1990 Jaguar XJ-S – Project Profile

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Dale Vinten

After a shaky start the Jaguar XJ-S has since earned its place alongside the true greats of the brand. Lauded by many as one of the best and most recognisable that Jaguar has ever produced the XJ-S perfectly encapsulates the company’s grace, space, pace ethos with it’s low, sleek body, smooth six and 12-cylinder engines and refined ride. Simply put it was, and still is, a fantastic Grand Tourer. The XJ-S enjoyed a 21 year production run, beginning in 1975 and was a huge success for Jaguar. Using a shortened version of the XJ6 chassis the XJ-S was initially only available with a V12 engine, with a slant-six joining the fold in 1983 alongside a fixed-profile convertible version. It wasn’t until 1988, however, that a fully convertible version was offered which went on to become a huge hit with fans of the marque.

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The car was revised and refined over the course of its life with the most noticeable changes being to the engines to make them more economical, although the V12 is still a thirsty old beast in any guise. A ‘facelift’ model was introduced in ’91 that featured larger capacity six and 12-cylinder lumps as well as various style updates including wraparound rear lights. The hyphen was also dropped from the name and the car was now known as the Jaguar XJS until ’96 whereby it was replaced by the XK8.

What is it? 

This particular example is a 1990 Jaguar XJ-S convertible that is part of a small private collection. The car is fitted with the 5.3-litre HE V12 engine, with HE standing for ‘High-Efficiency’. This means the car comes with the more conventional ‘Fireball’ cylinder head that incorporates the combustion chamber into the head itself rather than in the pistons, as was previously the case in the original engine. Essentially this makes the cylinder head more free-flowing and therefore increasing efficiency and power, with a horsepower figure of just under 300bhp. Mated to an automatic gearbox it’s the perfect combination of performance and smoothness making it ideal for long, continental jaunts.

Why is it a Project? 

Jaguar, XJ-S, Jaguar XJ-S, HE, Convertible, XJS, restoration project, motoring, automotive, car and classic, carandclassic.co.uk, retro, classic, British carThe car appears to be a straight, rust-free example which is a rare find nowadays. It’s also a running and driving car but there are some areas to address to bring this big cat back to peak condition. There are some paint matching issues to contend with where the lower rear panels have been replaced and there are a few electrical gremlins to eradicate but nothing too serious. Mechanically speaking the car will require a new battery (which may improve the electrical system in general) as well as a repair to the exhaust whereby there is a blow on the right-hand side after a close encounter with a speed bump. The tracking is out and so a full, four wheel alignment would be wise to ensure the car drives straight and to preserve the brand new tyres that have been fitted. The car is currently without a valid MOT with its last having expired in 2016 so a full inspection and service would be required.

Five things to look for: 

1) Rust
Rust and the XJ-S go together like cheese and wine and even though the car looks fine from the photos it’s still important to check everywhere for rot. Take a magnet if you can and check for any areas of filler especially around the wheel arches, boot lid and windows. Looking at the car’s MOT history on the DVLA website there have been past advisories of underbody corrosion and so it would be imperative to get underneath the car and give the chassis and floor pans a thorough going over. If it’s just surface rust then this can be easily remedied and re-coated but if the rot has taken hold it will mean expensive repairs.

2) Engine

The advert states that the V12 has recently had a new set of plugs and leads it starts without issue, doesn’t make any untoward noises or overheat and performs well without any warning lights illuminated on the dash. This is all good news and the car has only covered 87,000 miles but the Jaguar V12 fitted to the XJ-S is a bit of a beast and as such is rather expensive to rebuild so make sure to perform all of the normal checks, paying particular attention to any signs of cooling issues. If well maintained and serviced regularly, however, these big V12s are reliable lumps.

3) Steering and Suspension
The ad mentions that the tracking is out and that the steering “needs doing”. We would check all of the suspension components for any wear, especially the bushes and make a note of any that need to be replaced. Inspect for any damage which may have caused the car to become knocked out of whack. Suspension mounts and subframes can also disintegrate with rust which would certainly cause issues but if all is well it’s still worth factoring in the cost for a full, professional alignment.

4) Interior

The interior looks to be in pretty good condition throughout and the seller states that there is no damage anywhere inside the car. With “some slight staining on the roof lining” the whole cabin would benefit from a full valet but the leather seats and the carpets present well and look to be free from any excessive wear and tear. Check for any missing bits and bobs and that the wooden trim pieces are not cracked or hazing.

5) Electrics
As mentioned, the car does require a fresh battery and there are some electrical gremlins to iron out, the most notable being a non-functioning roof, along with the nearside window and the wipers, which only work on full speed. The advert states that the roof was working and the culprit is most likely a faulty switch but a proper investigation into the cause of the problem would obviously be required. The car comes with its original stereo and electric aerial, both of which are fully functional. The heating system is also in good, working condition.

What should you do with it? 

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If this is, in fact, a genuine, rust-free example then it’s really only the mechanicals that would require attention. Having been off the road for a number of years a full service with fresh fluids all round and a new battery would be job one, followed by sorting the steering out. Kind of the whole point of this car is the convertible aspect and so getting the roof fixed so that it retracts would also be a priority. As far as the bodywork goes we would take it to a paint specialist to see if the mismatched panels can be corrected but failing that then a full respray may be in order. With that lot taken care of you’ll be the proud owner of one of Jaguar’s finest and while perhaps not as desirable as the facelift models, it will certainly be a damn sight cheaper.

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