Dad gave me a 1947, 3-5 litre Drophead Coupe in the 1960s . Still in the family. Did all my own servicing with dads help. I can recall taking the starter motor off and setting on the bench. “What are you doing with that ?“ asks dad. “ Taking it down to get fixed” I reply. “ No you’re not. You’ll repair it yourself. “ says dad . So I stripped the armature re-lacquered a hundred miles of copper wire, rewound and baked the armature in the kitchen oven. Recovered the fields etc. put it back together tested it. “Yay presto works!” “See how much money you saved” says dad. “Yeah. Thanks dad...”:50 years later still remember it. I’m now in Aussie and the car’s in NZ Still drives ok. Richard, just found your great video. You got yourself a new follower.
Boy this video brings back memories. In 1960, I bought my first car. A 1954 Jaguar XK120M, for $800. Ran great . Then one day something happened and the engine had to be removed to fix the problem. A friend who owned a shop did the work to fix the car. My task was to take the head apart and do the valve job part of the repair. This was the first time in my life I ever worked on a car. Slowly one by one I replaced all new valves, springs, spacers, and bearings. Tightened the cam shaft down checked the clearance, and repeated it if the clearance was off. Put the car back together and attempted to start it. Would not start, then discovered we had put the wires into the distributor 180 degree out. Switched the wire and it started right up. One thing we did was shaved some off the head. That had a big impact. At 2500RPM, it was like the car was kicked in the butt, and it took off. What surprised me years later was the 120 had a metal timing belt in 1954. At the present time my 2001 Ferrari 360 has a rubber one and it was not until the Ferrari 430 came out with a metal timing belt.
You’ve warmed us up, now we need to go the full trip, all the sights, all the stops and starts......please My Father worked at the Jaguar factories in Coventry for 36 years, he probably made the chassis on that Jag. 🇬🇧👍🏻
I never gave a twit about the inside of a Jag engine, yet I found this fascinating & watched every second! Can't wait for the rest. It's so much more interesting than just another standard V8 build.
Those long camshafts, with so few lobes, always surprise me when the cover comes off, compared to modern engines. I really enjoy these videos, with his vast experience and enthusiasm for whatever he’s working on.
The careful and methodical disassembly technique added to the clear descriptions of rare early engineering technologies comes only after years of study and experience. It is difficult to imagine the heart of this old girl being in better hands. And thanks to dad too. He must be very proud.
We have a 1952 XK120 Jag that we inherited from my father-in-law when he passed away last year at age 92, it has been restored to its original trim and, thankfully, has a fresh engine in it. This video has been incredibly useful to me, keep them coming on these Jag DOHC inline 6 engines! I've got ours running like a watch now and want to keep it that way.
Great work, I’m from Coventry where this was made and have grown up with Jaguars. I liked the care taken with this strip down and very impressed with the 1950’s engineering.
For an old guy like me it is hugely entertaining to see this job done so well ! Wish I had the facilities and tools to do it myself still, but your video is a tremendous replacement and very educational..... keep doing these great jobs. Probably a useful suggestion is to maintain a website with additional notes on details, plan, parts etc. for those who like the same challenge in future!
On boats you hang a lump of magnesium off the rail attached to the ground system to help prevent galvanic corrosion. They sell cast fish anodes for that purpose in marine shops. It can be a real surprise how fast those anodes disappear in some circumstances,
I saw my first XK120 in my village of Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, price £55 , i was a ten year old and pesterred my dad to buy it, wisely he didnt, but i got the bug, i am enjoying watching this video so much so a big thank you, from Cheshire UK
I've developed a fascination for vintage car engines quite late in life and I find your videos easy to follow and very enjoyable. I look forward to hearing that fine old Jaguar engine purr once again.
I love how every step is explained in a very pleasent way. Great editing too. It feels more like watching a part of an art restauration process than a mechanical job. And doing this together with your dad is just awesome.
Thanks Richard ⚓️ Hi… I use scrap area rugs carpets under a block… carpet shops give them away ⚓️ also scrap leather…. Scissors up an old pair of boots… use the leather to cushion pliers/hammers… avoids tool marks 😮
Came across this video unintentionally. Made me wish I had such a source of information some 50 years ago. Had an XK150 which dropped a big end not long after I purchased (second hand with a lot of Australian miles on). Started the rebuild then married. Never finished it, but did keep in touch with the purchaser for some years. Rebuilt to Concourse Condition over the following 15 years.
