1971: Sourcing The Parts

April 1971 

During the early months of 1971 came the sourcing and pricing of the parts. The open top version was still being worked on and revised designs were ready by April. The management had scheduled to reveal the forthcoming XJ27 at the 1973 Motor Show. At the end of 1971 came the task of fitting the V12 engine into the body, the aim was to keep the bonnet line as low as possible so the ancillary parts had to be specially designed to fit into the engine bay.

May 1971 

In May 1971, Pressed Steel Fisher, the body making branch of British Leyland at Castle Bromwich, started the programme whereby production build would commence to ensure bodies were ready for Job 1 in March 1973, with saleable bodies being ready for the Motor Show at Earls Court in October. Problems were discovered in November 1971 when Triplex pointed out that the curvature of the windscreen would not meet the British standard for clarity of vision.