Above 1200 Sq/FT Craig's Colorado Car Condo

Craig Balzer · May 2, 2025

In an effort to do as much of the restoration on my own (ego), my inexperience overcame my perceived “expertise” (Eye R no mekanik), I tried to rebuild the steering column on m y own - I tried to install the C-Clip on the end of the Upper Steering Column on my own.

All the bits aligned in order on the wire fit on the top of the column - they sit under the groove and are held in place with the C-Clip atop the thick washer.

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I fabricated a notched socket sorta thing from an old shock bushing sleeve to push down on the column and them insert the C-clip. I used my 20-ton press. I would have bet my life’s earnings that I was very careful using that 20-ton press.
I only used it enough to gain access to the groove.
But those bits didn’t fit right - I tried 4-5 times.

I used too much pressure and crushed the safety crush mesh on hte column

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Unrepairable
New (used) column = $400.
Ouch

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As promised my painter showed up at the appointed hour in mid-July to spray my denuded undercarriage. He used a product (I didn’t catch the name of it but it is similar to Rhino P/U bed spray liner). The reason he uses it - aside from liking the product and how it lays down - is that he can add a coloring agent to the stuff.

To most of you, those photos won’t look significantly different than prior photos I have posted of the undercarriage. He said I ought to paint the undercarriage to give his stuff better adhesion. I painted the undercarriage red - the tint used is the same red my car is painted.

Some happy snaps
DURING

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The driver’s side rear wheel well - taped off areas where the IRS mounts to the car

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The interface between the body paint and the protective undercarriage spray

Craig Balzer · May 2, 2025

With the undercarriage spray thoroughly dried, I set about attaching some of the smaller bits:

Torsion Bar Mounting Brackets

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Fuel Feed and return Lines from the boot (snaking around the IRS cavity)

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Now I can attach the fuel lines from the tank to the bulkhead fittings

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In august 2024, I took my convertible top (frame and cloth top) to my upholsterer so he could separate the two. He has only done a few E-Types and wanted to video his removal process to record the steps and ID jaguar-specific issues. I wanted to refurbish the frame and install replacement hardware.

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In the summer of 2024, I attended my nephew's wedding in San Diego. Either on the way there or during nthe return trip I caught COVID (second time). It laid my for several months.

Craig Balzer · May 2, 2025

That brings us to early DEC 24. Paul and Jeff (two Jag-tech friends) were right on schedule to install the time serts in the two pesky head stud holes. Jeff brought a box full of special tools.

I didn’t take any photos - I was chasing tools, stuff, and things for the rescuers, while prancing nervously around the block (we all spent more time than I care to admit searching for the xxxxxxx that one of us just just a moment ago had in-hand).

I wasn’t too nervous - although the operation was on the original numbers-matching block. I calmed myself when I calculated that between Jeff and Paul there was a combined 65 years of Jaguar-wrenching. Applying that calculus to Colorado I prolly had 2 of the top 5 Jaguar wrenches in the state (past and present).

We had to repair two head stud holes - these two on the drivers side

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That is Jeff (on the left) and Paul threading the spark plugs back home and nuts onto all the studs of the offending head.

That’s the good news.
The bad news happened when Jeff was adjusting the timing chain tensioner so he could reattach the gear to the cam.

The chain tensioner kit has a tool that – to my eye - is a flat-tipped screwdriver with a notch cut across the tip. It is inserted through the hole in the timing gear cover into slot shown in the upper top left corner (below photo). A 45° twist turns the slot and released the pre-install tension on the tensioner (with a heart-stopping POP) :

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The other tool is visible in my photo of Jeff and Paul. It slips down into the chain opening of the passenger side head and garbs hold of the tensioner assembly through a purpose built feature. The Y shaped arms in the photo provides purchase to apply tension on the tensioner (to hold it place when tension is removed to repair a head)

Jeff had just laid hands on the Y arms of the tensioning tool when SNAP – something broke off in his hand. Fortunately the piece that broke flew onto my shop floor (rather than into the guts of the block) . The tip of the “screwdriver” tool had sheared off at the notch.

Stoically and calmly, Jeff looked at me: “We are done for the day”.

Jeff – in his usual foresight - brought a borescope. He inspected the timing chain tensioner (still in situ). It survived intact. That is a $350 item. Jeff – in his usual foresight - also brought a spare tensioner (that was not needed) – wheewwww.

In summary - the two stud holes are properly repaired, the head (yes, and gasket) is in place and torqued down, and the tensioner is intact.
Another rescue visit is set with a replacement tool to attach the cam gear.
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Sio I returned to adding small bits and pieces. One item that I do wanna focus on is installing the A-Pillar seal.

Step 1 was reattaching the rails for the seals. The only hard part – for me - was finding the proper sized rivets.

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I would have tried to insert the rubber seal from the top of the rail and slide it all the way down its length. That would have ultimately been very frustrating and an abject failure.
That approach did work for the the seal at the rear of the door opening (below) - the rail and seal are identical to the A-Pillar but the twists are much gentler and the overall length shorter.

To insert the rubber seal on the A-Pillar I pressed it into the slot with a small screwdriver and other like tools.
What I found the most success with (with special thanks to @Chippewa-Rod who broke rtail on this project just before me) was to use the Craftsmen probes with a 90° or 45° angle on the tip. Rod has a set from Harbor Freight that likely cost one quarter of the price I paid but I had already crossed that bridge.

