XKSS Jaguar

Martin,
Many thanks for the tips on the problems you encountered - I've printed out your reply and stuck it in the box for future reference.
Yes, I'm a bit of an MG enthusiast - yup - "Safety Fast" was an MG advertising campaign slogan many years ago - I've got a 1971 MGB GT - in bits at the moment as it was disassembled by the previous owner in preparation for a total restoration. I've got a jigsaw puzzle in my garage. Can't wait to eventually drive it.
So you've got a 3.5L V8 MG? Cool - that motor is a good unit - I was surprised to find that the entire alloy V8 was actually lighter than the cast iron 4 cylinder. I love the lines of the GT......
I have to join the MG club here - they can give me the lowdown on the V8 MG - and what differences there are in the engine bay and if a 4 cylinder car can be converted to a V8 - I'd like to see what a little car like a GT would do with that motor - man, that 1966 Mkll went hard - imagine that power in an MGB. I've got a lot of experience with that V8 engine - my father in law and I took one of them out of an SD1 Rover, rebuilt it and stuck it in his 1966 Daimler 250V8. Went like a scalded cat, it did.
Mate, give me a shout via email, cuz I'd like to get a little info from you about my car - and your car.
Cheers~!

Hi Lee - Yes you got your history right there. The car that I tried to model was the prototype which Lynx have just restored. Nice site by the way - thanks for that.

I have another kit (the re-release which I don't think is as good as the original) which I want to convert to a D-type when I get around to it. I got an old D-type Linberg kit off ebay to provide the back end and whilst as a kit it is pretty pathetic that top body piece is really the only bit I need (plus maybe the dash and screen). Will keep you posted.

By the way, so that you don't find out the hard way like I did when you start on the XKSS.
I'd recommend that you make sure the screen fits before you do any painting or fitting. It was badly warped on my kit which meant that the sidescreens wouldn't fit.
As it was I made up new screens anyway but they are both tailor made to take account of the difference in the angle between the side of the screen surround and the door top. The screen glass was also a bit difficult to fit but I eventually managed to fit it by using epoxy and taping it in while that set. Also the bonnet fit is a bit peculiar. If you look at the plans in stage 19 only glue parts 45/46 to the bottom of the base and not the sides at that stage otherwise you may find that the top doesn't line up as it is wider. If not you can always adjust it later by gluing and taping the base in at the sides. In stage 33 I made up that part and added parts 97 (stage 35) but didn't fit it to the bonnet just yet (stage 34). That whole assembly was clipped onto the front chassis pins and then the bonnet fitted to the model so that it all lined up. I then took it off again and applied epoxy before refitting it and holding it in place with tape. As you are really working blind there I cannot see any other method of making sure that it fits properly and by using a slow setting epoxy (I left it overnight) you have plenty time to mess about with it. When it is all set the bonnet can be carefully taken off the front pins by pushing them together slightly.

Would you be an MG enthusiast by any chance? 'safety first'? My daily driver is a '74 factory GTV8.

Martin

Martin, I've got two of those XKSS kits unbuilt - I've inspected them carefully and I think you have done a pretty darned good job on a fairly ordinary kit. Well done.
FYI, the XKSS was really nothing other than a factory built D-type race car that had chrome bumpers, a windscreen and a leather interior added. They had the same carbs, exhaust, engine, suspension - basically it was a race car with turn signals - but it had doors added - regrettably very few survive today, as most of the newly converted D-types were destroyed in a factory fire at Brown's Lane.
A number of D-types were converted privately, and a few have been cobbled together using the salvaged bits and pieces of damaged race cars - you know - cut the undamaged front end off of that car and attach it to the rear of that car..........an interesting proposition for a fabricated monocoque.
By the way, there's a place in Sydney - Steve Sulis Engineering - who makes licensed brand spanking new D-types using old Jaguar running gear and restored 3.8 litre engines - he's been visited by representatives from Brown's Lane and they think that Steve makes his D-types better than THEY did........they're beautiful. Have a look at:
http://www.shannons.com.au/shannons/shannons.nsf/pages/32B77DE9A24EDD9ACA256E3D0080BA2A?opendocument

Pain or not it looks very good from where I'm standing.

Niclas