"Otter switch"...Otter Controls, Buxton, Derbyshire...I was US rep for them in the 1990s...went to the factory several times. Spent a lot of time in Detroit with their sales and tech guys, calling on middle tier suppliers, and Ford, where we were warmly welcomed because one of the main SVT guys was a Brit! Moved a lot of Otter switches, mostly for window lift stall protection, but also some applications in coolant sensors, like the one shown here. I have an MGB that has one of the venerable disc switches mounted on the top of the radiator. It tickles me to see them! Otter was also really keen on tire temp and pressure sensing technology for a while, but the only application they found was in a few F1 race cars. Their system was over-specified for the mass market, however, so we never got them into US manufactured vehicles (but we had a time every spring in Detroit, displaying at the SAE for a week at Cobo).
Nice!! Im 19, just finished up a 4.3 rebuild thats goin back into a S2 E-type, had no clue people would be so interested in this stuff! Makes me want to video the next engine overhaul, thank you for passing on the knowledge for those earlier XK engines! Cant wait to use this as a resource. Cheers!
Having been raised working on big block Corvettes and restoring them for almost 40 years, and now working on LS and LT engines, it's cool to see something different. Very well done video. Entertaining and informative. Look forward to seeing the rest of the build.
Old Jaguars are great looking cars:) if only I had all the monies, lots of old cars in my museum garage and a small apartment/studio sized living area inside to overlook all the cars lol
I love it. Looks so much like the first engine I ever rebuilt which was the 3.8L out of my '63 sedan circa 1972. Thanks for the memories. I finally smarted up and am currently rebuilding my '90 Toyota pickup which I bought new in 1990. Brits vs Japanese. Huge difference in engineering.
Thanks for the detailed process of this engine rebuild Richard - takes me back to my youth, when I worked on these engines back in the 1960s... as soon as I see the camshaft covers I'm back there 😊
Welcome back Richard, hope you and the family are keeping safe and well. Really loved this step by step on the old 3.5 XK engine, I had one complete with Moss gearbox sitting under my house for 25 years, guy that I bought a nice manual 1966 3.4S Type off threw it in with the deal, it even had a complete pair the early type "long neck" 1.75 inch SU carbs on it. I had to dump the whole thing when moving interstate. Yes, more please on all your jobs.
Yep! Wanna see more! It's been 40 years since I rebuilt a Jag... a couple of sixes and one V12 back in the day. The sixes were good memories that this brings back. The V12 was the stuff of PTSD. Imagine a '70s V12 overheated to seizure.
This engine brought back some memories. I had a friend in New Rochelle High School in the mid seventies who was rebuilding an old Jaguar like this one. I remember what surprised me was the cylinders were the size of paint cans.
I like how you opened this engine so carefully yet knowingly, you clearly know what you are doing and that fascinates me, thank you! It seems like you're caressing the engine! :)
That engine is from a time when they were built by real craftsmen, time served apprentices of seven years who knew what they were doing! I'm glad there are people like you who are prepared to spend the time (and the money!) to rebuild and preserve technology like this. Yes, I would like to see much more of how this project developes, with as much detail as you have the time and patiencce to include please. I have subscribed!
Yep parts wouldn't interchange, being a do-all approach meant added expense with no gain in performance or durability, Companies like Packard had machine tolerances to +/-0.00002 ", and parts machine made are also cheaper yet of superior durability.
Nice detailed video, yes please do follow up on this engine build. Nice to see it get assembled and fired up! The red paint on the bolts is Red Lead paint for an anti corrosion. Usually used on ferrous marine applications.
Hi this brings up many happy memories. I was born in Wellington New Zealand and my mate Mathew Gibbons, he had a dad who was a mechanic, who repaired Jags only. His dad had an XK120 - I think - but it was a hardtop. (I thought it may have been an XK140 and it was before the E-Type). I remember travelling to Levin north of Wellington going to a race meeting. We were cruising nicely and I was spread out in the back seat so I looked over at the speedo and we were doing 100 mph. Seemed effortless. On a nice highway out of town of course I remember he made most of his money repairing the LSD diffs on jags and doing routine services and some engine rebuilds. Lovely to know these cars are still being rebuilt.
