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Xclusively Jaguar News December 2009
Volume 2 - Issue 5
Cover picture: 464 HYV 1955 Jaguar Mk VII (picture courtesy of Jaguar Heritage)
Latest news from Xclusively Jaguar
Xclusively Jaguar Special Offer for Website Owners
If you have a motoring website with a Google page ranking of 1 or above, you may be able to earn upto £80 per annum from advertising. If you are interested in this offer, please contact Letitia@xclusively-jaguar.co.uk
Latest video from Jesse and Kathy Parton, USA
We finished our Jaguar Owners Club Concours d' Elegance video and we have quite a bit of our Silverstone Convertible in it. The car scored 99.870 and was best in class!! Soon we will do another video on just the Silverstone, it should be ready by Christmas.
View Jesse and Kathy's Concours video
Keith Parrington at XJ Restorations has updated his website to include an online forum and XJ Series 1/2/3 Register. The forum has direct access from the home page, while the register needs a members account creating - again from the home page.
XJ Restorations
Cabriolet Conversions
I was contacted on 23rd October by Michael Scott, from Dorset. He was asking for information on TWR converted cabriolets, and wondered if there were any registered with the International Cabriolet Register. It would be very interesting to know more about any conversions out there, who they were converted by, their own characteristics etc. A separate register of such conversions would be very useful, so please get in touch if you have one or know anything about them.
If you are unsure of whether or not you have a genuine Cabriolet, please refer to the XJS VIN deciphering table and this will tell you in what guise your XJS left the factory!
Michaels own knowledge of the subject is currently more detailed than my own (I understand that there are a few examples by Paul Banham and Lister, but I was unaware of the TWR version) and I am hoping to hear from him again. His email read thus:
"I have a particular interest in Walkinshaw's TWR operation and, as I'm sure you will know, the company produced a 2+2 cabriolet conversion costing £1389. There is a brief mention of this in T & CC magazine of January 1986 page 3 together with a photograph. It is also mentioned in "Motor" of 16 November 1985.
The cabriolet model itself (without the two rear seats) featured in TWR adverts and publicity material in 1984, for example Motor Sport October 1984 page 1156. The full range of TWR conversions for bodywork, engine, suspension, exhaust, wheels etc was available for the cabriolet. I have only ever seen one photograph of a converted cabriolet and this was in Jaguar Driver magazine. The car was in Dorchester Grey/Silver 3.6 1985 ""C" reg, with the rear seat conversion and was registered A16 TWR."
Any information would be gratefully received, and shared in a future newsletter, as well as being passed onto Michael, of course! (Michael might also like to note that Tara Meenaghan's genuine Cabriolet (featured below) was fitted with a TWR bodykit!)
By popular demand, we have produced a pdf of the guide on how to properly fold an XJ-S Cabriolet hood, and fit the cover. If you would like a free copy of this, or our other pdf mini guides, please contact Xclusively Jaguar and we would be happy to oblige.
Horsham XJ40
Just as I was driving down the road from Billingshurst to Horsham (1.50 pm Sunday 22/11/09) I saw a Flamenco(?) Red XJ40 (either XJ6 XJ12 or Sport – I didn’t catch the number to date it!) I was staring at it as it approached and was really taken by surprise when the driver waved – I stopped flashing/waving at other Jaguars years ago, as no-one ever acknowledges me!
I was REALLY upset that I hadn’t been able to wave or flash Tiggy’s* headlamps in time!
Anyway, returning home, I saw it again – this time with headlamps on (which made it look like a Sovereign!) and it took me by surprise so I only just managed to wave in time! It was just outside Midhurst going back towards Horsham at 2.40 pm the same day. I am hoping the owner might read this, as it is VERY unusual for an XJ40 driver to acknowledge another one, in my experience – so he MUST be a fellow XJ40 enthusiast!
*Tiggy – 1993 Regency Red XJ40 3.2 Sovereign (KUH’s little sister!)
Latest News from
Paul Hands and the evolution of the Hyper XJ-S
Over Drive
In 1989 Paul Hands was already offering an over-drive unit, which could be put to several useful purposes, or combined with other upgrades to create a bespoke XJ-S known as the "Hands Hyper S"
Overdrives have always been associated with manual transmission Jaguars, ever since they were first offered on the Mark VII in 1954, and subsequently on most manual Jaguars ever since, with the exception of the E-type, until the overdrive was finally replaced on the Series 3 XJ6 by a 5 speed manual gearbox.
Although Jaguar had experimented with an overdrive for automatic transmission in the mid 1960’s, it never reached production. Paul Hands had later taken up the challenge and by 1989 he had found an overdrive unit which could be used in conjunction with Jaguar’s automatic transmission.
The unit which was marketed exclusively by Hyper Transformations in the UK was not the familiar Laycock de Normanville overdrive, but something entirely new from America, and manufactured by “American Overdrives Inc.” It was designed to be compatible with a variety of gearboxes, which made it ideal for the GM400, used by Jaguar since 1977. It could be electrically controlled by any suitable switch or stalk, one of Pauls customers opting for a floor mounted “dip-switch” on his Daimler Double Six.
Although, in theory, it was functional on all 3 gears, which effectively created a six speed gearbox, in practice it confused the road speed/throttle opening programming resulting in a lot of unnecessary gear shifts! Hence, it was best used as a normal overdrive, and only brought into action once the car had settled into top gear, whereupon the revs would drop by 25% giving even quieter and more relaxed running than a standard automatic transmission.
