RichardKs wanderings: There's a Serk, live! In its sink lair - see, five!

[RichardK]

Insured, taxed, going for a spin.

20 mile round trip - suspension: wafty, headlights: working but man I am spoiled by modern LED ones, heater: hot, weather: hot, brakes: not broken, steering: not too vague, not too sharp, radio: lovely, heated seats: working, gearbox: kicks down and lets the remaining ones of the 240 horses work, idling after run: no leaks, atmosphere in car: serene, conclusion:

Wish I’d had the motivation to fix this sooner.

[RichardK]

Another drive though storms and sunshine.

What’s that in the background?

Stats:

Still feels good and behaving. Suspension has some wear/wobbles but it’s doing well for the age.

[RichardK]

Keeps raining so I can’t clay bar and polish to get the sorbet-look paint over yet.

But look at the clean wheels!

[RichardK]

[RichardK]

BMW neglected?

Took the dashboard apart to fix the wonky glovebox. The glovebox light had been bodged. Why are people?

[RichardK]

[Matty]

There'll come a day when people are bemoaning the fact that these aren't cheap anymore. Absloutly lovely that pal 👍

[RichardK]

On 7/9/2021 at 9:03 PM, Matty said:

There'll come a day when people are bemoaning the fact that these aren't cheap anymore. Absloutly lovely that pal 👍

I must admit, I am leaning towards just keeping it, letting finances recover somewhat, and then getting the undertrays and AC sorted out. The engine feels in fine health, as does the gearbox.

Reckon four new tyres and an alignment would do it the world of good, too.

[RichardK]

My new work car is doing all the heavy lifting:

So the Jaguar and BMW have been a little sidelined. Not free of developments though…

I took the Jaguar to test some products at work, so it’s getting claybarred, and I noticed the central locking being annoying - drivers and nearside rear door don’t appear to be playing ball and with it, the total closure on the driver’s window is also being irksome.

Now the solenoids are a common issue, but so is door wiring loom failure. I’ll be sorting that out next week then…

I’ve also found out the number plate lights don’t need the plastic boot trim removing, only the chrome strip, so fitting new ones. That will help a lot.

The BMW’s dashcam is getting properly wired in and then I’m going to look into replacing all the brake flexis - it is the sort of age where they degrade and I don’t think the brakes are as good as they could be. The Mazda will be getting the same attention.

Given the relative lack of interest in the Jaguar I’m considering putting it in for an early MOT and if it passes, rewarding it with my other private plate and a proper XJ-sized rear plate. It is a very easy car to like, and last time I drove it I was less gentle and made it work a bit harder, and gearbox, brakes and steering felt better for it.

[colino]

Jaguar door handles have been a problem since the XJ40.  Underdesigned crap and when people try to lift the big door by the feeble handle, they do develop a bit of wear.  I always WD40 anywhere into the lock with the door open and lift and move the door handle and squirt some more from the outside too.  That usually fixes weird remote locking or alarm problems.  (One of the mechanisms will be sticking so the car doesn't think it should lock/unlock).  While looms can be an issue, go for the free fix first.

[RichardK]

[Six-cylinder]

9 hours ago, RichardK said:

I still can't help feeling the modern one is a rendering for a cartoon character with an over inflated ego.

[RichardK]

THE JAGUAR IS GETTING ATTENTION!

It’s been used a fair bit - put a full tank of fuel in it (super of course) and it is proving a fine, if sometimes flawed bus (headlight won’t dry out and the door locks are annoying - plus front undertray and AC woes of course).

So the lack of rear numberplate light lenses/lights and the generally grotty state of them is being sorted. Two brand new assemblies from SNG and a new electronic boot lock button, then the area behind the chrome trim will be cleaned, waxed and generally tidied.

I’m going to assume the scorched bulb holders are down to resistance from corroded contacts rather than lights being too hot.

Look at the scratch marks from some previous muppet not looking up how the lights are fitted. Lucky they didn’t break the chrome/plastic trim off the boot!

