Here you go:
Autoworks/Muffler works (AutoWorks and MufflerWorks)
JP

 

Thank you.

Bob

 

JP

The original gear change in my MK2 is on the right side of the steering column. Could it be that only early cars had the gear selector on the left side?

Bob

 

Yes they do. I realized my mistake when looking at the part book. Starting after chassis 212639 the DG250 had a right hand shifter. However, the nacelle letters remains the typical DG250 "PNDLR" while the BW35 has the "PRND2D1L" one.
JP

 

Good point about the selector pattern. Any non DG250 MK2 or 340 or I assume 3.8S would have the "PRND1D2L" sequence.

I believe the other models which used the BW8 and BW12 transmissions also had this pattern.

Bob

 

the 420 has the latter shift pattern and correct nacelle parts.

 

I am aamazed at how the original subject to be clarified has drifted to a completely different personal matter of one person, which although valid, has meant that the original question is still unanswered. I will look elsewhere to see if one can answer.

 

I saw that happening and am afraid that this is just the nature of almost all discussion boards. Having a post hijacked (innocently I'm sure) can be very frustrating and annoying.

So- do you think the Alouettes will have a shot this year and what about this Peladeau chap?

 

This is what I know about my 340.
Mine was registered in 1968, but the cars info shows it was manufactured in very late 1967.
Mine has thick bumpers, ambla upholstery, non-ribbed cam covers, the pancake air cleaner.
Steel wheels and simple hub caps, the type that are on the 420. (but no embellisher rings)
No fog lamps _ there are grills where they should be.
No picnic tables and they are not supposed to have chromed head bolts, but mine does.

It was Jaguar's attempt to re badge the Mark 1 and 2 and what I described above, I believe to be correct.
My mechanic who is British and is now in his 70's, always referred to it as the "cheapy" model _ because it was missing all these bits that were are on the Mark 2.

Mine was ordered with power steering, but I believe the 340 originally came with out it.

If you find one with slim line bumpers, I'm betting it is a right hand drive. The left hand drives that were meant for North American export seem to have the thick bumpers.
I'm not sure of this, but so far I have never come across a 340 here in Canada that is left hand drive with slim bumpers.

The factory put the 340 logo on the back, not the dealers.

And one more thing, just the 4 speed _ no over drive. My engine runs at 3000 rpm at 70 mph and it's not synchromesh in first.

My mechanic also said, that it could have been ordered with any of the Mark 2 options, except for the picnic tables as it was deemed dangerous if there was someone in the back seat while in an accident, so the laws here (Canada)prevented the installation of them at the time. So if you find a 340 with picnic tables, that is incorrect _ someone has changed them.

 

"I am aamazed at how the original subject to be clarified has drifted to a completely different personal matter of one person, which although valid, has meant that the original question is still unanswered. I will look elsewhere to see if one can answer."


Sorry about all this, but I thought we answered your original question question earlier:
According to Nigel Thorley in his restorer guide for Mk1/2:
- In September 1966, Ambla upholstery became standard on all models and the picnic tables deleted. No change in wood trim. Foglamps were also deleted and the "F" light switch position was deleted. So, we have a Mk2 with "thick" bumpers and polished cam covers with all the trim changes of the future 240/340, and a MK2 badge..
- In September 1967 the 240/340 started production with the "slim" bumpers and the ribbed cam covers. And a 240, 340 badge.
So you can have a Mk2 that has the interior look of a 340 but retain the Mk2 exterior features and that was produced for a full year and can be a 67 or later model depending on when it was sold in the US. The dealers did not change badges or anything. As cars were registered in the US with a year of production that was the date sold and not the model year, you probably may find leftover MK2 that were sold in 1968, with the 340-like trim, and considered 1968 models, just to add to the confusion.
Hope this helps,

JP

 

Your response about late Mk2 is indeed clear and very well documented. I was simply surprised over the recent past to see two or three Jaguar advertised as "340" ( badge on the rear and in the ad) while all serial numbers and details were of late Mk2, as you rightfully mentioned. So why would a late Mk2 be badged as a 340? Did the dealers do it when new or was it the factory?

 

Wasn't this answered already ?
No the dealers didn't do it, according to JPG.
IMHO, I think Jaguar was just trying to get a bit more life out of the Mark 1 and 2 before they stopped production.
It was probably also done because there was also the 420 that ran from 1966 to 1969, Jaguar maybe was trying for some continuity in their model line up.

 

We have to consider that, at the time, Just in time provisioning and Kanban was not yet invented :-)
The YouTube video of the Jaguar factory is ample testimony of the very manual (if not archaic) processes of the Coventry works.
It may be that after September 1967, sales did not reach expected targets and that there was leftover parts from the MK2 in inventory (as by that time the Mk2 was a little bit long in the teeth) and that Jaguar may have used these parts on 340 rather than use them to build up the dealers' spares inventory. This is what makes our hobby so interesting and why we have forums to share our experiences..
JP

 

Hi All,
I have just begun a "put it back together" project 1968 340 Mk2 manual/O.D., RHD (original front plate) that was shipped to Canada in the '80's. I have documents back to early oil changes in England. This car has ribbed covers, Ambla interior and slim (Euro) bumpers. I also have a spare engine (ribbed covers) and 4 spd O.D. that came with it. Thought smooth covers would be correct, but no? This car also has what I have been told is a factory trailer hitch.
Thanks,
Seann

 

Yeah, all the 340's I've come across here in Canada have ribbed covers _ except mine, mine has smooth covers _ go figure. It also has the thick bumpers on it.
Mine is a very late car registered for the first time in Vancouver BC in 1969. The date on the original registration is 1968 and was ordered as a left hand drive for Canada _ it never spent any time in the UK as far as I know.

