I was not the only one taking advantage of the warm weather to wash the winter grime from their cars. The Lincoln received a wash and vacuum as did "family truckster" Chrysler Town & Country. Took ages with extra fine steel wool to get the factory chrome rims clean of baked on brake dust. Ugh so much for my nails.
A weekend highlight was getting the 1977 Jaguar XJS out on Saturday. As the roads were dry I drove her to Oakville to help out at Genni's pub for a few hours.
The cool evening air meant I didn't have to worry about overheating issues (she runs great but I don't like where the temp gauge sits in hot weather. I want to upgrade to a bigger aluminium rad to avoid a summer traffic jam catastrophe.....the aluminum engine reacts fatally to overheating).
Anyway the V12 feels more like a jet turbine and makes me grin from ear to ear, blasting along in the fast lane then taking the off ramp at speed was an amazing feeling. This low mileage one owner car doesn't feel quite new but is darn close.
The XJS doesn't get the kudos or price of its seventies contemporaries, the Ferrari 400 or Lamborghini Espada but is easily their equal if not better. I would go so far as comparing the XJS to the million dollar 1968-1973 Ferrari Daytona.
Pity mine is the colour of a seventies stove:
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Ok prepare to get all misty eyed at this Jaguar sales film, I think I watched it twenty times in a row. Look for the famous number 44 racing XJS at 1:03 and Canadian cold weather testing at 2:25.
Hugs,
April
The V12 was a great engine, but the dear old XJS had handling more on the touring than the sporting side, and the build quality was generally pretty poor throughout much of it's life. Personally I preferred the XJ12, comfort all the way!
ReplyDeleteWell handling is relative if you normally drive 19 foot long Caddys, Lincolns and Buick Electras! My old 89 XJS had a hard life and was showing signs of age but this 77 is a bit of a time capsule and seems screwed together pretty well.
ReplyDeleteMy father has a few of the XJ12s but I have never got my hands on the keys.
By European standards Jags of that vintage can seem a bit "floppy" but compared to 70's yanks they must seem like sports cars.
ReplyDeleteHey, what do you mean, "Seventies stove"?!? I have one that same lovely shade of stale brown mustard, which I prefer to think of as a "vintage calefactor," thank you very much!
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Also, I like her skirt in that photo nearly as much as the stove!
ReplyDeletei noticed you are a car buff like myself (just replaced my ol'1967 mg midget - 35yrs body worn out over 150 thousand miles on her with a restored 1969 mg midget i also play with stuff from the pre 1930's.
ReplyDeleteyou might be amused with my mechanic neighbor's latest creation a dino tested Chrysler race hemi installed in a xk8 remade the front k member so the hood woops bonnet still closes un modified quite a "sleeper" till you check it out!
Wow Diana, like the idea of the Hemi powered XK8!
ReplyDeleteplease feel free to e mail me directly. or how may i contact you outsied blogger? perhaps flicker? i think my neighbor might have a u tube or 2 on the jag creation.
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That Price Is Right shot cracks me up. Don't you think 70's fashion has always seemed the most dated? All the other eras seem pretty cool but the 70's just seemed so naff. It's not surprising I loved the 50's so much at the time. ;D
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