Very interesting impressive and thorough work. I have done this myself over the years right from messing it all up in my teenage years and 30 years down the line on my XK150 that I still own. I did rebuild my engine again some years back to +030 and crank regrind. Fortunately the thrust was ok. I did use specialist machine services to rebuild the head and it runs well. However after seeing this and your other videos the level of your work far exceeds what I did certainly in the cleanliness department. I'm a great believer in running the engine foe a few hours and immediately changing the oil and filter. Just cant take the risk of the pressure relief valve getting some grit under it or damage from some lurking grit. I like all the details you show.
Hi Richard, my body was built in 1952, so this engine is as old as I am, and probably in better shape! 😊 love these videos, compelling, can’t wait to see the next instalment. All the way from New Zealand.
The cylinder head is very malleable, and as such can bend an example of that follows Here: I was driving through the Pyrenees towards Southern Spain from France a few years ago, when my temperature gauge showed an alarming and rapid rise , and after several stop starts to refill the coolant, I ended up stopping at a gas station on the motorway close to Zaragoza with five hundred miles left to drive, I checked into the gas station motel, and proceeded to pull the head off the car in blazing sunshine, and with only a simple socket set and a few hand tools. From the motel phone I ordered a seven day delivery of a head gasket set, there was no other faster delivery possible in 1997, and I took off the head finding that it had warped almost a quarter of an inch higher in the centre making it banana shaped. The gasket set arrived, and it was fitted, but I tightened only the centre six bolts down to approximately 50pounds feet at a guess, and left it overnight. The next day those six bolts were loose, and I tightened them once again to 50lb./ft. and left it for a few hours. I repeated this on the six centre bolts for another three or four times, and finally, there was no more movement, the head was now firmly torqued up to the block, and I worked my way outwards to tighten the rest of the head bolts up to 50lb./ft. After another day, the bolts were holding their torque, and I gave them another little torque to approx. 55-60 lbs.ft. going by intuition , and then put the rest of the engine together in the usual way. After starting the engine, I ran it to get it hot, and discovered that the viscous coupling on the fan was slipping, and I unwound two of the four holding nuts out until they locked onto the fan pulley, locking the fan to run at engine speed. I drove the car ( A 3.4 litre XJ6 Coupe ) to Estepona five hundred miles further South, and that engine did another 30,000 miles without being touched, until I sold the car. Proving that aluminium cylinder heads can be carefully put together even when they are banana shaped.
You video reminds me of a XK 120 drop head coupe that my Dad and my brothers and I found in a salvage yard in the early 1960s. It had a cracked block that my dad welded. We got it running and driving but it was undependable for my brother to drive to collage. He ended up selling it in 1967 for $750. We did not know what we had.
Richard your knowledge is amazing. You would have been an excellent surgeon. Your attention to details and meticulousness are things that cannot be taught to residents. Either you have it or you don't. Love the videos. Keep em coming. More more more.
I really enjoy your posts and I have worked for Jag for a while in the '70s and am now putting my third personal 120 back together. My '50 had the old style bell housing, the high top carbs, the early block, the whole early "kit". It was fascinating. By the way, if anyone has an early oil pump let me know, should be the same as a MKVII.
This is fantastic Richard! I have a 61 Mark 9, I've got the 3.8 out and I am going to start getting it ready for rebuild. Your video is very informative! My Dad had a 57 drophead coupe.
Very very cool and really glad that you're doing back to original. When you get older in life, you appreciate the originals. Driving them today will take some modifications but you can retain most of the original car. These 3 1/2 and 4.2 6s are a true hemi engine for the pistons are domed and the heads are domed.
Good to see you back on the screen Richard. I've just rebuilt my 1950 120 engine - studless cam covers, bow front engine mount etc. - so it'll be interesting to see how you tackle this. Looking forward to more on the 150.
@@RichardMichaelOwen Indeed, plus tall dashpot carbs and the deeper cast aluminium sump. Good luck with the oil level float mechanism. I could never get mine to stop leaking. I've had some aluminium blanks made up to go over the hole. If you find yourself in a similar position and want one just let me know.
It is great to see such an iconic car being brought back to life. Using as many of the original parts as possible just adds to the authenticity. I have just found your channel and it is really great. I am from the UK so it is very nostalgic to see something from "home" being worked on so lovingly. Thanks very much.
