Excalibur Owners: Please Reply!

cobraduke · #1 (**permalink**) 02-21-2006, 07:28 PM

Since we lost a couple of pages of recent posts with the crash, I'm going to repost. Irecently bought '96 Excalibur JAC 427 #149. It is red with white stripes, tan interior tonneau and top, with AC. I believe it is completely original with 9500 miles. It is currently in Northern Caulifornia awaiting transport to Texas. Ain't ebay great. I've read all of the posts in this thread and want to thank all who have contributed to my growing appreciation for a car I already loved. I have also found much useful info in the forum section of the Classic Roadsters II site as there are many common features and parts. For those who might need a hardtop for their JAC 427, Pete of CRII says theirs fits exactly and are currently on sale for $500 off their advertised price of $1795. I still do not know what they look like as CRII doesn't have any stock photos. I believe Blackjack has one on his Excalibur and I hope he posts some good photos of it so the rest of us (especially me) can figure out if it looks as good as Aloys which is an original Excalibur hardtop (one of three I understand). Aloys posted a couple of photos of his in this thread, which really looked nice, but they were lost in the crash. If any of you have any photos of the CRII hardtop on a car, I'd really appreciate a look (from as many angles as possible). Thanks.

DavidFagan · #2 (**permalink**) 02-21-2006, 09:33 PM

Just curios where did you get that number, serial or something? Don't know mine offhand but they didn't make 149 of them. I'm pretty sure they only made 138 at least when I talked to the guy that used to build them that's what he told me. He said mine was within the last 10 and the last (8 or so) had the 3 bold header flange modification and that was the last change, besides the last oddball.
My leather seats at least the driver side is about shot, passenger isn't that bad. Anyhow I bought some RCI racing seats for it size looks perfect, it's to darn cold even in the garage when it warms up a bit I'll put one in a post about the fit. They should hold up a lot better with my nack of getting caught in the rain. Also next time I'm getting a marine radio...

cobraduke · #3 (**permalink**) 02-22-2006, 08:12 PM

Yep it is the last three of the VIN. Evidently they did not have a complete serial number continuity. Someone in Oregon had a "97/96" on ebay about a week ago with a VIN that ended in 177 which he claimed was the last one built. It was a 5.0 EFI and my understanding from reading a post in this thread that the very lastone built was built later than that and had a 4.6 cobra motor in it. I've never seen a definite total production number linked to serial or VIN, but the range of production numbers seems close to the number you mentioned. Aloys in Germany has a '95 and sent me a photo of three German Excaliburs. One of them was a '92 with a 351W and a VIN in the 300's. It looked to me like it had the Classic Roadster type door shape. Evidently the very early one's didn't even fit in the VIN range of the '94-'96's. I was hoping to get some definite info on these cars from this thread, but I haven't even been able to get any summary info. What is the last 3 of your VIN and year of manufacture? Good luck on the seat. Evidently mine had some kind of a seat issue as the previous owner mentioned he had "redone" the seats and "changed" them a little. I have no idea what that means, but you one of at least three who have also mentioned seat upholstery problems. Do you have photos of yours posted on this site? Thanks for the reply. Mike

DavidFagan · #4 (**permalink**) 02-23-2006, 05:19 AM

Mines a 96 last 3 digits is 137. It's unfortunate I had the name of the guy and his home number who built them and appear to have lost it. He's real nice and would answer take the time to answer any question you have. I know know he works for the state of Wisconsin now but that's all I remember.
I can understand the sewing maybe starting to pull apart on the drivers side, well maybe it's not like it's got a lot of miles, but even the passenger side is doing it. The leather is also just glued to the bottom of a shell as well as the padding. I don't think these were anywhere close to top of the line seats. I have unfortunately been rained on, well more then twice

which I'm sure didn't help. I also thought there was to much slop in the stearing so I tapped into the universal where the rubber is a put in a bolt to restrict the amount of giggle allowed. Do you have any of the original brocures? I should probably put these on e-bay to at least recover postage etc but if not send me you address and I'll mail you one I have a stack still. I'm not really much of a car nut anymore I actually thought about selling it last year and my daughter started crying so I guess I'm keeping it a little longer. I'm really a antique Remington collector and didn't know exactly where to post the pics on the site without digging around so I just dropped this on the Remington Society's site but anyway here's a couple of pictures.

cobraduke · #5 (**permalink**) 02-23-2006, 05:48 AM

I think I know who you are refering to. At least I have emailed someone in that area who seemed very knowlegeable and said he had been an employee. I didn't get an answer to my followup email to him. I'll try to find his address and try again. You car is awesome- I love it in yellow with the black stripes. I have a yellow Boss 302, so it has always been one of my favorite car colors- especially the brighter shades like yours (and my Boss). Your seats are very different from the ones in my car and the ones I've seen on earlier cars as well. I wonder if they were a custom order. I've been told that it wasn't unusual for the factory to provide customer requested options. Yours has a much taller head rest portion, more like a racing seat. The shape really compliments the body lines and would seem to offer greater protection as well. Many of the others I've seen have small separate head rests. Mine are integral to the seats, but not as tall as yours and not tappered much. How long have you owned yours and how many miles does it have? Have you experienced any of the header or exhaust cracking and loose baffles which seem common? Mike

BLACKJACK · #6 (**permalink**) 02-24-2006, 10:35 AM

Losing My Marbles Here - - -

About Two Weeks Ago Someone Asked Me About Pictures Of My Excalibur With The C/r Hardtop. The Old Expression "$#it Happens" Applies Here.

1. My Excal Was On The Lift - Above My Era.

2. We Got 18 Inches Of Snow And I Couldn't Get Anything Out Of The Garage.

3. I Lost My Digital Camera. Or Thought That I Had. (wife Had It).

4. Brent "cut Me Off" From Club Cobra. I Couldn't Log On - It Wouldn't Recognize Either Of My E-mail Addresses - And - Brent Refused To Answer Any Of My E-mails. I'm Reasonably Sure That All This Was Because I'm A Steelers Fan.

5. In All This I Forgot Who It Was That Wanted The Pictures.

At Any Rate - - -

** Snow Is Melted.
** I Have The Pictures.
** I'm Allowed Back On C/c . (at Least For Now)
** I'm Ready To Send The Pictures.

Who Is It That I Promised Them To - Weeks Ago.

Again - My Apologies.

Y'all Have A Really Great Day.

Blackjack

cobraduke · #7 (**permalink**) 02-24-2006, 01:51 PM

Jack,
It is I! I knew it had to be bad, but at least nothing blew up. Thanks for going to the extra effort despite the curse of the Sea Hawks.

Mike