My car is an 1985 XJ6 and it has what look like round access covers in the front wall of the spare tire well. My best guess is that they come out and give you access to the upper shock bolts but I really don't know.

Do they actually come out? Has anyone done it?

What do they give you access to?

Yep, I know the ones you mention, as my S2 and XJ-S's have them. I have not looked at what access they allow, never really give it much thought.

I "believe" in the E Types, and early sedans, they gave access to the handbrake calipers???????.

When you "pop" one, let us know.

I'd be interested to know what you find, my arms look like a cat(lol) has attacked them after spending the last couple of days squeezing them up around the handbrake calipers.

Got em on my 86 XJ6 also. Never noticed them before, but just completed some work in that area and had to drop the whole rear end. Curiosity is way up there.
Jim

I've often wondered as well.

Wild guess: perhaps something in the body manufacturing process required holes....for a jig or fixture of some sort....and the holes were then covered with the plates?

Cheers
DD

On Series 2 & 3 cars, these are inspection portals, so you can check the thickness of brake pads without crawling under car. In Series 1 cars was a way to work on brakes. For Concours these covers should be Black.

Really? I don't see how.

The calipers/pads are on the *front* side of the rear suspension cage. The holes in the boot floor would give you a view of the *back* side of the cage.

What am I missing?

To service/view tha caliper/pads you'd need holes in the floor board in the rear seat area so you could see/reach the *front* of the cage.

Cheers
DD

I examined the ones on my 83 XJ sometime back in hopes of accessing the calipers bolts there.

Mine are merely stamping in the metal. Vestigial remains or reinforcement of an other wise flat metal.

Carl