Why is it that consumer auto repair manuals...

[Monkeyleg]

Glad it was comfortable, probably designed that way for the amount of time you'd be under the bonnet to keep that Jag running.

Replaced Lucas electrical components with German or American aftermarket stuff and the car was very dependable. 

[White Horseradish]

Very easy to change, at least in my car with the Buick 3800- remove engine mount brackets, push car forward while in park to roll the engine forward- giving you a lot of room to work with. I've had several RWD vehicles taht were much more difficult to get the rear plugs out of.

The Lumina vans that started this rant use the same motors - 3.1, 3800, 3.4. However, unlike the sedans, the engine mounts do not allow rolling the engine like that.

I'm very fond of later model serpentine belts as well. stick the right socket on a breaker bar, lean on the tensioner and slip the belt on. Gone are the days of seperate PITA fan/AC/water pump belts.

I'd rather do the separate belts. My mother-in-law's Volvo lost a power steering belt, but the rest of the accessories kept working allowing her to get home. With a serpentine belt she would not have had the water pump or the alternator.

[Hutch]

Monkeyleg, do you still have the XKE?  That is/was my dream car.  Almost bought one, a loooong time ago.  Had my wife and banker convinced I was worth it.  The owner sold it out from under me.... 

[Monkeyleg]

Hutch, I sold the car in 2000, 14 years after finishing a ground-up restoration. I have eight trophies from it, but no digital photos, so I can't post anything.

I wanted one from the time they shipped them to the US in 1961. I always swore I'd have one, and I finally got one. I just didn't ever imagine I'd have to build it myself.

[French G.]

They are beautiful. All I know about Jags is Lucas and that my dad was fixing one for a local guy to the point the guy's wife said that it was her or the car. In a decision that may be regrettable he gave my dad the car.