Introductory First Post

"AlfaCorse" (alfacorse) 03/14/2019 at 13:30 • Filed to: None

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Hey all, wanted to make an introduction for myself after being successfully guilted into actually posting after meeting up with the Oppos from the recent Portland Meet. I have been lurking on Oppo for a few years so it is probably long overdue that I get more involved. I live and work just west of Portland and been in the area most of my life. Apart from cars, I love motorcycles and airplanes :) OK that covers me, now onto what you actually want to read about:

I have a few cars and a couple bikes in the ol’ fleet but I thought I’d write a little background on my Jaguar XJ6 that Dr. Zoidberg rode in and save everything else for some later content :)

It’s an 86 XJ6 with the 4.2 straight 6 with a manual conversion. There is a local company called Xcessive Manufacturing that makes most of the parts necessary to do a conversion to the 5-speed from a Nissan 300ZX. You may have seen their drift jag before:

The result works pretty well, the shifter comes up right where the automatic shifter was making it easy to make the shifter integrate with the interior in a way that looks like it could be factory. The driving experience is a lot more direct and a little quicker than it was with the factory 3-speed auto. I still have the 2.88 rear end which matched up to the Nissan 5-speed makes the gearing quite tall, which is awesome on the highway, but definitely not optimal in the city. Next project is to swap in a 3.54 rear end in that I picked up off craigslist. Only other modifications to the car is that it is lowered about an inch from the stock ride height and has the 7" main beam headlights instead of the 5.75" that would be stock on the North American XJ6s

Have always had a love for the XJ6, one of my first memories of a car standing out to me was a white 70's XJ6 that I would see in a driveway on a road my Mom would sometime drive down. It was always there and I loved looking at it as we drove by. It was probably always sitting there because it was broken down, but it still looked pretty :)

Decay buys too many beaters > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:14

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That. Is. Awesome. And I have 100% seen this car around the city at some point. Those old Jags just radiate class, having one with a manual would be damn near close to perfect. Dad had an X300 for a long time when I was growing up, liked it so much that I impulse bought a terrible X308 , which basically self immolated a few weeks later.

Knowing I can manual swap one might be enough to tempts back for round 2...

And BTW. Might want to reshare in the afternoon, it’s easy to get buried in the morning posts!

12and35 > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:24

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HI!

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:33

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Goddamn, I wish I could have seen that car! Next time for sure.

It was good to meet you and it’s good to see a post!

TheRealBicycleBuck > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:34

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Welcome!

$kaycog > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:35

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Welcome to Oppo! We love having a new victim friend here!

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:36

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Noice. Welcome!

Svend > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:39

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Welcome to the mad house.

You could of escaped while you were looking through the window, but now your in the door, that’s you mate. Lol. 

Tapas > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:40

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Welcome to Oppo and thanks for sharing!

Your car looks marvelous! Please make more post about your cars :)

facw > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:40

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Welcome!

Darkbrador > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:41

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Welcome, and awesome car !

Do you really have that Queen sticker on the back window ? I saw one on a Ford Escape the other day, it looks amazing in real life ;-)

Looks like airplane hangars, are you a pilot too ? 

Nibby > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:42

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welcome aboard, pls send us your application for oppo gold

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:43

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Nice car! I’ve always liked the XJ sedan. 

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:43

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Welcome, sweet Jaaaaggggg.

Tristan > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:43

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Love it. These Jags are something I’ve always stopped and stared at, but I’ve always been to scared to own. They just ooze presence and class like no other car does.

It was great to meet you even if I couldn’t stick around long, and I can’t wait to see a piece on your GL1000! ;)

AlfaCorse > Decay buys too many beaters 03/14/2019 at 13:46

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Thanks yeah I love the X308 XJs, too bad it didn’t work out.  I’ll have to get an XJR X308 at some point

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > $kaycog 03/14/2019 at 13:46

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Hey, you said the same thing for me way back then...damn it's almost been 2 years

$kaycog > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 03/14/2019 at 13:48

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I try to welcome all our new victims friends! My how time flies!

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Nibby 03/14/2019 at 13:49

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You forgot to mention how j alopnik gold is worthless here, contrary to popular belief

WilliamsSW > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:50

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30 year old Jaaaaaaaag with a manual swap?

Sweet - and love the wheels too!

I think you’ll fit in around here just fine...

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:51

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XJ with a manual swap?? Holy instant Oppo cred. Welcome and thanks for finally posting!

As an X351 XJ owner, I am officially jelly. Would love to get into an older XJ and do some performance mods like yours.

What’s your deal with Alfa? I’m a recent AR convert too.

AlfaCorse > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/14/2019 at 13:52

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Yeah good to meet you! Hopefully I’ll make the Oppo Spring Cruise.  This would be the car I would take unless I wanted to ride a motorcycle up there haha  

For Sweden > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:53

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You have a 3 PM Eastern deadline every Thursday.  You will sling content by that deadline, or face the consequences.

CalzoneGolem > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:54

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#wrongportland

Decay buys too many beaters > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:55

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Something about buying cheap luxury cars sight unseen, I was asking for it to be a hassle. It sure did ride nice though, and an R would be sick. Great sleeper potential there.

