Side trim differences, year, model, dealer options, other?
 

Why do some XJ40s have the chrome/stainless "spear" side trim running along the upper "character line" on the side of the car, where others like mine have the black rubber (with chrome top) bump strip along the lower "character line", and others have nothing?

Was either an option, dealer option, random from the factory, unique to some years/models, or?


For example:

Nothing, no side trim or moulding:


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...cf4f5197e9.jpg



Chrome "Spear":


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...d7096b23d3.jpg


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...c4b7f63f1b.jpg


Lower rubber/chrome moulding:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/g/album/10004431



...and of course various pin striping. Along with the lower rubber/chrome bump strip moulding, I have a black pin stripe along the upper character line.

.

I don't know the rhyme or reason but my 1992 (sold) XJ6 had the wide rubber door guards (part#JAG000340) when I bought it. I bought a replacement kit when I worked at the dealer but never got around to replacing the old trim.


I sold the car but I still have the complete new trim set in the box if anyone needs it.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...128b5c4c06.jpg


bob

Al,


This is the story I got from my Jag guy who's dealer trained and been working on Jags since the early 80's.


Low/Mid range XJ40's had no upper chrome trim. Higher end cars (VDP, etc) had the chrome installed at the factory.


The rubber/chrome lower bodyside cladding was dealer installed. My Jag guy pulled out a long, magnetic straight edge that was a Jaguar dealer tool (they were throwing it out, he kept it and still has it at his Indy shop). This straight edge was affixed to the car, and the side molding was lined up against it and installed.


He has TONS of 2" pieces for the rear fender portion because some customers opted for the chrome wheel well surrounds AND bodyside rubber cladding. The size of the fender chrome meant there was no need (or room) for the small rearmost piece of trim, and they went in the spare parts bin. The front-most section of cladding had to be cut down to accommodate the size of the wheel arch trim.


My car has the rubber bodyside cladding and I quite like the look, but the chrome is peeling... I sent you a PM, Bob.


-Nick

Lower rubber is pretty handy in parking lots, sometimes I wish I had something "down there", but oh well, I gots what I gots. - My car is typical 94MY VDP trim BTW.


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...85128dfcef.jpg



I believe there were only two trim levels for North America, the other trim level is the equivalent of the "Sovereign", AFAIK no base trim cars were sold in North America.


Earliest Daimlers had a unique treatment though, quite a different look.


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...a9723e6e4f.jpg



Larry

Hrmm, well it is interesting that mine didn't have the chrome "spear" then since I assume the XJ12 would have been considered an upper spec. Who knows.

The chrome strip along the upper part of the body was fitted to Daimler and Vanden Plas models. It was long part of the specification identifying Daimler cars and making them distinct from Jaguars and pre-dates the XJ40 at least in the home market.

The chrome strip alone is fitted to North American cars. The USA/Canada cars did not get a coach line down the side of the car in a complimentary contrasting colour. The UK/ROW Daimler had a single coach line set above the chrome strip.

The only Jaguar fitted with hthe chrome strip is the USA/Canada VDP. In other markets, no Jaguar has have the chrome strip - including the XJ12. The USA/Canada Jaguar Vanden Plas is actually a Daimler, just badged Jaguar VDP in the North American market since unlike the rest of the world, Jaguar do not have the right to use the Daimler name in the USA - the right is held by Daimler-Benz there.

Jaguars sold in the rest of the world had coach lines, running in the position of the chrome strip fitted to Daimler cars (and the USA/Canada VDP). The XJ6 had a single coach line and the Sovereign had a dual coachline. The XJ12 also has a dual coach line in two colours if the Sports pack was fitted. In the UK/ROW, the XJ12 had the same specification as the Jaguar Sovereign, but with forged alloy wheels and a LSD - and of course the V12 engine. The high spec car was the Daimler Double six in those markets - these had the same interior as the Jaguar Vanden plas. IIRC, in the USA/Canada, the specification was higher - VDP level. Quite why they didn't fit the chrome strip is a mystery, since the XJ12 (certainly the one in the photo) looks to be a Jaguar badged Daimler Double six for the USA, rather than a US version of the UK-spec XJ12.

The larger rubber strip in the third set of photos was an official Jaguar part, but fitted by the dealer rather than at the factory. It was originally introduced for the USA/Canada market, but seems to be much more commonly fitted in the UK. The very last UK XJ40s had these strips fitted from the factory. The rubber strips were expensive, so Jaguar probably had lots of them in stock - and the part was not used on the X300.

Thanks, that's great information, and the Daimler connection makes perfect sense.

Interestingly my 1993 spec US XJ12 (linked in the gallery above) has a single black coach line (pinstripe), and again no chrome trim/strip/spear. That single black coach line may have been added by the dealer or aftermarket, no idea, and it sounds like the black/chrome bump strip I do have would have been a dealer installed option.

.