For motorway driving the overdrive could be left switched on, as an increased throttle opening would cause the automatic transmission to change down into overdrive second and provide enough acceleration for inclines and overtaking. The resulting top gear ratio, with overdrive, was increased from 1:1 to 0.75:1 - thus increasing fuel economy by an average 3 mpg on the V12.
The overdrive unit was generally silent and smooth, and more robust than the Laycock de Normanville unit. On one occasion the rear-end of another car seized, exerting enough pressure to fracture the gearbox casing, but the overdrive unit survived!
Performance wise, the final drive ratio could be lowered to give greater acceleration, while the extra gear provided by the overdrive compensated for this and still allowed relaxed high speed cruising. This meant the standard 2.88 axle fitted to the XJ-S and XJ12 could be beneficially replaced with a 3.31 or 3.54 final drive, a much more economical way of improving performance than engine tuning!
Two versions were available – standard, or heavy duty, and both carried a 12 month guarantee, plus the promise of improved economy, performance and engine life. Furthermore, by reversing the units internals, an “underdrive” could be created. This effectively left the top ratio as standard but raised (numerically) the indirects. Alternatively, if mounted on the differential, the overdrive created a two speed rear axle, which was something else which Jaguar nearly put into production in the early 1970’s!
Hyper Drive
This was Pauls answer to economically improving performance and driveability. He was aware that there was a market for XJ-S V12 manual gearbox conversions, but to buy and install a Getrag manual transmission, along with clutch and pedal box, was (at that time) somewhere in the region of £5,000. Paul came up with the idea of a “clutchless manual” – something we all take for granted, some 20 years later! He used a re-conditioned and substantially re-worked GM400 automatic, along with a new high-stall torque converter, to provide less slip and more positive changes. The fiercer torque generated also necessitated the fitment of a revised gearbox mounting.
The inhibitor switches were modified to allow selection of any gear, at any speed, so you could select first gear at 100 mph or pull away in top! Engagement of gears was almost instantaneous, and made full use of the amazing flexibility of the V12, whose power output was enhanced by the reduction in torque converter slip. Selection of first gear at high speed greatly increased acceleration, by comparison with its standard V12 automatic counterpart.
At £1650, all told, it was excellent value for money - and all the more so if your gearbox was in need of a rebuild, anyway.
Hands Hyper S
Combining all of the above, you ended up with the Hands Hyper S, Pauls interpretation of Jaguar’s Grand Tourer. A finished Hyper XJ-S could be purchased direct from Paul, or you could supply your own car for conversion. No two were the same, but the package included any, or all, of the “drive” conversions, plus body styling panels, 8x16 Fondmetal alloys or exclusive 3-piece pepperpots, revised springs and dampers, rear axle location arms, free-flow stainless steel exhaust systems and unique “Corbeau” seats.
Need help with a Jaguar problem? Then phone Paul outside normal working hours on 01494-439628, referring to Xclusively Jaguar, as he has very kindly offered his advice to anyone who reads the Xclusively Jaguar newsletter.
Hyper Register – do you own one or know someone who does?
Send a picture and lets see how many we can find!
View Hyper Register
Latest News from SC Parts
SC Parts, well known supplier of new parts for Classic Cars, are our latest sponsors!
This is the first of their regular contributions to the newsletter, giving details of some of their pre-Christmas offers. For more information, please visit their dedicated web-page on this site, by following the link below, or use one of the links in the header of each page which will take you direct to their own site which provides a comprehensive list of parts, and other related products, for sale.
NEW Daimler 250 V8 waterpumps
Brand new Daimler 250 V8 waterpumps with no exchange required.
These pumps are very rare and we have limited stock of brand new pumps to offer at £198 including VAT! Have peace of mind fitting high quality new parts to your vehicle, without having to rely on reconditioned units!
Our part number is 207489 and is available to order online at SC Parts or by calling 01293 847200.
Don't forget to order a new fan belt at the same time!
Latest Catalogues FREE to readers of Xclusively Jaguar News
SC Parts are proud to announce that their new XJ6 and XJ12 parts catalogues are now available. These incredibly detailed catalogues are approximately 1000 pages each, and are an absolute must have for any Jaguar /Daimler XJ6/12 owner.
The really good news is that although they will normally retail at £10.00 each, by contacting Xclusively Jaguar you can obtain one free of charge, for a limited period.
This is an introductory offer from one of our main sponsors, SC Parts, and will be followed by others, so make sure you read the newsletter every month, and if you have not signed up for our monthly e-newsletter – do so today,
TO AVOID MISSING FUTURE XCLUSIVELY JAGUAR READER ONLY OFFERS!
Other catalogues are available from SC Parts, not only for the earlier Jaguars, but for other Classic Car models also.
Alternatively, you can download the catalogues any time, by following the link below, or any of the links from this website direct to the SC Parts website.
Check out SC Parts own website for the latest pre-Christmas offers.
The International Jaguar Supercar Register
XJ220 Register and XJR-15 Register
After a two month absence, we are pleased to announce that our two Jaguar Supercar Registers are now back on-line! Please contact Xclusively Jaguar if you wish to add a car to either of these registers, or if you have any interesting stories or information relating to the XJ220 and XJR-15 which you would like to share with others.
