Are the brake calipers fitted to the etype the same as those fitted to the Mk2? i.e. carrier and caliper housing?

Presumably brake discs too?

 

Possibly on the front with the early E Types but they changed to larger brakes and calipers on the later series. The rears are completely different as the E type has independent rear suspension and inboard disc brakes where as the Mk2 has a live rear axle.

 

Yes thanks - I was referring to the early etype a little thought in my head was whether the dia of the pistons might have been less on the Mk 2 - will have to do a parts number check...

 

In respect of the rear brakes (and retaining the original Mk 1 rear axle presently fitted with drum brakes) is it a difficult or impossible procedure to fit the disc set up as would like to start searches for the right parts?

 

From some time in 57 kits were made available to retrofit discs to the rear of a Mark1. Running change was done in production.

"Unquestionably the most important, though, was the introduction of Dunlop disc brakes on all four wheels as an option shortly after 3.4 production began. In practice, very few 3.4-litre cars would be delivered with drum brakes.

Credit James Taylor.

 

There is no benefit it installing disc brakes on the Rear, the drums are quite sufficient on the rear.
Except maybe when you are racing on the circuit.
I changed to bigger vented discs on my MK1 ( E-type ) but needed a MK2 front axel.
Downside is my MK1 disc wheels do not fit anymore.

 

It is a matter of balance between back & front. Brembo, Ate, (Alfred Teves), OEM's etc. design in that balance for a specific car.

If you leave drums on the rear then use cutaway spats to cool them & prevent fade. Mk1 drum brakes were pretty awful.

 

I agree that it might not be necessary (as many cars in period had front discs rear drums) but as it was a Jaguar option it would be nice to do so, I'm also going down the road of fitting a mk 2 front axle (I have not as yet compared the mk 1 and mk 2 axles side by side) to see where and how they differed causing the roll centre issue. Along with the mk 2 axle I also have a set of mk 2 wheels I intend to fit. I appreciate that the Mk 2 rear axle is fitted to race cars and the reason for doing so, however I don't like the damage it does to the aesthetics and will hopefully find a satisfactory midway point!

On the rears I might experiment a little to see how far I can push the rear wheels out, by using the Mk 2's wheels and I believe there might be a little more space available if a spacer was fitted.

 

Unfortunately it seems my car (a Canadian export) was one of the few 3.4's with the drum brakes.

 

Pity but I like your intention. Keep the braking ratio back to front as designed. Never mind how OE brakes were configured drum, disc combo etc. they were still balanced for that car.

If you over brake the car on the front & do a quick stop on a wet road the car will do a 180 degree spin or worse. The car becomes unstable under braking.

Keep the Jaguar brake balance rear to front.

 

I think that when the disc brakes on a 3.4 or 3.8 Mk2 are all in good order, the rear wheels will lock up before the front. This is contrary to general practice, but doesn't seem to cause any obvious problem, possibly because of strong understeer/straight line stability/front weight bias. I have heard it claimed that locking the Mk2's rear wheels first is a useful way of bringing the rear around in extreme situations, a foot brake generated hand brake turn, but it's not something that I've tried.

In the 1970s when Mk2s were less well cared for, the rear brakes were often the first to suffer reduced function from lack of maintenance. However, with the weight bias, it often went unnoticed by the driver.

 

Interesting as I've not heard about the rear/front bias under braking - my father used to drive his Mk 2 with spirit but perhaps in those days 'feel through the seat of the pants' was from years of touchy feely driving experience! and he adjusted without realising...

To fully understand the Mk 1 and 2 braking systems I will endeavour to find the 'parts manuals' for both cars to compare part numbers - a scant search has not so far shown up any copies

 

There are some links to parts and service manuals in the how to sticky at the top of the sub-forum. There are also some on Jose's website. Sorry I'm not giving you direct links, but I don't know exactly how when working from my phone.

 

Thanks Peter, I'm hoping to locate the original parts manuals not only are they a lovely file to hold but also easier to compare and list part numbers! a ludite at heart...

 

For paper, there may be some Brooklands reprints. I'd try Blackwell's, Amazon, Abe books, e-bay in that order. They'll not be cheap.

 

You can force an S type to lock up it's rear wheels but it happens just after the front in the wet. Pretty much optimum for a non ABS car. This on radial tyres. On dirt with Cross ply rears seem inclined to lock first. Braking bias seems very close to 50/50

Mk 1 & 2 Manual pdf. 1st listing. Be patient. Or take your pick. Sorry my original Jaguar copy is too large to download to this forum. You can PM me an e mail address & I will gladly send it to you (MK2 Jaguar original).
.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Jagu...t=gws-wiz-serp

 

There might be the possibility of purchasing a Mk 2 rear axle with power lock and a 3.54 axle ratio and would appreciate to learn what assets could be taken from the Mk 2 axle and used on the Mk 1?

 

Markone the Coventry Foundation has a complete set of workshop manuals for the 2.4 and 3.4L saloon (aka MK1). Those manuals are modular (only manual done that way. Unfortunately we do not have the binder. You may find them at the E bay store (Coventry Foundation Store 1).







9aka MK1




9

 

Be aware, when using a MK2 rear Axel on a MK1 your spats wil not fit anymore.
The MK2 rear axel is a lot wider than the MK1 version.
You will need the most narrow spat version available.

 

... or, if you are doing significant body restoration and aren't worried about total originality, you could do some remodeling of the rear wings, arches and wheel wells.