaguars that spells big money.
Another factor is simply your time available. It is not unusual for a restoration to take years and that requires patience and determination. There is no way things are going to happen quickly unless you have a cheque book with almost unlimited funds available and you have just retired from your full time job
Do not become enamoured of concourse systems unless you have a large amount of money, time and enthusiasm. That is a special hobby and I do acknowledge the dedication displayed by persons active in that discipline even though I give them a hard time occasionally. You are far better off aiming at having a serviceable roadworthy vehicle that you can enjoy. One of my cars which has now been registered for over a year still lacks a hood lining and carpet. The Department of Transport is not even interested in such modern conveniences for a roadworthy [now called “safety”] certificate. They are concerned primarily with a vehicle’s integrity to operate on the road and not it’s comfort.
There is a reasonable medium approach that anyone can adopt and will allow a steady improvement in a vehicle without breaking the bank. It is probably best expressed by the concept put forward by the owner of the Chev Ute as “reviving”. Please note that the following remarks do not apply to your everyday transport vehicle. It is difficult to restore a vehicle that has to be used in those circumstances.
To start with, be very careful about your choice of vehicle. If you don’t have good basic bodywork and panel beating skills stay right away from the “rustbucket”. Be prepared to look around until you find the right body etc. At this point don’t get too excited about the mechanical condition of the vehicle. You can spend $2500 on a complete XK engine rebuild but that is peanuts compared to a professional body restoration and repaint where you can easily quadruple that amount.
Immediately write off the tyres. Most older Jags sitting around for some years will have ancient tyres and the only solution is to budget the cost of a new set into any revival. You can however put that cost off to immediately prior to roadworthy inspection and registration. Don’t forget that you can purchase second hand and retread tyres providing you don’t want high-speed long distance capability. [the majority of taxis use retreads.]
Avoid buying any vehicle that has been a “christmas tree” which has had bits taken off to provide presents of parts to other cars. Invariably the bits taken are difficult [and expensive] if not impossible to replace. That’s why they were taken in the first place. It is OK to buy a bargain “christmas tree” as a source of spares for your own car. My $200 MK 1 I pulled out of the swamp has paid for itself many times over and there is still a lot of useful gear on it. A club member friend was around on the morning of Australia day extracting a window winder primary gear for his MK2.
Having ascertained that this is the car you want you should put into place some plans to get the revival under way. I have found that there are two priorities that should be attended to immediately. in a revival. They are the ability to make the vehicle go and the ability to make it stop. In other words get the power unit and transmission working and get some brakes working. There is nothing more soul destroying than having a vehicle in the home workshop, which has to be, pushed everywhere [a lead sled]. It also helps your enthusiasm when the vehicle is a "runner".
It does not mean that everything has to be overhauled. Simply concentrate on getting some basic serviceability into the system. In fact in one car I got the rear wheel brakes including the handbrake working quickly and had the front wheel system isolated for over a year until I could found the solution to a parts problem by getting the front hydraulic wheel cylinder pistons modified to accept modern seals.
Give the car a thorough “survey”. That is take some time to go right over the vehicle and note all of the work you believe is necessary to bring it back to level you wish to achieve. Note that you may wish to establish several levels. Level one as roadworthy to be established ASAP, level two as desirable after some time on the road and level three as ready for concourse.
You should consider making out a “job sheet”. This is a method used by most workshops to ascertain the amount of work and effort and expense required to achieve a desired result. As an example when you go to a panel beater or an engine rebuilder for a quote this is the method they will use to arrive at a price for their work. While you don’t need to establish an overall cost [you may be horrified and give up particularly if the wife finds a copy] it does lay out a systematic method and allows you to assign priorities particularly in your financial handling of the project. You may be surprised to find that numerous items become “nice to do” i.e. not necessary for roadworthy [does the bumper bar really need a re-chrome immediately?] and other items will become “must do” such as steering, brakes and other safety related items. I usually hang the job sheet in the workshop, as it also becomes a check sheet for completion of specific tasks and a reminder to chase up parts etc.
