There is always something!

Dateline - 09/01/2018 - Working a few odds and ends on the Jag this weekend.  First, I worked on installing the rear window seal lock bead and chrome.  As I've said before, I really hate working with rubber seals.  What a PITA!  As it is, I got the lock bead in place and half the window chrome before my hands got too tired to work on it anymore!

Second, I wanted to get to the Jay Leno benchmark of "Done," which is a working horn.  I had already installed the horn relay when I detailed the engine bay (https://leapingv8s.blogspot.com/2015/12/christmas-2015.html), but I never installed the actual horns.  So I was rooting around under the car, trying to figure out where the horn was installed before but I couldn't figure it out, so I decided to hang it off of the bottom suspension cross brace.  I also wanted to make a bracket to brace the transmission fluid cooling lines to the radiator because they are just hanging out there and vibrating while the engine is running.  So, I did both with the same job.  Came out pretty nice too!

Next was wiring the horn.  Since I didn't modify any of the electrical system for the horn, I figured this would work right out of the gate.  It didn't.  The Jaguar has an interesting electrical system (surprise!) in that the ignition needs to be on for the horn to work.  I didn't realize this until I did some research and looked at the Lucas horn relay and the Jaguar wiring system. So, after an hour of tracing, reading on-line and looking at schematics, I figured it out and got the horn to work.  Well...it worked from under the hood, but not from the horn switch in the steering.  So, I pulled the horn switch out and realized that the brass rod that is supposed to run from the center conductor inside the lower part of the steering column that makes contact with the switch is missing!  MISSING!  I have no idea where this rod is!  I looked in every box, every cubby, every place I could think of and nothing!

Center Conductor in fixed part of Steering Column

Missing connector from center conductor to horn button.

Fortunately, I was able to create a conductor our of 12 gauge wire with a crimp splice that slides over the main conductor at one end and connects to a socket on the switch on the other.  It will work fine, but I can't believe I lost this part!

So, to make sure that I really did lose the piece, I decided to clean my entire garage!  Yup.  I cleaned the garage that had not been cleaned in NINE YEARS! I opened very cabinet, cupboard, drawer, box, package, crate, sleeve and plastic bag!  I sorted.  I packed, I moved and I organized. 

After 16 hours of cleaning I filled up two 33 gallon garbage bags full of junk to go to the dump and now know where everything is at in my garage.  Everything, that is, except that damned horn connector!