Hello All,

First post, and wondering if any of you can help. I'm restoring a 1967 Jaguar 420, which also involves a conversion from right hand drive to left hand drive.

I have just about all the parts necessary to complete the restoration, but I'm still looking for a left hand drive Marles power steering box, including the pitman arm and the idler for the right hand side of the car.

Please let me know if you have aything available - in case you're interested I have a RHD marles power steering unit to trade or swap, and many other parts available if you're interested (manual gearbox with overdrive, rear differential with LSD, LHD and RHD dashboards etc.).

Thanks a lot and best wishes!
Dom

 

I think you'll find they are not handed. SNG Barratt have the full steering box assembly on their website, and there are no LH or RH parts at all

SNG Barratt - The Ultimate Jaguar Parts Specialist

However the hydraulic pipes are different: -

SNG Barratt - The Ultimate Jaguar Parts Specialist

 

Hi Fraser,

Thanks a lot for the message and for the links to the SNG Barratt pages! Much appreciated. I had a good look at the parts I have and some photos online - there's a definite difference in the casting to ensure the steering column connection points towards the left or right side of the firewall for LHD or RHD. I've tried to attach a photo of my RHD Box - let's see if it uploaded correctly.

I just had another good look through the SNG pages, there are in fact two boxes listed (the second is near towards the bottom of the page) - part numbers listed are C26998 and C26999, but it doesn't say which one is which...

I'll keep looking to see if something turns up, thanks again for the input.

Best wishes,
Dom

 

Hi Fraser,

Thanks a lot for your response and for the links, much appreciated!

I've just been looking through my photos and comparing to some other images online, and the steering boxes are definitely available in left and right handed versions. The different casting of the steering box body ensures the splined shaft for the steering column points upwards towards the left or right side of the firewall. I've attached a picture of my RHD front axle showing the steering box and idler set-up, I hope the upload works- you'll see what I mean. I've found one or two images online showing a similar part, but mirrored.

Checking again on the SNG Barrat site I noticed that quite far down the page there's a second line item with the same item description of the top level power steering box, but with a different part number. I think this is the "other handed version" - the two part numbers are C26998 and C26999. I'm pretty sure C26999 is the left hand drive version I'm looking for.

Thanks again for the support, very much hoping someone has the right bits lurking at the back of their shed!

Best wishes,
Dom





Jaguar 420 RHS front axle

 

Why not ask SNG Barratt about the two part numbers ? Now I've seen your photos, it does indeed look as if there need to be LH and RH boxes. Looking at the SNG Barratt drawing, I reckon just the main casting is different, the internals, (or most of them) will be the same.

Of course, it would be a lot easier to find a LH box if you can, but these things were only offered on Jaguars for a very short time, as the XJ6 came out with a power rack shortly after. I doubt the box was made just for Jaguar so finding out what other British cars had it would be useful. I would suspect maybe Rovers and also Bentley or Rolls-Royce. The box may have been supplied to other European manufacturers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marles_Variomatic

You could, of course, convert to use the XJ6 rack, but the kits are not cheap.