I know what you mean. My 79 is a series III (the title and the body) but has a series II dash (no trip computer) and other assorted series II parts. I was told by the author of the book JagCare III that the factory didn’t switch all at once but used up all the old parts before they switched to the new design.

Jeff

 

That's a frequent and, IMO, over-used explanation of various (and plentiful) Jaguar oddities.

Series III production began in 1979. The updated dashboard came along circa 1982/83. In terms of production planning and efficiency I can accept that Jaguar was a bit backwards at times but 3 years worth of "leftover" parts sitting on the assembly line? I think that's stretching things a bit! Now, a transition period of (let's say) a couple hundred cars using "leftover" parts seems plausible to me. Maybe even a thousand, given that we're talking about Jaguar

Cheers
DD

 

Perhaps it might have been a more dependable car if they had just stuck with the original X300 4ltr straight 6. Your 1973 XJ6 is most likely a series 2 and that XJ6 shape was as good as they got it for the XJ6 design..[/QUOTE]

I wondered that since I prefer the inline sixes. Maybe they had reached the design limit on reliable power but I've seen a stock XK take a diesel turbo and 15 lb of boost and take it.

It's funny you consider my '73 a SII car. As I've been going through it I've found a mix of SI and SII components. The grille is definitely SI but the engine wiring harness is SII - it stumped me for a bit until I realized what they did.

The SIII is my favorite but I like them all and there is no reason why any of them can't be used as an everyday driver.[/QUOTE]
Yes metalbasher you are probably correct about your 1973 series 1. In the US that happened but the series 2 came out in 1972 in England and Australia. I have seen some of the US 1973 series 1's on line and some have series 2 wheels etc. I like your 1966 Spitfire. Now wasn't that a little beauty. I liked the Spitfire better than all the Triumphs because it was nifty and was a great looking unique car. Loved the one piece Bonet and the way it lifted like an E Type. The unique cars of the 60's and 70's. those days are all gone now. The modern cars just don't have the same class and uniqueness anymore. We used to complain how difficult some of these cars were to maintain but I'd Sooner's have one of them now than the modern cars that are over engineered.

 

YES!! They all look the same!
Ya can't tell what any of they are from 50 feet unless you read the badge!
(';')

 

"Ya can't tell what any of they are from 50 feet unless you read the badge!"

That's the truth Lnr. I've mistaken a Jaguar XF for a Nissan Maxima - say no more!

That Spit and I have had a 29 year journey that hasn't yet ended. Good little beast - it's never left me stranded. Blew a head gasket on the way home from work some years ago and it still got me home with no harm done. Speaking of maintenance, I had to change the water pump and timing belt (since it drives the water pump) on my sister-in-law's Kia Sportage. I'd rather rebuild the IRS on an old Jag any day. At least the engineering makes sense, for the most part.