1993 XJS CONVERTIBLE 4.0 LITRE

1ST AUGUST 2026 (01/08/2026)

THE HANDBRAKE PROJECT IS MOVING ALONG. AFTER THE SCANNING AND 3D MODELLING

OF THE COMPONENTS, WE RE-ASSEMBLED THE HUB / CALIPER / BRAKE SHROUD ASSEMBLIES.

IN ORDER TO CARRY OUT A 'DRY FIT' . FOR SIMPLICITY, WE'D HOPED TO BE ABLE TO CREATE

AN EXTENSION BRACKET TO MARRY UP TO THE CONVENTIONAL BRAKE CALIPER BRACKET, AND

MOUNT THE NEW HANDBRAKE CALIPER ADJACENT TO IT. BUT THE HANDBRAKE CALIPER FOULED

ON THE SUSPENSION CAGE, SO WE TRIED ATTACHING THE HANDBRAKE CALIPER TO THE OPPOSITE

SIDE OF THE HUB. WE THEN JACKED THE CAR UP WHILST RATCHETING DOWN THE BODY TO

MIMIC ROAD TRAVEL ON THE SUSPENSION, THEN MOVED THE CALIPER TO THE AREA WHERE WE HAD

THE MOST CLEARANCE - WE SEEMED TO HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM NOW.

                    OUR TIG WELDING ASSOCIATE , WHO HAS VAST EXPERIENCE, WAS CONSULTATED TO MAKE

SURE HE WAS HAPPY TO WELD TO THE NEW LOCATION - AND HE CONFIRMED THAT HE WAS. AT THIS

POINT, WE CUT A SECTION OUT OF THE BRAKE SHROUD, CORRESPONDING TO THE NEW CALIPER

LOCATION. OUR WELDER ALSO POINTED OUT THAT - DUE TO THE ENORMOUS HEAT INVOLVED IN TIG

WELDING, THE NEW HUB BEARING COULD BECOME SEIZED. SO, NOW IN THE PROCESS OF DISMANTLING

THE HUB/DISC/SHROUD ASSEMBLIES FOLLOWING THE DRY FIT - TO ISOLATE THE HUBS - AND PRESSING

BEARINGS BACK OUT AS INSTRUCTED.

                        THE BARE HUB'S NEXT STOP IS AT THE CNC ENGINEERING SHOP FOR BESPOKE 

BILLET ALUMINIUM BRACKET MAKING. FOLLOWING THIS , THE TIG WELDING CAN TAKE PLACE, AND

THE HUBS WILL THEN BE RETURNED TO THE ENGINEERS FOLLOWING THIS TO HAVE THREADS INSERTED.

AT THAT POINT, WE CAN REASSEMBLE THE HUBS, PUT BEARINGS BACK IN AND BUILD BACK UP WITH

BOTH SETS OF CALIPERS ATTACHED THIS TIME , WHICH SHOULD LOOK QUITE IMPRESSIVE  ! 

BLASTING INNER EDGES OF WHEEL ARCH LIP (14/05/2026)

THE BLASTING FOCUSSED MAINLY ON FLOOR SECTIONS , ESPECIALLY AROUND 

SEAT BELT AND JACKING MOUNTS, BUT ALSO CONCENTRATED ON THE WHEEL ARCHES.

OUR BLASTER WAS ABLE TO CONTAIN THE BLAST MEDIA TO FOCUS ON MOSTLY THE

INNER EDGES. THE RUST CLEANED OF THESE AREAS VERY NICELY, AND NO HOLES 

WERE FOUND. 

JUNE 2026 (30/11/-0001)

WELDING NEAR COMPLETION. FOUND SOME MORE AREAS IN SILL ENDS, FLOOR

EDGES AND REAR CHASSIS AREAS ETC. NOW HAVE SHOCKS FITTED, AND BOTH

HUBS COMPLETELY REBUILT WITH NEW BEARINGS. RADIUS ARMS HAVE BOTH

BEEN REFURBISHED AND NEW BUSHES FITTED. 

FLOORS, SILLS, RADIUS ARMS, DRIVESHARFTS (30/11/-0001)

RUST IN FLOORS DRAWING TO A CLOSE, BUT THEN FOUND MORE IN SILL

ENDS, PLUS N/S REAR CHASSIS LEG, AND UNDER RADIUS ARMS. RADIUS

ARMS THEMSELVES REMOVED TO BE DE-RUSTED, AND TO HAVE NEW 

BUSHES PRESSED IN. THE REAR HUB BEARINGS ARE TO BE REPLACED, 

AND DRIVE-SHAFTS STRIPPED, RUST REMOVED, AND NEW UJ'S THEN A

FINAL REPAINT. 

JUNE 17TH 2026 (30/11/-0001)

QUITE A FEW UPDATES SINCE THE LAST REPORT. THE FUEL LINES WERE BARE

METALLED WHERE ACCESSIBLE AND PAINTED. ALL WELDING NOW COMPLETE.

