Whilst cleaning the jag I came across what I thought was part of the tow bar wiring connectors .............on further investigation.



You wouldn't believe it A SPARE KEY

 

That is pretty cool.

 

I hope, however, that the thieves do not know it, otherwise it would be dangerous to have the key there

 

very smart, I had never seen anthing like that before.

 

Just what I thought Jose .....he sure went to a lot of trouble probably a long time ago.

 

Perhaps the PO was planning on repossessing it sometime!

Graham

 

I don't get it? Can't figure out what that object is?


Now, my car,an S#, sorta, has provision as did all others, for a hding place for a key on under the left fender/wing, just over the wheel. a bracket in which a box just ft that contained a spare key.


When I learned of this, I looked. Alas, the bracket was vacant.


Well, my spare keys are in the buffett at home. harder to lose that way. Burglars, don't even think of it.


Carl

 

Carl,
it is a hidden spare key, hidden in plain sight.

 

Nice find...i wonder if the previous owner ever had to call the locks smith?
Does it turn the lock still?

 

Not only does it turn the locks it starts the car....had I not been enquisitive around the car I'd never found it. I really love finding these things as its all part of the history of this jag. One other thing I found was an old plastic sewing machine oil container filled with ATF in a rag and conveniently stuffed near the brake booster and fire wall......guess this was kept for the carbies?

 

Awesome find and thanks for sharing, but you have to wonder if this was an individual that made the mod or weather a company were selling them.

I'd hate to see someone lose a car just because a shady character saw this thread. I'd install a secondary security device like an internal immobiliser switch.

 

This was defiantly not made by the manufacturer as you can tell just by the way the key is inserted.....definitely home made.As far as mine is concerned I have kept it but changed the blade.

 

That is really cool...
Has anyone ever found the supposed factory spare that was in the fender well?
I've dismantled about 40 cars to date, and have never found one in the fender well..
Though on the Series 1 & 2, they were occasionally installed on a screw under the hood (bonnet), and I have had a couple of cars with those spares still in place...

Cheers
David
Everyday XJ

 

Whereabouts in the fender well David ...I'll have a look. And by the way I am the guy in Sydney who purchased the LHS mirror from you....its arrived just fine thanks!

 

Well, in my LHD 83 S3, I found the bracket just over the left front tire. Empty, though.


Could it be that it is vestigial and not used in later cars?


Or, that owners stored them elsewhere for safe keeping where they laid for virtual infinity???


My spare is in the house.


Yeah, now I seethe shank with grooves and teeth. But, the handle still perplexes me??? Well, sorta, lotssa things perplex me.


Carl

 

I locked myself out of my S1 for the second time this week. The first time was in regional NSW and the young NRMA service guy said "cool, never broken into a jag before". 30 seconds later I had the keys in my hand.
This time I had the the spares stashed where only I could find then, and I took a good amount of skin off retrieving them as I mounted them from looking down under the bonnet,assuming I could reach up easily from the underside and get them.

Wrong, my arm needed to be about 6 inches longer. And I should not have used a container with a screw top lid facing up. You getting it now?, unscrewing a cap upside down fully extended with your arm against the bottom radiator hose and wrist touching the radiator.

Having a rethink of that tomorrow.

 

You won't get further than 3-4 houses up the street before the car stops dead and won't restart. Fuel shut off ****.
A thief is never going to find this, it is amoungst the brakes hoses.
In the 80's in NZ we had similar set ups to the front calipers for line locking our cars for burn outs.

 

A theft deterant from the "old" days was to remove the rotor from the distributor rotor and take it with us. Not practical on the 32=47 Ford V8's.


On FI cars, just pop the inertia switch.


As a kid my T had "keyless" ignition. A row of WWII surplus aircraft quality toggle switches. One was the starter. Rarely used, Hand cranked usually!! In arrow,one had to now the up down combination to get a completed ignition circuit.


The afore mentioned 32-47 Fords had a neat Key locked steering column ignition switch. A quarter bridged the open connectors behind the switch. The engine was craned by a separate button. OK, engine running, but oh, oh steering still locked???
Some claim a pair of brawny shoulders could twist he wheel and bust the lock pin!! I never tried.


Carl

 

Reportedly the spare key on the Series 3 was in this little box on the left front drivers inner fender.. I've never seen one there...
It seems like I do have some info about a spare key, if I can dig it up I'll share it...

Cheers
David
Everyday XJ

 

Here is what I am adding to my coupe.
MY N3RD



You can make or break continuity on the ignition wires and lock and unlock any thing.