The owner/creator/builder of this wonderful modified J-type writes: “L300 front end bolted into place on original J Type rails. Has been modified with later Mitsubishi Express rack and pinion steering set up. Jag E-Type rear end bolts in too, but has retained most of the original ‘cage’ (Jag lingo for the pressed-metal housing that all the hotrodders discard). However, the trailing arms and bottom shock mounts have been arse-abouted with each other, that was so the rear spring-damper units could retain their original angles yet the top mounts could be simply welded on the outside of the chassis rails, rather than inside (Way too much angle and therefore massive preload) or the only other option of hacking into chassis rails to form top shock mount brackets, which would’ve been nigh impossible without losing too much strength of rails. In the cab area, my brief was to have every control and facility as ergonometrically identical as possible with the original set up. I have even made up a copy of the throttle pedal, but it runs on sealed bearings through the 1″ x 2″ RHS steering column supports. The Lonely brake pedal is actually a J-Type clutch pedal with a cross over shaft to the Ford Fairmont master cylinder/booster poking through the floor. The 1-inch SHS hinged engine cover allows the XJS Jag bucket seats to be in the same pozzy as per. The missing cowl will actually allow the passenger to travel completely NOT in the manner of a contortionist. Although, I must admit, that engine cowl made an excellent passenger’s footrest on long trips. There will obviously be an overgrown version of the radiator section of the cowl, and I figure it will extend from one side to the other, taking in the uprights of the steering column support. The tray will be retained somehow, as I couldn’t imagine a J without one.” Photographs and text copyright Kelly Ashton, March 2011

If anyone else out there would like their J-type featured in this blog, please send in a few photos and words to go with it. We would really like the blog area of the Register website to become a pro-active area for members to show what they’re up to.