NEW SECTIONS SEAM SEALED AND PAINTED. WILL BE WAXOYLED ONCE OTHER

WORKS COMPLETE. IN DISCUSSION WITH CUSTOMER ABOUT THE POSSIBILTY

OF FITTING AN ELECTRIC HANDBRAKE - QUITE A COMPLEX TASK . THE REPAIRED

SILL AREA NOW FILLED , AND NEW SWAGE LINES CUT BACK IN. CAR NOW NEEDS

EITHER PARTIAL OR COMPLETE RESPRAY - TBA. SPRING CUPS VERY RUSTY - NOW

CLEANED UP AND REPAINTED. SKI SLOPE / UPPER TRANS TUNNEL REMOVED - TO

ACCESS GEARBOX REMOTE RUBBERS - THESE WERE QUITE PERISHED, AND SEVERAL

SHIMS MISSING. CHANGED GEARBOX OIL. NEW CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER FITTED. 

NEW IDENTICAL CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDERS NO LONGER AVAILABLE - SO REPLACED

WITH A SIMILAR ITEM THAT NEEDED A CHANGE TO METRIC PIPEWORK AT THE SAME

TIME. FIT NEW EXPANSION CAP. REMOVE AND REPLACE NEW FRONT AND REAR SHOCKS.

REPLACE FUEL FILTER. FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS HAD NEW LOCKWIRE FITTED. 

OUR CUSTOMER MENTIONED THAT THE GLOVE BOX FILLED WITH RAIN WATER DURING

BAD WEATHER ! THE SCUTTLE SEAL WAS MISSING - HAVE REPAIRED THIS. WILL TEST

WITH HOAE TO ESTABLISH - IF THE CAR  STILL LEAKS - WHETER THE FRONT SCREEN 

NEEDS TO BE REMOVED AND FURTHER SCUTTLE REPAIR WORK CARRIED OUT.  DIFF OIL

CHANGED.   

MORE WELDING BELOW, CLEAN / REPLACE FUEL PIPES (30/11/-0001)

THE RUST IN THE FLOOR PANS BEING REMOVED, CUTTING RECTANGULAR SECTIONS

OUT AND DUPLICATING PROFILES FROM SHEET STEEL, THEN SEAM WELDING IN PLACE

AND FOLLOWING UP WITH SEAM SEALER AROUND ALL JOINTS.

MORE RUST FOUND IN SOME SILL AREAS TOO - NOW REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH

FRESH METAL.   BOTH DRIVE SHAFTS HAD BEARINGS PRESSED OUT, WERE THEN BARE-

METALLED, AND FINALLY REPAINTED. NEXT STAGE IS TO PRESS IN NEW UJ's 

BUMP STOPS (30/11/-0001)

AND FRONT DROP LINKS NOW BEING FITTED.

FUEL PIPES (30/11/-0001)

THE FUEL PIPES AROUND THE FLOOR EDGE AREAS WERE QUITE RUSTY. WE

BARE METALLED AS MUCH OF THIS AREA AS IS ACCESSIBLE. ONE OF THE FUEL

LINES WAS BADLY CORRODED - SO REPLACED THIS SINGLE SECTION.

ROAD TEST LATE JUNE 2026 (30/11/-0001)

WE WANTED TO CARRY OUT A SHORT ROAD TEST.  BUT QUITE A FEW MORE JOBS NEEDED TO

BE CARRIED OUT. 

NEW FRONT SPRINGS , TO COMPLETE NOW A FULL FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION CHANGE. BLEED BRAKES AND CLUTCH, AND UPGRADE FLUID TO BREMBO DOT 5.1 - MUCH HIGHER BOILING POINT. NEW UJ'S IN

REAR DRIVESHAFTS, NEW HUB BEARINGS FITTED, GEARBOX OIL UPGRADED TO REDLINE MT75 -

A VERY HIGH QUALITY PRODUCT.  RUST REPAIRS ALL SEAM SEALED AND PAINTED. WILL BE WAXOYLED, THEN LANOGUARDED FOR ULTIMATE PROTECTION.

, NEW ABS SENSOR, NEW DISTRIBUTOR CAP AND ROTOR ARM. FUEL LINES REPAINTED.

FRONT BRAKES RE LOCK WIRED. NEW FUEL FILTER. GOING TO FIT A FULLY ELECTRIC HANDBRAKE

SYSTEM USING TOP NOTCH WILWOOD CALIPERS AND VENTED RER DISCS - AN INTERESTING AND

EXCITING UPGRADE. THE CAR DROVE WELL ON ITS TEST. WE WANT TO GO FOR A LONGER TEST

ONCE THE ARCHES ETC PAINTED, BUT GEAR CHANGE MUCH SMOOTHER, AND HANDLING MUCH 

MORE COMPOSED.  

