Mk. 1 or Mk. 2?

[nikman]

a8hex said:

Not only did the supplied tool kit allow you to remove the cylinder head, the owners manual told you how!
The owners manual for my XKR is probably 5 or 6 times thicker than the one for the XK150 but almost everything beyond how to open the drivers door or where to add petrol just says "get your qualified Jaguar technician to do..."
Perhaps a good definition for a classic car is one where the user manual was written the liability avoidance intern in the legal department.

That's very true. I'd started to forget how much more hands on people were those days.

But "modern" cars are designed in such a way and use so many plug-in ECUs etc, that without the expensive diagnostic equipment relevant to your car to hand, there's not much left to do yourself. It's also true that purely mechanical components are generally more reliable these days so you're unlikely to be changing that dynamo or starter motor or cleaning plugs and points, fitting a new coil or dizzy cap because the old one had a hairline crack that would catch you out on damp mornings!

In those days most Jaguar buyers would go aroiund with a box of spanners. Today's new Jaguar buyers are more likely to be found with a box of facial wipes!

[jith]

nikman said:

Today's new Jaguar buyers are more likely to be found with a box of facial wipes!

Oh, nikman, there's a joke in there somewhere!

J

[nikman]

jith said:

nikman said:

Today's new Jaguar buyers are more likely to be found with a box of facial wipes!

Oh, nikman, there's a joke in there somewhere!

J

I think that WAS a joke or an attempt at one anyway. But there's also some truth in it.

Really moving story about your younger brother finding that picture and bringing it to you without realising the full significance and that it was the day of HIS Christening. Yes, he's clear to see in your Grandmother's arms and I wouldn't mind betting that's your Mum in the striped top and your Dad in a suit!

You're right, such stories and pictures can vividly transport you back to a bygone era when choices were simple, expectations were manageable and everyone lived more or less by the rules.

If you can remember back to when there was no fast food, all food was slow and cooked at home where you ate it at the dining room table with your Mum and Dad and can remember headlight main beam switch being a metal button on the floor and the ignition switch on the dash board next to the starter button, then there's still hope for us all!!

[a8hex]

nikman said:

... and can remember headlight main beam switch being a metal button on the floor and t... then there's still hope for us all!!

Well they should damn well put it back there too. It's such a good place for the dip control to be, much better than around the wheel.
Of course real cars don't have any controls around the wheel at all, the rot set in with putting indicators there rather than where they're supposed to be, in the middle of the dashboard.

[mph]

Some pictures for a direct comparison. I feel the Mk 1 looks more sporting.

I've just been for a drive in the Mk2. It has to be borne in mind that these are fifty year old cars and while both are in very good condition there's no way of telling how closely they represent an original and standard car.

The Mk1 steering is heavier at low speeds but feels much more precise and positive on the move. The Mk1 feels more nimble. The Mk2 feels a bit softer and more modern. Amazingly both (Moss) gearboxes are excellent.

[a8hex]

mph said:

Amazingly both (Moss) gearboxes are excellent.

Nothing amazing about it. A good Moss box is a delight to use, I miss mine. OK so you can't rush the 3rd to 2nd, and 2nd to 1st takes practice. But I think they are part of the character of the cars. There is also something really satisfying about getting things right with a Moss box which is totally lacking in anything more modern.

[nikman]

mph said:

Some pictures for a direct comparison. I feel the Mk 1 looks more sporting.

I've just been for a drive in the Mk2. It has to be borne in mind that these are fifty year old cars and while both are in very good condition there's no way of telling how closely they represent an original and standard car.

The Mk1 steering is heavier at low speeds but feels much more precise and positive on the move. The Mk1 feels more nimble. The Mk2 feels a bit softer and more modern. Amazingly both (Moss) gearboxes are excellent.

Two fantastic images - thanks for posting them. I don't think I've ever seen the two together like that for direct visual comparisons.

Interesting too to hear back to back driving impressions. I had a Moss box on an early Series 1 E-Type which I assume is more or less the same box as in these. Synchro on 2nd, 3rd & 4th but not on 1st gear which like all non-synchros was referred in those days as a "crash gear"... or "crash gearbox" if there was no synchro on anything IIRC. No problem at all once familiar with the box.

