Jaguar XKE Project
Article by Mark Trotta
Every now and again, car guys will venture out of their comfort zone and look for something unique and challenging.
Such was the case with me in 2007, when I temporarily left my comfort zone of Fords, Chevys, and Pontiacs, and bought a non-running, 39 year-old British sports car.
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From the single picture posted on the internet ad, this 1968 Jaguar XKE looked clean, a blue-on-blue roadster with original factory air-conditioning and wire wheels.
It's important to note that my wife was excited about the car, too. She was the one who spotted the ad and told me about it.
When we called the seller, he said he'd already received dozens of calls, mostly from out-of-state, but since we were closest in distance it was offered to us first.
With directions in hand, I hopped into my truck and arrived at the address several hours later.
Upon arrival, I was immediately impressed with the Jag's condition; the body was straight and rust-free (!) and still had the original paint. No dents, a few minor scratches, and perfect blue-leather seats.
Everything looked intact, but the car hadn't run in 13 years. My gut feeling was that it just needed some TLC.
Up to this point, I had no previous experience with British cars, but decided to take a chance and make the purchase.
Several factors contributed to the decision.
First, it had been stored in a clean, organized garage in a beautiful upscale house. Second, the seller was friendly and informative, and genuinely concerned about the car.
Of course, there was no guarantee that the engine would run, but I had a good feeling about the car. The Jag was purchased and trailered home.
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Carburetor Rebuild
When an old car sits for a long time, any gasoline left in the carbs will eventually turn to varnish. I began the XKE project by disassembling, cleaning, and rebuilding the two Zenith-Strombergs.
It's nice to have a second carburetor to use as a reference as you're disassembling the other.
Read: Zenith-Stromberg Carb Rebuild
Fuel System
After disconnecting from the motor, the fuel lines were blown out with compressed air from the rear of the car forward. The electric fuel pump (which mounts in the trunk) was replaced with a new unit.
For extra measure, an in-line gas filter was installed.
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Electrical Troubleshooting
With a fully charged battery, cranking the motor revealed no spark at the spark plugs. A session of electrical troubleshooting found the no-spark problem - a defective aftermarket electronic ignition unit someone had "upgraded" the car to.
Re-installing stock points and condenser solved the no-spark problem. The motor was now getting spark and fuel.
NOTE: All 4.2 litre models were negative ground. Some of the early 4.2L cars had a warning plate, stating that the car was negative ground.
Changing Oil and Filter
After draining the engine oil, the oil filter canister was removed and the cartridge replaced. A center bolt holds the cover onto an O-ring in a groove.
Spark plugs were removed from the cylinder head and oil was poured into each of the spark plug holes. The oil was given time to drain down through the engine and out the oil pan.
After reinstalling the drain plug, the engine was refilled with 20/50 Castrol GTX.
Oil capacity on 4.2L E-types is about eight quarts.
Check Timing
After removing the rocker covers, valve timing was checked and new gaskets installed. Both camshafts were inspected for wear and looked fine.
Starting The Engine
Nine months after the Jag was brought home, it was ready to be fired up. I pulled out the choke cable and turned the key. The engine sputtered. After the third try, the motor came to life.
I did not keep this car very long. Truth be told, I didn't like to drive it. Being six-feet tall, it was an uncomfortable car for me. And my feet were too big to work the pedals with any sort of grace.
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Jaguar XKE History
Introduced in 1961, the Jaguar E-Type was designed by aerodynamics engineer Malcolm Sayer. It was a huge sales success, with the majority of cars shipped to America, where they were sold as the Jaguar XKE.
Aside from the engine and transmission, the XKE was a completely new car.
Jaguar XKE Series 1
The original XKE was offered in two models, an open-air roadster and fastback coupe, the former featuring a side-opening rear hatch. Glass-covered headlights were neatly tucked into the fenders. The front-opening hood curves slowly down to the small oval air intake.
With an original sticker price of $5,595, the XKE was slightly more expensive than a Corvette, and half the price of a Ferrari.
Series 1-1/2
During 1967/68, the transitional Series 1-1/2 cars were brought about to comply with U.S. safety regulations. The biggest exterior change was the loss of the original glass-covered head lamps, to a more upright and exposed style.
Under the hood, dual electric fans were added to help cooling.
The original smooth polished dual cam covers were now ribbed and painted.
Series 2 (1968-1971)
From the front, Series-2 E-types are recognized by a larger grille opening and re-positioned front signal-lamps.
Larger tail-lamps sat under the rear wrap-around bumper. Brakes were upgraded, and radial tires would become standard equipment.
Interior changes included dash-mounted toggle switches replaced with "safer" rockers. Air conditioning and power steering were available as options.
Series 3 (1971-1975)
In trying to meet North American emission standards, as well as keeping up with rivals like Porsche 911 and Chevy Corvette, Jaguar upgraded the XKE with a V-12 engine in 1971. At that time, only Ferrari and Lamborghini were offering 12-cylinder production cars.
Flared wheel arches, wider tires, and cross-slatted front grille identify the Series-3 XKE. Two versions were offered, the 2+2 coupe and the roadster. Both models were built on the 2+2 chassis, necessary to accommodate the longer twelve-cylinder engine.
Bigger, vented brakes were added, and power steering became standard. Options included automatic transmission, leather interior, and air conditioning.
Although the new motor was only three inches longer than the 4.2 litre six, it was significantly wider. Two pairs of Zenith-Stromberg carburetors helped the single-overhead cam V-12 produce 272-horsepower. Despite the car's 3,380 pounds, it was still quite fast. 0-60 mph times of the day were clocked at 7.5 seconds.
Like all big-engine cars of the mid-seventies, sales went down as gas prices went up.
Jaguar Series 3 models were last of the original E-types.
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Notes and Misc
Jaguar XKE bodies are partially unitized, and each panel functions both for appearance and support. Places to check for rust are under the rear fenders, along the sills, under the spare tire, and under the carpets.
All XKE's have 4-wheel discs, and the rear ones are inboard. This means any major work to the rear brakes requires lowering the rear axle.
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