Variable-ratio power-steering columns
If you’ve ever driven a classic E Type, an XK or even an Aston Martin, you’ll be familiar with the limitations of the original rack and pinion steering system. If you wanted to test your mettle with spirited driving on undulating roads, or contend with parallel parking on urban streets, the steering will only offer you one weight, which you’d reluctantly have to make do with for all scenarios and conditions.
But not any more, thanks to a world-first from JD Classics.
After 14 months of development and rigorous testing, we’ve pioneered a power steering system that integrates a modern electric steering pump with the original steering rack. By turning a small rotating dial on an electric control unit conveniently and discreetly mounted under the dashboard, drivers can now vary the power-steering assistance to suit.
And the result? We’ve fitted this system to five cars at the time of writing and the owners are delighted. We’ve retained the original look and feel of their cars’ engine bays, and whenever they prefer to adjust the weight of the steering, they can do so instantaneously.
Exclusive to JD Classics, this landmark innovation is only available as an in-house modification at our workshop here in Essex, UK and is not yet available in kit form. But any classic car with rack and pinion steering can now be retrofitted with JD Classics’ exciting new power-steering system to deliver far more enjoyable, effortless control.
Steering box cars converted to electric power-steering
Period steering racks are one thing. But a number of classic vehicles are fitted with a steering box. These include MkII Jaguars and very early Aston Martins.
The problem is, the original box can give a very ‘woolly’ feel to the car’s handling. It also means that the car can occasionally feel very heavy, especially at parking speeds.
So what JD Classics’ engineers have done is engineer a steering rack with an integral electric power-steering pump. A variable dial is tucked away unobtrusively under the dashboard so that the driver can adjust the steering weight easily in seconds.
This innovation has never before been made available to classic vehicles of this type and is exclusive to JD Classics. Subsequently, all period marques with a traditional steering box can at last benefit from far more positive and safer steering.
Dual-circuit, power-assisted brake system for XK Jaguars
In the original design of all XK Jaguars, you’ll find a single-circuit brake system. This means that if a significant fault occurs anywhere in the system, all four brakes will no longer work.
So to improve safety for our XK customers, JD Classics are the first to introduce a dual-circuit, power-assisted solution to classic XKs. Our innovation is discreetly fitted and enables optimum brake pressure to be retained on the remaining wheels should a fault occur elsewhere.
So in the unlikely event a caliper should fail, or one of the brakes develops a leak, the other three will still work.
Advancements like this give our customers even more peace of mind than they already enjoy with a JD Classics’ vehicle and is now available at our premises here in Essex.
Call us today to see how JD Classics can engineer safer, more reliable and more enjoyable driving in your thoroughbred vehicle with these groundbreaking enhancements.