I am getting ready for a John's cars 700r4 swap. my block number is 7B 62766 - 8. in Rob Reilly's Jag-Lovers article I see no 7B 6XXXX - 8 numbers. The number is stamped above the oil filter on the horizontal part of block. any info? 1966 3.8 S auto.

 

The number should be repeated on the back of the front chaincase on the head and on the firewall plate.





Typical S type engine numbers.

Jaguar 'S'-type Register

 

Jaguar 'S'-type Register

According to the S-type register (see link), that's correct for an 8:1 c.r. S. It should also be on the cylinder head and the chassis plate for comparison.

 

SNAP ~ Peter.

 

Cross posted. As an S question, I should have left it to you.

 

LOL! ~ not at all. Confirmation is always good!

 

it’s a b%stard. head # LA1193-8, block # 7B62766-8, rear diff. ratio 49:13. So it’s a Mark II head, ? 3.8 8:1 block and a S rear diff. no surprise considering the old style orange rtv at the seams on the engine. rebuilt sometime in the dark and misty past. needless to say, none of this matches the bulkhead plate. guess adding a GM 4 spd auto is a no harm no foul.

 

The diff is from a manual with overdrive. There's no harm in a bitsa so long as it all works well together.

 

Matching numbers cars only matter to pissy concours judges.

 

Is the Callum Mk2 matching numbers? Or the Vicarage cars? It seems that non-matching puts you in an expensive category!

 

Callum Mk2 is obviously not matching numbers & only some Vicarage cars are.

I kept my car matching numbers for local concours events but it does not have the value of the Callum car etc. I'm waiting post Covid for some judge to tell me that my suspension is the wrong black because I had it powder coated.

I did mess around with matting agents to get some prominent parts correct. (as they did with the body of that Carmen Red Coombs car I posted elsewhere.)

Please tell me how Lucas achieved this finish on the accessory socket? I've tried every wrinkle black on the market & they look nothing like that.






It all gets a little silly.

 

I have always said Glyn that although my S type is good I would not get an invite to Pebble Beach. Not in to that scene anyway to many **** men with adenoids and stupid hats.

Local shows to show the car off to the general public who don't care if your radiator is polished brass rather than painted black are good enough for me.

The appreciation and admiration of many rather than the criticism of a few.

 

I agree with Cas3958 on the whole concours/car show business. I was considering an AJ16 engine for my Mk2. It's sufficiently in the character of the XK6, delivers the sort of power and fuel consumption that I'd like, lasts forever, saves some weight and is readily and economically available. However, as it's likely the UK DVLA would consider it sufficient for the car to lose its identity and historic status, it's not going to happen. I'm following the more expensive route of re-building and tuning my old 3.4 XK engine - not something I regret too much, but a serious blow to my budget. Basically, my cars are for my (and my better half's) appreciation! And, obviously, any changes that I chose to make are, for me, the epitome of good taste!

Vicarage, that is the original Vicarage activity as I think it's changed hands and management at least once, took no care over matching numbers for their 'production line' cars. If you took your car to them for restoration or made a special request, that would not apply.

The 12 volt dash socket! Was it an option on the 3.8 S? I recognise the two pin plug and the individual sockets, but not the black disc with the clever paint job. Did Lucas make the disc or someone else? It is an unusual paint effect that close up seems different from the traditional 'crackle'. Something that most of us achieve through an (un)happy accident - such as not leaving the first coat long enough to dry. The plug and socket do seem much neater and more robust and reliable than the modern cigar lighter socket.

 

one time I accidentally got a similar wrinkled paint result because I painted a part after rubbing it with 80% alcohol and quickly spraying it with satin black when the temp was cold outside. It wrinkled a lot.
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I agree with you & Cass. I want to put my car in the concours precisely once to see how many points it scores. It is not a trailer queen & I want to drive and enjoy it. Go on NOT stuffy club runs etc. If I can't drive it, get it wet etc. etc. I don't want it.

The 12V under-bonnet accessory socket/plug was fitted to many Jaguars & standard on the S Type. You could also buy a lead light to plug into it. It was mounted on the LHS inner arch ahead of the Regulator. On the 420 it was on the firewall etc.

Good place to plug in your battery maintenance charger.

It was made by Lucas.

 

You probably remember these on old Land Rover dashes.

 

Glyn your problem with putting your S Type in to a concours competition is getting it marked correctly. You know more about S Types than anyone I know but we both know there were so many variations that came out of the factory that it would take an expert with better knowledge than yourself to say what should have been on the car when it rolled off the production line. Then throw in the variation of your car being a CKD South African car not a Browns Lane car and they would not know what they were looking at. If you were the guy marking your car would you give it 100 points? If so you are not going to get any argument from me.

 

I would just like to have the piece of paper in the car file. I also suspect there is a little bit of me that would like to argue with a judge. LOL!

 

Glyn, you ******. Your car is the "practical" pinnacle of what any of us hope, (even remotely), to achieve here. If I had Primaz's car and yours, I'd have all the toys I ever wanted. You're the man!

ps -Provenance and paperwork do make a difference to resale. Every time I finish a car, I sell it. It will never look better or be worth more.

 

Thanks ~ LOL! I was councelled by a very good friend not to let perfection get in the way of very good. It was wise advice.