Jaguar XKR Silverstone Official Press Release
Otto van Vorst has very kindly sourced and supplied a pdf of the original Jaguar press release details of the XKR Silverstone dating from the year 2000. This pdf has been sent out to some owners of Silverstones, but if you have not yet had one, and would like a copy, please contact Xclusively Jaguar – this applies to anyone wishing to have a copy, not just owners of SIlverstones. You may be a prospective owner, or just an enthusiast. Some of Otto's previous work has now been added to this months JEC magazine (having previously appeared in Xclusively Jaguar News!) if, therefore, you would like the full compliment of information we hold on the Jaguar XKR Silverstone, please contact us, as above.
Latest News from The International Jaguar XJ-S Cabriolet Register
From Claude to Toby
by Tara Meenaghan (Owner of Best Ladies Car at “Cabriolet 2009”)
Letitia's note: Having received the following article from Tara, I was intrigued by Tara's reference to her cars as "she" and "her" despite giving them apparently male names. I contacted her with reference to this - perhaps Claude and Toby were short for Claudia and Tobiana, I wondered?
Tara explained: All my cars have had boys names, I also have an MG midget called Harvey, and my earlier MG's were Lawrence, Oscar and Vincent, and my other two current Jaguars are Felix and Victor. Harvey is my only 'he' car as he was my first love, but all my Jaguars are too beautiful and temperamental to be boys.... I like the crossing over of names, and the ambiguity. My own name was originally a traditional boys name many years ago in Ireland, and my Grandmother was always known as Toby, although it was not her real name!
In 1990 my Dad bought a 1984 Jaguar XJ-SC 3.6 manual. She was only 6 years old, and in good condition as you would expect. She was beautiful, in Regent Grey with grey hide trim and Starfish alloys! In the 5 years he owned her, he had the bumpers re-chromed and replaced the metal ‘air scoop’ under the front bumper, as it was full of holes. He used her rarely, but enjoyed her when he did; touring the Peak and Lake Districts on the rare holiday he took off work. I got taken for a spin merely twice in those 5 years. But once was enough to make me cry “I want a convertible!” That was when I bought my 1967 MG Midget, although I have never forgotten the beauty and grace of Dads Jaguar.
(B796WEX has since been re-registered as 211 XJ and is currently for sale in the JEC magazine!)
VIN: 123514 - Number 417 - B796WEX - 1984
Once owned by Lady Melody Urquhart, Duchess of Sligo.
In 1998, 3 years after Dad had sold his Jaguar, my other half, Phil, stumbled across an advert for a very cheap “B” reg 3.6 manual XJ-SC. We took a trip to view and bought it on the spot. She was Silversand with black hide and a TWR style body kit. She was quite scruffy but still beautiful, as only an ageing Jaguar can be. I called her Claude. (only 9 Cabriolets were produced in Silversand, and this one was the first!). We used Claude all the time, and she lived outside on the street, sharing space with our 1989 XJS 3.6 manual coupe and my MG Midget. She rarely let us down but needed her floors welded at EVERY MOT! She leaked water through the roof and the floors were constantly wet during the winter - we usually just left the carpets in the airing cupboard until springtime. The de-mister worked well so we coped with the constant damp inside. I just thought she was fabulous to use. We didn’t drive to work so the fuel costs were OK, and her trip computer claimed she returned 36mpg regularly. Her odometer read 86k when we got her, and we brought her over the 100k mark, but we both felt that she had done more than that, and had possibly been clocked, as she was so loose limbed and ‘floppy’ to drive. But having had no other cabriolet driving under my belt I had no direct experience as comparison. She moved house with us from Norwich to North Lincs in 2000, and was our wedding car in 2001 and has pride of place in almost all our photos.
VIN: 115122 - Number 224 - B555XTW - 1984
In 2003 Phil was welding her floorpan AGAIN for another MOT. After 3 days he got a bit mardy and as I had inherited some money he said to me in some frustration “You could spend 6 grand on this and she would still be worth only three, so why don’t you buy a proper one!” So we started to look for a nice example. One month later and the JEC magazine landed on the mat and I eagerly raced to the ‘For Sale’ section. Wow, couldn’t believe my luck, a 3.6 manual XJ-SC in Sage green, my favourite colour, not too far away, same owner 16 years, garaged all that time, very low mileage, the guy was the second keeper, and he wanted the exact money Phil had mentioned we would chuck at Claude to keep her going. Spooky! So we rang, rushed down the next day or so, and I fell in love - oops. It meant we got nowhere on negotiating the price and even got stiffed on paying more for the ugly private plate which I got rid of as soon as possible, but Toby came to live with me! I named her Toby in memory of my Grandmother who so generously left me money in her will. Were it not for her generosity, I would not have the wonderful cars I do today. I thought it fitting to call at least one car after her. Toby the XJ-SC is just too good to use all the time like we did with Claude. She has a lovely garage and spends most of her time tucked up in bed. We use her for classic car rallies and she has an annual 1,500 limited mileage for the insurance, and I rarely use the whole lot! We check her over every winter, turning the wheels when the roads are clean and dry in those months. She is in such remarkable original condition that I can’t bear the thought of her getting worn out. Dad even reckons Toby is in better condition at 24 years old than his was at 6 years old. However, every year on one event or another, she has managed to create intense stress. One year she popped a core plug, another year the air con compressor seized and set fire to the belt and this year an idiot driver on a gritty country lane threw up a load of stones and cracked her windscreen. I do feel obliged to keep the mileage from creeping up as she is in such good original condition. I don’t want to ruin anything by going the ’whole hog’ and making her Concours, or vice versa and just using her all the time. I would love another scruffy Cabriolet to use all the time, but I know what a money-pit a scruffy XJ-S becomes just to keep roadworthy. I don’t envy Bryan with his Concours Cabriolet, it must be intense trying to keep it up to scratch (am I allowed to use such a word!?!). It is such a shame to keep Toby locked away in the garage. These beautiful cars were made to be driven and enjoyed, but they suffer so badly from being used, even if you don’t abuse them. So for now Toby remains nurtured and treated with velvet gloves, and not driven very often at all. Claude went to pastures new, and I haven’t seen or heard from her since, I just hope she’s happy.
