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Bare Metal Rebuild of an XJ-SC Cabriolet

By Martin Reddington

Published: 14th March 2022

New member Martin Reddington begins a multi-part account of the bare-metal restoration of his 1988 XJ-SC Cabriolet. Although the car appeared sound at first glance, a detailed inspection quickly revealed extensive underlying issues. This first instalment follows the earliest stages of the project, from stripping and acid dipping through to the foundation work that would determine the success of the rebuild. Further chapters will follow as the restoration progresses.

This is the first part of a multi-part article written by new member Martin Reddington from Kent, United Kingdom, documenting the bare-metal restoration of his XJ-SC Cabriolet. Part one covers the opening phase of the car’s restoration journey, from initial inspection through to major structural repairs. Further instalments will follow.

My 1988 XJ-SC V12 was purchased in late 2018. Although it appeared reasonable on the surface, a more detailed inspection revealed a multitude of underlying issues.

This wasn’t entirely unexpected, as the intention from the outset was to carry out a full restoration, but there is always the hope that reality will be kinder than anticipated.

The photographs show the stripped body shell undergoing acid dipping at Surface Processing Ltd in Dudley, West Midlands — a process that exposes every weak