It is not necessary to immediately rip the engine out [and apart] unless it has some really major problems such as a broken crankshaft or conrods. The early XK engine is remarkably robust and apart from oil leaks the major problem always seems to be bent valves in the head due to rusty valves sticking or incorrect assembly techniques by previous owners. If you are getting the engine going don’t forget the commonly used HD series carburetors need new diaphragm/jet assemblies. If the engine smokes and rattles a bit don’t get too excited. Leave it till later. A set of rings and big ends is no big deal [allow $300 including gaskets] and unless the engine has been run out of oil or done enormous mileage the crankshaft should be reasonable. I had a 3.4 litre MK 7 that had 250,000 miles on it. It was still on the original mainbearings and had one set of standard rings and big ends put in at 150,000 miles.
Do remember that if you are doing up the engine for an historic vehicle registration you will not normally be using the car for everyday transport. Budget the proposed mileage and apply the finances accordingly. A friend of mine persisted for some years with a clapped out FJ Holden gray sideplate engine in an ex taxi. You could push a matchstick [without the head] between the piston and cylinder. He reckoned on replacing the rings and big ends every 10,000 miles. That would amount to many years in an historic registered vehicle. My Mk 1 3.4 auto which I sold recently had only done about 1300 miles in the 6 years that I had owned it. Another method of handling engine problems is to buy a cheap “heart transplant” second hand engine from a rusty wreck. It sounds dodgy but the rustier the vehicle the more chance the engine will be OK as the car became unroadworty due rust not mechanical problems.
As another example many people get excited and want to do complete rebuilds on Jaguar front ends [been there done that]. It is far better to do a careful examination of the state of the front end and identify any worn components. Tie rod ends are basic to any car and should not be neglected however you don’t have to replace them just because the rubber grease/dust cover has decayed. New dust covers at $2 to $4 cost only a fraction of the price of a new tie rod end. Similarly upper and lower ball joints can be checked for wear. Don’t forget that many of the early Jag ball joints were adjustable by shims and new dust covers can be fitted. In addition there are a number of businesses that will recondition shock absorbers. They are after all a simple hydraulic device that is sealed at manufacture. Overhaul is not unreasonable and much more cost effective. However rubber suspension bushes are worthwhile replacing especially those associated with upper and lower wishbone arm pivots. Those are just some examples of what can be achieved on a major component without breaking the bank.
Don’t be afraid to sniff around for reasonable alternatives. As an example the MK 1 door seal rubbers were quoted to me at some astronomical price amounting to hundreds of dollars. I eventually found some ½ inch square rubber at Universal Engineers at $2.00 a metre and although it won’t win a concourse it is eminently serviceable and the total cost for a car was under $30 (3.5 metres per door). The original MK 1 door seal was roughly ½ inch square with a small raised 1/8 inch bead on one edge.
Be prepared to compromise in the short term whilst funds are low. It is far better that your car is out and about and being enjoyed with vinyl on the seats rather than grounded while you save up to recover them in Connelly hide leather. Note that Australian and New Zealand produced leather is available for much less than the price of Connelly hide. If all else [including finance] fails simple homemade slip on cloth covers or commercial after market seat covers will keep the seats going until the future allows something better. [Please lay off the leopardskin seat cover patterns - they look awful]
Another approach is to replace the original seats with later model second hand seats that fit. One club member is running a 1974 Series 2 XJ6 with XJ40 seats. In fact if my attention had not been directed to this I would not have really noticed. This conversion only cost a fraction of the price that re-upholstering would have set him back. I have also seen MK2 cars fitted with XJS seats fitted in the front. The bonus in this case is a more supportive seat especially in cornering. You can always put the original seats in storage until finances allow for proper refurbishment.
Finally don’t pay too much for the project car in the first place. There are legendary numbers of old, often non-running Jags out there and the owners all want Rolls Royce prices for them. The people who own them must scan the papers or Unique Cars for similar prices and then arrive at the conclusion that their car is worth that much. Occasionally it may be true but all too often it is not. One of my favorite remarks applied to many of these cars is that the decimal point in the price is one place too far to the right.
