Is the door wood panel for a Vanden Plas identical in color/pattern from 1998 through 2003, and secondly is the door wood ipanel identical between model variations (i.e. XJ8L = Vanden Plas)? I have a 2003 Vanden Plas and I am looking for the driver's side door wood panel.

 

What's wrong with yours ? You can send it off to Saul at British Auto Wood and he can refinish it like new. Unless of course the veneer itself is ruined.

 

Well, since the panels are real wood, the color and grain pattern varies from car to car.

In general, XJ8's got straight-grained wood, VDP's got burled. The VDP also has a lighter-colored inlay along the bottom edge.

The front pieces are the same size in any x308, the rears are different between SWB and LWB cars.

So wood from an XJ8L will fit a VDP, but won't match.

TTYL
David

 

Thanks for all replies. My driver's side wood panel is cracked and that's why I am looking for a replacement. So it is real wood? It feels like plastic to me.

So essentially since the wood is going to vary from car to car, I would have to replace all of them....

 

Everything that looks like wood in a Jaguar IS wood. It is a veneer over metal with a thick coat of polyester - yes, polyester, and the finish is darn near impossible to strip off. Are you sure the wood itself is cracked and not just the finish ? You're talking big bucks to replace all the wood panels on the doors. Although maybe you could get them from a wrecker. But check out britishautowood.com - no affiliation - I had them refinish one of my picnic trays and bought a shifter knob from them, great work. I heard that when people came back to their Jaguar dealer with milky wood, the dealers sent the peices to them to refinish.

 

Yes maybe it is just the finish. I never thought of that. I have a vertical "crack", but like you said it is probably just the finish.

Does anyone know how to safely remove the wood trim on the driver's side door? Screwdriver and just pop it off?

They have these wood panels on Ebay but my concern has been that it wouldn't be a match and that the wood will vary between model years. So having my existing piece refinished is probably the smartest way to go.

Thanks, Chris

 

Chris,
To get the wood panel off the door isn't difficult. There is a little round plug in the door handle recess that you need to get out - that's the hardest part - use a small thin screw driver or a knife to pry it out. It's hard to get it out without marring it. Under that, there is a phillips screw to take out. Then lift the door latch a little and take the plastic peice under the door handle out. Then you slightly lift the rear of the panel and slide the panel towards the rear of the car. The panel will bend a little, and mine has a vertical crack in the finish also, probably from being taken off a few times. I don't think anyone can see it though unless I point it out.