Hi All!
I have a 1985 XJ6 series III. USA model. I have already swapped out the US headlight switch for the UK model that gave me all the different ways to illuminate my fog lamps. Thanks Jose!

Now, I think I read in another post somewhere that the UK version of my car has pure chrome bumpers and are not outfitted with 2 inches of ugly *** black rubber. Is this the case? Where would you buy such parts? I have tried jagbits.com but they rarely have pics of what they are selling.

Also, what else is there out there from the UK Model that I can add to my jag to make it stand out from the others?

 

The series 2 had the all chrome bumpers, they were changed on the sries 3 to meet US regulations!!
Not sure about any other variations, or how difficult it would be to retrofit series 2 bumpers on your series 3.

 

No, not the case.

On Ser III cars the UK/Euro/ROW were basically the same in appearance except the black rubber part sticks out only about 1" rather the 3.5" (or so) on the USA/North American bumpers. A much nicer look :-)

Some have nearly duplicated the Euro look by collpasing the engery absorbers (drilling a hole to let to goo run out) and simply pushing the bumper all the way inwards.

I'd try this first before attempting to retrofit the actual UK bumpers. The parts and mountings are entirely different. Would probably be quite a project....even after you've sourced all the parts and had 'em shipped from overseas.




Remove the side marker lamps

Cheers
DD

 

Mine is a Sovereign and I think has all the UK bits as it was imported from Mexico

 

A very nice car. The bumpers look just like the ones on my 83 US version. I thought that the US light switch was equal to the Uk version except for a circlip to prevent it moving to the fog position. One of these days, i may open mine and make that change. The wires for the fogs are dangling in the rront of the radiator!! I have a pair of Hella lamps that are period correct.

And, well, well, my license plate frames are like yours. I chose gold for one end and silver for the other. Just to be different.

Shame, my car needs a wash, polish and wax to approach the sheen on yours!!

Nice steering wheel. oh yeah,

Carl

 

Carl,

The UK Light Switch is different from the US in that it has even one more position than you get from removing the circlip. So where the US version will allow for 4 positions with the circlip removed, the UK version allows for a 5th position.
I "think" it gives the choice of just running the fogs, vs running them with the low beam headlamps. Either way, it's just another configuration choice...

-------

Some of the notable things about Vaughn's Sovereign vs the US base are:
The front and rear bumpers...The front has a wider license plate area, to accommodate the long UK plate, and the rubber is narrower. It's only a couple of inches wide vs like 4" or so on the US... The rear bumper has the fog lamps in the back.
The superior Pepper pot rims ... (Just noting that in case a friend who opposes Pepper Pots reads this)
The clock in place of the trip computer.
The seats and door cards that resemble VDP models. The rear seat is specific to the Sovereign (Not like the VDP)
His car has rear opera lights.
Recessed gauges in the dash, and burled veneer.
Some later Sovereigns and VDPs were equipped with wipers on the front headlamps
Sovereigns and VDP models had a cigar lighter and astray for the rear passengers
On the Sovereign, both the driver and passenger seats had the power tilt option.

Things that you can't see about the Sovereign...
Generally the engine has a higher compression..
Typically there is no air pump or emissions junk.
The rear differential is usually a power lock (not always, though)

Imported from a market other than US or Mexico, his Sovereign would have had 7" headlamps, and probably wouldn't have had the side markers (as Doug indicated)

----

VDP models came with three wooly mats (not for the driver), carpeted covers on the lower A post, a different wool type carpeting, a different cassette tape than supplied to base models, and paperwork showing the VDP differences.

Later VDP models would have real leather on the door cards and armrests, the very last of them had the windscreen washer jets on the bonnet.

----

Other things that you can add from even later base models to improve the way the car looks are the later stainless steel thread plates, chromed seat adjusters (the bar in the front of the seat) and chrome speaker grille surrounds...

I think that covers most of the upgrades from the base models... There may be few others.

Cheers
David
Everyday XJ

 

Right! These were the base model upgrades on the '86-'87 XJ6s.

I don't think you mentioned the wood strips in the door panels. Essentially a base-model door panel with a wood strip installed in the upper portion. Not to be confused with the more elaborate VDP/Sov panel.

The door latches had chrome end plates as well, as I recall.

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks Doug...

And one more.... The 86/87 wooden ski slope on even the base models....



David

 

Arg... Another..... Stitching on the armrests on the doors and center console lids on the late VDP models....

 

Good catches, David :-)

We oughta make a list while our brains are on the subject!

Here's a teaser: what's a really fast way to distinguish between an '86 and '87 (USA) Ser III XJ6, VIN excluded ? (There are actually three that I can think of. One applies only to VDPs)


Cheers
DD

 

Well, Doug... You may have me stumped...
A couple of guesses would be a change in the radio, maybe AJ8700 or Clarion in the 87, vs the removable face on the 85/86 (that's a stretch)... Change in color code name for black interior, going from black to "warm charcoal".... And on the VDP the interior color changed to a more sandy/tan than the original doeskin color...
OK, admitting I'm reaching here...

David

 

Unlike '86 and prior, the '87s do not have an oxygen sensor warning light. :-) This coincides with the standard fitting of the heated oxygen sensor and elimination of the reset device in the boot.

Next, applicable to the VDPs, if the horseshoe-ish shaped trim above the radio is color matched to the rest of the interior, it's an '87. On prior VDPs this was black....as on the base XJ6.

My third choice was the radio which should be the AJ8700 on all '87s as far as I know. But, if nothing else, a car with the AJ8700 can't be an '86.

Of course we're all familiar with running changes at Jaguar so early '87s might not have all of these things. I remember my very early 1988 XJS was lacking 2 or 3 items listed in the "1988 XJS Model Year Changes" publication.

Cheers
DD

 

Doug and David:

Whew!!!!

As to the UK light switch vs. the altered US version, tis illegal in the land of ..... to run on fogs alone. The main lights must also be on!!

i guess a shortcut would be to have the low beam wires trigger a relay to fire the fogs. thence, the fogs and the lows would always be on if the light switch was on and the stlk selected in the low position. I kinda like that idea.

I also kinda like the ide of a wood veneered ski slope. I just might look for one of the two piece parts and figure out a way to veneer it. I found a real nice veneer for the desk I made for my old office. Messed up the application, but it came out looking like far more than it was!!! I was too touchy about the highly inflamable contac cement. The idea of a claim adjuster setting fire to his office was repelling!! Now, I know that there is a water based variety that is far safer to use in a confined area.

The shock absorbers on the rear bumper of my car have done their job twice while in my stewardship, so I think I'll leave 'em as is.

My car is wearing it's XJS sourced lattice wheels well.

Carl

 

a genuine UK version would be RHD, right hand drive!

 

The pic of Paratropper54's car shows the headlights to both be smaller than I had on mine which were 7". It looks a lot better with the 7" outers, but you need the correct chrome surround as well, plus the bowl fittings to mount the 7" unit up to, obviously. I have to say P/trooper's car looks superb, a credit to its owner !!