Operation money pit- buying an abandoned xj40? Talk me out of it please

[HMC]

For some reason I can't get this ropey, abandoned and nearby xj40 out of my head. It's a march 87 registration so one of the earliest left I would imagine (would be on a D plate if it didn't have the cover plate) and would benefit* from the early build and quality issues and have that digitastic dash the earlier ones had. I've done a quick screenshot of the ad.

I've checked and it's definitely a 3.6- the 3.2 only came along in 1990. I Suspect this could be a world of pain, but I'm still tempted. whadya recon?!

[MorrisItalSLX]

Go for it! and if it all goes tits up, break it up for bits.

[Tamworthbay]

RUN! And then run some more. A life of misery and poverty will surely ensue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So the AS thing to do is get it bought........

[danthecapriman]

It looks like a world of pain to me!

Still, anything can be fixed, at least in theory if you want to put the time and cash in to doing it.

If it's cheap enough you could buy it, evaluate its real condition once it's back home and if it is too far gone break it for spares to get your money back or maybe even a bit of profit?

The shell will always be sellable to the banger boys.

[Timewaster]

Only good for bits, and probably not that many bits.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Do you have a large workshop?

Do you have a large budget?

Do you have Sheffield nads?

[Zantimisfit]

Are you mental?

[Al Bundy]

66,000 =its just run in

not rotted out=no welding needed

mint interior

junkman approved gearbox

alloys

private plate

give it a wash,mot it and years of happy motoring

[eddyramrod]

Of course he's mental, he's on here isn't he?

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

Off the road 11 years - last MOT expired in 2006. I suppose it depends on how rusty it is, particularly underneath - and why it went off the road in the first place.

 

It is certainly an early one, they have a slightly different specification with different slightly taller wing mirrors, a different plenum cover which allows the wiper to disappear under the bonnet and on Sovereign and Daimler models a black panel between the rear lights. They are VERY rare now; just a handful of cars left.

 

This was probably made in 1987 - they are more desirable to buyers if they were made in 1986. There is a possibility it was made in 1986 though, since those very early Sovereigns had the full hub caps used on the Daimler models on the alloy wheels - as this one does. It could be that the alloy wheels were added later though, since they were not standard on the very early Sovereign. If it is an '86, some pre-production cars came with a black surround to the interior door handles, but I doubt it is one of those. It is most likely an early '87 build since there was a huge waiting list for the XJ40 when it came out with cars selling for many thousands over list price, so they didn't tend to hang around in showrooms.

 

Nevertheless it is a very early car and XJ40s are more sought after on a 'D' plate than anything else - so if you do get it take off the private 'plate!

Presuming it really is a low mileage car, I suspect the engine and general running gear will be OK, they do seem to tolerate periods of inaction. Brakes and electrical would worry me though.

 

It is down to the actual structural condition of the body. It might be terrible! - If luck is on your side, it might be surprisingly good. I'm pretty sure you know your way around the '40, but if you want me to write down where I would look and what I would look for, I will.

 

Personally, I suspect it is probably too rusty, but if it isn't then it is definitely worth saving this old rarity!

[egg]

Speak to RobT about knackered Jags...

[sierraman]

I’d have it to break. Stuff like this doesn’t tend to like being sitting for several years, you’d be looking at some serious wedge to get it back on the road, set of tyres alone you’d be looking at the wrong end of £300.

 

You can get a running one with prospect of seeing an MoT for not a lot.

 

I’d strip out anything saleable and stick the rest in the baler.

[RobT]

Speak to RobT about knackered Jags...

HMC has more form than me, I think he's had six XJ40s in the past. This one looks even worse than the one I had, and that's saying something!

[DodgeRover]

Even North Cornwall is a long way to go for a lot of racers to fetch a pretty average unlimited banger....so don't count on punting it on again quickly - if you aren't taking time and collecting into account then I guess it's worth £250?

 

If you have a trailer already and it's too far gone, see if they run a back2basics unlimited bangers locally and get your moneys worth that way.

 

Edit WHY is that reg number so familiar? I keep thinking landrover but I don't know why.

[chaseracer]

Is the track at St Day still open?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

It's probably scrap, but it's 100 quid.

 

BAM157H may have been on it from new, no record of a plate change. 

