Project: 1939 Jaguar SS100 Replica Classic Roadsters, LTD. "Duke"

[Bruce Nunnally]

We'll see. It would also be fun ( if pricey) to get one of those plastic to welded kits and design a custom header setup....

[Bruce Nunnally]

I also thought that there was too much gap between the top of the tire and fender.Simple,or so I thought,Just put blocks in the rear between the spring and pad.For the front, use drop spindles.When I looked under the car,there is very little clearance between the driveshaft and emergency brake bracket.One solution would be to raise the entire driveshaft tunnel,and for me that's not happening.So, I think to raise your engine ,you would need to raise the trans a like amount and unless your car is different you are up in the tunnel too much.The only viable solution I have seen is to use 18 or 19 inch wheels and tires as was used back in the 30's and 40's.They give the car a more period correct look,but as you pointed out,we now have speedometer issues.Probably the only way to use a header is modify what you have or have one custom made.I'm going back through this thread to review the header posts.

I agree. The real answer is probably 18" thin wire wheels and deal with the speedo adjust. Header install, test, and uninstall around page 19.

[Cadillac Jim]

The drawings that you posted tell me that the Duke uses a two-section drive shaft. The rear section tilts down and moves with the rear suspension. The front section is horizontal. The engine is tilted slightly for oil pan clearance. If you want to raise the engine without decreasing clearance between the drive shaft and floor tunnel, increase the engine tilt.

[Bruce Nunnally]

I had a nice chat with a gentleman in Tennessee who is building a Duke up from a partial kit, 3 years along. He had to fabricate doors for his. Hopefully he will join the conversation here. He did a nice customization of the hood (bonnet) so it is hinged in the center and lifts from either side. I sent him a link to the manual -- he needs a closeup of how the side-mount bar works for the optional side-mount spares. Once mine is back from the shop I'll post close-ups.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Ran by Linear Automotive at lunch after Joel sent an email identifying the part I put in the Roadster as the roll bar end links instead of the a-arm strut bushings. Took the roll bar in and we added that to the repair (repair/replace 2 bushing bolts, reattach roll bar).

This shows the right rear leaf springs with the spacer block removed and re-assembled. In hind sight I should have asked the shop to repaint the springs, but task for another day.

Work in progress, I just popped in and we were talking about the Roadster while I dropped off parts, and so I snapped some pics of it on the lift.

This shows the left rear with the spacers still in the leaf, and the old shock.

New right rear shock with concentric helper spring

Duke Roadster is at alignment shop this evening, and I am sked to pick up tomorrow at 10 am at Linear.

[Bruce Nunnally]

As planned I dropped by Linear Automotive in Plano to pick up the Duke Roadster today.

The front and rear wheel space is even greater now that the car is not lowered front and rear, but the ground clearance is adequate. Both rear springs bushings are now correct.

Linear Automotive is around 7-10 miles from home so I sailed out and validated that the car no longer had the 'wiggle'. The previous problem was that with the right rear spring walking on its front bushing the car would wind up on acceleration and unwind. That was now corrected. The picture above shows the right rear axle.

The Duke tracked straight out of the shop and up Highway 5. The car had an odd intermittent shudder on acceleration but I hoped that was the rear suspension settling.

Around 2/3 of the way home the car began to drive unevenly, proceeding along the highway at a slight angle. Soon after a loud noise that sounded something like a fan belt squeak but more metallic.

I was in traffic so the only thing for it was to keep going and try to get to a safe stopping point. Once I could I turned in to neighborhood streets and crept the rest of the way with the loud noise continuing.

On reaching home I was able to identify that the rear axle is now at an angle, with the left rear axle and perch having walked forward on the left rear leaf spring.

IN this picture, the bolt protruding from the rubber spring perch insulator should be in the center of the u-bolted perch section. The axle has walked forward and now the rear axle is at an angle to the car.

Looking at the pic of the right rear axle vs the left rear axle, they are different because to eliminate wheel hop the shocks attach to different sides of the axle perch on each side. To the front of the perch on the right rear, to the back of the perch on the left rear. The left rear axle perch has moved forward, allowing the axle to misalign.

The shop was only sort of open today -- pickup only, no phone answering, no call-backs apparently. I can't drive the car back to the shop in current condition to check it back in for correction, so hopefully they will come pickup on a flatbed.

Album: https://plus.google.com/photos/+BruceNunnally/albums/6008961971182133921

[Texas Jim]

That royally sucks... I sure hate to hear that...

Something wasn't tightened up properly...

[Bruce Nunnally]

Reading this:

U-bolts are another matter. Greater care is required when replacing loose or broken U-bolts. These things clamp the axle to the suspension, and are therefore subject to huge stresses. The fasteners need to be torqued properly. Never reuse a U-bolt or the nut. Once they have been properly torqued, they stretch and can't be retorqued properly again.

Clearly shop re-used u-bolts and nuts

[Bruce Nunnally]

Although when there is an issue over work product I prefer to leave the example as is so the shop can see the issue, I decided my pics document and that I could try to correct the issue.

I put the Duke up on jack/jack stand and clearly the rear axle had a few inches of play in it - I was able to shift it back close to where it belongs, or slide it back forward.

This image shows a close up of the left rear u-bolt nut clearly not torqued up to a firm engagement with the bracket it should be torquing the perch to.