(Apparently, she is now red, but alive and well, according to DVLA.
VIN: 112573 - Number 38 - B42TNG - 1983
The French Cabriolet Register - administered by Clair Mourier
Clair states that, apparently, 100 Cabriolets were despatched to France during the years 1985- 1987 - 60 x 3.6 and 40 x V12.
Of the data which Clair has been able to amass, only 18 of the 34 Cabriolets known to him, were despatched direct to France, the remainder being imported into the country from the UK and elsewhere, in the intervening years.
Breakdown is as follows:
| Imported from: | UK | 6 |
| Belgium | 4 | |
| Switzerland | 2 | |
| The Netherlands | 1 | |
| Lumemburg | 1 | |
| USA | 1 | |
| Japan | 1 |
Of these 34, 13 are 3.6 and 21 are V12,s.
Clair also points out that to the French, a Cabriolet is a convertible, and therefore they would correctly refer to an XJ-SC as a “Targa” (a word first adopted by Porsche to describe a car with removable roof panels (and normally) a fixed back window) However, we all know that we have to forgive Jaguar their little indulgence in christening their targa topped XJ-S invention a Cabriolet and go along with it, as that is what it is referred to in all of their literature from the very beginning, and to try to give it any other name now would merely cause more confusion!
Three XJ-SC’s from France
VIN: 133430 - 5.3 Cabriolet
VIN: 128256 - 5.3 Cabriolet
VIN: 133321 - 5.3 Cabriolet
The International Daimler Century Register
This is a register which I have long wanted to get on-line, but time has not permitted. The Daimler Century is one of my favourite modern “Jaguar’s” – it has everything going for it – it is user friendly, durable, and carries the added bonus of relative rarity value!
Until June of this year, the Daimler Century was something I had read about, but never seen! I didn’t expect to see one either, least of all, parked in Morrison’s car park in Bridport – alas, it has since vanished without trace!
Then, less than 3 months later, I answered an advert for some XJ40 parts which were being sold by a gentleman in Devon. In conversation he happened to mention that he had sold his XJ40 and purchased a Daimler Century – he was astonished that I had even heard of it, and gratified that I couldn’t wait to see it when I arranged to pick up the XJ40 parts!
Another 2 months later, after I had mentioned the Daimler Century on the website, I was contacted by Herve in France, who has a Daimler which is badged as a “Centenary”. This has lead to a whole new thread of research into why it should have been so badged.
Herve explained; “My car has a Centenary badge on the boot, not the Century one.
I have contacted the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust about this question, but the answer is not sure. All I know is that my car was originally sold in Belgium. There is a debate about it on a German Jaguar forum. I know that all the Japanese Daimler Century’s have a Centenary badge because of the Toyota Century car. To my knowledge, this is the only Centenary in France; perhaps in Europe.
I often watch classified ads to see who is selling a Century in Europe. There is currently a Century (4 litre, 5 seater) for sale near Paris, in the same colour as mine (Spruce Green). There are also two more for sale in Switzerland – one is a 4 seater 4 litre and the other is 4 seater V12. Neither are badged Centenary!
I have owned this car since May 2009, and I have obtained a Heritage Certificate for it.”
The only explanation I could offer Herve is; “As you will probably realise, the cars are not built to order, but on a speculative assumption of what will sell, where it will sell, and what will prove a popular colour and specification.
I have seen instances where other Jaguar models have been built for one market and then diverted to another compatible market to fill the gap. It would seem that your Daimler was initially destined for Japan, but was then diverted to Belgium.”
If you own a Daimler Century or Centenary we would love to hear from you, and if you have any other information on the Centenary badged Daimlers, we would all be extremely interested – Herve, in particular, would like to know if the Centenary was ONLY destined for the Japanese market?
I understand that the total production was 200 worldwide (100 4 litre and 100 6 litre V12’s) making the Daimler Century a very rare beast – it would appear that a Centenary badged Daimler is even more so!
More figures to clarify the above will follow in due course, along with full details of Daimler Century specification.
The Daimler Century Register currently consists of:
| 1. | VIN: SAJDKAND3BJ 775083 Colour: Carnival Red Location: UK |
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| 2. | VIN: SAJDKAND4BJ 777928 Colour: Spruce Green Location: France |
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| 3. | VIN: SAJDKAND3BJ 778064 Colour: Black Location: UK |
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No Hot Air!
by Esta-jane Mace
This month has been very quiet, but not without a problem! The problem being that my heating stopped working - not ideal in November! At first I thought it was the heater unit, and fortunately I had a couple spare, so I took the console apart and plugged in another one...but to no avail, it was still showing the same symptoms. The symptoms were no air blowing from the heater vents no matter what blower setting I had it set to, always at cold, and all the air con lights were glowing red! I then tried the other spare I had and still nothing.