Buying an old Jag to restore is a bit like buying a horse. The cheapest part is the initial purchase price. In the horse’s case you now have to feed it and pay the veterinary bills. In the Jag you have to restore it and pay the repair bills. I know because we have both horses and Jaguars.
By sheer luck I ran across a chap named Kev Baker at a swap meet last year. Kev runs a business called K B Classic parts at 2 Margaret St. Witta via Maleny and describes himself as an "Automotive Electrical Parts Consultant and Supplier."
I had been chasing a couple of those fine thread nuts for my Lucas spotlights which are standard on the MK 1. Every avenue seemed to be exhausted when at a swap meet Kev was pointed out to me by a Victorian electrical parts stall holder as the "Giru of Lucas parts in Australia". I approached him and described my problem. Within a couple of weeks I had the brand new nuts at $ 3 each. Another club member had been chasing a new distributor cam for a MK1 with no success. I contacted Kev and he immediately came back with a confirmation of availability and price.
While I urge support for the suppliers who advertise in this magazine you might consider using Kev Baker for those really hard to find electrical parts. He specialises in mail order and is available on phone 0754 944 221 and fax 0754 944 114
Readers might remember an issue a couple of years ago when my subject topic was a replacement fuel pump for the SU pump fitted to the early model (pre fuel injected) cars. I proposed at the time to trial the "electronic" pump in one of my cars. I installed it in my MK 1 3.4 auto as the SU pump in that car had been a real source of trouble in spite of a complete overhaul.
The electronic pump has been very reliable and has not caused any problems whatsoever. My only remark is because it is not mounted on any noise insulation it is noisy prior to engine start. Once the engine is running you do not hear the pump. Don't forget that the SU pump is normally mounted on noise insulating rubbers. I believe if I devised a noise insulating mounting there would not be much difference between the two types.
In the meantime I have discovered that there is an electric low pressure [3 pounds per square inch {psi}] rotary fuel pump on the market that is designed for carburettor cars. Electric rotary fuel pumps are normally used by fuel injected cars such as the Series 3 XJ6 and your current model Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore. However these pumps are very high pressure [typically around 30 psi] and unsuitable for carburettor vehicles as the float valve to control fuel level in the carby cannot handle the pressure. The pump is "Carter" brand made in the USA however AKSES who advertise in this magazine advise that they are having difficulty getting stock at the moment.
I have been involved in the restoration of a MK VIII [8] sedan for approx. 9 years. It was really a good idea at the time but is currently a bit of an albatross in that it has gone forward very slowly. The body has been de-rusted and straightened up but there is no doubt it is still a tough project to take on. Then MK8 is to my knowledge the lowest number of sedans ever produced by Jaguar post WW2. 6202 being quoted by Phillip Porter as the numbers made.
The place where I live is only about 2 Ks from the Petrie Country markets where we have friends involved in the normal retail trade of selling food etc in their business of a Sunday. Please note to Register persons planning an outing that this is not a trash and treasure place. Everything associated with the markets is carefully vetted to ensure local content and standards.
A recent introduction into these markets which are fairly extensive is the Trade Guild Building. This is apparently a group of mostly retired tradesmen who have gone into a co-operative to promote trade training skills and experience and to promote that to then public. I addition they plan to give trade training days for groups who are interested.
I noted that they were doing a very active promotion in regards aluminium castings and I have been chasing a set of taillight housings for the MK 8 since 1990. After establishing my bonafides with Fred Lowin who is the leader of the casting group I gave him a couple of Taillight housings Part nos. Lucas 53340A and 53341A. He then proceeded to thicken the diecast walls with cardboard and beeswax before making a sand based mould.
The final result is a brilliant piece of work. In all honesty I am quite ready to bolt on the aluminium castings which are now polished instead of chromed but I would not wish to worry the concourse judges . Aluminium can be chrome plated via a system of using copper deposit and finally chrome and will last as long as diecast. I will make a decision in the future about how I will tackle this aspect.
The group at Petrie country markets are rightfully concerned at getting involved in trade and patent rights however if a patent holder cannot deliver the goods then their patent is pretty suspect. I have used the “net’ to chase these parts for a couple of years without success. An English firm offered me these taillight housings as reproduction items at 90 English pounds sterling per pair. Roughly Aus 225 dollars + postage.
