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Jag suspension

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by k9racer, Oct 12, 2012.

  1. k9racer
    Joined: Jan 20, 2003
    Posts: 3,091

    k9racer
    Member

    I have a chance to buy several jags. These are long storage non running cars. This is a estate sale. At this time I do not know years or anything except Jags. I am friends with a cousin of the late owners wife this gets me in first to inspect and make offers.. So is all I want for Hot Rods is the XJ series or will other series or types work? Any thing you can tell me would be of great help..""Thank You"" .. Bobby..
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2012
  2. fatkoop
    Joined: Nov 17, 2009
    Posts: 713

    fatkoop
    Member

    E-types would be nice.............
     
  3. Weasel
    Joined: Dec 30, 2007
    Posts: 6,698

    Weasel
    Member

    XKE - all, XJ6 1969-1986, Mark X all, S-Type 1963-1969, 420 all, 420G all, XJ-S, XJS - that's it for rodder fodder....;)
     
  4. CutawayAl
    Joined: Aug 3, 2009
    Posts: 2,144

    CutawayAl
    Member
    from MI

    Some of the sedans have the same suspension as the XKE, but those all have hubs for bolt-on wheels rather than splines for knock-off wheels.

    There were at least three generations of E-Type rear suspension, They are all basically the same, but the later ones are better/stronger in various ways.
     

  5. Weasel, Spot on ...
     
  6. Weasel
    Joined: Dec 30, 2007
    Posts: 6,698

    Weasel
    Member

    Let me make a couple of points here and put the cat among the pigeons (pun intended;)): there are purists who frown upon Jag suspension as being non traditional because it is independent, however this was a staple of hot rodding from the mid 1960s and first appeared on the XKE/E-Type in 1961. It is the best riding suspension bar none. It also gives you a lot of bang for your buck and is far better value than a variation on a Mustang II modified or copied by people who may or may not know what they are doing. Or for that matter a Corvette - have you ever ridden in a 1990's Corvette? They ride like a buckboard and are probably the worst riding cars I have ever driven - and I have driven many in my time. The Jag IFS and IRS had millions spent on their development by a mainstream manufacturer with considerable racing heritage - disc brakes anyone? Sure you can go out and spend $1500 to $2k and up on what is basically a glorified Pinto front end that does nothing particularly well or you can spend $200-$300 for a superbly designed and engineered front end that rides like a dream and will transform your car. Add to that the the Pinto based front end was meant for a small lightweight car and was never engineered for some of the heavier rides it is seen in and compare that with the Jag which is used on 4400 lb luxury sedans.

    Similarly you can spend $5-10k on an aftermarket IRS (Kugel, Heidts etc.) which is basically a copy of the Jag, but why would you want to when you can spend $200-$300 for the real deal? Don't believe me? I just did it this week - went to a specialty Jag wrecking yard and got a complete front and rear Jag setup from a low mileage XJS, removed, steam cleaned and loaded into my truck for $600. This is absolutely usable as is - even the factory paper tags are on the rear cage and the factory chalk marks are on the diff. So for my $600 I have a luxury heavy duty IFS complete with sway bar, power steering and cooler and an IRS with a posi, 3.54 gears, ready to mount in my project. I even got the drive shaft thrown into the deal as the Jag drive shaft uses a four bolt flange to attach to the diff.

    To me traditional hot rods are more about the spirit of the law than the letter of the law, besides I am old and want comfort - not some antiquated suspension setup with a less than perfect ride and handling. I am a resto rodder - unashamedly. That's my deal - stock looking on the outside with updated technology underneath. I like to drive my car and to be able to jump in and go coast to coast in comfort. So it's Jag all the way for me - you cannot beat the price or the ride....
     
  7. hopped up
    Joined: Oct 5, 2009
    Posts: 401

    hopped up
    Member
    from So Cal

    I used a 85 XJ6 suspension on my 51 f1. Very happy with the results.
     
  8. JEM
    Joined: Feb 6, 2007
    Posts: 1,040

    JEM
    Member

    Personally...if you're gonna poo-pooh independent suspensions go look at the Kenz & Leslie cars.

    The Jag IRS is...well, not really pre-65 traditional, broad adoption really came later, late '60s and into the '70s. I'm sure you can find 'prior art', early examples, but it is mostly a 'street rod' thing, not so traditional.

