Resurrecting a 1948 Jaguar 1-1/2 liter Saloon

[mazher]

@msabbasi...Sir i must say its a very commendable effort which deserves loads of appreciation..definitely a one-of-a-kind thread..hats off to your passion and patience..

[MBZ128]

You shall you have a magazine cover photo with the car like this !

[incognito59]

You shall you have a magazine cover photo with the car like this !

That must be a world record!

Sent from my GT-I9082 using PW Forums mobile app

[ansarghani]

I've heard the term Half-self start, this is masha Allah 1/4th self start..
and push-start button is truly amazing!

I have never tried to post a video on this thred. So here goes, Actual video is a bit longer. I have compressed and trimed it to reduce its size so that it could be shared. The location is my garage where the lighting is not the best so excuse the dark footage. This was uploaded to VIMEO. Hope it works.

[video=vimeo;74012604]https://vimeo.com/74012604[/video]

Yahoo success!! Now the next one will be of the car outside. Will do that after the rubber work is done. Urge other restorers to do the same. It adds another dimension to the viewing pleasure.

Cheers

[msabbasi]

You shall you have a magazine cover photo with the car like this !

I have read this RR Silver Ghost's owner's story and have it on CD as well. Truly amazing. Speaking about getting my car in a magazine, I am trying with the editor of Jaguar Driver Magazine. I have sent them a story but I am not sure if it will get printed of not. I am hopeful - Insha Allah

[msabbasi]

@msabbasi...Sir i must say its a very commendable effort which deserves loads of appreciation..definitely a one-of-a-kind thread..hats off to your passion and patience..

Thank you for your kind words. I only hope that owners of older classics take the effort to save their cars from the "kabaria". The good thing about these old cars is that they are simple to work on and parts are available; plus not as expensive as parts for your civic or corolla. As you said just needs a bit of patience.

Best regards

[msabbasi]

I've heard the term Half-self start, this is masha Allah 1/4th self start..
and push-start button is truly amazing!

Thanks.

The 1/2 self start was the result of my priming the fuel pump shown in the beginning of the video. That makes sure there is petrol in the carb chamber. Once petrol is there and all other settings (timing, etc.) are correct, there is no reason why the engine should not start right away.

Regarding the start button, the world has gone the full circle. Latest "expensive" machinery has gone back to the start button. Here is a picture of my old 2004 BMW 745iL

[VEEeight]

I have read this RR Silver Ghost's owner's story and have it on CD as well. Truly amazing. Speaking about getting my car in a magazine, I am trying with the editor of Jaguar Driver Magazine. I have sent them a story but I am not sure if it will get printed of not. I am hopeful - Insha Allah

I for one, will be VERY surprised if the JDC magazine does not take up this story! I mean what are the chances of a 1948 Jaguar in basically original cond, in the same family since new......where it seems the current custodian of the time is "holding" the car for the next generation......all this from supposedly one of the most dangerous countries on earth not exactly far away from places of conflict.....???!!!!

I doubt f they could ever have a more newsworthy tale to relate!

[msabbasi]

I for one, will be VERY surprised if the JDC magazine does not take up this story! I mean what are the chances of a 1948 Jaguar in basically original cond, in the same family since new......where it seems the current custodian of the time is "holding" the car for the next generation......all this from supposedly one of the most dangerous countries on earth not exactly far away from places of conflict.....???!!!!

I doubt f they could ever have a more newsworthy tale to relate!

Well it is not in their Sept issue.... maybe the November one? I am hoping one day they will print it. Insha Allah

[farazarif]

Sir how about some updates and more pictures?
I don't think we can ever have enough pictures.

[msabbasi]

Thx. As promissed in the begining of this thread, you will get to see the finished project and so you have. With this post# 232, I can officially say that I have come to the end of this project. Minor issues will continue, after all it is a 64 year old car .... heck it has 500 mile service intervals :).

Sir how about some updates and more pictures?
I don't think we can ever have enough pictures.

I have officially closed this project with post number 232. Hence no further pictures have been uploaded. The need to see more pictures is understandable but the remaining pictures I have are of a technical nature taken to remind me how a particular assembly was before I dismantled it. Such pictures will generate little interest with the PW members.

I can offer you the web site links to the three videos which can be seen more clearly at:

Jaguar Mk IV first start in 28 years on Vimeo
Jaguar Mk IV walk around and start on Vimeo
Jaguar Mk IV goes for a spin after sleeping for 28 years on Vimeo

Thank you for your interest.