I believe we can do it a little better by promoting home based reproductions a t better than half the price and keeping the money in Australia. If you do have a too hard part and you believe that it could be done in aluminium Fred Lowin can be contacted on 3269 4505 or just go to the trade Guild workshop, at Petrie country markets on a Sunday morning. Fred who is 82 did his apprenticeship prior to WW2 with Rolls Royce as a metal caster and knows a lot about the trade. They are setting upto do brass castings in the future and would appreciate enquiries in the non ferrous casting area.
At a MK1&2 Jaguar workshop being held at Sid Robinson's I produced a some SU carburettor parts to illustrate the point about SU diaphragms which included a dashpot which I had polished. This dashpot seemed to attract a lot of attention and the question was asked " where had I got the polishing done ?".
The answer was I did it myself in a few minutes with a relatively simple and cheap buffing machine on my own workbench. I had learnt a little about metal polishing from a professional in the aviation trade many years ago and applied it for my own purposes.
Most of us admire the concourse cars' engine bays with those beaut polished alloy cam covers and carbys etc. without realising that we can achieve quite good results without resorting to expensive professional treatments.
My own buffing machine consists of a six inch [150mm] bench mounted grinder which has had the emery wheels removed. These grinders vary considerably in price and I have seen them as low as $29 but expect to pay more like $50 to $70 for a reasonable quality item.
I have attached a six inch wire wheel on one side. Once again these vary in price but average about $15 to $20. You don't need the wire wheel for polishing but it is a boon when removing old paint, rust, scale and all the other rubbish encountered when involved in Jaguar restoration.
The other end has a spindle screwed onto the shaft which mounts the cloth polishing wheel. Note that the standard bench grinder has a left hand thread on the left hand side and a standard right hand thread on the right side. This acts as a self tightening system for the nuts retaining the emery wheels, so when purchasing a spindle ensure you get the correct thread for the side you intend to mount the polishing wheel. Spindles cost typically $15 to $20. The six inch cloth polishing wheel is simply screwed onto the spindle. Once again prices vary depending on grade and quality and somewhere between $10 and $20 should buy one.
Finally you will need a compound stick sometimes referred to as jewellers rouge. This is the actual material which will do the polishing. They come in a number of grades and some assistance should be sought from the retailer on suitability for alloy etc. Most cost about $5 to $7 per stick. I am currently half way through a stick after 2 years of use so it does go a long way.
Before you launch into polishing with this setup there are a few things you should know about the nature of the material you are going to polish. Cast aluminium alloys can be surprisingly porous and do corrode. Have a look at the effects of corrosion on old thermostat housings and cylinder heads
If the aluminium you intend to polish has a lot of black embedded in the surface that means you have a case of corrosion and you should take steps to remove this corrosion which will be embedded in the surface of the material. There are a number of commercial alloy cleaners on the market and you should investigate the use of one of these. A good source of supply is from truck specialist shops who sell this cleaner for use on alloy truck trays.
Another way to get rid of corrosion is to use of "wet and dry" or emery paper. You can quite easily rub the surface back to a clean "white" finish. If you don't have this sort of finish it is a waste of time going on with buffing unless you are prepared to resort to heavy grades of compound stick to cut the corrosion out of the surface. I would not recommend using anything coarser than 280 grade paper and work back up to at least a fine 600 grade paper before attempting to polish with the buffing machine. Another useful trick on large surfaces such as cam covers is to use an orbital sander with these grades of paper - it sure saves a lot of elbow grease.
Now before you get stuck into polishing with the buffing machine lets get in a few words about SAFETY. All machinery is potentially dangerous and requires due care, attention and protective measures when being operated. Please read the manufacturers recommendations before operating a bench grinder. In addition the following recommendations should always be followed.
1. Wear protective goggles. Bits of hot buffing compound in the eye are not funny.
2. Wear gloves - preferably leather to protect your hands from hitting the wheel and remember the items being polished will get hot from the friction of the buffing wheel.