Great contribution to the thread, bang on topic! Thanks again! My preference is still, maybe even more (!), for the Mk. 1. But the Mk.2 is also a lovely thing in it's more "modern" way I suppose.

Edited by nikman on Sunday 24th May 23:19

[DBSV8]

Now that the Wife is giving me stick for no space for the kids in the E type

or no space for her in the Lotus , I'm Now looking for a mark 2

Interestingly a very good friend has this lovely mark 2 3.4 in the same colour that my E type was originally Opalescent Silver blue. It really is in pristine condition , one owner car














love this colour or Desert sand

Edited by DBSV8 on Wednesday 3rd June 19:22

[nikman]

DBSV8 said:

Now that the Wife is giving me stick for no space for the kids in the E type

or no space for her in the Lotus , I'm Now looking for a mark 2

Interestingly a very good friend has this lovely mark 2 3.4 in the same colour that my E type was originally Opalescent Silver blue. It really is in pristine condition , one owner car









[URL=http://s68.photobucket.com/user/DBSV8/media/DSCF0058.jpg.html][IMG]
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i17/DBSV8/DSCF00...





love this colour or Desert sand

That IS lovely!! What are you waiting for? Buy it or I will!

[a8hex]

Will you all just stop this at once.
LadyB8 has decreed that I need less Jaguars not more

[DBSV8]

nikman said:

That IS lovely!! What are you waiting for? Buy it or I will!

he's not selling , he got the bargain of the century for that car. he bought it in the condition you see from a private sale , before all the Classic car dealers could get their grubby mits on it and stick 20k on top of the price he paid for her !!

right place and right time

[nikman]

DBSV8 said:

he's not selling , he got the bargain of the century for that car. he bought it in the condition you see from a private sale , before all the Classic car dealers could get their grubby mits on it and stick 20k on top of the price he paid for her !!

right place and right time

Yep, right place, right time is the key to these. When you started to descrbe it as pristine condition, one owner etc I must've assumed you were describing something that was for sale. Anyway, looks as though we both missed out then

I'm not one for replacing original bits with non-original but even that wood rim Mota-lita stering wheel is right for it. I've no idea how much he paid, whether it started with a 3,4 or a 5 it's almost irrelevant as you just couldn't walk away and leave it.

[DBSV8]

nikman said:

DBSV8 said:

he's not selling , he got the bargain of the century for that car. he bought it in the condition you see from a private sale , before all the Classic car dealers could get their grubby mits on it and stick 20k on top of the price he paid for her !!

right place and right time

Yep, right place, right time is the key to these. When you started to descrbe it as pristine condition, one owner etc I must've assumed you were describing something that was for sale. Anyway, looks as though we both missed out then

I'm not one for replacing original bits with non-original but even that wood rim Mota-lita stering wheel is right for it. I've no idea how much he paid, whether it started with a 3,4 or a 5 it's almost irrelevant as you just couldn't walk away and leave it.

if I told you under 20k

[nikman]

DBSV8 said:

nikman said:

DBSV8 said:

he's not selling , he got the bargain of the century for that car. he bought it in the condition you see from a private sale , before all the Classic car dealers could get their grubby mits on it and stick 20k on top of the price he paid for her !!

right place and right time

Yep, right place, right time is the key to these. When you started to descrbe it as pristine condition, one owner etc I must've assumed you were describing something that was for sale. Anyway, looks as though we both missed out then

I'm not one for replacing original bits with non-original but even that wood rim Mota-lita stering wheel is right for it. I've no idea how much he paid, whether it started with a 3,4 or a 5 it's almost irrelevant as you just couldn't walk away and leave it.

if I told you under 20k

...Then I'd say un*******believeable!!! And a new benchmark for your absolutely correct "Bargain of the Century" would have been set. I now understand your reference to having secured it before all the classic car dealers had a chance to make it much dearer than it should be. "Right place, right time", never more true. Holy moley... what a buy.

