My 1967 Jaguar Mk 2 3.4 is the last of the true Mk 2s. Mine was made early in 67 and for the final year 1968 they became the 340. The 340 was brought about due to a recession in England to cut production costs. Some differences include: Removing of leather interiors and replacing with Ambla (plastic) and reduced carpet thickness. The bumpers were the most noticeable difference. The Mk 2s had thick, heavy bumpers and the 340s had thin bumpers.
If you have followed this restoration/preservation on this Jag, you will know that we have done most everything except get into the drive train.
The dual overhead cam straight six was in sound shape and is an instant starter (see www.southernwheels.com/archives for previous articles). Most all chrome and stainless pieces were removed from the car. While they were off, we added an electric radiator cooling fan with a push-pull on/off Pollack switch under the dash and replaced the hood cable. This turned out to be a learning experience. Cables are available from Jag supply houses (I got mine from Vintage Jag Works*). To install, start inside the car and remove the cable from the drivers side just under the dash edge. Remove knob and under the hood pull the cable through the fire wall toward the front of the car. You have to remove the grill via the 6x6 access panel under the car just forward of the radiator and put your hand/arm up inside the back side of the grill. I used a 1/4drive socket set (SAE) the the grill pulls straight out and the hood striker plates are visible. The cable attaches to the striker plate assembly.
Even though I knew I was going to use hood straps, I still wanted to know how this hood release mechanism worked. The hood has a steel pointed plunger pointing downward, and with the hood closed, fits into the hood latch and releases when you pull the cable. All thats simple, but if you remove the striker plate on the car body, thats when alignment can get tricky. If its working, mark the plate-to-car, and if you adjust the plunger (this can be done with a flat screwdriver, turning the plunger in or out (longer or shorter) the striker assembly screws in from the top into welded nuts on the bottom. It consists of (1)a top plate, (2) spacers, (3) a sliding plate that the hood release pulls (this controls the hole from round to oval that the plunger goes into) and (4) a bottom plate with welded nuts that hold it all together.
The way to install it (grill out) is set the striker plate in place, leave the screws loose and close the hood. This allows the plunger and striker assembly to find their own way without binding, then tighten the screws and add some light grease and tighten cable. The plater had disassembled my grill so I had to put that together and added a new round 3.4 Litre red badge at the top. To assemble the grill, install the two bolts and lock washers securing the chrome center strip to the bottom of the grill, then put the two screws in the center strip at the top of the grill. The grill has studs and will push into the grill holes in the body. Then put on washer, lock washer and nut (I just used locking nuts).
The Jaguar mascot (leaper) goes on the hood. It has studs, then you add washers and nuts. SAE f/t works for most all body/chrome parts that I have worked with.
The bumpers had been disassembled for plating. They have L-R overriders (guards) on them with hidden bumper bolts that fit in the overriders and go through into holes in the bumper brackets. Our bolts had been cut out at the platers and it was almost impossible to get new ones in, because you have to fish them behind the slots in the back side of the overriders. We did it and bolted up the bolts to brackets. The headlight rings push down at the top over clips, then one screw at the bottom. The top of fenders courtesy lights have wires that plug into the light assembly, then the assembly pushes back into the hole and one 6-40 chrome slot head locks it down. There are L-R small round turn signal housings with glass lenses (still available new). The lenses come in milk white and red. My research showed red for an English car, as mine was. My Mk 2 is right hand drive and still has its English license plate on the back. These lens covers are chrome and are held in place by one screw. The screw on the left is at 7 oclock and the screw on the right is at 5 oclock. This allows the screws to be removed or tightened without hitting the overrider. At the rear the bumpers are much harder to put on. The clearance between the bumper and the car is hardly a finger width. On the back side of the rear bumper, there are cage nuts with bolts that attach at B & E (above illustration). No bolts are visible from the front side.
The center of the bumper has a small chrome badging for Disk Brakeswhich back in 1967 was a big deal. Jaguar had pioneered this in the early 1950s Formula 1 and sports car racing at LeMans, Goodwood, Monaco, etc. This was used on their C and D types, as well as other series. (They were the only maker using them and it made stiff competition for the Mercedes and Maserati.) Put this on before the bumper goes on. On the body are four thick round rubber bushings that have a hole in them that a pin nosed bolt from the bumper screws into, to mount the bumper. These rubber bumper pads are mounted to the car by two bolts. Bumper overriders are on the rear bumper and attach with a bumper bolt through the overrider into the bumpers. Front and back overriders came with formed rubber gaskets that fit around the overrider and keep it from scratching the bumper.
The L-R tail light assemblies mount with rubber pads and long bolts. I used 5long cSAE for the longest bolt. The license plate light assembly attaches with a rubber pad and will be covered in a future issue, along with putting on the exterior and interior door handles. It is a challenge on this old Jag, but as Ive said before, Buy the cars you love, so that when you are getting up from the floor for the 17th time, you accept it as part of saving the car. You stand back and smile through the pain when you look at your car.
After all this, I got in to start the car to move it back on the lift, key onpush starter buttoninstant start! Its a Borg Warner automatic. Put it in Drive, the car moved up. But when I put it into Reverse, the car wouldnt move. It backed up before I did the brakes, but it wont back up now! I dont know why. The wheels turn to the rear on the lift but on the ground they dont move the car. What I know is that it WILL be fixed and you will be there with me when it is. Frustrating! Exhilarating! Interesting! ITS OLD CARS!
See you next month. Keep em driving!