Winterizing Old Jag

C

cptzippy

New member
Haven't posted in a while. Been working on the 1994 Jag XJS I got as my Dave Ramsey Beater. It's been reliable but haven't had much time to detail due to other things going on. As winter approaches here in Kansas I'm thinking about it being my daily driver here in the KC area. Even though I'd like to consider it, I don't think a second winter beater is going to be an option. So that means protecting the Jag as best as can be from the elements. What suggestions do you have to keep it from rusting away?



Bonus question: Any driveability tweaks you can think of? I see a set of winter tires and wheerls on Tire rack for $860.
 
cptzippy said:
As winter approaches here in Kansas I'm thinking about it being my daily driver here in the KC area...
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I'd *really* rethink that. For about two seconds, as I know what my conclusion would be ;)



Even though I'd like to consider it, I don't think a second winter beater is going to be an option.
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[repeat previous two sentences..]



So that means protecting the Jag as best as can be from the elements. What suggestions do you have to keep it from rusting away?
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You'll need, at the very least, the following, and a means of using them (shop facilities, means of having the car up, at least on jackstands but preferably on a lift, the knowledge/ability to do some disassembly to get into inaccessible areas..this is *NOT* a simple little job):



-rustproofing/undercoating gun with wands/etc.

-rustproofing materials including something like WaxOyl and some AmSoil Heavy Duty Metal Preserver and probably also something thin like Eastwoods stuff for inside frames (use for inside stuff like doors/etc. where you need something really thin that does a lot of "creeping")





Oh man...there are just soooo many spots on an XJS that are almost impossible to get to...no way I'd want to be considering this.

Bonus question: Any driveability tweaks you can think of? I see a set of winter tires and wheerls on Tire rack for $860.
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I'd consider the (good) winter tires an absolute necessity.



But then I consider a second (winter-appropriate) vehicle an absolute necessity for XJS owners. Seriously. And yeah, I do realize that this reply isn't gonna make your day or anything :o But I sure think that both you and the car will be a lot happier if you do find some way to swing a winter beater.
 
Cold is one thing, but ice and snow can literally be the kiss of death....for YOU! The XJS is and really horrible snow car. I speak from experience. I have driven a '63 E-Type, a '66 S-Type and both a 6-cylinder manual and a v-12 auto XJS. of all of these the XJS is the worst. The weight is in the wrong place. Too low for clearance and too torquey for traction.



Not to mention the rust that will ensue! Eeeeek!
 
An E-Type in the snow / ice you're a much braver man than I am...



I'd agree with Accumulator, a Jag is the last vehicle I'd consider as a winter beater vehicle
 
Brad B. said:
Cold is one thing, but ice and snow can literally be the kiss of death....for YOU! The XJS is and really horrible snow car...
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We encountered winter conditions while traveling in mine a few times, and yeah, it was a serious handful. This opinion from somebody who has done fine with all sorts of "seriously winter unsuitable" vehicles ;)



And the cleanups from those few incidents always took an entire weekend. Had I been unable to clean it up right away, I truly believe it would've rusted away from just those few exposures. Get salt into certain places on those cars (places that often rust away all by themselves anyhow due to how the cars were built) and you're looking at panel replacement as you simply cannot get inside the seams/etc. to fix things.



FWIW, the SII/SIII XJ6 cars that share so much in common with the XJS were actually quite nice to drive in the snow as long as they had LSD. But they rusted away in no time too when subjected to that.
 
TOGWT said:
An E-Type in the snow / ice you're a much braver man than I.
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My dad and I (mostly him) restored the XKE and it was my college car for two years and his daily driver for several years. The tales I could tell. I remember once coming back from school in a snow storm with the front hood scoop packed with snow all the way into the radiator. The 72 spoke wheels were solid packed with snow so they looked like white discs. The wipers couldn't push the snow so I had to reach out the window with my glove. The poor yellow headlights barely illuminated 10 feet ahead. And heat? What heat? Ahh, but then it was just an old sportscar... Not a 'classic' car just yet. Lol!
 
An XKE as a college car --that must've been :xyxthumbs: Total class!



I had a buddy with a 'vette and a Charger and we'd enjoy late night ruckus in shopping mall parking lots :chuckle: .



Would you consider getting an XKE again just like the one you used to have?
 
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