It’s one of those things you may not have given much thought to but it’s quite literally right under your nose. We’re talking about your classic Jaguar car’s steering wheel.

If you’re a little on the tall side then you may have experienced that getting in and out of your classic Series 3 Jaguar XJ and XJS can be tricky. This is due to the size of the original 16” diameter steering wheels fitted. At KWE we prefer 15” or 14” inch wheels, which makes things a bit easier and we find gives a much-improved feel for the road.

Here are a few more useful pointers that will keep you on the right track when choosing your steering wheel from KWE.

• Our preferred aftermarket type of steering wheel is the Moto-Lita range which offers handcrafted wood and leather rimmed wheels; perfect for any classic cars such as the Jaguar XJS.

• Our leather

At KWE, we find that most classic car owners prefer the features of modern in-car audio systems, but not many customers are satisfied with the way modern head units look once fitted.

In cars built in the 90s onwards it is common to have non-standard single DIN units whose apertures, when removed, will not suit standalone aftermarket units. This Jaguar XK8 is a good example of a modern headunit that can’t be retro-fitted with an aftermarket Bluetooth unit.

While the FM radio facility has not changed much in the last 40 years, the sources of recorded music have. We started with 8 track cartridges followed by cassettes. The digital age produced CDs and devices such as the Apple iPod and MP3 music files capable of being stored on a USB memory stick. Advances in technology now allow drivers to stream directly from a smartphone to the headunit via Bluetooth.

But what if you want to

As one of the UK’s leading restorers of luxury classic cars, we come across all sorts of common problems that require the attention of our specialist engineers.

At KWE our aim has always been to ensure our customers receive a ‘better than new’ restoration service for their Jaguar XJS, XJ, XK and Aston Martin DB7 vehicles. So, we believe it’s important to share information that will ensure these vehicles maintain their reliability and roadworthiness.

We’ve noticed an increase in the number of classic cars being delivered to us for restoration with fuel system failures. Here we offer 7 preventative tips that will keep your vehicle in good condition and help avoid expensive remedial repairs.

Rust and sludge

The primary problem is due to the accumulation of rust and sludge in the fuel tank.

Even though high quality fuel filters are used in the fuel system, fuel pump damage and clogging of the injectors can occur.

While external crash damage to a vehicle is clearly noticeable, other parts are less so and therefore require thorough checks and repairs before a car is deemed roadworthy and safe to drive.

A car’s powertrain comprises several important components that are prone to serious damage if a vehicle is unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident.

In most modern vehicles the powertrain includes the engine, transmission, drive shaft, differential and the final drive. Together, these components transmit the engine’s power through to the road surface.

Our workshop technicians have been kept particularly busy recently with two Jaguars XJSs that [...]

Over the past 10 years, the value of classic and luxury cars, as measured by the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index, has increased by 467 per cent. To put this incredible performance in perspective, this compares with a rise of just 111 per cent in the top end of the London residential market. Hedge fund managers saw returns of only 7.73 per cent over the same ten-year period. The index has reported a continued rise of 17 per cent over the course of 2015 alone. Due to this meteoric rise in value, classic cars are beginning to be recognised as an asset class in themselves, rather than just high-value collectibles.

Buying a classic car is clearly a smart investment choice, particularly as the stock market is volatile and interest low post-Brexit. At a time when there is little benefit to keeping cash in the bank, why not invest in an asset that will

It is not uncommon to experience total brake failure after a long, hard period of braking – just when you want full brake power. By far the most likely cause is that the high heat generated in the brake callipers has raised the brake fluid above the boiling point of water, i.e. 100°C. Normally, this would not be a problem – brake fluid is designed to withstand at least 200°C – but if the fluid contains water above approximately 3%, then this rise in temperature will cause the water in the brake fluid to boil and turn into a vapour. Th [...]

It can be difficult to distinguish between some of our favourite XJS restoration and upgrade projects. Each one gives the KWE team immense satisfaction. However, one recent project does stand out.

At the request of a famous TV and music industry celebrity, this 6-litre, V12 convertible has been fully restored and upgraded with some unique styling features.

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The world of classic car ownership is often presumed to be a bit of a boys’ club. One woman who owns several classic cars, Carolyn Aylmer, has said that her Ferrari 348 ‘attracts a lot of attention from men, who of course assume it isn’t mine.’ There is an increasing number of women in the industry, however, who prove that women enjoy owning and driving classic cars just as much as men do. Nadine Katz, who specialises in insuring classic cars, is one of them, saying that ‘a lot of women own their own cars… some even build cars; they know so much about the mechanics.’. A recent survey has revealed that a quarter of the UK’s classics are owned by women.

Car dealer Joe Macari has said that, in his experience, ‘women buyers’ tastes are very different to men’s… pretty cars will always sell.’ Are they so very different, though? We wanted to learn more

Continuing our series of guest blog posts, we asked loyal customer Tony Bray to tell us why he chose his XJS, and how KWE helped to make it ‘the best car it could be.’

Our Jaguar XJS restoration skills were fully utilised during one of our latest projects, which features as our ‘Car of the month’ for March 2016.

The new owner of this stunning example of a fully restored XJS V12 coupé requested that we first find and purchase the donor car.