I've been working on an '88 VDP that I recently picked up. The car is very clean with very minor rust near the trunk lock and around one taillight which I'm currently cutting out and replacing with new metal. My question has to deal with the grille and trunk chrome. Shouldn't this car ( U.S. Spec ) have the fluted grille and trunk chrome being a Vanden Plas model or was it optional in '88. I've seen pictures of some with and without it. I ran the Vin and it comes up as a true VDP car,not a converted XJ6. The paint/sheetmetal , although original ,doesn't show any signs of accident damage or a repaint. One other thing....according to the owners manual there should be a release lever below the steering column for adjustment of the steering wheel but I'm not seeing anything. Was this standard ( VDP ) or optional?

 

Hi 95Leaper,

I honestly don't know if the early XJ40 VDPs came with fluted grilles. I do know that our '88 U.S. "Base" model was the equivalent of the middle-range "Sovereign" in other parts of the world, and was even marked Sovereign in marker on a metal bracket behind the glove box.


I'm fairly certain that the steering wheel on our '88 would not tilt up or down, but it would telescope in and out, and there was some sort of lever underneath the column that released it so you could move it. If I recall, the lever handle was plastic. I wonder if the lever on your car was broken?

Cheers,

Don

 

Well,I managed to find the big black plastic lever below the steering column today. It turns out someone had covered it with the lower dash facia panel. Wondering what else is lurking beneath!