[klunkT5]

Ive had both aswell, The ex- Practical classics 2.4 MK1 446CJO and currently have this 3.8 MK2 (Previously owned 4 others over the years) Personally i prefer the MK2, It looks perfect IMO with the slimmer door frames and larger glass area and i prefer the dash layout, Mph, To make your MK2 look 'Sportier' ditch the badge bar, First thing i did with mine! Great to see ours havent got wing mirrors aswell, They look awful with them fitted BTW mines used and thrashed daily and does'nt get washed alot.

Edited by klunkT5 on Saturday 6th June 23:33

Edited by klunkT5 on Saturday 6th June 23:34

[klunkT5]

My favourite angle on the MK2, Mines fortunate to have spent most of its life in California, It was exported there when 6 months old hence one of the soundest, Unwelded shells i have ever seen, Still on its original sills, Even the front arches are original! Its only had the lower door skins and front x member previously repaired

Edited by klunkT5 on Sunday 7th June 09:44

[nikman]

klunkT5 said:

Great to see ours havent got wing mirrors aswell, They look awful with them fitted BTW mines used and thrashed daily and does'nt get washed alot.

Edited by klunkT5 on Saturday 6th June 23:33

Edited by klunkT5 on Saturday 6th June 23:34

Well, that you think those paddle-like things you have sticking out from your front side window frames look better than "in period" wing mirrors is a personal opinion and of course there's no right or wrong, it's just subjective. There will be preferences for both no doubt and the same may apply to your belief that the rear wheel arches finished like that with the 'spats' removed present the best view.

But unless I'm missing something, telling everyone that your 51 year old car is thrashed daily and doesn't get washed a lot, speaks volumes although perhaps not quite conveying the message you intended!

[klunkT5]

Those 'Paddle' like things were fitted by a previous owner, 2 screws and they are off without leaving holes in the bodywork, But i cant be arsed at the moment, Too busy driving it, And yes mine is not washed and polished after every trip unlike most as i believe in using it and not looking at it parked up in a garage or taken out to show off at a classic car show, And i take it out in the RAIN!!!!! it does get thrashed, Whats the point in a 3.8 with a straight port head, 2" SU's and a close ratio all synchro box if you are going to drive it like a pussy? Get a 2.4 auto? Drive it like its supposed to be driven, Spats off, Its going racing! Cheers, Oh, BTW, All IMO of course!
P.S I take it this is the Pistonheads forum?

Edited by klunkT5 on Monday 8th June 19:53

[DBSV8]

klunkT5 said:

Those 'Paddle' like things were fitted by a previous owner, 2 screws and they are off without leaving holes in the bodywork, But i cant be arsed at the moment, Too busy driving it, And yes mine is not washed and polished after every trip unlike most as i believe in using it and not looking at it parked up in a garage or taken out to show off at a classic car show, And i take it out in the RAIN!!!!! it does get thrashed, Whats the point in a 3.8 with a straight port head, 2" SU's and a close ratio all synchro box if you are going to drive it like a pussy? Get a 2.4 auto? Drive it like its supposed to be driven, Spats off, Its going racing! Cheers, Oh, BTW, All IMO of course!
P.S I take it this is the Pistonheads forum?

Edited by klunkT5 on Monday 8th June 19:53

just making a mental note , not to buy this car should it come up for sale

[jith]

DBSV8 said:

klunkT5 said:

Those 'Paddle' like things were fitted by a previous owner, 2 screws and they are off without leaving holes in the bodywork, But i cant be arsed at the moment, Too busy driving it, And yes mine is not washed and polished after every trip unlike most as i believe in using it and not looking at it parked up in a garage or taken out to show off at a classic car show, And i take it out in the RAIN!!!!! it does get thrashed, Whats the point in a 3.8 with a straight port head, 2" SU's and a close ratio all synchro box if you are going to drive it like a pussy? Get a 2.4 auto? Drive it like its supposed to be driven, Spats off, Its going racing! Cheers, Oh, BTW, All IMO of course!
P.S I take it this is the Pistonheads forum?

Edited by klunkT5 on Monday 8th June 19:53

just making a mental note , not to buy this car should it come up for sale

Well I would do exactly the reverse. My workshop is full of low mileage, unused cars with seized brake calipers, door locks, piston rings, etc, etc.

These cars were made to be driven, and in the case of the 3.8, driven hard. Properly maintained they will be far healthier than an unused car.

J