3. Don't wear loose clothing including scarves and ties. A pair of overalls with the sleeves fastened is recommended.
4. Be extremely careful when polishing small objects or pieces of sheet metal as the wheel may flick them out of your grasp. If possible mount them onto something larger on which you can retain a good grip
Warning. The professional polishers use large wheels [up to 12 inch diameter] with very powerful drive motors. If you do have or can get access to such equipment be very careful and get some proper training in its use. You will find that the six inch system I have described is relatively safe and in fact the typical 1/3 hp motor can be stopped by excessive pressure on the buffing wheel.
To actually use the buff simply turn it on. Allow the machine to come up to full speed. Hold the compound stick against the buffing wheel to allow it to pick up a thin layer of compound. Hold the object to be polished against the wheel and work it around. As the compound wears off reapply the stick. Finally, be patient and take your time as you are acquiring a new skill and will need some practice to get it "right". The process you are using is fairly slow and the light equipment means it will take time to get a good finish.
You will notice that the object you are polishing will get a build up of black "gunk" which seems hard to remove. This is only the residue of a combination of metal polished off and used compound which contains a wax. Any number of solvents such as petrol, turps etc will remove this.
As a last point you might like to experiment with this buff on some old chrome. I have achieved surprisingly good results in repolishing old chromed items including hubcaps, headlight rims, trim strips, acorn head nuts etc. Practice on some old parts if you can before attacking bits of your best Jaguar.
Most of us equate air compressors with spray painting and don't realise what a handy item they are for general maintenance and restoration of our vintage and not so vintage cars.
Air compressors come in a multitude of sizes and shapes ranging from simple little $20 tyre pumps which connect to the cigarette lighter up to huge diesel powered devices you see being used to drive jack hammers on road and building construction sites. They all use the same principle of compressing air and using it to perform a function. Somewhere in between you can make a choice of a compressor which will suit your needs. The criteria or measurement of an air compressors capability is expressed in cubic feet per minute which is generally abbreviated to CFM or sometimes CM. This expresses the compressors ability to produce the amount of compressed air. This by the way has nothing to do with the size of the receiver which is the tank which holds the compressed air after it is produced. I will refer to the combination of the air compressor and the receiver tank as a "unit".
Most air compressors of the type we will talk about generate around 120 pounds per square inch [PSI] air pressure which will then need to be passed through a regulator to control the pressure to lower levels eg 40 PSI for spray painting. They also need a water trap to eliminate water from the compressed air.
The first important principle is to make sure you purchase a unit which will do the job you want it to. Don't buy the cheapest one around as you may be disappointed with the results. The general rule is to buy as large a unit as possible. It is better to have a unit which can handle the load on an intermittent run basis rather than something running flat out all the time and failing to deliver air that is needed.
If you intend to do some spray painting as well as running air tools such as air drills and sanders I recommend you look seriously at a 13 CFM unit. To go any larger generally requires some special wiring in your house or shed as you will need a 15 amp electrical outlet. The standard household electrical wiring system is for a 10 amp outlet. You can pick the difference on the 3 pin electrical plug as the earth pin is significantly wider on a 15 amp plug. It is interesting to note that you can now buy 13 CFM units for around the $800 mark which is over $100 cheaper than the price I paid for the same brand unit about 9 years ago.
The size of the receiver is also important. Even a 13 CFM unit with a small receiver may be a problem to you in that it lacks reserve capacity to keep up with very large intermittent demands placed on the unit when spraying whole cars or operating some air tools for long periods. I note that some of the imported units which appear to be made in Italy have relatively small receivers.
There are numbers of units for sale on the second hand market. Be wary, as a lot of them are pretty well worn out having been used by builders as a source of compressed air for nail guns. Many have had a real flogging having been used for 8+ hours a day for years. The majority of these are 8 to 10 CFM units. There are quite a few of these coming onto the second hand market as the building industry is currently changing over to "gas guns" which electrically ignite a gas charge from a small cylinder held in the gun. [much more portable]. It is better to go for a new unit as it should last a hobby type user for life however you might pick up a bargain unit from a builder.
