It's Only 1 More Thing

We took a break from inspections to visit our Jag. We were able to watch as Peter started the car with a push of the button.

Wheels are beautiful, the dash is in and looks great. Seats were waiting to be rebuilt, the newest hang up.

It was anticipated that the car would be ready within the next couple of weeks. Alas, nothing is guaranteed with a 60-year old car.

We made plans for picking up the car after a quick trip to Atlanta. We planned to take the car, with our grandson, to lunch in San Luis, then head off to friends in Cambria, travel up the coast, visit friends in Morro Bay, then head home. That was the immediate trip along with lots of other ideas for the future.

Friday, as we were flying back from Atlanta we got a call from the shop. As we only got a message to call back we were so hoping that the message was to come to pick her up.

We called the shop 1^st thing Monday morning to find out that the car was having overheating issues and needed additionally driving to find the problem and uncover any other issues.

We called again today for an update: the heater core went out causing the overheating. Another part went out causing the newly rebuilt generator to fail and a metal bar on the rear snapped. We do not remember what went out to cause the generator to fail nor the name of the metal bar.

We are glad that the parts failed in the control of the shop, as we don’t want to start driving our car only to have it towed immediately. It is nevertheless a bit discouraging.

So we wait.

A 3rd Visit To Our Jag

We went and had another visit with our Jag. Fortunately, we are always welcomed at the shop, or at least made to feel welcome. Peter stops what he is doing and goes over all repairs and future repairs with us.

We found the fuel tank installed and wiring in place in the motor. The wiring is sticking out of the dash area waiting for the gauges.

Peter proudly showed us the used wheels that had been dull when we 1^st saw them. The shop had detailed the wheels and they are now good as new, shiny and perfect. We were shocked by how perfect they now are as they look completely unused. Another wheel, a spare, isn’t quite as nice but it was given to us so we won’t complain at all.

Apparently, the radiator could not be installed as a piece of shrouding was missing, like totally gone. We have no idea what the previous owner did but a new one has been ordered from the UK, the only place that this shrouding is available. We should have brought one back with us when we returned a couple of weeks ago.

The dash has been recovered with red leather, as it was when new. The dash now makes the remaining interior look shabby. We do have a plaque that goes on the dash, a plaque that a fellow Jag-Club owner knew about. I’ll have to look up what he told me about the plaque but for now, we need to get it over to the shop to have it installed on the dash. The dash is waiting for the gauges before being reinstalled.

We asked the shop to give us an estimate to rebuild the seats. We’d planned to do that ourselves but would like to have the option of them having this done. I’m sure that I can do rebuild the seats but just am not sure about the time. Besides, the shop will include some other interior repairs that I can’t do.

The floorboards have been discarded, they were rotted. We knew about the damage and thought that we could do that later, but it seems that they had to go sooner than later.

We had hoped the Jag would be ready by our wedding anniversary. But as we are both sick, the weather is cold and rainy and not at all good for a picnic at the coast, we will celebrate living when our Jag is ready to drive.