At a loss I consulted the clever minds on www.XJ40.com and here a couple of members suggested that there could be a loose connection at the climate ECU. The ECU is found by removing the drivers knee bolster under the steering wheel, and clamped to the side of the centre console is a long white ECU, which was described by another member as looking like a grand piano! Once found I could see that a connection was indeed loose, and it was simply a matter of pushing it back in and checking the connections on all the rest. I turned the ignition back on and...Voila! It was all working again!
Now apparently this is a common fault with the XJ40, so if any other XJ40 owners find one day that their heating has stopped, this is an idea to check, and if you need a hand please feel free to email me.
Many thanks to all those that helped me sort out the problem, especially as the cold weather was setting in!
And finally, as this is the last newsletter before the New Year, I just want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas from myself and KUH, and don’t forget to buy a little something for your Jaguars!
Visit Esta-janes website for more XJ40 news, views and tips!
The Gordon Crosby Mascot
Ian Cooling tracks the development of our well-known Jaguar mascot
Frederick Gordon Crosby’s leaping Jaguar is one of the most instantly recognisable mascots and logos in the world. However, down the years, the mascot has changed in several ways, some subtle; some not so subtle. Between its launch in December 1938 and 2001, there have been eight basic versions of this mascot. In this article I shall track the way the mascot has evolved through these different stages. The main story is in the captions to the images that illustrate this article. However, there are two general points I should like to make here.
The first is that there are fewer pre-war and immediately post-war mascots available than those that were issued post-war, but neither is truly rare. According to the data in Andrew Whyte’s book Jaguar – The History of a great British car, (which he extracted directly from the Factory records) over 8000 saloons and DHCs were delivered between 1938 and 1940. Obviously, not every car would have been fitted with a Version 1 mascot, but if only a small proportion were fitted (10%?), it is safe to say that mascot production in this era ran into the hundreds, if not the thousands.
The figures increase exponentially for the Version 2 mascots. These were fitted to a huge range of Jaguars: Mark 1, Mark 2, Mark VIII, Mark IX, S Type, 240/340 and the XK 150, either as an optional extra or as standard. Andrew Whyte quotes production figures for these cars as being over 170,000. Of course, not all will have been fitted with the mascot, but many/most were. This is the single reason why even a genuine original in good condition and from a 1950s car, is only worth around £30-40 and good examples sell on eBay for less than £20. Quite simply, there are tens of thousands of them out there.
My second general point is that only the Gordon Crosby mascot was officially approved and issued by the Factory. The Version 1 mascot was launched in the era of the external radiator cap. A number of companies offered a huge range of mascots for fitting onto the caps. One sub-group is animals and birds, so several different jaguars were offered. They were, of course, explicitly marketed to Jaguar car owners after 1936 (when the name first appeared in the SS Cars model range), but not by the factory. Of course, individual owners bought these proprietary mascots and fitted them to their cars – and rightly so too, some of them are fine mascots. However, to call them “official” or “factory approved” is simply not correct.
The Original
This magnificent bronze mascot is (as far as I am aware) the sole surviving original Gordon Crosby casting – the grand-daddy of them all! It was GC’s personal mascot and adorned the front of his own SS Jaguar saloons (he owned a total of four at various times). This mascot has impeccable provenance having remained in the family until it was bought by me at Brooks’ Goodwood auction in June 1996. Michael Gordon Crosby, son of Frederick and who I spoke to about the mascot, believes that the casting will probably have been made by the Italian craftsman, Parlanti. He had a workshop in Shoreditch (East London) and produced virtually all of GC’s bronzes. GC worked in French plasticine so none of his base works survive. Consequently, this bronze is as close as it is possible to get to the original Gordon Crosby leaping Jaguar mascot.
Versions 1 and 2
This photo compares the Version 1 mascot (right) with the Version 2 (left). The bronze original was reworked for full-scale production and an ad in the 23 December 1938 issue of Autocar informed readers that the mascot was available from SS Cars agents at a price of two guineas. Version 1 is 7.25 inches long and comes in a variety of weights. The main distinguishing features are that the rear legs are in the crouching position (the beast has not yet leapt) and the base is shaped like a rounded triangle with a flat under-surface for mounting on a radiator cap
Version 2 appeared in 1955 when it was listed as an optional extra for the 2.4 litre Mark 1 saloon. It was 7.75 inches from nose to tip of tail but made from a heavier alloy than the pre-war mascots. This mascot was reshaped in the factory (the drawings are held in Jaguar Heritage Archives and dated March 1955) so it could be mounted on the bonnet rather than the radiator cap, which had disappeared under the bonnet when the Mark V ceased production in 1951. The principal recognition features of the Version 2 are its size and its outstretched rear legs (the beast has leapt and is in mid-air)
Version 3
This is Version 3 of the Factory mascot. It is a scaled-down 1.538th copy of Version 2, being only 5 inches from nose to tail compared with the 7.75 inches of Version 2. Again, the original drawings sit in the Jaguar Heritage archive and make clear the exact scaling of the two. This photo shows the three stages of chrome-plating on a Version 3 mascot: 1. the unplated alloy mascot at the back; 2. the copper-plated mascot, to give a good key for the chrome and 3. the final chrome-plated version at the front. Curiously, the smallest of the Jaguar mascots was only fitted to the largest Jaguars with both the Mark 10 and the 420G bearing Version 3. Though this sounds a bit odd, it actually looks well on the car.
NB Versions 4-8 are all covered in the single accompanying scaled image, courtesy of Tony Bailey.