PASSENGER FLOOR SEAT ECU COVER HAD A ROTTED FRONT EDGE. COULDNT FIND A GOOD USED PANEL

ONLINE - THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE, SO FABRICATED A NEW LEADING EDGE TO REPAIR THE OLD ONE. 

17TH JULY 2026 (30/11/-0001)

THE ELECTRONIC HANDBRAKE KIT HAS ARRIVED FROM WILWOOD.

IT'S A SOPHISTICATED LOOKING PRODUCT, WITH A LARGE SET OF

INSTRUCTIONS AND WIRING LOOM ETC. SOME STAFF HOLIDAYS

ARE LOOMING, NOW TRYING TO FIT IN A GOOD TIME TO REMOVE THE

STD CALIPERS AND BRACKETS, 'ASSEMBLE' THEM ALONGSIDE A WHEEL,

HUB AND DRIVESHAFT, SUCH THAT OUR CAD DESIGN GUY CAN MEASURE

AND SCAN EVERYTHING, IN ORDER TO PRODUCE A PLASTIC MOUNT FOR

THESE NEW CALIPERS, WHICH CAN THEN BE FORMED IN BILLET ALUMINIUM

ONCE ITS BEEN TESTED - IN TERMS OF BEING A PERFECT FIT. 

AUGUST 7TH 2026 (30/11/-0001)

THE REAR LISTER BUMPER WAS RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD TO FIT,

BUT THE FRONT ONE HAS NEEDED QUITE A FEW MODS. WE MADE A NEW TOP

EDGE, THEN CUT OUT THE CENTRE OF THE BUMPER IN ORDER TO MAKE IT 

FIR BETTER AND MAKE IT NARROWER. THEN FIXED TEMPORARY CLAMPS WHILE

THE FRESH RESIN AND MATTING CURED IN-SITU.  THEN PROCEEDED TO ADD

MORE LAYERS IN ORDER TO MAKE A SOLID REPAIR. 

JULY 10TH 2026 (30/11/-0001)

AFTER WELDING IN PHONE AERIAL HOLE, THEN PRIMING, AND

PAINTING THE LOWER SILLS AND ARCH EDGES IN RAPTOR, THE

PAINT WAS BLENDED INTO REMAINING ODYWORK. AFTER A FLAT

AND POLISH OF OLD PAINT, THE RESULTS QUITE PLEASING - HARD

TO SPOT ANY COLOUR DIFFENCES, ALTHOUGH BONNET LOOKS A

TAD ORANGE COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE PAINTWORK. 

JULY 02/03 2026 (30/11/-0001)

RAPTOR MIXED INTO PAINT WITH A FINE BLEND SO IT MAKES IT ALMOS

UN-NOTICEABLE. REMASKED THESE AREAS , THEN THE SIGNAL RED 

BLEND COATS ARE APPLIED, FOLLOWED BY LACQUER. AS ALWAYS WITH

PAINTWORK, THE PREPARATION IS 90 % OF THE JOB, ACTUAL PAINTING

ONLY 10 %.

JULY 2026 (30/11/-0001)

THE BODY AND FILLER WORK COMPLETED, WITH THE PHONE AERIAL NOW DELETED,

TIME TO MOVE ON TO PAINWORK. PAINT USED IS SOLVENT BASE COAT, FOLLOWED BY

TWOPACK CLEAR COAT LACQUER, BOTH FOR DURABILITY. 

NOW AT THE INITIAL MASKING STAGE. THE LOWER SECTION OF SILLS TO BE A PAINT AND

RAPTOR BLEND FOR EXTRA TOUGHNESS, DITTO FOR THE WHEEL ARCH EDGES, THEN 

THE PAINT BLENDED AWAY FROM THESE AREA INTO WINGS ETC , TO AVOID AN ABRUPT

CHANGE IN COLOUR - RED IS PRONE TO FADING OVER TIME, AND A TRICKY COLOUR TO 

BLEND INTO.  

JULY 02 2026 (30/11/-0001)

THE FIRST STAGE MASKING IS DONE, AND THE PAINT/RAPTOR MIX CAN BE

APPLIED TO LOWER SILLS AND ARCHES.

GENERAL SERVICING, SANDBLASING, WELDING (30/11/-0001)

QUITE A BIT OF RUST EVIDENT IN GENERAL APPRAISAL AT THE START OF

THE PROJECT IN APRIL. WAS DECIDED THE BEST APPROACH WAS TO GET

SOME TARGETTED SAND BLASTING, TO HELP FULLY EXPOSE THESE PROBLEM

AREAS.  ALSO, A CATCH-UP ON ROUTINE SERVICING NEEDED. TIRED SHOCKS

AND SPRINGS, CLUTCH FLUID ESPECIALLY VERY DECAYED, AND GENERAL 

LUBRICANTS TO GEARBOX, DIFF ETC DUE FOR A CHANGE.