[VEEeight]

I have officially closed this project with post number 232. Hence no further pictures have been uploaded. The need to see more pictures is understandable but the remaining pictures I have are of a technical nature taken to remind me how a particular assembly was before I dismantled it. Such pictures will generate little interest with the PW members.

I can offer you the web site links to the three videos which can be seen more clearly at:

Jaguar Mk IV first start in 28 years on Vimeo
Jaguar Mk IV walk around and start on Vimeo
Jaguar Mk IV goes for a spin after sleeping for 28 years on Vimeo

Thank you for your interest.

This was without a doubt.....and WITHOUT exception, the most apt and "full" D.I.Y. thread as it had just the right "ingredients", the unique facet being that you have done most of the refurbishing yourself with proper planning and strategy.

One thing I am sure of is the stir this old dowager will cause as it rolls onto a car show which I sincerely hope you will be planning to do ! Wil look forward to hearing about how you are getting on with it from time to time

[msabbasi]

This was without a doubt.....and WITHOUT exception, the most apt and "full" D.I.Y. thread as it had just the right "ingredients", the unique facet being that you have done most of the refurbishing yourself with proper planning and strategy.

One thing I am sure of is the stir this old dowager will cause as it rolls onto a car show which I sincerely hope you will be planning to do ! Wil look forward to hearing about how you are getting on with it from time to time

Thank you for such a glowing tribute. Hardly deserved. Car was good to begin with. Insha Allah will make it to the VCCCP show this November if they make it.

Had a bit of an altercation with a Vitz. I was standing still at a traffic light with a respectable gap between me and the car in front. This jack--s tried to squeeze his Vitz in the gap. I blew and blew the horn (car has a very loud horn) to stop him but he just kept going. He scraped my fender (pic below) and his car was scraped from bumper to bumper all along the left side. Just as he did his deed, the light changed, I chased him down 'ala' Need for Speed style and got him. Just asked him one question, "WHAT ON EARTH WERE YOU THINKING??????. Said I was saving right side of my Vitz. I felt like slapping him silly. Well son, your car also has a left side in case you didn't know. Only thing that made me happy was that his car needed a full repaint on the left side.

So back we go to the paint shop.

This is an ever present danger of taking a classic car on the road. The driver of the said car may exercise care while driving his pride and joy but the roads are full of jerks that can't drive. Hence forth the car will be only taken out during non-rush hour traffic.

[ansarghani]

Oh Bad!

Abbasi sahab your car need a small piece of black cloth hanging with the rear bumper... it's a local way of keeping precious things from nazr-e-bad..

Had a bit of an altercation with a Vitz. I was standing still at a traffic light with a respectable gap between me and the car in front. This jack--s tried to squeeze his Vitz in the gap. I blew and blew the horn (car has a very loud horn) to stop him but he just kept going. He scraped my fender (pic below) and his car was scraped from bumper to bumper all along the left side. Just as he did his deed, the light changed, I chased him down 'ala' Need for Speed style and got him. Just asked him one question, "WHAT ON EARTH WERE YOU THINKING??????. Said I was saving right side of my Vitz. I felt like slapping him silly. Well son, your car also has a left side in case you didn't know. Only thing that made me happy was that his car needed a full repaint on the left side.

So back we go to the paint shop.

This is an ever present danger of taking a classic car on the road. The driver of the said car may exercise care while driving his pride and joy but the roads are full of jerks that can't drive. Hence forth the car will be only taken out during non-rush hour traffic.

[msabbasi]

Oh Bad!

Abbasi sahab your car need a small piece of black cloth hanging with the rear bumper... it's a local way of keeping precious things from nazr-e-bad..

Ghani Sb.,

I thought the entire car being black would afford me protection from "nazar-e-bad". But your suggestion needs to be turned into reality.

[VEEeight]

Thank you for such a glowing tribute. Hardly deserved. Car was good to begin with. Insha Allah will make it to the VCCCP show this November if they make it.

Had a bit of an altercation with a Vitz. I was standing still at a traffic light with a respectable gap between me and the car in front. This jack--s tried to squeeze his Vitz in the gap. I blew and blew the horn (car has a very loud horn) to stop him but he just kept going. He scraped my fender (pic below) and his car was scraped from bumper to bumper all along the left side. Just as he did his deed, the light changed, I chased him down 'ala' Need for Speed style and got him. Just asked him one question, "WHAT ON EARTH WERE YOU THINKING??????. Said I was saving right side of my Vitz. I felt like slapping him silly. Well son, your car also has a left side in case you didn't know. Only thing that made me happy was that his car needed a full repaint on the left side.

So back we go to the paint shop.

This is an ever present danger of taking a classic car on the road. The driver of the said car may exercise care while driving his pride and joy but the roads are full of jerks that can't drive. Hence forth the car will be only taken out during non-rush hour traffic.

That is NOT nice! I read somewhere that the first scratch on your new car seems worse than all the crisis around the word! Am sure it applies to freshly made over old cars too....my sympathies, it must have been SO annoying. I have to agree to the idea of "nazr" after all the mouth watering posts about the car...
Am just glad it wasn't any worse.
Good luck at the paint shop Would appreciate a fresh post repair photo.

[msabbasi]

That is NOT nice! I read somewhere that the first scratch on your new car seems worse than all the crisis around the word! Am sure it applies to freshly made over old cars too....my sympathies, it must have been SO annoying. I have to agree to the idea of "nazr" after all the mouth watering posts about the car...
Am just glad it wasn't any worse.
Good luck at the paint shop Would appreciate a fresh post repair photo.

Insa Allah pictures of the repaired section will be posted soon. I already e-mailed the picture of the damaged section to VEBRA workshop and spoken to them on the phone - I was not in the mood to drive 20 Km to the paint shop only to have another fool run into the car. As per them they can repair just the effected area but they are advising against applying clear coat. The reason offered by them is that bonding between the old clear coat and new clear coat will separate after 6-12 months. Thus this section will be a single system paint.

Let's see how the repair turns out. Worst case will be to paint the entire wing :o

[VEEeight]

Insa Allah pictures of the repaired section will be posted soon. I already e-mailed the picture of the damaged section to VEBRA workshop and spoken to them on the phone - I was not in the mood to drive 20 Km to the paint shop only to have another fool run into the car. As per them they can repair just the effected area but they are advising against applying clear coat. The reason offered by them is that bonding between the old clear coat and new clear coat will separate after 6-12 months. Thus this section will be a single system paint.

Let's see how the repair turns out. Worst case will be to paint the entire wing :o

Hopefully, lightning will not strike in the same place twice:) I'm no expert but I would have thot that the clear coat would help in blending and matching, but then I guess they would know what they're talking about! Touching up is a lot more difficult to get right.

[madhouse12]

roads these days are full of jerks and most of them seem to be driving in rawalpindi. really sorry to hear about the car but on the brighter side, the A***ole's car's resale value just took a nose dive.

[msabbasi]

Hopefully, lightning will not strike in the same place twice:) I'm no expert but I would have thot that the clear coat would help in blending and matching, but then I guess they would know what they're talking about! Touching up is a lot more difficult to get right.

True .... but "dood ka jala chaaj ko bhe phook phook kar peeta hai" :).

At this time we have a leaky radiator and hose to contend with. As soon as that is fixed we are off to the paint shop. The radiator is out for investigation. The construction of the radiator is brass, copper and carbon steel all soldered together. A hole has developed in the bottom carbon steel outlet nozzle. This hole is pretty close to the soldered seam where the lower radiator box joins the cooling coil. If I get the hole weld/braze repaired, there is a pretty good chance that the soldering will melt from the heat generated by the welding/brazing process. Basically too risky to be attempted. Yesterday had a chat with the local radiator walla, he confirmed my fear and we both agreed that weld/brazing repair is not an option. Today was spent doing a cold repair and pressure testing the radiator! This car has a open to atmosphere cooling system so there is no positive pressure to deal with .. just gravitational pressure of the water in the radiator. Tomorrow will be spent in fitting in place and filling the system with water to see if there are any other leaks. I was able to get the bottom hose locally but the top hose is not available However, M/s Longman have offered to have a few hoses made according to my needs from Karachi. That was nice of them. And so ... on and on and on goes the saga of operting a 64 year old car.

roads these days are full of jerks and most of them seem to be driving in rawalpindi. really sorry to hear about the car but on the brighter side, the A***ole's car's resale value just took a nose dive.

Sorry to disappoint you...all the jerks are not just in Pindi. There is a fair share in Islamabad too. This happened in Islamabad about 100m from my house!!