Description
This is a recently completed 5yr restoration of a Series 3 OTS with a significant number of modifications to produce a car that is fast, comfortable and reliable.
I have put 2000 miles on the car since the build finished to thoroughly shake it down and I have then had it retuned to produce 335bhp. I've also had a bespoke air handling/ plenum box fitted to ensure only clean air is taken in.
The car was dipped after stripping and a number of panels replaced including floor pan, sills and inner rear wheel arches. The underside and interior were both Raptor coated to provide a durable waterproof coat. They were then painted the car colour which is Ferrari Titano Lucido which I thought was a warmer colour than the rather yellow Opalescent Silver of the earlier etypes.
The interior and doors are completely lined with Dynamat sound and heat shield material to make for a cooler and quieter drive.
The gearbox is a 5spd Getrag out of an XJS and these boxes are pretty bullet-proof. The diff is a lower ratio at 2. 88, also from an XJS and motorway cruising is a much quieter experience. Overall the Dynamat and gearing of the car result in a more contemporary car experience.
The engine is the original 5. 3l All of the pistons and crank were balanced before the rebuild but are otherwise standard as is the cam.
Fuel injection is Jenvey throttle bodies and crossovers and a wasted spark system used to replace the distributor and feed twin coil packs mounted on a shelf ahead of the header tank. This positioning keeps the leads to the plugs shorter and away from manifold heat.
Cooling is through an aluminium radiator with twin ten blade Revotec fans and I have used Evans waterless coolant mainly to avoid any pressure in the hoses should the car overheat plus it also prevents the head studs which run through the water jacket from rusting.
The exhaust is a four pipe Classic Fabs unit which is beautifully welded and with an exhaust manifold that efficiently handles gases to produce up to 10% more power. The four pipes go right through to the rear of the car.
The manifolds are heat shielded and the plenum boxes shield the fuel rails from any residual manifold heat.
Handling is improved through uprated torsion bars, Anti-roll front and rear as well as Nitron shocks made only for this car. Wheels are 16" Realm Engineering one piece aluminium D style.
The interior is double stitched red Connolly leather, red Alcantara and red Wilton carpet with rubber mats sewn in.
This is a fast road car that feels and handles like a modern car but looks every bit a Jaguar Etype. The Nitron shocks make for a firm ride ironing out any bumps in the road and as well as setting ride height you can set the reverb.
The sound system is Jaguar and I have used Series 1 chrome speaker covers in the front and back. Seats are heated. Seatbelt retracting mechanism is in the boot (as opposed to rear of the cabin) and belts fed through a “letterbox” to the front. An aluminium bar holds the belt on top of the seat shoulder to enable easy access.
The steering wheel and horn push are Nardi.
The instruments are electrical, more reliable than mechanical but look nearly identical and are LED lit so nice and bright at night.
The Plenum boxes are bespoke for this car and ensure only cool clean air enters the intakes.
This car is “better than new” with modern sealants, protective coatings, seam sealers and paint guaranteeing a car that will resist weathering and rusting for many years to come.