On examination two of the U-bolt nuts on the left rear were finger-tight, and two were a bit more than finger tight but not fully torqued. I put the entire rear end of the Duke in the air, and pulled the left rear back so that the u-bolts are straight up and down, and then torqued all 4 bolts down tight. This is a temporary fix, as based on my reading both u-bolts on each side need replacement with new, and 4 bolts on each side. My goal is to get the Duke safe to ease back to Linear Automotive for correction.

Tricky to tell with the lighting but this is the 'after' view with the axle pulled rearward, and the u-bolts all tightened down snug. This is not a permanent fix, as noted above, but was sufficient that I was able to take the Duke gingerly around the block with no noises or issues.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Here is a photo of the side mount spare hardware for Troy:

The square tubing extends into the engine compartment and is bolted to the firewall below the battery. It can just be seen on this engine compartment shot:

[Bruce Nunnally]

A gentleman stopped by this afternoon after seeing the Duke in the garage to ask if it was for sale and how much I would want for it. We discussed the car and the current saga and what these cars often sell for. His Father had a VW based kit car back in the day and he thought it would make a fun project for them. (I was hard pressed not to simply name a low figure and wash my hands of it after today's events!). He suggested he might stop by after Linear has a chance to address the rear.

[thedukejag]

Wow,it never ends .I can feel your frustration.Seems really weird somebody stops by ,just when, you and the car are not on the best of terms.If it were me at that point,he might be the new owner.Many people ask me : Do you miss your Corvette? Answer is no,after seven years ,t was time for it to go.I do think my wife might miss it though.But now we have the Duke and its still fun putting my touch on things.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Thanks; that will narrow it down nicely. It seems one needs to turn one tire twice and count the revolutions of the driveshaft once, or turn the tire once and double the revolutions of the driveshaft.

In my case, I raised one rear wheel, put the car in neutral, and marked the wheel with tape, and the driveshaft with tape.

Then I carefully rotated the wheel, counting rotations of the driveshaft.

In 2 turns of the wheel, the driveshaft turned 3 times with about 15 degrees of wheel turn left to go remaining, so I am guessing the final drive is ~3.08:1 -- no, that would be ~3.3:1.

There was a Toyota ratio at 3.31 (S414).

So to validate I would need to turn the wheel 6 times and see if the drive shaft is just short of 10 turns.

This leads me to more questions.

One more update on this note from page 15 / post 211: My Duke Roadster has a Ford rear axle, not a Toyota as I thought at the time. It would have come with a Ford setup, and I think someone ditched the Ford engine along the way for the Toyota 3TC. The rear appears to be the Ford 6.75" differential that would have some with Mustang II or Pinto. That rear axle had two final drives available, a 2.73 or a 3.18:1. Reference

I suspect my Duke has the 3.18:1 final drive not the 3.31:1 as previously noted.

[Cadillac Jim]

It does look like the axle clamp U-bolts weren't torqued. You can probably fix that yourself with jack stands, or, preferably, a rented lift.

[Bruce Nunnally]

It does look like the axle clamp U-bolts weren't torqued. You can probably fix that yourself with jack stands, or, preferably, a rented lift.

Since I just paid for alignment I would like for Linear to properly attach the rear axle and ensure aligned.

I agree however that this is almost within my skillset - get new ubolts, nuts, use winch to pull back on axle slightly, torque down. It is almost there now, but a bit off - perhaps good enough to creep back to shop. I am not certain how to ensure rear axle is perfectly aligned without gear tho.

[Cadillac Jim]

Yes, it would still need a four-wheel alignment job.

[thedukejag]

I have no idea of what kind of work that shop does ,but in your case,it was most definitely shoddy at best.The owners reputation is at at question and needs to be made aware of the work done improperly.I don't think any reputable shop wants this kind of work going out the door as it's a serious safety issue.Good luck with this .

[Bruce Nunnally]

I loaded measurements of the spare tire mount for Troy here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+BruceNunnally/albums/6009930902182514865

[Bruce Nunnally]

My Duke Roadster with / without hub caps. Haven't photoshopped it to see, but is there an argument for putting larger 15" solid steel wheels and then painting body color?

Alternate is to go to 5 lug front and rear -- which may require a new axle in rear -- and true wire wheels.

The Tow Truck considers the DOT number on the side of the truck sensitive so no photos of that.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Linear Automotive sent their Tow Service first thing Monday to grab the Duke SS100 back and address the axle issue.

The Tow Driver pointed out any visual flaws for me for pre-tow record so I photoed each one and included in album here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+BruceNunnally/albums/6009936949656655505

[Bruce Nunnally]

Questions for my fellow Duke owners:

• what is your ground clearance at lowest point?
• What is that lowest point?
• Does your engine extend below the frame rail?
• What size wheels and tires do you have on?
• Do you have lowering spacers in the rear leaf springs?
• Can you post an image of your Duke from the side showing the underside like this?

My oil pan and my cross-member protrude below the frame rail, (which has not been healthy for the crossmember):

[thedukejag]

Bruce, I can check mine tomorrow.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Thanks. I did take the Jaguar emblem off my grill, but the Duke logo that belongs beneath it is long gone.

[thedukejag]

My emblem is pretty bad.We had to trim the Rickedges to remove a lot of damage so that it is somewhat presentable.Chances are between few and none,I think, of finding new or really nice ones.

[thedukejag]

Hi Bruce....Lowest point is the exhaust at 5" , then the oil pan at 5 1/2"..Pics will clearly show my engine below the frame.No lowering blocks in rear,but does have non stock longer shackles to raise the rear.Tire size: P215/75 R14 Firestones.