These videos are so well done as is the careful methodical work on these beautiful works of auto art. Please keep it going Mr. Owen. Thank you so much for your hard work and sharing!!
Red oxide primer, here used as rust protective coat. Give my regards to this FHC long-time curator. He purchased my 54 DHC, last time I visited seen in his outbuilding 35+ years before! Also greatly enjoyed the alloy-body episode, that car from my pal in the past near Seattle, named MJ. I'm still piloting an XK8 convertible as weekend car! XKs are timeless. Regards-
The care and respect that you give to these very old machines is both fascinating and heartwarming at the same time. (If I was Director of antiquities restoration at the Louvre, I would confidently sign the Mona Lisa over to your Department!) - Stay blessed and well both of you....🙏🇬🇧
Sorry you guys, But as one who has been rebilding XK and V12 Jaguar motors for over thirty years, I have to say that this bloke hasn't a clue - he's talking absolute shyte. I wouldn't trust him with a child's toybox.........
Richard - Definitely want to see the full rebuild of this engine. Will really be interested to see if your machine shop can save the head. Could not believe how easy the engine came apart, especially with all the internal rust.
I was having the same thought, amazing how easily a 70 year old engine from a neglected car came apart. Probably a combination of luck and a mechanic who really knows what he's doing... A joy to watch.
OK I had finished commenting, YES we all want to see the XK engine re-build, and stop screwing around and give us video's on the XK150 whats the matter with you :)
Dad gave me a 1947, 3-5 litre Drophead Coupe in the 1960s . Still in the family. Did all my own servicing with dads help. I can recall taking the starter motor off and setting on the bench. “What are you doing with that ?“ asks dad. “ Taking it down to get fixed” I reply. “ No you’re not. You’ll repair it yourself. “ says dad . So I stripped the armature re-lacquered a hundred miles of copper wire, rewound and baked the armature in the kitchen oven.
Recovered the fields etc. put it back together tested it. “Yay presto works!” “See how much money you saved” says dad. “Yeah. Thanks dad...”:50 years later still remember it. I’m now in Aussie and the car’s in NZ Still drives ok. Richard, just found your great video. You got yourself a new follower.
Yep we certainly want to see this job completed with more video's. Thanks
وانتيمو قران بس قران صغير
What a wonderful way to learn about XK engines.
Boy this video brings back memories. In 1960, I bought my first car. A 1954 Jaguar XK120M, for $800. Ran great . Then one day something happened and the engine had to be removed to fix the problem. A friend who owned a shop did the work to fix the car. My task was to take the head apart and do the valve job part of the repair. This was the first time in my life I ever worked on a car. Slowly one by one I replaced all new valves, springs, spacers, and bearings. Tightened the cam shaft down checked the clearance, and repeated it if the clearance was off. Put the car back together and attempted to start it. Would not start, then discovered we had put the wires into the distributor 180 degree out. Switched the wire and it started right up. One thing we did was shaved some off the head. That had a big impact. At 2500RPM, it was like the car was kicked in the butt, and it took off. What surprised me years later was the 120 had a metal timing belt in 1954. At the present time my 2001 Ferrari 360 has a rubber one and it was not until the Ferrari 430 came out with a metal timing belt.
Your video brings back memories of my rebuilds on my 1965 & 1966 S types motors and restoration process.
You’ve warmed us up, now we need to go the full trip, all the sights, all the stops and starts......please My Father worked at the Jaguar factories in Coventry for 36 years, he probably made the chassis on that Jag. 🇬🇧👍🏻
What years, please?
@@edwardhalpin7503 1954 onwards withabreakin service when they had the fire
I never gave a twit about the inside of a Jag engine, yet I found this fascinating & watched every second! Can't wait for the rest. It's so much more interesting than just another standard V8 build.
Those long camshafts, with so few lobes, always surprise me when the cover comes off, compared to modern engines.
I really enjoy these videos, with his vast experience and enthusiasm for whatever he’s working on.
The careful and methodical disassembly technique added to the clear descriptions of rare early engineering technologies comes only after years of study and experience. It is difficult to imagine the heart of this old girl being in better hands. And thanks to dad too. He must be very proud.
Thanks Larry great to hear from you.