I think near the end of the Mk2 body style Jaguar used up spare parts, but when it comes to the bumpers maybe the customer wanted that or they were required as a direct fitment for export to Canada. (just guessing).

 

I have a pair of the "smooth" valve covers if anyone hates the ribbed ones !!

 

Hi Jagnaut67 and everyone else,

Although I can't tell you what makes a specific USA 340, i don't think it would be much different from rest of world models.

I've had my Australian 340 for ten years.

Yes the 340 was / is seen as the poverty pack edition of the Mk2 series.

This is because its factory spec was now lower than before.

Previous standard equipment was now in the check box of options!

Ambla instead of leather upholstery.

Grates in place of driving / fog lights.

Deletion of picnic tables in back of front seats

Funny thing is though, when ordering from the factory, you could spec all of these things at extra cost (Except picnic tables).

Having said that, all the timber was the same as the Mk2, so door caps, dash face and inside cant rails were all the same wood as previously.

I do recall that the headlining material was slightly cheaper though looked the same.

Externally the most obvious feature was the adoption of a slimmer, single chrome bumper bar similar to the 'S' Type - Although this may have differed with USA spec cars?

What people don't realize is that there were mechanical changes which benefited the cars performance over its' Mk2 siblings

The straight port cylinder head as fitted to the 'E' Type (XKE in USA) was adopted meaning the engine breathed better. This is why the cam covers now had ribs on them. Same mounting holes, slightly different inner workings.

I have seen a couple of '340's' with polished cams, but on talking with their owners have found that the covers were changed for aesthetic reasons only, without understanding why the ribs were there.

Also the old 'Moss' crash gearbox of the Mk2 was dropped in favour of an all syncro mesh 4 speed unit. Yep, you can drop into first whilst crawling up to the lights and you don't crunch gears.

My car has 'P' Prefix and 'DN' Suffix to the chassis number stamped on the chassis, which means that the first owner of this car optioned both power steering and overdrive at the factory.

I fitted driving lights and sourced the correct period light toggle switch on the dash to operate these as well as all the other lights, so apart from the slim bumpers, mine looks very much like a Mk2 from the front.

Ambla is hard wearing and I have noticed that most people don't even realise it isn't leather.

The 3.4 litre engine is the sweetest of the family (2.4, 3.4, 3.8) and my car has always been a most relaxing highway cruiser.

Due to the previously mentioned head work, my standard 340 is also as fast as a standard MK2 3.8.

I wouldn't want any other variant I'm that happy with it.

Happy motoring all,

Cheers,

Nigel

 

http://www.oldirish.com/cars/mk2/jim.jpg

 

Thanks to you both, the matter is finally coming to light. The facts mentioned by Nigel Jag-o-nomic are 100% correct and the certificate supplied by rdssdi about "rebadging" confirms what I had supposed at the onset.

Thus a "true" 340 exists and only cars with serial numbers 1J80.....( either with "P" prefix or without) are the "authentic" ones. The fact that Mk2 used the "P" letter in serial numbers for their cars, but not as a prefix for power steering fitment, amplifies the possible confusion while the "1J80...." serial sequence is only used on 340's. Same can be said of engine serial numbers (forget the ribbed cams covers that can be changed). The KF engines of Mk2 were not straight port while the 7J..... of the 340's were. Sadly by then, Jaguar had elected not to stamp the engine numeral on the cylinder head but still found on the block.

All this to say, we've shed light on an obscure...but somehow not so important matter.
As Nigel said, for performance ( straight port) and in 3,4L which is more durable tahn 3,8L, with a better syncro box and also for interior durability ( with Ambla seats), the 340's should never be considered as "lesser" members of the pack.

Jagnaut.

PS: For purists, I know Mk2 also had Ambla seats and syncro box in their final years, but not the straight port engine.....that I know of.

 

Hi Jagnaut67,

Straight from the Spare Parts Catalogue;

Engine Numbers 340 Model 7J50001 Onwards

Chassis Numbers 340 Model RHD 1J50001 Onwards

Chassis Numbers 340 Model LHD 1J80001 Onwards

Suffix DN - Overdrive fitted

Suffix BW - Auto fitted

Although the auto gearbox is not named (340 Operating Manual identifies Gearbox as BW Type 35 F), the one fitted to 340 models is also specified for the following MK2's;

Chassis
171615 on (3.4 RHD)
181429 on (3.4 LHD)
235332 on (3.8 RHD)
224738 on (3.8 LHD)

Hope this helps

Cheers,

Nigel