Version 4
Version 4 is of similar size to the Version 3 and as can be seen from the illustration, has a squared-off base unique amongst the safety mascots. So far as I have been able to ascertain, this was released in 1994, but was never a factory fitment only an approved aftermarket accessory for sale in the US (and presumably Canada). The basic safety mechanism fitted to this mascot continues in its essentials to the present. It consists of a single compressed spring retained by a metal loop that fails at a loading of precisely 10 decanewtons (24 lbs). This spring is visible below all the mascots in the illustration. It slots through a hole in the bonnet and is secured underneath the bonnet by a heavy-duty plastic sleeve that screws on to the threaded tube below the mascot base. This Version was superseded in the US by Version 6.
Version 5
This Version also appeared in 1994 and was the first factory-fitted safety mascot. It is the largest of the safety mascots and was also the first to be fitted with the “tear-drop” base that became standard for all subsequent safety mascots, albeit with individual variations. Larger then Version 4, this was made in die cast alloy by the company of Norfran based in the north of England and fitted to X300 saloons, but only for the export market, including the EU. Jaguar did not fit these mascots to cars destined for the home market and (I understand) franchised dealers are/were forbidden to do so.
Version 6
This was available from January 1995 and is distinguished from Version 5 by its length – 22 mm shorter than the Version 5 at 122 mm compared with 150 mm - and the location of the cat much further towards the front of the base mounting. It was manufactured in the US for the US market and was withdrawn around 2000.
Version 7
This mascot was designed for the S Type and introduced with the car in 1999. Manufactured by Norfran once more, it was available on export models from the launch. Pre-launch literature for the UK market showed a car fitted with a mascot. However, the decision was clearly once more taken not to offer a mascot for the UK market and one never has been.
Version 8
Like Version 7, this was designed with a specific car in mind, the X Type, launched in 2001. The steeper bonnet angle demanded a more upright stance from the mascot. A comparison between Version 7 and Version 8 shows this clearly. As with all such components these days, this mascot was designed using advanced “surfacing” software. Gone are the days of the craftsman with his industrial plasticine, his favourite knife and a good eye!
Finally, I hope that you find much of interest in this article and want to know more. If you would like to explore the history of the GC mascot in more detail, you might like to read the 6-part article in Classic Jaguar World that I co-authored with Tony Bailey in 2002-2003. View the history of the GC mascot in detail.
Ian Cooling has produced a unique and informative book entitled "Jaguar Collectibles"
which can be ordered direct from his website.
You can also view sales lots for his next auction, or order a catalogue.
The XJ Executioner!
Andy Harvey offers more advice to bust the rust!
Part Two: Where The XJS Rusts and Why
As described last month, an XJS needs little encouragement to rust away quite happily. Keeping them dry, used, and well ventilated goes a long way in preserving these grand old boats but it’s a running battle, and as with all battles the name of the game is to try and outwit the enemy; unfortunately the enemy is mostly within! The XJS is fairly predictable when it comes to rust. I’ll start from the front and hopefully get to the back before the shed's roof falls in!
1. Bonnet
These always tend to go at the rear corners where there is a section of double skinning. Just lift the bonnet and have a look. Normally it’s quite obvious if there’s corrosion, but its always worthwhile pressing your thumb firmly into the under panel and listen out for that ominous sound. Also check for previous repairs, follow the lines of the panel underneath, they should be clean and defined where the metal has been pressed out. Any loss of profile or secondary paintwork means that it’s had a bit of scrutiny in the past.
2. Front Wings
There are two favourite places for the wings. The most common is where the wing bolts to the sill at the lower rear. It’s hidden away behind the aluminium splash panel which will eventually yield and allow all manner of electrolytes to get through and collect around the bottom bracket. This tasty mix of water retaining crud and salt will sit on top of the sill adjacent to the wing bracket and do its worst. The first sign of trouble will be bubbles of rust bursting out from the wing bottom just above the sill, and in more advanced cases the bracket will have rotted through completely, allowing the wing to flex when questioned.
On the inside, the wing has been folded over the retaining bracket and spot welded. This means there are three pieces of steel sandwiched together at the lowest and most vulnerable point, the bracket is then bolted to the horizontal section of the sill making another water trap. Worst case scenario is when the sill top actually rusts through allowing water to enter the sill internals. A coolant overflow bottle also sits on top of the left hand sill creating more problems.
The cause of the trouble is two fold. There is little corrosion protection in this happy little water feature - the paint is thin and unprotected. The aluminium splash panel tends to corrode around the edges and the seals between this and the inner wing go brittle and misshapen. Water, salt and grit are then blasted at them by the front wheel, and the rest is history.
Even if there’s no sign of corrosion, it’s worth removing the splash panels and having a look. On the right hand side it’s easy enough to clean out the crud and give it a coat of waxoyl or similar. Check the integrity of the fixing bracket while your there. The left hand side has the overflow bottle and its retaining bracket. Remove the bottle and check its overflow pipe and grommet. The pipe is fixed to the inner arch and blocks up or in some cases breaks off completely. You will probably find the bottle securing bracket is also corroded and its integral retaining strap has perished.
The aluminium panels corrode where they contact the seals; pull the seals off and all you will find is crispy edges and white powder. Don’t despair, if you’ve got there in good time any minor rust can be halted for a good few years with waxoyl. New aluminium panels and seals are available as are bottle brackets made from stainless. (ebay!)