We have a 1952 XK120 Jag that we inherited from my father-in-law when he passed away last year at age 92, it has been restored to its original trim and, thankfully, has a fresh engine in it.
This video has been incredibly useful to me, keep them coming on these Jag DOHC inline 6 engines! I've got ours running like a watch now and want to keep it that way.
as a former owner of a MK7 and 3.8,( dad had a XK140 Drop and a E) i found this a fascinating journey into the distant past.. Keep it coming. thanks
Great work, I’m from Coventry where this was made and have grown up with Jaguars. I liked the care taken with this strip down and very impressed with the 1950’s engineering.
For an old guy like me it is hugely entertaining to see this job done so well ! Wish I had the facilities and tools to do it myself still, but your video is a tremendous replacement and very educational..... keep doing these great jobs. Probably a useful suggestion is to maintain a website with additional notes on details, plan, parts etc. for those who like the same challenge in future!
The red stuff (paint) on your bell housing bolts stops them from reacting with the aluminium casing, steel + aluminium + water = galvanic corrosion.
Looks like "red oxide" (metal primer) paint.
@@_zzpza Red lead
Its red lead usually so don't breath in the dust,
I would say that is old school "Red Oxide " primer paint.
On boats you hang a lump of magnesium off the rail attached to the ground system to help prevent galvanic corrosion. They sell cast fish anodes for that purpose in marine shops. It can be a real surprise how fast those anodes disappear in some circumstances,
Great video thx, looking forward to see what's up next 👍😊
If you type " 1961 jaguar factory tour " you will see these engines and jaguar cars being made.
Great to see these guys saving one 👍
Yes Glen the 1961 Factory Tour video is a real gift. Too bad it doesn't cover more E-Type production.
I saw my first XK120 in my village of Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, price £55 , i was a ten year old and pesterred my dad to buy it, wisely he didnt, but i got the bug, i am enjoying watching this video so much so a big thank you, from Cheshire UK
I've developed a fascination for vintage car engines quite late in life and I find your videos easy to follow and very enjoyable. I look forward to hearing that fine old Jaguar engine purr once again.
Certainly do want to see it taken through to completion. Really interesting, thanks.
Another really interesting video, thanks, and definitely would like to see more as the rebuild proceeds.
Great instructional video - I'm taking notes in prep for rebuilding my xk120 motor this summer !!!
I'm an Italian car guy. But, I love the jag engine! A really good dismantle and diagnosis. This guy is good. Thank you so much for a great video!
I love how every step is explained in a very pleasent way. Great editing too. It feels more like watching a part of an art restauration process than a mechanical job. And doing this together with your dad is just awesome.
So much knowlage needed to do this work. Awesome to see stuff like this being rebuilt for a new life.
Thanks Richard ⚓️ Hi… I use scrap area rugs carpets under a block… carpet shops give them away ⚓️ also scrap leather…. Scissors up an old pair of boots… use the leather to cushion pliers/hammers… avoids tool marks 😮
Came across this video unintentionally. Made me wish I had such a source of information some 50 years ago. Had an XK150 which dropped a big end not long after I purchased (second hand with a lot of Australian miles on). Started the rebuild then married. Never finished it, but did keep in touch with the purchaser for some years. Rebuilt to Concourse Condition over the following 15 years.
Definitely want to see the rest of the motor build. Am following this build, can't wait to see the finished vehicle.
My dad did an overhaul on a 66 E Type V-12. Had to use the engines compression to blow them off. That was a neat learning experience for me!
Excellent, thorough work. Ihave rebuilt many of these engines. I wish others worked as carefully as you do.
What a beautiful engine. Looking forward to seeing this one finished.
"Otter switch"...Otter Controls, Buxton, Derbyshire...I was US rep for them in the 1990s...went to the factory several times. Spent a lot of time in Detroit with their sales and tech guys, calling on middle tier suppliers, and Ford, where we were warmly welcomed because one of the main SVT guys was a Brit! Moved a lot of Otter switches, mostly for window lift stall protection, but also some applications in coolant sensors, like the one shown here. I have an MGB that has one of the venerable disc switches mounted on the top of the radiator. It tickles me to see them! Otter was also really keen on tire temp and pressure sensing technology for a while, but the only application they found was in a few F1 race cars. Their system was over-specified for the mass market, however, so we never got them into US manufactured vehicles (but we had a time every spring in Detroit, displaying at the SAE for a week at Cobo).
