I've recently used WhiteXKR's 3-guage conversion on my 2001 XKR - much prefer the look of the 3 guages to the out of date satnav. I managed to source a dash centre panel that's a reasonable but not perfect match for the original trim. I can live with it but would prefer a perfect match.
Is there any code/serial number for the various veneers to enable me to try and get a match or were they all individual to each car depending on what veneer was to hand?

Steve

 

I'm no expert when it comes to Jaguar dash veneer, but I am an expert when it comes to refinishing furniture, so I've dealt with my share of veneers. That being said, you most likely will not find a matching veneer for your dash...ever...without purchasing a new complete set. Veneers are, as youu know, thin sheets of wood that are "book-end" cuts, meaning two sheets will match when opened book style. The piece of wood used for your car was also used on the previous car and following car until the sheets were depleted from stock. Unless you, by some absolute god-blessing miracle, find the dash panels used in the two cars on either side of your production number, and, by another absolute god-blessing miracle the three dash assemblies met at the same time in production with the cars, you're out of luck for matching the veneers. You have three options 1) live with it, 2) buy new matching panels for your car and 3) live with it....

 

ever thought about having all your veneers wraped to mach,there are some good looking results out there,carbon black ,silver,gray and so on.lots to choose from,ime sure some of our members have had this done,maybe some pics on hear somewere.

 

Helpful and sage advice. - Think I might just live with it

 

Yes, I looked at the "wrapping" threads and even looked at some 3m wraps but I just dont think the style is for me. The centre dash is not a million miles out and actually matches the steering wheel much better than the original panels do. I have kept the original centre panel if I ever want to revert. In the meantime I'll keep my eye out for a complete set at a reasonable price. There's one on ebay at the moment with a bid of only £19 but a) it's a few hundred miles away and the seller wont ship and b) it's green!

 

I had hairline cracks on my shift surround, airbag cover and 3 gauge panel. I bought an entire car set: left air vent surround, speedo panel, 3 gauge panel, airbag cover, right vent surround, shift surround and both door window switch panels. I paid $240 shipped and they looked immaculate, and I'm fairly sure they were in a coupe because they're perfect and very dark. I am going to be selling the panels that were still good fairly soon and hope to get about $75 for the good pieces with a net cost about $165. The bad panels I'm going to give a crack at refinishing and then sell.

The set looks great and only took about 2 hours to put in (airbag cover takes the longest). And just as marvin.d.miller stated, it's really the only way to ensure a good match is replacing a whole set.

 

Care to share a link to the set on ebay, I'd like to see them.

 

Here you go:
JAGUAR XK8 XKR X100 RHD DASH INSTRUMENT WOOD PANEL | eBay

 

Steve,

Look at the (original) veneer on any XK8/XKR and you will find it is matched across the facia. Produced from a single length of veneer, the pattern is continuous across the 5 pieces.

Jaguar used to 'book match' facia, door cappings and centre console. The left and right sides of the vehicle were mirror images. They dropped this technique for a time but re-introduced it with the XK in 2007. This is the centre console of my XK. The grain pattern either side of the red centre line I have drawn is a mirror image:



Back to the XK8/XKR. The 8 piece Veneer Set is as follows:


(click on the image to enlarge it)

The 5 pieces of the Facia (item 2) are only available as a set. The 2 Switchpack finishers or Console are available separately. If purchased like this, the type of wood will match BUT the grain pattern will not.

ebay is probably your best source. It took Eurojag at Darlington nearly a year to get a veneer set for my 2001 XK8!

Graham

 

Graham, interesting enough the Triumph TR4A did that in 1965. A nice effect and yours would be one I would like on mine.

Wayne

 

On my XK8 the book end matching created the image of what strongly resembles a Rottweiler staring at you between the airbag cover and the three dial panel, it's pretty cool. If you go to my garage file, and zoom way in on my profile picture (Ctrl + mouse wheel to zoom), you will see the Rottweiler. Slightly fuzzy because of the zoom, but it's there!

 

I can see a horse staring at it from the right hand side of the airbag cover.



Graham

 

Thanks one and all - lots of food for thought - no hurry - I might even go back to the satnav and original dash but with a modern unit given that the gauges although perhaps more aesthetic are not really telling me much about the car other than the time which the satnav can do - ho hum choices choices.

 

If you install RealGauge - invented and sold by WhiteXKR, a member of this forum - your oil pressure gauge will give you real-time information. Check it out.



.

 

Aaaagggh! My OCD got the better of me

I just couldn't live with the cosmetic mismatch of the dash veneers so I've replaced the original satnav and dash centre panel.
TBH while 11 years out of date when I have used it in the past the mapping has not let me down and I always have TomTom on my iPhone if I get stuck. Looks so much better. She's off the road for the winter at the end of September so I'll cast around for a complete matching set.

I'm not quite back to square one as I now know a bit more about the wiring and I've replaced all my dash/instrument bulbs and got an illuminated trip switch again so not all bad.

Just need to win the competition for a free real gauge now!

On a totally unrelated topic - speaking of iPhones - there is no good way to connect to this car so all I have done is buy a PAYG SIM which is permanently in the car "phone and when I'm driving I just redirect my iPhone calls in call forwarding. OK so you don't get your SMS and emails but we shouldn't be accessing them while driving anyway so for me it's a great solution.

I may be schizophrenic but my minds are made up

Steve

 

Man that is CHEAP,

 

Yep - just too far away for me to collect for CoC and I'm not sure a green dash would float my boat but someone is going to get a bargain.

 

GGG, if you look at the split between the three guages and the airbag cover, you'll see the face of the Rottweiler. Half if it's head on one side of the split, and half its head on the other. :icon_banan a:It's actually prety cool!!

 

I saw that when I grabbed the pic.

An unusual and effective layout of the veneer. I found the dark finish a bit bland in my earlier X308 and XK8.

Graham

 

Oh, it's not dark veneer, it's the picture. It's a bright sunny day, they just turned out a little dark is all.