My S Type

Jim Elston · January 5, 2018

My S Type at Carisbrooke Castle. My other half got me the reproduction AA badge, which I think looks lovely and sets the car off nicely. The car herself is proving to be absolutely wonderful, we have done quite a bit and all that is left is a sensible solution to the droopy headlining...We all know how good the S type is, so I won't belabour the point, but this is everything I wanted! Love it to pieces!

Russ68 · January 5, 2018

Well done Jim, surprised we've not run in to each other on the Island! Reckon a leaper will set her off even better, our X200's have the hole needed to mount them under the badge, and you can get a good one for c£20 and no danger of getting the position wrong, which I've seen a few do with later ones

Jim Elston · January 5, 2018

You've got me thinking there....

Russ68 · January 5, 2018

Yup, pretty easy job except the adhesive that held the badge on is a bit of a bugger to remove entirely, well worth it though, leapers from eBay.

Lots of previous chat about leapers, IMO it's a shame not to on the X200 as they already have the mounting hole and look great!

Old Peter · January 5, 2018

My S Type a Robin Hoods Bay near Scarborough last October.

Jim Elston · January 5, 2018

The Leapers I have seen seem to have a guide pin as well as the threaded fitting, does the hole for that need drilling or is it already there? Thanks for the help!

Jim.

Jim Elston · January 5, 2018

Gorgeous looking car Peter, thinking of the mesh grill as well....

Old Peter · January 6, 2018

I like to look after my cars,Jim,

which is why it is now sitting on the drive after fitting a new battery terminal after park brake fault come up. It has now changed to "Cannot apply park Brake" while I was charging the batter.

There might be an AA man coming to admire my AA Badge, inter alia.

Peter

Old Peter · January 6, 2018

AA man not needed -- A fully charged battery fixed the problem!

Peter.

Lazlo Woodbine · January 6, 2018

The headlining can be taken out through the front passenger door if both front seats are fully reclined. All the pillar trims and both sun visors have to come out first. There are several wires that have to be disconnected, one of which has a plug hidden under the parcel shelf somewhere.

Two people can do it, unless you have a sunroof. In which case I'd say a third person would make it safer as the lining can fold at the cut out just under its own weight.

Then some spray adhesive and very careful pressing down of the fabric onto the board should have it fixed.

Jim Elston · January 11, 2018

Thank you Lazlo, I was told it had to come out through the front screen...

Jim Elston · January 12, 2018

Oh dear, I may have accidentally ordered a mesh grill and leaper...I was going to leave her absolutely standard but the previous owner added chrome headlight and rear light trims and after seeing Peter's car...

ChrisJ · January 17, 2018

Heres mine.

She's just sailed through MOT - needed two front tyres!!!

Jim Elston · January 18, 2018

Well, the accidently ordered bits arrived...Firstly the leaper. I don't think I have ever come across such a divisive issue. I guess it is about 50/50 for and against. At first I was inclined to be "leave it as it left Castle Bromwich..." My own research though was that the S type obtained type approval without the leaper because it is not compliant in some markets. It was offered as a dealer fit option in the UK and the leaper I bought was a genuine Jaguar part. On the cars the pre 2003(?) bonnet was pre drilled for the leaper. It was a factory option for the U.S. The spring loaded leaper complies with all legislation at the time of the car's registration. Do I like it on my car? Yes! It is perfectly feasible that my car could have been supplied from the dealer with this fitted.

The Grille. This is not standard and could not have been supplied new. This grille was supplied by Adamesh. Brilliant product, great service. I succumbed. I was knocked out by the picture of Peter's S type (We had the same AA badge!) Peter's is a later model and would have had the mesh grille, but I really liked the look I am thrilled with the difference it has made to the appearance of my S type.

Jim Elston · January 18, 2018

Very nice looking car. There were some kits to make the bars on the original grille chrome but I couldn't find any so went with the mesh. The important thing is that these are our own cars so if we are happy then that is all that matters!

Carole Simpson-Hadley · January 18, 2018

12 minutes ago, Jim Elston said:

Very nice looking car. There were some kits to make the bars on the original grille chrome but I couldn't find any so went with the mesh. The important thing is that these are our own cars so if we are happy then that is all that matters!

Well said, Jim.

As MOH and I have said before, we fall firmly in the "as it left the factory" camp, most certainly with our XK. Our S left the factory with the mesh grille ('07 SE) and we are glad of that as we prefer it to the earlier type. Our XJ8 is similarly standard, with the exception of the addition now of a set of mudflaps (genuine Jaguar, of course!).

As an aside, we like your period window frames, but wouldn't fancy lying on the cobbles to fettle the underneath of the Jaguar!!

Happy growling

Jim Elston · January 18, 2018

The Cobbles are cold and slippery! I am lucky in having an excellent independent Jaguar Specialist nearby (St Helens Service Station) so I try not to get underneath too often..(Knees, back...)

Carole Simpson-Hadley · January 19, 2018

11 hours ago, R2e said:

I find myself wondering if Jaguar ever envisaged Welsh Funeral Director owners conveying the souls of the late departed in their Captain Cat? Perhaps if they had they'd have built in luxury plume mountings as an optional extra along with twin coal black anodised leapers to provide that extra bit of class in Llareggub when Jones the coal goes to meet his maker? I confess I only reached the heights of one of Mrs Ogmore-Pritchard's late husbands in amdram... Sadly, I can't recall if I was Ogmore or Pritchard. Sad isn't it? But by courtesy of a very good friend from Dolgellau, a native Welsh speaker, my accent was beyond reproach, no mean feat for a Scotsman (Och awa an bile yer heid bach)!

Now the, Ron, you have us thinking...............black anodised leapers, now there's a thought.

Reference your amdram antics.......Ogmore is by the sea, so if you played a bit of a salty character (which seems likely) then Ogmore you must have surely been. Watch out for the breakwater, particularly if older age gives rise to leakage when getting excited behind the wheel of the S.

Claude opened one eye and took a shufty at your latest posts; we thought trouble was afoot when his tail began that ominous low-rate flick but he has since settled down and gone back to his latest copy of "Hot Wheels". I'm not quite Welsh yet, although I am beginning to occasionally utter the odd "what's occurring", "where to are you", and "Alright MOH, how you doing, alright?". Maybe I've been watching too much Gavin & Stacey and could do with a visit to Barry's Island.

Off you go to polish your waterfall grille........bore dda isn't it (weren't we, don't you)