| Author | Message | ||
     Steve Emmott Prolific User Username: steve_e Post Number: 180 Registered: 11-2018 |
Does anyone know if the old Jaguar XJ/XJS cruise control rubber bellows is actually the same as the one fitted to RR/B. The unit on the Jaguar and RR/B looks the same as on Shadows albeit slightly different end plate on later RR cars with the solenoids direct fit but bellows does look again the same. I seem to recall when I was at Jaguar these units were same manufacturer and not a bespoke part and the same as what RR used but my memory now is vague. The reason I ask is replacement cost at Introcar and FS is around 90-100 GBP for just the bellows. At a very reputable UK Jaguar parts supplier this bellows is listed at only 18 GBP. | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 2812 Registered: 6-2009 |
See my RR & Bentley Parts, Repair, Restoration & Other Resources Compilation and search on "bellows" for the Jag part number. It absolutely is the same bellows and works just fine. | ||
| Robert J. Sprauer Prolific User Username: wraithman Post Number: 208 Registered: 11-2017 |
I concur..it's the same. | ||
| Steve Emmott Prolific User Username: steve_e Post Number: 182 Registered: 11-2018 |
Thanks for the confirmation Brian and Robert I thought I remembered it being so. Also thanks for the link regarding other parts. What a shame though just because we have RR/B the prices can be extortionate for the same part. https://www.britishparts.co.uk/classic-jaguar-c4707/jaguar-xj-69-92-c98/fuel-emissions-c284/actuator-bellows-p348 I know some of the Lucas 7RA type relays can be bought from MG spares dealers in UK for 7 GBP yet same part number at RR dealer is 49 GBP. Still I suppose those parts that are bespoke to the RR we have to be grateful to the aftermarket suppliers for these new pattern or second hand replacement parts. | ||
| michael vass Grand Master Username: mikebentleyturbo2 Post Number: 548 Registered: 7-2015 |
Hi Steve If you can't get one or don't want to pay silly money for one ,I used a CV joint gaiter and it worked perfectly ok. Mike | ||
| Steve Emmott Prolific User Username: steve_e Post Number: 188 Registered: 11-2018 |
Mike, Thanks for that I am amazed sometimes of the ingenuity of owners to get over problems. What led me to the question is I actually have 4 new old stock ones. I was fixing a friends poor cold starting on a old carb model Spirit this week and noticed his cruise control bellows was poorly fitting and not sealing. When I got one of mine out of stock it seemed a bit of a loose fit on his car albeit his one had been all gunged sealed around both ends. So I tried my others and found two were a good tight fit and two were a bit sloppy. I have no idea where I sourced my stock from over 25 years back as I worked at Jaguar/Aston Martin but also privately did a lot of restoration work on Rolls Royce parts for a local specialist breaker (now one of the biggest RR/B aftermarket parts supplier). The problem was when I compared the bellows side by side it was obvious 2 were very slightly larger diameter than the other 2. Checking my car for a comparison the metal parts were exactly the same diameter. Also there was no gunge sealer around mine just a good tight fit and it works perfectly. It was also one of the slightly smaller diameter bellows. This led me to go onto both Jaguar and RR suppliers sites to see if there was a difference as I had always believed at Jaguar we used exactly the same part as RR. That is when I noticed the huge variation in the price. 15 GBP + vat at Jaguar and 88-100 GBP + vat at RR suppliers. Reading up some old posts I see people say to seal the ends of the bellows and I know this was not an OE requirement. I just wonder if some oversized bellows were produce and got into the supply chain at sometime. Sealing the ends on an oversized bellows does work obviously.... just a messy job if you want to remove it or refit a new one. | ||
| Patrick Francis Prolific User Username: jackpot Post Number: 275 Registered: 11-2016 |
Not defending the extortionate prices charged for RR parts over standard ones, but I would like to tell of my experience. About 20 years ago, the regulator failed on my Shadow. Flying Spares did not exist at the time, but Introcar offered a replacement at an elevated price, so I went to my local alternator repair shop that had an identical Lucas replacement which he sold me for next to nothing. When I was replacing the units, I decided that I wanted to keep the original casing, so swapped the innards which was easy to do (2 screws). It was then that I noticed that RR hade protected the workings of their unit by dipping the whole thing in epoxy and plastifying it. I think that RR modified and improved a lot of standard available equipment before installing them into their cars. Not to say that spares suppliers today bother to do it necessarily..... | ||
| Steve Emmott Prolific User Username: steve_e Post Number: 194 Registered: 11-2018 |
Patrick that is good experience I think we have all found out at some time on auto parts restoration. Just a small point..... Ben Handford at Flying Spares WAS around over 20 years ago but started in a smaller yard breaking Rolls Royces. One of the nicest guys you could wish to meet. I found him by chance as I worked nearby at Jaguar in Coventry and had not long owned my Shadow. There was no internet at this point in time. We developed a good relationship where he gave me used parts free and I restored them, fitted them to my car and then restored the part that I took off and gave it back for him to sell. It worked well for me too as I could always keep my car on the road (cheaply). It also worked well as my apprentices got to see REAL car components instead of modern resin filled black boxes as you elude too. Indeed over a few years I was able to restore just about every part on my car. I also watched FS grow to the multi million GBP turnover they are today. As the internet developed I think it proved an excellent spring board that allowed many companies to expand and get their name out to the world. Introcar used to do a lot of RR breaking back then too but it got harder for all of them to get cars for breaking and both expanded rapidly into patterned and genuine OE parts with teardowns now just a small part of their business. There are some other companies now that have started to fill the gaps again breaking down the old RR/B cars and since I returned back from France and settled further up North I have found a local company Westminster Auto Spares in Leeds area a very competitive RR/B used part supplier. |
