|
|
|
|
Our Jaguars
| It probably won't
surprise anyone that a lot of the employees at Coventry West
own Jaguars themselves. We'll be placing more photos and info
on our own cars on this page as time passes. For starters, here's
one of the more-stunning Coventry West employee-owned Jaguars. |
| |
| Richard Maury's 1983
XJ-S |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| (with XK8 wheels and
Yokohama gumballs: slalom here we come!) |
 |
 |
| |
Richard Maury, who heads up the Coventry West Rebuilding Department,
is the proud owner of this extensively modified 1983 XJ-S, whose appearance,
though fairly radical, doesn't really hint at the many performance
modifications under the skin.
The car's styling was updated with the full TWR (Tom Walkinshaw Racing)
body package with rear decklid spoiler. This TWR kit is the European
version, which covers the original bumpers, and it is safe to say
the appearance of the car is transformed. The two-tone blue over silver
paint also makes this car look very different from a stock 1983 XJ-S.
Other body mods include European headlamps with wipers, 1992-on front
grille, dual stainless exhaust tips, and rear foglights.
The interior of the vehicle carries 1990 Jaguar sport seats recovered
in matching Connolly leather, as well as additional wood trimming
around the instruments, console, radio, key, and light surrounds,
all done in the later burl walnut grain. The sound system features
a 4-channel amp, 10-disc CD changer, and uprated speakers and cabling.
Much time, money, and effort has been expended on the drivetrain of
this car. Dick rebuilt the V12 in the Coventry West shops, installing
oversized pistons in liners bored to match using a torque plate. A
full balance job was also performed (the factory balance was so far
out it was off the scale!; Dick figures the balance alone was worth
75 hp), along with highly ported and polished cylinder heads, pinned
valve seats, a three-angle valve job, and CC'd and matched combustion
chambers (there was 2/3 of a point compression difference between
the largest and smallest combustion chambers). On the induction side,
the plenums were customized with dual throttle plates on each bank,
larger 2.5-inch inlets in the air filter housings, K&N filters,
and cold air induction feeding from the front of the car. The free-flowing
exhaust features Flowmaster mufflers and a crossover pipe connecting
the dual exhausts, which improves low-end torque and which actually
quietens and smooths the exhaust note. The car carries a custom AJ6
fuel ECU with 8 different selectable program maps, each of which is
tunable. An A/C cut-out relay was added to disable the A/C at large
throttle openings.
The transmission features a 2500-rpm stall speed torque converter,
along with non-stock lower gears for better acceleration, heavier-duty
clutch packs and bands, and a shift kit. The differential is a PowerLok
3.058:1 unit (not a 3.58:1), used instead of a 3.07:1 diff because
of its larger and stronger gearset.
In the suspension department, the front and rear springs were replaced
with the UK XJR-S 6.0 springs (which are not the same as the US XJR-S
parts). The steering rack is also from the XJR-S 6.0. Other suspension
goodies include nylon front lower suspension bushings, Koni shocks
all around, and 1-inch front and 3/4-inch rear swaybars. The rear
trailing arms have the front bushings rotated 90-degrees for better
location and the small rear bushings are nylon, as the car's torque
kept separating the stock Metalastic bushings.
The braking system has AP Racing front brakes with forged aluminum
calipers, titanium pistons, and oversize directional rotors. The rear
brakes feature ventilated rotors. Wheels are TWR 16" x 8"
(manufactured by Speedline) with different offsets front and rear
so no spacers are required. Tires are Goodyear GS-C Z-rated; front
size is 225/50ZR16, rear size is 255/50ZR16.
The performance modifications have improved the 0-60 mph time to 6.3
secs (from the stock 9.5 sec 0-60 time). The car launches so strong
now that it accelerates from 0 to 10 mph in 0.6 secs and in 5 feet!
According to a calibrated chassis dyno, the rear wheel horsepower
has improved from 175 to 345.
Needless to say, Dick's XJ-S gets a lot of admiring glances from visitors
to Coventry West.
|
|
|