Though I’m a little more partial to the XJ6-R, inline 6s are <3

razorbeamteam > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:55

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Great first post! Welcome!

AlfaCorse > Darkbrador 03/14/2019 at 13:55

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Yeah it is, the first couple times I came out to my car in a parking lot with that sticker there I initially thought for a split second that someone was sitting in the back of the car haha. I saw an F-150 with a Darth V ader version of the same thing yesterday too.

Yeah been flying for  a little over 10 years now :)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:57

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I’m going to be churlish and ignore the intro stuff to gawp at this:

I still have the 2.88 rear end

It didn’t occur to me there were sixes that had it in any real numbers - I understood from standard equipment lists that it was mostly found in the 12s. Weird.

I have a 2.88 PowerLok that came out of an XJS V12, but it’s not in a Jag anymore, because it’s in a ‘63 Ranchero, because of reasons. It would be too tall, except that the Ranchero doesn’t weigh anything and the transmission has a 4.2:1 first gear (!). I don’t think it’ll be too tall in that light, anyway, but I’m not driving it yet.

fintail > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 13:57

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Great car, timeless elegance, and with those wheels, reminds me of a period tuned model:

And as I am sometimes stuck in a different era, these still make me think of this:

AlfaCorse > Nibby 03/14/2019 at 13:57

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Ah jeez I already applied for Jalopnik Gold, I didn’t know there was a separate one for oppo! :)

AlfaCorse > CalzoneGolem 03/14/2019 at 13:59

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#bigportland

cbell04 > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:00

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W elcome! Sweet ride! At first I thought that was a leprechaun in your backseat I was wondering how does this tie together then I zoomed:)

AlfaCorse > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 03/14/2019 at 14:04

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From what I have found the XJ 12s and XJSs had the 2.88 PowerLok but the 6s just have a 2.88 open diff, at least for the US in the 80s. I think other markets and earlier models had more options for both cars.

AlfaCorse > fintail 03/14/2019 at 14:05

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The blacked out chrome around the windows looks pretty cool!

Nibby > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:06

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the oppo one is more exclusive

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:11

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Hello, may I introduce you to our lord and savior Miata?

BeaterGT > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:12

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Welcome ! 

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:16

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Welcome, very cool car! I’m bummed I missed out on the Oppo meet up last weekend. I live in Portland too and commute to Aloha on HWY 8 daily - your car looks very familiar, I might have seen it during my commute sometime?

7:07 > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:17

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Dr. Zoidberg is the Queen? TIL

RallyWrench > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:18

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That is a badass machine, welcome . XJs to manual swap will now be in my Craigslist searches for cars I’ll never get around to.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:22

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All of which is rendered more bizarre when you know that the rear axle units were built for Jaguar by Spicer. The most insane kind of forbidden fruit - the kind that literally is grown in one’s own country .

To fit under the Ranchero, I had to cut it down from 61" to 55" (!). Thus making it the same width as the one under an XKE or 420-G.

vondon302 > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:22

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Cool car and welcome!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:23

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Welcome aboard.

I love the car, it looks great, and I have a think for manual swaps in cars you wouldn’t normally expect to have a manual.  Good on you!  Can’t wait to hear more about your fleet.  

Future Heap Owner > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:25

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Excellent post! Glad we were able to browbeat you in to posting 

That is one sweet Jag! You did the manual swap yourself? How was it? I’m assuming the car is new enough to have EFI; did you have to do anything to the ECU after the swap or did it just keep doing its thing?

Hope to see you at the cruise!

AlfaCorse > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 03/14/2019 at 14:27

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Ah nice, I have a friend with a X351! I have an 88 Alfa Spider that I’ve had for a few years, a lot of fun ! What Alfa do you have?

Chariotoflove > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:31

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Welcome and nice to have you! That’s a great Oppo-mobile you’ve got there. I too love the XJ6.

I look forward to reading more about your fleet.

E90M3 > Nibby 03/14/2019 at 14:37

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I never saw your application, you’re going to have to resend it. Or does Windows 95 not support outlook? 

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:40

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Sweeet... welcome!

AlfaCorse > Future Heap Owner 03/14/2019 at 14:40

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Haha yeah it was rough!

I had a shop do the actual install of the transmission and do a custom driveline. I pretty much just did the interior work and modified the Nissan trans to have a top load shifter.

Yeah the series 3 XJ6s have basically a Lucas licensed Bosch L-Jetronic EFI and it just does it’s thing like nothing changed :)

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:41

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Holy shit!!! That is a sweet ass Jaaaaag!!! Welcome to Oppo!!!

AlfaCorse > Tristan 03/14/2019 at 14:42

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Yeah I’ll have too, I actually rode it into work today for the first time in a while

AlfaCorse > ZHP Sparky, the 5th 03/14/2019 at 14:45

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Yeah good chance, sometimes I drive it to work between Beaverton and Hillsboro, but usually on 217 and 26

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 14:50

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I have not had the privilege of experiencing an old Alfa and would love to. I have a 2015 4C which is not really a traditional Alfa in any sense (starting with its MR layout and CF tub), but still a riot to drive and an amazing fun-per-dollar value.

