Hot Rods What decade was the decade of roadsters with Jag rearends?

My cousin and I were talking about roadsters with jag rearends and I was trying to think what decade or years they were so popular.And wasn't there a shop in Northern Ca that built quite a few? Does anyone have any pictures of them? Exterminator

 

Not recalling exactly where in Cali. IIRC the L.A. area.
Concourse West or something like that.

 

Real heyday was the late sixties through the seventies. Great way to thumb your nose at the rod-abillies, and functional as well, which those guys really hate. Still LOTS of them around, if you look under the nicer cars.

 

Did Kugel not start off using Jag stuff?

 

^^^that is so cool with the quick change cover on the jag rear end ^^^

 

Snow White did a lot with the jag stuff too http://www.snowwhiteltd.com/products.html still stuff on their website

 

That car belongs to HAMBer "BCHRA guy", and its a beaut.

He has since changed the wheels. Is it ok, if I say I liked the tork thrusts better?

 

Its ok by me George but it may cost you a brewski with the owner. I like the TT's, its a mag, rag, jag.

 

Next time I see him coming, I'll duck and cover... kidding...

Better give the new wheels equal time. You can still see the jag rear, so this is on topic...

 

Don Tognotti's "King T" was a**** the first when it won the AMBR in 1964. It was started in '62. They do have roots in what you could call the traditional era.




Don Tognotti's King T kustomrama picture

 

Don Tognotti's 'King T' rear suspension was modeled after the Jag unit, but was actually scratch-built.

 

They're still doing it. Problem is with rods, there's so little sprung weight, there's a big difference in ride just adding a p***enger or two. Most I've been in, it isn't obvious there's an IRS back there. When there are four springs and shocks, playing with getting the ride right can be expensive and time consuming.

Over on the Avanti site, there's about one a month asking how to and one every three months over on the Stude site.

The problem is for most, it's inherent in how the question is asked; if has to ask for too much detailed how-to instructions, probably he shouldn't be doing it.

jack vines

 

Yup, thats what I thought.

 

Coolest thing about a Jag rear, was following one.

 

70's was the peak.

 

1962 & up to the 80's

 

Kinda like riding my Harley and following a crotch-rocket with the guys girlfriend on back.

 

Thx for the kudo's, George............but American's had been on the RPU for over 20 yrs, so was overdue for a change.......and when I found out the local powdercoater had EXACT same Candy Blue Pearl to match flames, new wheels w/ww's was a natural choice........all comments have been positive on the change......another reason for change was to put 15" wheels on front (which is also Jag XKE setup) and now drives/rides much better on hwy's.......speedo has rolled over 77,000 miles, mostly on cruise control, and the RPU rides like a dream 'specially with a suitcase & toolbox in bed.........

 

I thought cars with that jag setup were more popular then what it appears.Didn't the LA Roadsters have more then 5 cars with that setup?

 

I am currently in the process of building a homogenized independent in the Jag style using Mustang II 8" center section narrowed with Volvo rotors and 65 Corvair half shafts and outer bearing. But back to the question, the main decade was the 70's.

 

And I have the photo to prove it. IIRC, this was Loafers Nostalgia drags, 1995.

Its a great looking truck any way you slice it. I remember Chip said that his friends rib him sometimes, because there are certain cars he photographs every time he sees them. Your truck (and Dougs chopped '34 4 door) is one of those cars for me. I have probably shot it more than a dozen times over the years!

 

Oh man, there were TONS of them. The photos I posted were just a small handful of ones local to me that I have shot in the last couple years.

 

Friend of mine just finished a high end Deuce Sedan with a jag rear. Granted the project came with the chromed out unit so it was hard for him to trash it. He says it rides nice.

 

The jag rear axle under my red deuce sedan isn't real visible except when I had to haul it home after I bought it. HRP

 

Fellow club member Al's center door T sports a beautiful jag rear axle. HRP

 

The Jaguar IRS caught the eye of rodders right from the start of it's introduction on the XKE and Mark X saloon in '61, but due to the rarity and price of these cars in the US, few were available in the wrecking yards of the time or at prices rodders could afford when they did show up. But Jag kept adding models featuring this rear suspension; the S type in '63, the 420 in '66, and the XJ in '68. By 1966, virtually every car Jaguar built used this ***embly in one version or another so supplies increased to where they started being used by rodders. Although these never existed in the numbers like you'd see for US cars; totals for all Jaguar cars using this suspension is under 500,000 units over 35 years.

As a side note, the sub-frame mounted front independent suspension that pretty much all of these same cars used (except for the torsion-bar-suspended XKE) and is also a popular swap choice dates to 1955, when it was first used on the Mark 1.

 

My Jag rear story: About 1972 or 3, I bought a friend's garage ac***ulation of a t bucket body, a frame, a hemi engine, a LaSalle transmission, and a Jag rear end that had been modified with Ford pattern hubs. During those years, the Dallas newspaper had quite a popular want ads that listed hot rods and parts. So, I listed my jag rear end as "19** Jag IRS, $600. Excellent condition" First phone caller: "what color is that IRS Jag?" Me: "Er, it is painted red" Caller: "is that IRS model a 2 door or a 4 door?" Me: "It's a rear axle, not a car" Caller: "What, are you crazy?" Click. Next caller asked "still have it? I will be there with cash"

 

I put one in my 35 when I built it 16yrs ago now. I think OEM springs are 200#, all I've done is add new shocks in this time. Love the ride

 

i think one advantage was more strength than a vette rear.

 

They're pretty tough. I'm on the Jag 'Lumps' site (Jags with American or 'other' motors in them) from time to time and I've only heard of two failures. One was a 80s XJS coupe with a twin-turbo small block and a TKO 5-speed, the owner managed to twist one of the stub axles off drag racing it. The other was a road-race-prepped sedan with a turbo
BBC in it. The owner claimed it had been dead-nuts reliable until he bumped the boost into the 800 hp range... then it started having 'issues'... LOL.

One thing that anyone contemplating a Jag rear should know is there is limited gear ratios; the pre-'82 cars used 3.03, 3.31, and 3.56 ratios mostly. Limited slip was standard on the XKE, XJS, and 12 cylinder XJ sedans, optional on everything else. After '81, anything with the V12 got a 2.88 ratio only and these used a unique ring gear/differential that won't accept 'standard' gears. I've been told that the 'other' ratio units will accept Dana 44 gears with a bit of machine work, and if you're willing to swap to a Dana differential, even the 2.88 rears can be changed although this swap requires non-OEM bearings to make it fit.