 

For a oner, it would probably be quite a good breaker  - you'll make 500-1000 from it if you're patient and can dismantle stuff. 

[Zantimisfit]

Of course he's mental, he's on here isn't he?

 

 

...a cogent and well crafted response. I withdraw my question.

[mk2_craig]

WHY is that reg number so familiar? I keep thinking landrover but I don't know why.

That fifty grand eBay BARGAIN mk2 Corrina?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The original 'BRW' press  cars have all gone now and were August '86. They'd be worth having.

 

That one appears to have good panels - the boot looks okay and good ones are rare.  I would avoid trying to MOT it as it will be a world of grief, but with 66k the running gear should be okay. I would buy it to break, but a clean up, some nice pics and shove it back on the bay for £78-800 quid as a project for some other nutter.*

[Skizzer]

I would buy it to break, but a clean up, some nice pics and shove it back on the bay for £78-800 quid as a project for Skizzer.

FTFY.

 

Be nice to save it, but it does sound like it might be a long way gone. Interested to hear about the structural state of it...

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

There are a couple of 'BRW' launch cars still about, but the other ones have all been scrapped.

[Sigmund Fraud]

I Suspect this could be a world of pain, but I'm still tempted. whadya recon?!

 

If you have plenty of spare time, plenty of spare cash, an empty workshop and are looking for something to tinker with for the next couple of years, go for it.

 

Otherwise scrape £1000 together and buy a late XJ40 or an early X300 that actually works and is road legal.

[Guest Hooli]

Save it, they are lovely cars.

 

Having said that I much prefer the later proper dash cars.

[richardthestag]

something in my likes early launch spec cars, I say if you have space go for it, cover it up and research its history. 

 

If it is any good, tidy it a little, present it well in photos and description and laugh all the way to the bank.

 

if it is a junker then part it out

 

If you dont have space to leave it then run like hell

[phil_lihp]

Funnily enough I was looking at this last night, it's been without an MOT since 2006ish so it's going to have issues of course, mine had been in constant but very limited use and needed a lot of work to be properly usable.

 

I'd guess at 4 new tyres, brake calipers, discs and pads all round, aux belt, alternator (they don't like being sat) and a lot of electrical gremlins. Then there's the rust, bit of a gamble but will break even in parts surely if it is too far gone.

 

If you do get it, let me know if you want a hand with it, it's not far from me and I miss mine!

[Bren]

There is a D plate 2.9 on ebay at the mo.Leather but povo engine.

[Guest Hooli]

Oh bet that's horrid. I had a 3.2 & it only had enough power.

[Six-cylinder]

Problem is heart say Buy, Buy, Buy.

 

Head says No, No, No.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

 

if it is a junker then part it out

 

 

 

 

Does that mean 'if it's too far gone, break it for spares'? 

 

Google translate is a bit slow today.

[Zelandeth]

Really depends on your situation, ability and what took the car off the road in the first place.

 

I've had a bit of limited experience with these as a friend and flatmate ran several of these and the later versions over several years.  The single biggest thing which would make me turn away isn't rust (unless it's catastrophic), it's that nothing for these cars is cheap.

 

Even assuming it's solid, was taken off the road for something trivial and easily sorted, and just needs the basics sorted out... it's still probably going to cost probably the best part of £750-1000 to get sorted out.  300 for tyres, brakes are easily a couple of hundred again (don't forget the funny drum-in-disc handbrake), and you can easily blow another couple of hundred on sundry parts for this sort of motor.  That's assuming the alternator is okay (are these the ones with the water pump built into the back of it or am I thinking of something else?), and that the heater circulator pump hadn't failed as they were a pain to get hold of when we were last looking for one.  It's old enough that a shed load of rubber bushes are probably going to need attention... let's not forget the IRS suspension setup at the rear isn't exactly simple either.

 

On the other hand, if the body is good, you've deep pockets and a healthy dose of patience (especially that!), and you really want it...go for it!

 

They're lovely things to drive when working well, but can be a royal swine to work on.  The usual mantra I've found is that before doing anything, you first need to take at least half the car apart...every job in the engine bay I got roped into resulted in many scraped, bashed and bleeding knuckles from not quite being able to get at anything.

 

They are also biblically thirsty, especially around town.

 

If I had the space and the cash though I'd definitely have one though.  They're a lovely drive and will be well specced for the time in Sovereign trim...