When tasked with building a stylish, comfortable performance vehicle it’s important to get the basic underpinnings of the car correct - in this case the Jaguar XK150 fits the bill perfectly, timeless looks and the power to back it up.
After searching to find a suitable vehicle to restore, a beautiful, complete, (though not running) XK150 was found in the USA. Using a trusted contact we had the vehicle inspected. Though the vehicle had been off the road for a while the current owner was keen to show that the engine would run, albeit from a Jerry can thus cutting out as much of the old fuel system as possible.
The vehicle was purchased and duly arrived in the UK. First impressions were positive. The car was complete, the body lines were impressive given its age, and though the body colour had been altered, the ageless class and potential of the project shone through.
With the vehicle at OCR, we set about stripping the bodywork. The windows, trim, bright work etc were all carefully removed noting their condition and fitment. All of the vehicles original fixings were retained for reference and 100’s of photos were taken. These photos will be used to build a portfolio of the entire project for the client upon completion. The build quality was evident, most fixings came apart nicely without struggle, all but confirming that you’ve selected a quality product to start with.
It’s always an enlightening experience when the body and the chassis part ways. In this case a ramp was used to raise the body from the chassis. A brace was made to help keep the body firm and in shape as it was lifted. As the body rose the body to chassis packers were photographed and labelled - these will be key to retaining our precious door gaps when the body goes back on. Now separated the body could be inspected with corrosion being found around the boot floor and both door posts. The next step was for the body to be mounted to a bespoke frame and moved to our Bodyshop for shot blasting, this process will remove all the old paintwork and filler.
As has been the theme with this build - the chassis was complete and in great condition. The front end of the chassis had been saturated in years of oil and road grime that had helped to protect it from the elements. The engine, gearbox, rear axle, suspension as well as all fixtures and fittings were removed to leave the bare chassis. The chassis was degreased and extensively cleaned to allow us to inspect its condition prior to sending it to be shot blasted and powder coated along with all the key suspension components.
With the bodywork and engine rebuilds underway our focus for the moment would solely be on the chassis. The powder coated components all looked fantastic. New Polyurethane bushes were purchased to work with the GAZ adjustable shock absorbers, the aim being to give the vehicle a slightly more precise feel than standard without taking away the classic British driving feel which makes these vehicles so appealing.