Nice!! Im 19, just finished up a 4.3 rebuild thats goin back into a S2 E-type, had no clue people would be so interested in this stuff! Makes me want to video the next engine overhaul, thank you for passing on the knowledge for those earlier XK engines! Cant wait to use this as a resource.
Cheers!
Having been raised working on big block Corvettes and restoring them for almost 40 years, and now working on LS and LT engines, it's cool to see something different. Very well done video. Entertaining and informative. Look forward to seeing the rest of the build.
Old Jaguars are great looking cars:) if only I had all the monies, lots of old cars in my museum garage and a small apartment/studio sized living area inside to overlook all the cars lol
I love it. Looks so much like the first engine I ever rebuilt which was the 3.8L out of my '63 sedan circa 1972. Thanks for the memories. I finally smarted up and am currently rebuilding my '90 Toyota pickup which I bought new in 1990. Brits vs Japanese. Huge difference in engineering.
Thanks for the detailed process of this engine rebuild Richard - takes me back to my youth, when I worked on these engines back in the 1960s... as soon as I see the camshaft covers I'm back there 😊
One of the most beautiful mass produced engines built.
Welcome back Richard, hope you and the family are keeping safe and well. Really loved this step by step on the old 3.5 XK engine, I had one complete with Moss gearbox sitting under my house for 25 years, guy that I bought a nice manual 1966 3.4S Type off threw it in with the deal, it even had a complete pair the early type "long neck" 1.75 inch SU carbs on it. I had to dump the whole thing when moving interstate. Yes, more please on all your jobs.
Yep! Wanna see more! It's been 40 years since I rebuilt a Jag... a couple of sixes and one V12 back in the day. The sixes were good memories that this brings back. The V12 was the stuff of PTSD. Imagine a '70s V12 overheated to seizure.
This engine brought back some memories. I had a friend in New Rochelle High School in the mid seventies
who was rebuilding an old Jaguar like this one. I remember what surprised me was the cylinders
were the size of paint cans.
Super job !! A+ pour la suite ...
I like how you opened this engine so carefully yet knowingly, you clearly know what you are doing and that fascinates me, thank you! It seems like you're caressing the engine! :)
Brilliant job. So nice to see a professional restoration! Thank you.
Good to see you back Richard, love to see the rest of the engine build, and good to see a box of Yorkshire tea in the background 👍
Yes, let's see the rest of the project. Thanks Richard!
Love it. Old school stuff. Remember it well. Got to show us the rebuild and finished project. Good work.
Excellent, so very interesting, please show as much as you can, it is all very much appreciated.
Yes, please more of these great narrated videos! Love it to learn more about Jaguar history. Big thumbs up!
That engine is from a time when they were built by real craftsmen, time served apprentices of seven years who knew what they were doing! I'm glad there are people like you who are prepared to spend the time (and the money!) to rebuild and preserve technology like this. Yes, I would like to see much more of how this project developes, with as much detail as you have the time and patiencce to include please. I have subscribed!
Yep parts wouldn't interchange, being a do-all
approach meant added expense with no gain
in performance or durability, Companies like
Packard had machine tolerances to +/-0.00002 ",
and parts machine made are also cheaper yet
of superior durability.
I admit I have not seen any of your videos in a while, glad to see your dad is still staying busy. Thanks for sharing about this early engine. Charles
Very interesting, thank you and it would be great to see the next steps in the rebuild of this engine. Kind regards, Richard.
Nice detailed video, yes please do follow up on this engine build. Nice to see it get assembled and fired up! The red paint on the bolts is Red Lead paint for an anti corrosion. Usually used on ferrous marine applications.
@MichaelKingsfordGray yes it it just don’t lick it! It’s perfectly safe to use!
Yes, definitely show more work on this project!
Yes please, would love to see this engine rebuilt 👍
Hi this brings up many happy memories. I was born in Wellington New Zealand and my mate Mathew Gibbons, he had a dad who was a mechanic, who repaired Jags only. His dad had an XK120 - I think - but it was a hardtop. (I thought it may have been an XK140 and it was before the E-Type).
