I have side vents that are activated with pull levers on each side of outside knee areas.. I have 7" headlights with sold rings - no vents... so I do not have
the screens that were there when there were 5 3/4" rings...

Over the years I have had the inner fenders apart and know the tubes go to the front vents and the levers work.. but my questions is: Can one feel the air flowing out of those vents around town or do you need be at higher speeds?

I never tried to use them until today...

 

Roger,
Series 2 also has these headlight/side vents, and I use they quite a lot.

They do pretty well on the freeway, around, um, 65 or 70mph (really good at 75 or 80), but as you suspect, they're quite useless around town. Which is OK with me as that's why I have operating windows.
(';')

 

Hi Roger,

I'm not sure I understand your question. No, they won't work unless you have the proper 7 inch headight trim rings with the screens. Yes, (and I'm disagreeing with LrnB here) in my experience they provide lots of ventilation at moderate speeds. A bit too much at highway speeds with the knob fully open. But as you know you can get outside air through the scuttle vent using the fans (heater and AC off), so the side vents aren't absolutely necessary. As you know, they weren't hooked up on S3s.

 

Yes, but my headlight rings are from a S3 without the side vents... I tried a headlight ring with vents on the drivers side today and did not notice the air flow at speeds 30 40 MPH.. that was my question... guess you need to be going faster to feel the air flow.

I have wing windows, side windows and the center vent that flows outside air.. that is why I have never tried the side vent until today...

 

Hmm. Maybe I have a blockage. I'll check that out.
Thank you, Robert.
(';')

 

I suspect that judging how much air comes out of those side vents is subjective. It also depends on the temp of the incoming air compared to that in the cabin. I find them adequate, but now that I think about it, they are anemic compared to the similar vents in my trusty 63 Corvair.

 

May try again by taking off my S3 drivers side ring completely... will try at city speeds and then go onto freeway so I can go 60-75....cannot even reach the passenger side pull knob from the drivers seat! Plus, I drive alone 99% of the time so I do not care about that side...

No actual need for the vents since the S1 has a center vent that brings outside air to the side vents, but would like to know for sure...

 

A little point of trivia: I have a very early Series 3 (1979) and it has the vents with the pull knobs. The safe and easy way to check them is to have a helper hold a leaf blower in front of the headlight. You can then feel around down there for airflow.

 

I put on new 7" headlight rings today with vents from Jaguar Specialties new stock.. can now feel air flow around 40 mph on the drivers side...have not gone faster yet.. really do not care but wanted to know for sure.

Wonder what my old rings fit (see last photo)??? They are seven inch with no vents? Maybe non USA cars? Will have them for sale SOON!

 

if they don't have the screens I don't want them.

 

Some Jags must not have the side vents.. therefore, they would be fine for those cars.

 

my series 1 has no side vents.
I understood that the vents were introduced part way through the series 1 until series 3?
My headlights still have the mesh and round attachment at the rear to attach a tube but the cabin does not have the pipes to let air in the footwell.