My own unit is a 3 cylinder 13 CFM Airmac which is Australian made and has not given me any trouble during the 9 years I have had it. There are also a number of imported types on the market at similar prices but I prefer to keep the money in the country and at least spares are available if I ever need them.
When shopping around be a little wary on some of the "deals" which include air tools and spray guns as well as air hoses. Many of the spray guns are cheap and nasty and a lot of the tools are not much better. Remember that in this business you "pays for what you gets". Do make sure that the unit you are purchasing comes complete with a pressure regulator / water trap. You will also have to make a decision on what type of fittings you are going to use on your air pressure hose connection systems and how much hose you will need. Don't be tempted by the self coiling "spring type" hose you used to see in service stations. Unless you have a specific use for it, self coiling hose is a real nuisance when working with spray guns and air tools.
If you need a very long hose they can be an absolute pain to roll up and unroll just like your garden hose. A tip is to install a metal garden hose reel on the wall in your shed or workshop adjacent to the compressor. You can plumb the air through the reel just like water. It sure makes winding up and unwinding hoses simple We have used them for years in the aviation industry.
Now onto spray guns and tools. Spray guns come in several types and several prices. The panel beating industry standard is the Japanese IWATA series but they don't come cheap starting at around the $130 mark and going up of course. There are a few other types in competition such as the Binks made in the USA which are good but pricey. DeVilbiss and Wagner are also well known. As a general guide in guns you will need a 1.2 mm orifice nossle for spraying enamels, a 1.8 mm for 2 pack paints and a 2.2 mm for lacquers. For more information on spray guns talk to an automotive paint retailer. I also recommend Al. Probert's book "Spray Painting And Panel Beating In Australia".
In the cheaper guns there is low pressure/ pressure pot gun which typically retails for around the $30 mark which is very useful for spray putty, underbody coat and spraying fences with acrylic fence paint. Super cheap also sell a general purpose high pressure gun for about $69 which is quite good for undercoat and reasonable on lacquer. Their $39 high pressure gun is not recommended. Their touch-up gun around $55 is satisfactory.
Some of the air tools I have accumulated and found very useful over the years include-
Tyre inflation tool - built in pressure gauge - just like your local service station
Air duster gun - to blow dust and rubbish off the job. Blow out the workshop floor etc.
Kerosene pot gun. - degreasing engines; cleaning down major parts; spraying anti-rust. Also useful for spraying the weeds in the yard
Air ratchet spanner - really speeds up pulling things apart - be wary about use in assembly
Air impact wrench - wheel nuts off and on in a zip and very useful when removing head bolts or trying to undo large nuts on the suspension etc.
Air orbital sander - speeds up the bodywork process.
Air powered grease gun - simplifies the process when lying under a car. Better than trying to use the old mechanical grease gun in confined areas. Be careful as you can blow out seals on universals and rubber boots on steering components such as tie rod ends and ball joints.
Air chisel - invaluable for the serious restorer and I also use it to cut out the tops from drums etc. It can also be equipped with a bit to "buck" solid rivets.
Some other useful tools available include air powered drills and die grinders but as I have electric tools to cover these I haven't bothered to purchase them. I have drilled a few thousand holes in my time with air drills and they are excellent devices but hungry on compressed air. Their main value is in safety particularly working around aircraft where fuel vapours may be present.
A word of WARNING when using compressed air. Never point compressed air nozzles at yourself or any other person particularly in relation to body orifices as permanent damage to the human body can result. In addition small objects can be picked up and blown at high velocity and will penetrate the human body. Do take appropriate safety precautions applicable when using compressed air such as wearing a mask while spray painting and safety glasses when blowing out dirt and dust.
A small tip if you regularly use compressed air tools and then decide to use the same air lines for spray painting. It is worthwhile blowing some 50 mils of methylated spirits or methanol through the hoses prior to spraying to get rid of any possible moisture in the lines. The high pressure use of airlines associated with air tools appears to allow hot air from the compressor to bypass the typical water trap and carry moisture into the lines where it condenses. I have standardised on this procedure in my workshop and no longer get nasty moisture surprises when spray painting.