The 'E' Type Forum

My ‘71 S3 OTS (Build date Nov’71) doesn’t have the footwell fresh air vents, no ducting in the engine bay, no feeder holes in the bonnet/wings or holes in the front bulkhead...

Did some cars leave the factory like that? Does anyone else have the same non-feature? Or has my car had a bodged bodywork restoration that wasn’t recorded in its history?

Cheers!

Nigel

My car is a Jul/Aug 71 build and it has the vents under the dash on either side. These are feed via the trunking built into the bonnet that feeds air just on the passenger side into the fan and heater box. The round knurled knobs on the front of the dash control the air to the under dash vents and adjust the louvre on the passenger side.

The style of air trunking that collects air either side of the engine up near the shock absorbers and pipes it back to the footwells was a later addition.

But in your car, as with mine the louvres that let the hot air in when the heater is on also let the cold air in when the heater is off.

Garry

garrycol wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 20, 2018 1:35 pm

The style of air trunking that collects air either side of the engine up near the shock absorbers and pipes it back to the footwells was a later addition.

Thanks Garry, that was the answer I was hoping for. Where did you find that nugget out?

Cheers!

Nigel

No, your car hasn't been bodged!
My S3 OTS was built in December 1971 and also has no fresh air ducting.

Paul.

My Nov 71 does not have it either.
My understanding is that the additional footwell fresh air cooling system was introduced in April, possibly May 1972 starting from car numbers -
OTS 1S1236 RHD 1S20173 LHD
Coupe 1S51016 RHD 1S72682 LHD

Bob

Turn the heater off, turn on the fan (or drive real fast) and you will have cold air coming out the standard vents under the dash or even the demister vents on top of the dash. That air comes from the front of the car in a duct on the passenger side of the engine bonnet air intake. When the air comes into the cabin and is plumbed to the demister vents and out the passenger under dash louvre and across to the louvre under the drivers dash.

At least this system is fan assisted - the later additional vents do not have fan assistance and are not much use when driving slowly.

Garry

Garry, Paul, Bob - Got to love this forum.

Thanks for the feedback and info on my car, pleased that my 'non-feature' is original...no mention of it in my library.

Thanks again guys

Nigel

Hello

My Jaguar Heritage certificate has a manufacturing date of 15 March 1972 and I have the fresh air vents that are supplied via the intakes mounted at the top of the front shocks.

LHD 2+2 V12. My number is 72948

Nick

Thanks Nick. That matches with the number serial numbers Bob quoted.