    That said, it's closer to traditional than any of the aftermarket derivatives e.g. Kugel or anything Mustang II IFS derived (which, after all, didn't hit the streets as a production car until '74.)

    So...personally, traditional or not I love 'em as grimy Brit hardware full of stampings and rough castings and WTF straight-out-of-the-Brunel-era oddities, but I most emphatically do NOT love the polished aftermarket derivatives that propose to 'improve' the Jag design. Just me.

    One of the reasons for its popularity is the ease of adapting the width, but remember the narrow ones (E-type, S-type) had different inner lower arm mounts to get the geometry closer to correct.

    Coming back to the original poster's question: if there's any complete intact E-type cars in the mix you're gonna want to sell those intact (or restore/restomod one yourself), they'll be worth far more as complete cars than it's worth to rip the suspension out. Mk1/MkII sedans in good shape may pull good money too, they're a stick axle car (I've kinda got a jones for one of those, but it's on the second page of my to-do list and at this point in my life I'll be lucky to finish the first.) S-types, 420s, 420Gs all depend on condition. As for the XJs, the newer they are the less they're worth, a pre-bumper ('68-72) car that's not a rustbucket will probably find a buyer intact while a mid '80s car is clearly parts fodder.
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2012
  9. Did I miss a "poo-pooh" post that got deleted?
    All seems positive in here and so it should be.

    Seems there is more Jag front and rears
    going into cars now than ever before.
    All good I say.
    My Lincoln has both.
     
  10. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

    Try this
     

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  11. Weasel
    Joined: Dec 30, 2007
    Posts: 6,698

    Weasel
    Member

    Add to the above that the 1993-1996 XJS used the hub carriers of the XJ40 and had outboard brakes with solid rotors. A few - and I mean a very few - of the last production 1996 XJS had bigger calipers with vented brakes.

    I'm with JEM on the aftermarket thinking they can improve upon the original when the original has had millions spent on developing it - it loses in translation. You only need to look at the problems with aftermarket Pinto - er Mustang II setups that abound. There is something wonderfully organic about the Jag independent suspension - not a trace of billet, just pure engineering with charisma....
     
  12. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,175

    73RR
    Member

    Weasel is spot-on!!

    And, as JEM notes, a concise inventory should be made to determine if a jewell is hiding in the group. There are some very collectible Jags out there.

    .
     
  13. pasadenahotrod
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 11,775

    pasadenahotrod
    Member
    from Texas

    My friend Burl, 81, is almost ready for a test drive in his latest project, a T bucket roadster with turtle deck and XJ6 rear suspension. These are very reasonable to buy, even at swap meets, around here $300-$400. New discs, rebuilt calipers, pads, line adapters are available at NAPA and other parts houses. Mount bars and other parts from Speedway as well as driveshaft adapters. Easy, very attractive, great ride, all for well less than the price of a done 8" or 9" Ford solid axle.
     
  14. I've seen some extremely nice Model A's with the Jag rear suspension back in the mid 70's,,not so much now but in the Resto Rod heyday they were very popular. HRP
     
  15. k9racer
    Joined: Jan 20, 2003
    Posts: 3,091

    k9racer
    Member

    I would like to say " Thank You " to every one who gave me feed back. I dont know how many collectors I will go up against. If they have any I know to keep XKE and XK 120/140/150 series as collector material.. Thank You again.. Bobby..
     
  16. barrnone50
    Joined: Oct 24, 2010
    Posts: 571

    barrnone50
    Member
    from texas

    I put a jag front end in my 51 f1. Rebuilt the front end all the parts are from Johns Cars in Dallas. Good guy to deal with has many parts new and used.
     
  17. Weasel
    Joined: Dec 30, 2007
    Posts: 6,698

    Weasel
    Member

    Bobby, let us know how you make out and what is up for grabs.
     
  18. GasserTodd
    Joined: May 15, 2009
    Posts: 499

    GasserTodd
    Member

    You know, when Im driving down the road in our 48 Chev truck (with chromies and white wall radials) nobody can see its got Jag suspension, but I sure can appreciate the ride.

    To some it may not be traditional, but it does allow the truck to be my daily driver, whereas maybe an original axle, steering and brakes might not be as pleasant a driving experience.

    I understand that the original XKE was released over 50 years ago, so even if the suspension isnt traditional, it from an old era.
     

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