I pressed the rubber seal using the rounded bend of the tool and then levered the seal down and under the rail with the pointed tip. On the first seal I was making progress 1/4" to 1/2" at a time.
Slow? – Yes
Ponderous – OH YES
Use assembly lube - Oh NO! what a mess and totally unsuccessful
Ultimately successful - yup

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Craig Balzer · May 2, 2025

I also installed the stone guard in the nose of the bonnet

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I reassembled the headlight assemblies with new bulbs.

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The hard part locating the replacements for the small bits for the unique bolt that is used to aim the headlights - one is mounted at 12 o’clock and the other at 3 or 9 o’clock of each H/L.

I found the kit that has all the hardware at Moss Motors; SNG B carries the pieces but you gotta order them separately and are more expensive.
Here are the new bolt and the black plastic “nut”

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Shifting again to the other end of the car, I needed to do more work on the taillights. I converted to LEDs and bought assemblies that integrated the stand-alone reverse lamps into the taillight assembly.
I rectified one of the issues surrounding the rear lamps . The reason that 1 of the 3 self-tapping mounting screws on each assembly starts in the boot-- rather than from outside the vehicle - is that there is no room to do it from the back of the car.
Since I “upgraded” to LEDs, the light panel obscures one of the bolt holes.

The correct solution was to bite the bullet and just slide the fuel tank off the to the side. Took less than an hour. I disconnected the

the 3 wires for the fuel sender
fuel filler hose (left hanging from the filler filler assembly)
two hard fuel lines atop the fuel tank
the fuel pickup line to raise the pick-up tube because
fuel drain bung (the allow me to slide the tank to the side)

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At this stage I am glad I took this approach.
I found the 1x grounding wire right where I left it - hanging down still attached to the broken grounding connector

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I found another ground wire dangling loose.
When I tried to insert it into the grounding connector, the connector snapped in two. Turns out there were 2 others tucked in behind the US driver side of the fuel tank.
At the end of day:

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The blue paper shop towel is wrapped around the original wiring for the incandescent bulbs I left if a future owner should thy wanna return to original lighting. I capped the three wires, wrapped a rubber band around them, and bundled them in a paper towel and rubber banded that bundle again

Tomorrow, I will use a double bullet connector to put power to the rear side light that I neglected to wire up before the fuel tank went in place. Just gotta review my notes to confirm the red wire on the tail light assembly is the proper connection - red powers the tail lamps on the LED panel.

Then just slide the tank back in place before or after fussing with the reverse light wiring.
Too easy - just the reverse of removal, right??

Craig Balzer · May 2, 2025

I continued my efforts to make assemblies and test-fit assemblies. This saves time later down the road as I’ll have fasteners, gaskets, washers, etc directly to hand. This rectangular housing received the two driver side carbs. The coolant runs through them to speed warm up of the enbine

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Most of these procedures were not photo worthy. Took me 30-45 minutes to gather all the bits for the accelerator pedal - mostly trying to figure out how to attach the funky return spring. It is not on the car (carpet needs to be installed first); just put all the bits in one box.

Until today, by piecing these items together, I ID’ed some questions that I can deal with now rather than stop the assembly line mid-effort.

Driver Side.
I need to clean up the three threaded holes in the thermostat housing.

The rectangular opening on the top of the housing receive the intake manifolds

You can see how these fit here - carbs already removed

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Speaking of intake manifolds - with attaching hardware and throttle linkages

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Taking advantage of some unusual summer-like temperatures in Colorado Springs in early April 2025, I decided to paint the hood frame.

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That completes 1.5 years of effort in a few posting.
Thanx for continuing to g=follow along in my efforts

Almost forgot.
I DID tick off a bucket item on 13 October 2024:

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34 - Packers
13 - Cardinals

Craig Balzer · Apr 22, 2026

I'm overdue for an update. Lots of small advances but waiting for a V2 engine specialist to undo some errors and do some machining that shoulda been done earlier.

I cleaned up and painted the LH and RH air filter housings and trumpets.

With time on my hands and being stalled awaiting engine block work to be completed, my OCD kicked in and I got busy with a multimeter and label marker:

Craig Balzer · Apr 22, 2026

In a previous post I discussed completing the wiring of the bonent fore the H/Ls, turn signals, and side markers.
Time to reattach the chrome bits:

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A friend dropped in from Michigan to help with the touchy bits - he had just done this on his V12 Jag and was about to start on his second one. Invaluable!
The grill

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Headlight Buckets

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Chrome trim around H/Ls

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Craig Balzer · Apr 22, 2026

Overview of the bonnet

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Craig Balzer · Apr 22, 2026

Just before the block migrated to Denver for additional machining, I test fitted various components. Mostly, I wanted to see how closely tucked into the block the headers are. Main Point: install headers and then the engine OR install the engine and then struggle to install the headers. Also, since I changed the colors of some engine components, I was curious as to the overall look:

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This intake maniofold needed vapor blasting to match the others. That has been done

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Craig Balzer · Apr 22, 2026

I also enlisted a professional automobile photographer to do better justice to the car.
He took a bunch -- and some are repetitious of photos I just posted -- but here are some of his efforts: