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Glyn, every Mk 2 had ashtrays on the rear door armrests. But I do recognise that the South African-built cars may have, indeed did have, some differences from the ROW cars. Could the rear door panel/armrest be one of the differences?
I think you are talking for some NA or Canadian spec cars only! Your block heater was even moved around during production.
Very nice, but not an original door panel (see the indented lines compared with the original panel in my car) and the armrest (very nice!) without the ashtray is also not the same as in ROW Mk 2 cars.But the handle, even on this car cannot be oriented downward for the reason I state below.
These photos are of my 27,000 mile Mk 2 (but at the time of restoration, a never-touched 16,000 mile car). The interior is exactly as it left the factory on January 4, 1966. The rear door panels: as you can see, the handle oriented vertically sits directly over the armrest ashtray, and that further the handle could not physically be oriented downward because it is longer than the space between its hub and the armrest (and this is the case also in Glyn's photo):
This photo should make this more clear (this is the opposite door):
The front door handles can and do point downward because the armrest is not directly below (aand not that the indented lines on the panel are quite different from those on the aftermarket panel you show).
I think you are talking for some NA or Canadian spec cars only! Your block heater was even moved around during production.
This is fun, but getting a bit silly.
The photos of the black interior of my car (#24) are photos of an entirely correct and original car with handles and armrest in the factory configuration, and these are identical to the same elements in every Mk2 for every market - excepting perhaps South Africa based on your statements☺️
The photo you posted (#20) shows a beautiful but aftermarket door panel (the panel has no padding in the area of the indented lines, an immediate proof that this is not a factory item). The armrest without the ashtray is equally beautiful and very suitable to our current smoke-free era, but quite obviously new as well. Now, photos of an original South African panel with armrest would be interesting.
Hold on! I have just found photos of a clearly original (and coincidently also a 1966 model) South African Mk 2, and, mirabile dictu, the rear door armrests (again original and worn) do NOT have ashtrays! They are exactly as the new grey panel door (#20) shows. Profound apologies! But the door handles are in vertical orientation 😄
Door handle orientation is close to my heart and head. When I was two (1960) my father had a Jaguar Mk4. We were going on a long trip in those days from Bristol to London along the A303. No speed limits so my Dad was tootling along at close to 60mph past Stonehenge. The back seat footwells of the car had been packed with luggage to create a large flat play area for my brother and I. I dropped a toy down a hole by the side of the door card and leant on the door handle which was orientated horizontally. Open was push down, lock was pull up. When I leant on the door handle the door sprang open and I went out. Lucky for me it was the passengers side and I hit the road then the grass kerb and rolled for 100 yards. Minor head cuts that required stiches and an overnight in a cottage hospital but otherwise no major injuries.
Is this a reason for why on later Jaguars, Mk5 and beyond the handle is orientated vertically?
All that has been done on this car are woodwork, door rubbers & mats.
Can’t resist it: note the position of the rear door handle: vertically upwards! But the front door handle is pointed up instead of (the correct) down orientation.
You can remove both front and rear door handles without stripping the door or even remove the glass. It’s a fiddle for sure, the front handles are more difficult than the rear, and getting the rearmost nut back in is a pain - but doable. Loosening the frames does make access easier.
Can’t resist it: note the position of the rear door handle: vertically upwards! But the front door handle is pointed up instead of (the correct) down orientation.
Can't resist it ~ There are different size handles. Yours are huge. Barratts only sells one size now. My S Type also has the large handles. Maybe the smaller ones were also produced in South Africa but the diagram wasn't. Is your block heater in the right place?
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Jun 15, 2024 at 05:39 PM.
You can remove both front and rear door handles without stripping the door or even remove the glass.It’s a fiddle for sure, the front handles are more difficult than the rear, and getting the rearmost nut back in is a pain - but doable. Loosening the frames does make access easier.
As you say it's a major fiddle. Not worth it. What are those gaskets on your exterior door handles?
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Jun 15, 2024 at 05:09 PM.
Interesting that CASS mentioned that the inner door handles use a tapered pin.
I have had 6 MK1s and 6 MK2s and never realised that the pin was supposed to be tapered.
I don't remember how many pins I have made by taking an appropriate diameter wood nail and cutting it down to the correct length.
Well at least the concourse judges can't see that I have strayed from the path of correct originality.
Can't resist it ~ There are different size handles. Yours are huge. Barratts only sells one size now. My S Type also has the large handles. Maybe the smaller ones were also produced in South Africa but the diagram wasn't. Is your block heater in the right place?
I have never seen smaller interior handles and I have examined many, many Mk2 cars (but none from SA). Block heater? No idea….I live on an island in the Pacific. No need for the block heater!
As you say it's a major fiddle. Not worth it. What are those gaskets on your exterior door handles?
My point was that while being fiddly, you don’t have to strip the whole door down. Why would you strip the window winder mechanism and lock bar out - when you don’t need to? Actually the rear ones you can get to just by taking the wood capping off. As for the gaskets, while not OEM, they are useful to prevent damage to the paint.