I remember travelling to Levin north of Wellington going to a race meeting. We were cruising nicely and I was spread out in the back seat so I looked over at the speedo and we were doing 100 mph. Seemed effortless. On a nice highway out of town of course
I remember he made most of his money repairing the LSD diffs on jags and doing routine services and some engine rebuilds. Lovely to know these cars are still being rebuilt.
Definitely want to see all of the things you mentioned. From parts to machining.
Great job 🇬🇧
Very interesting impressive and thorough work. I have done this myself over the years right from messing it all up in my teenage years and 30 years down the line on my XK150 that I still own. I did rebuild my engine again some years back to +030 and crank regrind. Fortunately the thrust was ok. I did use specialist machine services to rebuild the head and it runs well. However after seeing this and your other videos the level of your work far exceeds what I did certainly in the cleanliness department. I'm a great believer in running the engine foe a few hours and immediately changing the oil and filter. Just cant take the risk of the pressure relief valve getting some grit under it or damage from some lurking grit. I like all the details you show.
First time on here. You are an encyclopedia of knowledge and its fun to watch your skill at work. I will watch this through till the end.
We want more videos !! Please. The XK for sure and the 1952 engine as well. We can’t wait for so long the best Jaguar videos on UA-cam... yours 🤗
Hi Richard, my body was built in 1952, so this engine is as old as I am, and probably in better shape! 😊 love these videos, compelling, can’t wait to see the next instalment. All the way from New Zealand.
The cylinder head is very malleable, and as such can bend an example of that follows Here:
I was driving through the Pyrenees towards Southern Spain from France a few years ago, when my temperature gauge showed an alarming and rapid rise , and after several stop starts to refill the coolant, I ended up stopping at a gas station on the motorway close to Zaragoza with five hundred miles left to drive, I checked into the gas station motel, and proceeded to pull the head off the car in blazing sunshine, and with only a simple socket set and a few hand tools. From the motel phone I ordered a seven day delivery of a head gasket set, there was no other faster delivery possible in 1997, and I took off the head finding that it had warped almost a quarter of an inch higher in the centre making it banana shaped. The gasket set arrived, and it was fitted, but I tightened only the centre six bolts down to approximately 50pounds feet at a guess, and left it overnight. The next day those six bolts were loose, and I tightened them once again to 50lb./ft. and left it for a few hours. I repeated this on the six centre bolts for another three or four times, and finally, there was no more movement, the head was now firmly torqued up to the block, and I worked my way outwards to tighten the rest of the head bolts up to 50lb./ft. After another day, the bolts were holding their torque, and I gave them another little torque to approx. 55-60 lbs.ft. going by intuition , and then put the rest of the engine together in the usual way. After starting the engine, I ran it to get it hot, and discovered that the viscous coupling on the fan was slipping, and I unwound two of the four holding nuts out until they locked onto the fan pulley, locking the fan to run at engine speed. I drove the car ( A 3.4 litre XJ6 Coupe ) to Estepona five hundred miles further South, and that engine did another 30,000 miles without being touched, until I sold the car. Proving that aluminium cylinder heads can be carefully put together even when they are banana shaped.
My brother rebuilt my 53 XK120 Drophead Coupe back in 1968 so yes I’m interested to watch you finish this project 😀
You video reminds me of a XK 120 drop head coupe that my Dad and my brothers and I found in a salvage yard in the early 1960s. It had a cracked block that my dad welded. We got it running and driving but it was undependable for my brother to drive to collage. He ended up selling it in 1967 for $750. We did not know what we had.
DHC are the hardest to restore, when I see a nice one I pay attention :)
I love these detailed tear downs. Keep up the great content. Keep Safe Richard, love from England
Thank you for getting back to me. Must say your channel is very professional and enjoyable to watch. Look forward to future videos.
Richard your knowledge is amazing. You would have been an excellent surgeon. Your attention to details and meticulousness are things that cannot be taught to residents. Either you have it or you don't. Love the videos. Keep em coming. More more more.
I really enjoy your posts and I have worked for Jag for a while in the '70s and am now putting my third personal 120 back together. My '50 had the old style bell housing, the high top carbs, the early block, the whole early "kit". It was fascinating. By the way, if anyone has an early oil pump let me know, should be the same as a MKVII.
This is fantastic Richard! I have a 61 Mark 9, I've got the 3.8 out and I am going to start getting it ready for rebuild. Your video is very informative! My Dad had a 57 drophead coupe.
