The 'E' Type Forum

Hi everybody,
A question for people knowing well early 3.8 series 1 OTS (OBL and early non OBL).

I have been surprised to discover a "squared" profile of the trim in subject as shown by Chuck in one of his videos relating to an OBL OTS, car number 8751.. built/dispatched in June 1961.


At 1:05:15, he shows what he thinks to be the right profile of the chrome trim on the rear of the soft top.
This is squared with an edge allowing to catch the top cover straps without needing the usual four brackets as on later roadsters.

This piece of trim was used on XK 120 and XK 140 roadsters and is called "pin beading".
Maybe a tale, as the one talking of tool boxes on very early E-TYpes...
Does anybody know and can provide references to confirm whether that trim was ever used on very early OTS?

The August 1961 SPC shows the 'Chrome Beading on Tonneau' as part BD.19683. By June 1963 SPC it had changed to to BD.21397 as the superseded part for future replacement. The early part is not the same part number as the XK for obvious reasons so what Chuck says is likely correct:


I will do some research and report back but I am guessing an October 1961 car would be fitted with the later chrome strip and hooks.

Evidence from OBL cars #39 and #47 that the early chromed copper or brass strips were indeed lead filled with a groove for the hood cover clips.





Because of the cost of manufacture Jaguar changed to a simpler design without the groove and lead but fitted four hook plates BD.20658 under the strip to engage with the hooks on the hood cover.

Can't find any official record of the date change as yet but observation suggests the change occurred about July 1961 after cars 850062/875180. There is no mention of the change in the Service or Spare Parts Bulletins suggesting only a few cars had been delivered before the change too place.

David,

I have found that there is a mention and a picture showing the rear chrome strip without the hook plates BD.20658 in the rare 8 page 'Amendments and Additions' booklet, supplied from August 1961 updating the E/122/1 Owners Handbook, until April 1962 when edition E/122/2 was provided.

I am lucky enough to have that supplement as part of the documentation accompanying my OTS 875740 and the operation of the hood is one of the subjects that is abundantly described in it.
On page 6, there is a picture (fig.6) showing how to install the cover of the hood and on page 5, the instructions to do so state: "Pull the cover rearwards and clip the four hooks under the chromium beading strip (located at the rear of the hood)".
So maybe the specially grooved rear chrome trim not requiring the hook plates was still used for some time (a few weeks, months?) after July 1961 as the supplement was produced especially for non OBL cars.
It is however unclear when the change occured. I could not say for my car manufactured on 10 October 1961 as that trim piece is unfortunately missing.

My car has the rear clips and the non-notched filled bead.
Haven't refreshed lately but I think it is Nov/Dec '61 mfg.

I just checked the picture of installation of the hood cover on the owners manual E/122/3 (I have an original of it).
Funnyly, it still shows the same picture (now numbered fig. 29) as in the amendment of E/122/1, while E/122/3 was provided from May 1963 onwards.
It is likely though that hook plates were already fitted on the roadsters in 1963.
The same text and fig. 29 also appear in E/122/5 provided from April 1964 onwards.

That is strange because the text and figures in E/122/3 were substantially modified as necessary compared to E/122/1. In particular, there is no more Schelley jack in E/122/3 and the Metallifacture jack is shown instead.
Maybe Jaguar missed that subtlety in forgetting to modify the part corresponding to the hook plates...

It would be interesting to see if later manuals handbooks were modified in this regard.

Here are pictures from two factory original Operating, Maintenance and Service Handbook pages.
I labeled the pictures for reference.
From E/122/1 and E/122/6.






Labels didn't transfer.

The first two Page 21 and 22 that are E/122/1 and the pictures have an 18XX number in the corner.
The last pag 22 is from E/122/6 and has 20XX in the corner of the pics.

Interesting.
The labels on the amendment of E/122/1 are also 20xx, hence they appeared to have been so from that amendment until E/122/6 at least.
And only E/122/1 had figures with labels 18xx.

The text in E/122/1:
"Clip the four hooks under the chromium hood fastener strips "
is also different from in the amendment to E/122/1: "under the chromium beading strip" which is continued until E/122/6.
Very odd...