Clean out all the mess and make sure everything is dry and de-scaled. (Leave the panels off for a couple of days and let dry air circulate)
With reference to the overflow bottle. It’s often said that coolant spilling out of this is the main cause of corrosion in this area. Admittedly anti freeze is very aggressive and will do a lot of damage. But if your engine and coolant system are in good condition nothing should ever emerge from this container - if it does so on a regular basis you may have major problems!
When the inner sections have been sorted fit the splash panels. The name of the game is to make a complete seal so no water or crud can get in. This may involve silicon sealer between the seals and inner wings. Put Vaseline inside the seals where they fit over the outer edge of the panels and coat the panel fixing screws and washers with the same stuff.
A quick note on the panel retaining screws.
These are Pozidrive No2 screws (as are the majority of screws on an XJS) and you will need (surprise, surprise!) a Pozidrive No2 screw driver in good condition (preferably new) to remove them. The screw heads will be fatigued and full of crud and its well worth taking time to remove this before attempting to undo the screw. Good luck!
Replace any panel fixing screws you may have got out in one piece with new ones. The originals will have the consistency of cheese and will break your heart the next time you attempt to remove them.
The second place where wings tend to rot is around the headlight aperture. There are lots of acute angles and tight spaces in this region, perfect for retaining muck and damp. It’s the same case scenario with the splash panels, which ‘protect’ the front part of the wing although this time they are in two pieces with the lower one being made of plastic and fixing on to the under tray, also made of plastic. Same rules apply, remove the panels, clear out all the muck and junk, dry it out and waxoyl etc etc.
3. Front Lower Quarters and Centre Panel. (The 3 amigos)
Each front wing has a lower quarter panel. These are attached to the wing by a flange at the top and to the centre panel at the bottom. All 3 panels will rot in the traditional way and are very happy to do so without any fuss.
Everything is retained by pozi screws apart from a small section at the back which is actually brazed to the lower part of the wing. The centre panel bridges the gap between the lower quarters and is also fixed to the radiator cross member. This panel is then covered by the under tray and lower spoiler. All 5 items are joined together by the good old No2 Pozi!
If If If!.................If the lower quarter had not been brazed to the wing it would just be a matter of removing the front bumper, 3 dozen pozi’s and all three panels would be lying on your bench waiting for attention. There is obviously a very good reason for these panels to be brazed so it’s no good moping, just get on with it and do the best you can with the items stuck to the car. In all fairness it’s easy enough to get inside the quarters, just remove the lower plastic splash panel and you’re in. It just gets a bit boring when you keep banging bits of your self against the front suspension. The most common places for the quarters to rot is just below the wing flange and where they join the centre panel.
Which brings us nicely on to said panel. Access to this is obtained by removing the spoiler and undertray, both, as mentioned before, are held together by numerous 20 year old pozi’s. Be prepared to spend any amount of time in the prone position whilst slowly losing the will to live, in order to get these screws out. (No need for comments ladies, I’ve heard them all before)
Once the spoiler and tray are off its relatively simple to remove the centre panel, keep that pretty face well away from it when you do, as it will undoubtedly be followed by 20 years worth of grime, rust and anti freeze. Centre panels can be bought new and are relatively cheap; they also have the added bonus of being very hard to see when covered by the plastic bits and with the car back on its wheels so you can just cover them with the best available paint and waxoyl you have.
Whilst the panel is off, clean out all the muck and leaves between the radiator and air conditioning condenser.
It’s a different story for the lower quarters, these are slightly more visible and you’ll have to braze any new ones to the wing. These panels normally rot in unseen places, and are not deemed structural for the MOT. If the car was undergoing a full restoration then they would be replaced without question. But until that day comes maybe they are best left where they are, its all down to personal choice.
To receive this article (and others) as a pdf document with full-size pictures, please contact
Xclusively Jaguar
Andy offers a used parts service for older Jaguars, as well as light restoration work, welding and advice.
I can personally recommend his used parts service.
Contact Andy via Xclusively Jaguar or direct, on: 07940 998199
The Jaguarsport XJR Register
Compiled by Steve John
The history of C10 XJR – as I know it.
by Letitia Mace
The 3.6 XJR is a rare beast, and even more rare when it is Signal Red – the second one off the line was such, and became Tom Walkinshaw’s personal car!
Another one of the 28 produced was, in June 2007, registered as C10 XJR. It belonged to a friend of mine in Plymouth and I was on the verge of buying it when my husband stepped in and said “NO!”
I later mentioned this XJR in an article I wrote about my S-type (W479 LDN) which appeared in the October 2007 issue of The Jaguar Enthusiast Club magazine, and has since been re-produced on the Xclusively Jaguar website under “Features”
Here is the history of C10 XJR as I know it.
As related in my article about our S-type “W479 LDN” my husband, Nigel, was scanning the pages of Autotrader every week, in order to find a suitable X200 S-type, as we had agreed that it would be an easier car for him to get into and out of than an X308. Nigel is disabled, and the S-type does not have sills, like the XJ saloons had, until the advent of the X350. An X350 was way out of our price range, so an S-type seemed a good compromise! On 8th June 2007 he pointed out a 1989 3.6 XJ40 XJR in Signal red with Magnolia hide trim. I thought he had finally lost his marbles – it was a long way from an S-type, but far more interesting, of course!
