![\"Jaguar,](\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2022\/03\/1990-jaguar-xjs-622e9ab9e60e5-800x450.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe 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.<\/p>\n
What is it?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nThis particular example is a 1990 Jaguar XJ-S convertible<\/a> 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.<\/p>\nWhy is it a Project?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n![\"Jaguar,](\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2022\/03\/1990-jaguar-xjs-622e9ab9e4c68-800x450.jpg\")
<\/a>The 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.<\/p>\nFive things to look for:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n1) Rust<\/strong><\/span>
\nRust 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.<\/p>\n2) Engine<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2022\/03\/1990-jaguar-xjs-622e9ab9e9a56-800x450.jpg\")
<\/a>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.<\/p>\n3) Steering and Suspension<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe ad mentions that the tracking is out and that the steering \u201cneeds doing\u201d. 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.<\/p>\n
Why is it a Project?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/a>The 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.<\/p>\nFive things to look for:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n1) Rust<\/strong><\/span>
\nRust 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.<\/p>\n2) Engine<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>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.<\/p>\n3) Steering and Suspension<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe ad mentions that the tracking is out and that the steering \u201cneeds doing\u201d. 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.<\/p>\n
<\/a>The 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.<\/p>\nFive things to look for:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n1) Rust<\/strong><\/span>
\nRust 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.<\/p>\n2) Engine<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>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.<\/p>\n3) Steering and Suspension<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe ad mentions that the tracking is out and that the steering \u201cneeds doing\u201d. 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.<\/p>\n
\nRust 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.<\/p>\n
2) Engine<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 3) Steering and Suspension<\/strong><\/span><\/a>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.<\/p>\n
\nThe ad mentions that the tracking is out and that the steering \u201cneeds doing\u201d. 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.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2022\/03\/1990-jaguar-xjs-622e9ab9e90cb-800x450.jpg\")
<\/a>The interior looks to be in pretty good condition throughout and the seller states that there is no damage anywhere inside the car. With \u201csome slight staining on the roof lining\u201d 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.<\/p>\n![\"Jaguar,](\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2022\/03\/1990-jaguar-xjs-622e9ab9e6aa0-800x450.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n