Miss Kitty - 1965 Jaguar S-Type 3.8 RHD

[cass3958]

Great to see it like this after so long in the doing. Great job but a couple of questions. Only because I did this and I can see they have not.
The scuttle vent has been left in place so are they removing this to spray inside? If they removed the scuttle vent they could then remove the vacuum operated switch on the bulkhead to spray behind that and it would give you a chance to polish the switch which comes up nicely. They could also change the vent rubber seal.
The solenoid cover is also in place?.
Lastly they have left the door kickers in place. ie the part that the door closes in to on the chassis. Again why have they done this and with the effort you are putting in these four kickers and the door closers would look great anodised.
Other than those minor points it is great that you have stripped it bare. Too many people respray a car with the engine and gearbox in place or with the doors on so you can't get in behind them to do a good job. Or they change the outer colour and you open a door or bonnet and see the old colour staring at you. Or they hide filler and fiberglass behind new paint work.
Well done Joe in preserving another great S Type. There is another 50 years and more in yours now.

[DevilDog]

Rob,
Thanks. The scuttle vent, solenoid cover, and vacuum will be coming off. I have the new rubber for it. As far as the door kickers......I have a call into the shop to discuss. Thanks for pointing these things out to me. I am a rookie and this is my first restoration. Take care.

[NigelW]

Looking good Joe, you have my respect to choose such a complicated car as an S Type for a first restoration as most people would cut their teeth on something much more simple first. Looking forward to further instalments.

[DevilDog]

[DevilDog]

What a pain in the ____ trying to get the old radius arm bushes out. Took most of the day. Finally had to take an air hammer and chisel them out. The big one was really worn down and we could not tell how to install the new big bush. Here is a pic of the bush. Does this side showing in the photo point to the underside of the car or the ground?

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[cass3958]

When I removed mine I had to hacksaw through the metal outer part of the bush and then get a chisel on to it to bend it in and release the outer section from the radius arm. You cannot get a press on the outer section of the bush to press it out because of the metal rim in the radius arm that the bush is pushed up against. I needed a press to get the new one back in.
Putting it back together was obvious when I put mine back in. The smaller hole you have in your photo goes towards the ground and the side of the bush with the larger hole goes to the car and against the rim in the radius arm that stops you pressing it out. I have attached a photo of my radius arms when I had to replace the bushes last year.
You do have to line the holes in the rubber bush up. I think they went side to side as opposed to front to rear unlike the ones in the photo. I think Nigel knows more.

[DevilDog]

Thanks so much....my original holes go front to rear. As you can see, the center of my bushes are all gone. That is why I could not tell which way to put the new ones in.

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[NigelW]

Originally the holes are front to rear but if you wamt to tighten up the rear end then the convention for racing Jaguars is across the arm. I have across the arm on both the S Type and the XJ.

[DevilDog]

Thanks.....one in and other tomorrow.

[DevilDog]

Miss Kitty's front suspension is 99% complete. Just a few missing parts. Wheels were painted in the same color as the car: Opalescent Dark Green. She is on the trailer and ready to go to the shop. Waiting for the car to be finished with her paint job.

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