Very very cool and really glad that you're doing back to original. When you get older in life, you appreciate the originals. Driving them today will take some modifications but you can retain most of the original car. These 3 1/2 and 4.2 6s are a true hemi engine for the pistons are domed and the heads are domed.
Yes please bring us along on this journey. cheers.
Skill and Patience , Personified ..
Thank you so much for this video. I have a much later (1963) 3.8 XK engine I need to refurbish. You have given me a lot of invaluable info.
Looking forward to the continuation. Thanks
Good to see you back on the screen Richard. I've just rebuilt my 1950 120 engine - studless cam covers, bow front engine mount etc. - so it'll be interesting to see how you tackle this. Looking forward to more on the 150.
Tim, great to have you along, so your engine probably has even earlier details like the smaller water pump, the earlier block, 6-bolt flywheel?
@@RichardMichaelOwen Indeed, plus tall dashpot carbs and the deeper cast aluminium sump. Good luck with the oil level float mechanism. I could never get mine to stop leaking. I've had some aluminium blanks made up to go over the hole. If you find yourself in a similar position and want one just let me know.
Yes! I'm diggin' this project. Love to see it through.
Very interesting. Looking forward to seeing how things progress.
It is great to see such an iconic car being brought back to life. Using as many of the original parts as possible just adds to the authenticity. I have just found your channel and it is really great. I am from the UK so it is very nostalgic to see something from "home" being worked on so lovingly. Thanks very much.
Want to see this one go back together for sure!
Vapor blasting is the way to go, glass bead with water, everything stays nice and cool, no dust or grit, beautiful finish.
These videos are so well done as is the careful methodical work on these beautiful works of auto art. Please keep it going Mr. Owen. Thank you so much for your hard work and sharing!!
Wow such a teaser, yes, please finish the rebuild of the engine as well as the fixed head coupe😊👍
Absolutely want to see more 🙂 Don't leave us in a vacuum now !!
Absolutely want to see the motor rebuild! Fascinating project, and great info.👍
Red oxide primer, here used as rust protective coat. Give my regards to this FHC long-time curator. He purchased my 54 DHC, last time I visited seen in his outbuilding 35+ years before! Also greatly enjoyed the alloy-body episode, that car from my pal in the past near Seattle, named MJ. I'm still piloting an XK8 convertible as weekend car! XKs are timeless. Regards-
What a joy - some much needed normality.
Thanks for a very interesting and well made video Richard.
A few years back I refreshed my 4.2 Etype, the engine was a joy to work on.
Please continue, fun to watch the disassembly.
Fascinating. Keen to see the next episode, and to see more of the XK150 rebuild.
The care and respect that you give to these very old machines is both fascinating and heartwarming at the same time. (If I was Director of antiquities restoration at the Louvre, I would confidently sign the Mona Lisa over to your Department!) - Stay blessed and well both of you....🙏🇬🇧
Richard, its like watching a good movie :) thank You very much. greetings from Poland. love to see Your work on other parts of this car
Sorry you guys, But as one who has been rebilding XK and V12 Jaguar motors for over thirty years, I have to say that this bloke hasn't a clue - he's talking absolute shyte.
I wouldn't trust him with a child's toybox.........
Richard - Definitely want to see the full rebuild of this engine. Will really be interested to see if your machine shop can save the head. Could not believe how easy the engine came apart, especially with all the internal rust.
I was having the same thought, amazing how easily a 70 year old engine from a neglected car came apart. Probably a combination of luck and a mechanic who really knows what he's doing... A joy to watch.
Well made video, your experience and knowledge is evident during engine disassembly, what a beautiful old engine and car.
So far so good! Keep going on the XK 120.
JIM
Yes keep showing more of it and the car to
I got one of those in a box in my shop a few years ago . I had to assemble it . Fun challenge .
OK I had finished commenting, YES we all want to see the XK engine re-build, and stop screwing around and give us video's on the XK150 whats the matter with you :)
Yes hopefully one at the end of this week.
Yes please, would love to see another follow up video on the classic master piece.
Yep! more episodes please mate. Awesome camera work👍 Regards from Australia
Yes, follow the rebuild with more videos up to and when started first time. I hope you can keep the entire engine!
Great video! Definitely want to see more.