I didn’t seriously think that Nigel would let me have this car, so for an entire week, I tried to put it out of my mind, but it just wouldn’t go, and when it turned up again in Autotrader the following week I sent a text to the seller to ask if it was still for sale. I got an immediate response, so I guessed “Yes it was still for sale!” It was nice to speak to someone who knew about Jaguars for a change, and who didn’t try to over-sell his car – he just gave me the information I requested, and obviously knew what he was talking about! The owner at that time was Martin Symons from Plymouth, and he said he was more or less certain that C10 XJR was a genuine factory XJR and not just something with a body kit tacked on afterwards. He was quite willing to give me the full VIN (something a lot of people wont do!) in order that I could check it out with Jaguar Heritage. He also gave me the paint code, as at that time, I knew a lot less about XJR’s and was unaware that so many were produced in colours outside the range promised in the brochures, and the Signal Red paint shed doubt on the cars authenticity! So, was this a factory built XJR in a non-standard colour, or a later conversion/respray?
VIN: SAJJPALH3AA 576836
Paint code: CFC
The VIN was encouraging, as at that time, Jaguar did not produce a sport model, and the “P” indicated that this WAS a Sport! The engine and gearbox codes confirmed that it had always been a 3.6 automatic, so there had been no after-market changes there, and the paint code confirmed that the colour was original.
I was unsure of whether or not I would even get to view this Jaguar, but was determined to find out if it was possible to ascertain whether or not it was a proper JAGUARSPORT XJR built at the TWR factory, or just an after market body kit. Armed with the relevant information, my next stop was Jaguar Heritage. I phoned Julia Simpson, who was very helpful and gave me a complete list of data for this Jaguar.
Built 6/1/89
Despatched 10/1/89 to…………………..JAGUARSPORT !!! YES !!!
From there, this genuine TWR XJR in Signal Red went to Stratstone’s of Birmingham, where it was sold to:
Mr F.C.Spencer of H & S Engineering, Redditch, Worcestershire.
First registered as FCS 84
Engine number: 9D PAMA 176762
So it is a genuine Jaguarsport TWR 3.6 XJR in a non-standard colour, or rather, a colour which was not originally contained in the sales literature for these cars!
In speaking to Martin, it transpired that C10 XJR had a “stable-mate” which was also for sale, and Martin explained that this was a 2000 model year S-type 3 litre SE – I was astonished, as that was exactly what we were looking for! We agreed to go and have a look, and I hoped that the XJR would not have been sold before the arranged day! When we arrived, Martin rolled up the electric door on his double garage to reveal the Signal Red XJR and a Titanium S-type. The door was hardly fully open as Nigel and I both made for the XJR, completely ignoring the S-type we were supposed to be viewing! After we had looked all round the car, opened the doors and commented on it, Martin (looking very perplexed) said “I thought you were coming to look at the S-type?” We explained that we were, but first things first! No Jaguar enthusiast could bypass this stunner!
After agreeing to part-exchange our XJ8 for the S-type I then asked Martin what he would take for the XJR. We agreed a favourable price, on the basis that we were also having the S-type – Martin and I even shook hands on it, but then Nigel intervened and said that I couldn’t afford it. I was very upset – he was right really, BUT??? Martin and I left it on the understanding that if someone came along and purchased it before I had persuaded Nigel to let me buy it, then that was fair enough. Someone did come along, later that afternoon in fact, which was better for Martin, as he paid the full asking price!
I will not forget C10 XJR, as we would not have found “LDN” if I had not sent that text enquiring after the mysterious Signal Red 3.6 XJR! The notes I made at the time, are listed below.
Unfortunately I did not test drive this Jaguar, so my comments are limited to my observations of it in its garage.
Martin purchased the number C10 XJR for this Jaguar and said he couldn’t remember the previous number!
Martin (a semi-retired Jaguar dealer) had owned this car once before, many years ago.
I am sure that the mileage was 80,000 miles, but I cannot find a note of it.
Resprayed from the waist downwards, and in very good order.
Magnolia hide piped red, and also in very good order
Some evidence of rust in the bottom of the boot
Generally a very nice Jaguar, which I would have been happy to own
Not perfect, but easily good enough to use and enjoy and maintain as a future rare classic, as it has not been abused and messed about with.
Kitted out exactly as I had expected from my research at the time, with Jaguarsport alloys, TWR body kit, Momo steering wheel, Jaguarsport dials on the instrument binnacle, plus standard fitment of everything normally reserved only for the Daimler of the time - automatic gearbox, sunroof, air conditioning, cruise control, electric seats etc.
Apparently, this XJR underwent a substantial rebuild/respray at Derek Watson’s, and Martin had the invoices to prove it! When he phoned to query the invoices etc he was told that it was the one which was pictured in their adverts, some time ago now (I do have copies of these adverts - pity they covered the registration number!)
Could this be the same Signal Red 3.6 XJR for sale on Jaguar spares Day in Autumn 2004, as the dates would fit in with those when the car was being advertised at Derek Watsons – the registration number then, was F830 SEV.
Although C10 XJR was apparently sold to someone only 20 miles from where I live, I have never seen it again, and was reluctant to ask Martin for the owners details at the time. It is difficult to know if people are going to be interested in the history of their cars, or take the attitude that you are interfering. Having met Steve John and viewed his website “Jaguarsport XJR” I immediately looked through the register to see if C10 XJR and A18 XJR were listed. I was very pleased to see that both the 3.6 XJR’s which I have considered purchasing were listed. Presuming, of course, that they were listed by their owners, I felt that I must make the information I have on C10 XJR available so that the owner (or future owner(s) do at least have the opportunity of knowing some of the history behind their car, if they are not already aware of it. Perhaps they will even contact me and fill me in with further details, if they have more information, as I would be very interested in finding the full history of C10 XJR.
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