Project XJC430 : Jaguar XJ Coupe
There are few cars more imposing, more refined and more infused with automotive gravitas than a classic Jaguar, with those cars produced by Coventry in the early to the mid ’70s being among the most imposing of all. That being said, while big cats from this particular decade might have looked and sounded the part, and even gone like the clappers, but they were never exactly known for their reliability or anti-corrosion properties.
All of the above was at the forefront of our minds when we were asked to build a very special Jaguar XJC for one of our customers. The brief was as simple as it was in keeping with the character of the car in question, namely to build a fast, reliable and comfy XJ, one capable of wafting its owner across high miles on a near daily basis, all underpinned by that classic trio of William Lyons values of ‘grace, pace and space.’
Retropower projects have had more auspicious starting points, true, but it was a fundamentally solid car for a good price – game on
Those who’ve followed the kind of work we do at Retropower will no doubt be aware that every one of our projects begins with a complete strip down and careful assessment, followed by a media blasting session. This means that we can pinpoint any and all areas of concern hidden on the shell, effectively allowing to guarantee we’re working from a clean, rot free slate. It was a good thing we did, as though we’ve certainly encountered less structurally sound cars, this particular XJC was nevertheless hiding a some metal-related sins, with the base of the B-pillars and rear arches all showing signs of decay – though you could argue that that’s part and parcel of restoring a big Jag from this era.
Custom rear arches were always on the cards for this car, but that didn’t make chopping out the old ones any less galling
A solid session of metalwork and custom fabrication soon followed, a way of addressing all areas of bodywork concern while also applying the custom touches that have become something of a Retropower hallmark. It was then that the owner came back to us with a fresh set of bodywork requests, a result of having seen the custom work carried out by the likes of David Brown Automotive. This lead to a renewed programme of bodywork alterations, including the enlarged rear wheel arches, smoothed rear valance, deleted vinyl roof and bespoke bumpers, the latter created by cutting and slimming down the side sections and ‘end-caps’ from other, OEM Jaguar bumpers.
This shot gives a better idea of the custom rear valance and modified, body-hugging bumper treatment
There’s more, the custom front grille being an especially challenging undertaken. Part of a general de-chroming process (with the thin outlines around the glass area left in place, naturally), we instead made bespoke upper and lower grilles, the former being the most challenging. It was scratch built and took roughly a week to complete, the outer bezel constructed from solid steel bar, heated and carefully bent into shape, then TIG welded. The grille itself is also inset in design, a marked contrast to the ‘wrap around’ offering favoured by Jaguar at the time.
The creation of the custom front grille, a component that really did transform the appearance of the car as a whole
The colour? That’s actually a nod to Jaguar’s most iconic car of all, the E-Type – Opalescent Gunmetal Grey, selected for its ability to complement the interior leather.
The need to cover the ‘grace’ and ‘space’ aspects of the Jaguar DNA lead to a completely revised interior, one dominated by swathes of tobacco coloured leather and dark wood effect, hydro-dipped aluminium, the latter forming the centre console, ith custom switchgear replacing the BL ‘parts bin specials’ fitted by Jaguar and an array of aero-look clocks and gauges. The seats are also largely of our own design and were intended to offer the best of both worlds; deep, padded comfort for long distance cruising, stiffened bolster support for those times when a chap just can’t resist opening up the taps and giving it the beans.
The Jag’s bespoke interior begins to come together
We were only too aware of the importance of heritage on a classic Jaguar though, which is why a smattering of factory fitted hardware remains in situ, including the original XJC shifter, albeit re-engineered to work with the car’s 4-speed GM automatic transmission. It’s a similar story with the steering wheel, a Motorlita E-Type offering that’s been re-worked and fitted with wider, fatter rim, one more in keeping with the mid ’70s XJC. The starter button? That’s actually from a Supermarine Spitfire. Tally ho indeed.
Is there anything cooler than a genuine Spitfire starter button? Chocks away, chaps!
As for ‘pace,’ well there were any number of engines in the frame at one time or another, including the original V12. The customer was at pains to point out that he wanted the completed car to be both power and reliable however, which is why we collectively opted to go down the GM LS3 route. It really isn’t hard to see why ‘crate engines’ of this kind are so popular on either side of the pond; they’re powerful, available new, can be tuned to high heaven and are incredibly reliable, all valuable traits in a car destined to spend as much time blatting through Europe as it is the UK show scene. The one now housed in the XJC makes a cool, unstressed 430bhp, a figure aided by the use of an Omex ECU and wiring loom.
The GM LS3 and ‘box assembly is craned into place
Jaguar’s OEM fuel system for the XJC consists of a pair of separate tanks with separate control systems in the cabin, a setup we’ve since revised; both tanks have been retained but are now linked, one located in the wheel well alongside a Holley lift pump. The main pump, a Bosch 044, is more than up to the task, while said wheel well has been modified to also house a space saver while still being able to be covered by the factory carpet.
Other aspects of the big Jag’s spec have been carried over more or less intact, the front suspension (with Eibach lowering springs, SuperPro bushes and Bilstein dampers) but one example, though they have been paired with more capable Fossway Performance six-pot calipers and vented and grooved discs. The rear end is also Jaguar, just from a more recent mode, the mid ’90s XJS. Indeed, the entire rear subframe has been bolted to the XJC, meaning it now sports an LSD, wheel speed sensors, vented discs and better suspension, at a stroke improving the overall handling ability of this big cat.
There’s been a huge amount of change wrought over the course of this particular project, but one aspect has stayed largely the same throughout, the wheels. The owner suggested at the very beginning that he thought a set of American Racing VN500s would suit the car, and though we discussed the possibility of swapping them for something else several times, they just couldn’t be topped, particularly in the staggered 8x17in and 9x17in fitment shown.
As with many of our most popular projects, this XJC is one which really does reward those who take the time to stop and really draw it all in. Many of the subtler touches, the grilles, bumpers and the manner in which the re-worked powered windows operate, these details aren’t likely to be noticed by those not themselves involved in the classic Jag fraternity, making it all the more pleasing when they are commented upon. The result of all this custom work is a project which must rank among the most effective in the history of Retropower, a sure fire crowd pleaser and (in our humble opinion of course), the ultimate tribute to one of the most charismatic cars ever signed off by the design legends at Browns Lane.
