Jaguar E-Type (XKE) 2+2 1969 - Matching Numbers

VIN: 1R41300BW (Link to XKEDATA's record: http://www.xkedata.com/cars/detail/?car=1R41300)

From Heritage Certificate:

Engine #: 7R36848-9

Body #: 4R36532

Gearbox #: 34863

Date Built: 3rd. March 1969

Date Dispatched: 14th. April 1969

Distributor: British Leyland Mtrs., Inc., New York

Exterior: Silver

Interior: Black

Series 2. Body style: 2+2. Borg Warner automatic transmission.

E-Type 6d Stamp

E-Type on its way to Pasadena

Tachometer Repair

My tach stopped working, so after checking all the connections and finding them good, I took it apart.

The circuit in mine is quite different from that described in this useful link from Mark Olson:

http://www.classictiger.com/techtips/motach.html

For example, mine only has one transistor, and the toroidal transformer has two windings apart from the turns of the wire from the coil.

I suspected the 2uF electrolytic capacitor (these are prone to failure when very old), circled in yellow in the following photo:

Sure enough, it was a direct short when measured on the multimeter. I snipped it out of circuit and soldered in a 3.3uF tantalum (the value is almost certainly not critical)
in its place.

Now my tach works fine again :-) I wish all the jobs on the Jag were this simple.

A/C Condensor Mount

My car came to me with the condenser and radiator duct plate missing. I fitted a new duct plate and bought a used condenser, which I am now wanting to fit into position.

Here is a photo of the condenser in situ. I am worried that the upper hose fitting on the condenser is very close to the radiator grille, so am wondering if I have something missing
or wrong:

A/C Compressor Mount

I have been tracking down a problem where my AC belt was rubbing on the frame rail. Lloyd guessed it was sagging motor mounts, so I ordered new ones from SNGB. Here's a photo of the driver side old mount, and the replacement:

As you can tell, there's a bit of extra height there on the new one, so I was optimistic.

I used Glenn's suggestion of putting a large washer on top of the mount, to prevent the rubber distorting. If this doesn't wear well, I'll invest in the uprated mounts others recommend. Here's the fitted mount:

After assembling the AC bracket, and reattaching the compressor, I got the result I was hoping for:

The belt is clear of the frame rail by at least 1/4'' - and maybe it will increase as the new belt beds in. OK, so I don't have as much gap as Andy, but I'm happy.

Next job: fitting the radiator duct shield, fitting the condenser, then seeing if the whole thing will take a charge of Freeze12.

Converter Base Plate

After driving my 2+2 around the block a couple of times yesterday evening (April 1, 2011) for the first time since I got it, it was apparent that the exhaust was holed, so I jacked the car up to take a look.

Imagine my dismay on seeing the following:

Now, I've been under the car several times checking the brake hoses, suspension, sills for rust etc. and I can't believe I didn't notice this before. Perhaps it dropped off during my trips around the block ... but I walked around my route and there was no evidence of it.

It turns out that this plate is often missing, and is not critical - it just prevents debris and stones from damaging the mechanism. I sourced a used plate from John Koish at Welsh Enterprises, and it is on its way here (April 4, 2011).

Turn Signal Switch

Removal instructions:

Closeup of the switch still attached to the steering column:

Switch internals:

The switch after disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly. Horn braid still unconnected:

I drilled a hole through the stalk base and then attached the braid with a solder tab: not pretty, but it works well:

John Holmes' switch (off a '70 model):

A slightly different switch (notice how braid for horn is attached with a screw)

Jag-lovers forum discussion about this switch: http://forums.jag-lovers.org/av.php?1387660l64

Otter Switch

Here is a photo of my faulty Otter switch:

I removed it because it is internally shorted. A new one was ordered from Coolcat.

Now here is a photo of the mounting location on the front of the radiator. This is not for the faint of heart:



As you can see, two of the threaded studs are sheared off about 1/8'' from their base. Please don't ask me about how I sheared not one, but two of them: I'd rather not talk about
it. I ground down the two sheared studs, centre-punched them, then drilled them out and tapped the holes. Here's the repair:



I'll be keeping an eye on it for a while, but it is very secure. I used compression washers on the new bolts.

Bonnet Mouth

Before and after refresh:

Air Filter Cannister

Opened up the canister for the first time yesterday to check
the air filter condition (I've only had the car a short
while, so am on a voyage of discovery). Here is what I found:



Do you think the triple SU carbs might be able to suck a
little more air through once I clean that up?!

Heater Blower Motor and Squirrel Cage Fan

PM354 model ''Made in Canada'' - Siemens?

Upper Dash

Removing the upper dash is very easy: just undo four nuts, two at each end next to the A posts, and two on the upper surface of the fuse box/panel switch area.

Here are photos of the removed dash, which I intend to re-cover with imitation leather vinyl.