 

[RichardK]

I review things on Amazon and had a glut of LED lights - which appeared to be a pig to fit but actually, they’re easy because the collars detach.

These lights are about £15 a pair which is less, I think, than Halfords charges for a pair of uprated halogens.

So now the Jaguar is so bright I gotta wear shades…

I’ve also clay barred the tail and leading edge of the boot including brushing the seam and cleaning all the edges, then polishing with three coats of Autoglym. Going to investigate ceramic coating the bootlid and chrome strip… pictures to follow when all the parts are here.

Right now the dipped beams swamp the mains (cutoff is correct but the mains are just feeble) but I have another set of H7s on the way.

[RichardK]

(I got some H4s too…)

[uk_senator]

1 hour ago, RichardK said:

(I got some H4s too…)

I put some H4 LED`s in my Uno`s about a year back, they`ve been fine, till recently, one of them just wont grip the "H4 ring" properly all of a sudden & keeps sliding out, which is irritating, & occasionally blinding to oncoming drivers, so needs sorting ASAP. 

[RichardK]

14 minutes ago, uk_senator said:

I put some H4 LED`s in my Uno`s about a year back, they`ve been fine, till recently, one of them just wont grip the "H4 ring" properly all of a sudden & keeps sliding out, which is irritating, & occasionally blinding to oncoming drivers, so needs sorting ASAP. 

These are bayonet with adjustable clicks - feel very solid. Won’t get much of a road test for a while, mind!

[RichardK]

T-Cut.

[RichardK]

More lighting.

Considering using the orange ones in the number plate lights as I always find the white number plate lights a little harsh.

Guess which sidelight holder is being a PITA.

[RichardK]

Considered going for the American feel

[Noel Tidybeard]

On 26/08/2021 at 20:55, RichardK said:

I review things on Amazon and had a glut of LED lights - which appeared to be a pig to fit but actually, they’re easy because the collars detach.

These lights are about £15 a pair which is less, I think, than Halfords charges for a pair of uprated halogens.

So now the Jaguar is so bright I gotta wear shades…

I’ve also clay barred the tail and leading edge of the boot including brushing the seam and cleaning all the edges, then polishing with three coats of Autoglym. Going to investigate ceramic coating the bootlid and chrome strip… pictures to follow when all the parts are here.

Right now the dipped beams swamp the mains (cutoff is correct but the mains are just feeble) but I have another set of H7s on the way.

*cough* if some H1s become surplus or need testing in a main beam environment i may* be able to help 😁

[RichardK]

7 hours ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

*cough* if some H1s become surplus or need testing in a main beam environment i may* be able to help 😁

I'm never fast enough to get the H1s!

[RichardK]

Well, the lamp housings didn’t show up,  but one bit done at least…

[RichardK]

Out and about. H3 LED bulbs are too big to reassemble the light with them fitted, but I want yellow ones anyway.

 

[RichardK]

Today in LED all the things…

Jaguar didn’t like LED reversing lights so they went in the BMW

(The BMW will also get those foglights, I’m a big fan of yellow for fog - genuinely makes it easier for me)

[RichardK]

Little details that make me happy. I can’t remember if I shared the complete mess this was before…

[RichardK]

Jag update:

Drove to Peterborough to swap cars on the way to Heathrow; XJ6 so smooth on most of the drive that I was tempted to use it for the whole trip. Brakes are sticking, though - by Peterborough it was on ful pull-and-wobble phase.

So next job: new EBC discs & pads and clean up the calipers.

I guess I'm not going to end up selling this thing after all...

[RichardK]

Debating buying a private plate for this beast. If anyone was interested in buying now is the time to be serious, ‘cause the moment it has a 5-digit number and XJ-shaped rear plate it is here for the long haul…

[RichardK]

BMW got some attention too

[RichardK]

Non-car:

(I do love ‘my’ Hilux)