Nibby > E90M3 03/14/2019 at 15:06

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I use office 97

E90M3 > Nibby 03/14/2019 at 15:07

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Ah, I was taking a shot in the dark. 

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 15:35

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I was thinking about riding up too, but I don't know if I want to trust the roads to be safely/mostly snow/gravel free. Plus the girlfriend is coming, which would be a lot of miles for that amount of time for two up on the monster.

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 15:38

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Hello fellow XJ owner

Mine’s an 85, the same as yours except mine’s still an automatic.

and its about to have 2 extra cylinders.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 15:50

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Yeah I take 217 to TV Highway, so sounds like a possibility. 

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 15:56

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I’m in love. I had a ‘77 XJ-S with a chevy 350 with a bumpstick in it. Sadly it lacked a few things ( a floor pan, working HVAC) but it was a riot while I had it, even if I did have to rebuild the engine. Final nail in the coffin was the radiator deciding coolant and ATF should be bedfellows, spelling the end for the TH350 trans.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 16:02

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Welcome, and that is a good looking Jaaaaag!

Khalbali > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 16:06

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I love your car so much, I wish I had the balls/budget for something like that. I thought I was being brave looking at manual x-types lol.

Welcome!

AlfaCorse > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 03/14/2019 at 16:16

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Oh yeah I’m sure there is quite a bit of a different driving experience , I have been around one ore two but never driven or ridden in one.  That has to be a ton of fun!

AlfaCorse > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 03/14/2019 at 16:18

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Hmm yeah that’s a great point

AlfaCorse > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 03/14/2019 at 16:20

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I am always amused by little things like that, what’s the engine in the Ranchero?

AlfaCorse > aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe 03/14/2019 at 16:23

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That should be some fun!  I’ve seen your posts before with your Spider, good combo :)

AlfaCorse > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 03/14/2019 at 16:25

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Those are cool cars , would like to have one someday

AlfaCorse > Khalbali 03/14/2019 at 16:31

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I flipped one of those a few years ago that had a cracked gas tank, it seemed like a good car for the price they were going for, but then again I only had it for a few months haha

AlfaCorse > 7:07 03/14/2019 at 16:32

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Oops forgot to blur out Zoidberg’s face

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 16:35

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Series III XJ6 is best XJ6. Loving mine

so far, had it about 1.5 years. Just got the Nardi installed last night.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 16:38

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4.2L Rover V8. It’s mounted with Thunderbird V6 engine mounts on custom brackets to the back of the shock towers, “doghoused” into the firewall about 6", and attached to a ‘78 Chevy’s Borg Warner Super T-10, connected to some new handmade column shift levers. The front steering i s altered with first gen Shelby Mustang parts, the front suspension has had a Shelby drop performed (and has been converted to coilovers)... and a long list of other strange things is going on.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe 03/14/2019 at 16:41

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This comment thread is lit

AlfaCorse > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 03/14/2019 at 17:19

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Wow that’ll be something else!

AlfaCorse > MiniGTI - now with XJ6 03/14/2019 at 17:22

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Nice, matches pretty well!

Future Heap Owner > aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe 03/14/2019 at 17:43

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Oh nice, I had never seen what the engine you keep working on is going in to. Love that color!

Future Heap Owner > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 03/14/2019 at 17:47

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How in the hell did Kinja mess up this gif so bad, it’s already almost 16:9

EL_ULY > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 18:41

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He llo, I am ULY

rad jag!

MM54 > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 20:07

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Welcome!

Nice Jag!

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Future Heap Owner 03/14/2019 at 20:10

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Because Kinja...

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 20:31

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Found it on eBay cheap - even came with all the right parts. I wasn’t sure I would like the black anodizing but now I think it suits the interior well. Wood is at least close - just a little darker than the dash. Either way, I really didn’t like the stock wheel. Too slender, made my hands cramp up. Also leather was in tatters.

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 20:38

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Wait that’s a sticker?  I need one!!  My wife calls the car “her majesty “

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > AlfaCorse 03/14/2019 at 20:45

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AlfaCorse > MiniGTI - now with XJ6 03/14/2019 at 20:52

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Ah yeah it is really slender, I stitched on a leather cover to beef it up a bit and hopefully protect the original leather , but even still it is  relatively skinny.  I think we are used to modern cars having really thick steering wheels haha

AlfaCorse > MiniGTI - now with XJ6 03/14/2019 at 20:55

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Yeah it’s like a perforated printed vinyl cling, if you search for queen window cling on ebay you can find a similar one, but I don’t see the one I have anymore, maybe if you look harder

Speed > AlfaCorse 03/15/2019 at 10:27

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Very cool! I’m a huge fan of Jaguar XJ and XJS’s. After stumbling upon Xcessive, I’ve been meaning to get in touch with them and see if their conversion parts would work on an X300 XJR. I’ve got dreams of a British Racing Green M5 killer.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > AlfaCorse 03/15/2019 at 18:55

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Welcome! I’m late with my reply, but it’s always nice to see new folks around here! :)

My car is decidedly less awesome than yours...

:P