MK10 Interesting Features

[Carsie]

Found this whilst browsing, it's an early prototype as identified by the tyres.

Couple of interesting features, firstly the flush grille treatment along with the lower chrome radiator mesh grille which pre-dates the Bentley's similar design.

Second feature,for those who know these cars, is the thought that perhaps a chrome flash along the flanks would enhance the shape. It was always a bulky car that just looked fat from some angles, the chrome flank addition only came in 1967 some 6/7yrs later.

[jith]

Carsie said:

Found this whilst browsing, it's an early prototype as identified by the tyres.

Couple of interesting features, firstly the flush grille treatment along with the lower chrome radiator mesh grille which pre-dates the Bentley's similar design.

Second feature,for those who know these cars, is the thought that perhaps a chrome flash along the flanks would enhance the shape. It was always a bulky car that just looked fat from some angles, the chrome flank addition only came in 1967 some 6/7yrs later.

This is a slightly odd car. It has no leaping cat, no headlamp bezels and the wrap around flasher lamps have been replaced with blanking panels. The sidelights also protrude from their housings. The oddest thing of all is only one overrider on the offside and it looks as if it is painted silver!

Do you have any more photos Carsie?

The later cars with the chrome trim on the side also had several other improvements. A much smoother 4.2 engine, vastly improved Variomatic power steering and improved dash trim. They were renamed the 420G, G meaning Grande, or in simple British terms, bloody huge! My dad had 3 of these in a row and one was used as my wedding car. Massive and superbly comfortable, but I always thought they should have had the V12 engine as the bay was made to take it.

J

[Carsie]

Hi Jith,

Thnx for reply, if your Dad had three of them then you'll certainly know all about Grace, Space and Pace

They're a bit of a marmite car but only in regards to its bulbous sides, it look fantastic from some quarters and yet others not so.



I can't remember where I got the pic, I suspect it was the AustinRover on line site and I so wish I could find more.

Its not really an unusual pic in as much that this is pre-production car where different front end treatments were being tried - e.g no grille vents either side of radiator.

V12 engine...regretfully not so. The V12 Quad Cam was initiated in 1953, with Jaguar already having experience in building the 9.25 ltr V8, the V12 was a natural progression.

The story of the Quad Cam V12 fitted into the Mk10 is well known, I believe there were three cars the last being a white Mk10 which served as a test car for the XJ13 programme, the engine of which ended up in Neville Swailes fantastic XJ13 build.

I'd really like to see someone build another Daimler 4.5ltr Majestic engined Mk10 which apparently fair flew and was a vastly superior engine to the XK

There's an interesting story about Jaguar using the Mk10 to test the Badalni variable hydrostatic transmission system. Though having the same end result in mind it's amusing to think of DAF using the 33 and Jag the Mk10 as test beds, approaching the end result, from different directions






Transmission demo using a tractor with the Mk10 in the background.(Rome 1962)

Badalini – tractor demonstration – © Gerry Beddoes

The single cam V12 which appeared in the E Type and XJ was never fitted in the MK10 to my knowledge, but I guess it must have been fitted to something for road trials- wonder what?

There are five V12 Mk10's that I know have been built, one of the nicest is pictured here.

Edited by Carsie on Thursday 15th December 12:14

[lowdrag]

There is the well-known story of Dennis Jenkinson turning up at the factory and being flipped the keys for a test drive on the understanding that he didn't open the bonnet. He was blown away by the performance but was not took it was the 5.0 litre quad cam engine. I would change the typos in your post though! I do it only too often myself so can't criticise.

[Huntsman]

Carsie said:

I'd really like to see someone build another Daimler 4.5ltr Majestic engined Mk10 which apparently fair flew and was a vastly superior engine to the XK

Fab thread, thank you, Mk10 had never really been on my radar until today.

I pulled my old Gordon Keeble from a chicken shed where it had laid for some years, the seller has a Daimler V8 saloon, a 2.5 ltr, there's a 4.5ltr engine in the shed waiting, I made mental note of that engine! Not many about.

[Halmyre]

Carsie said:

Hi Jith,

Thnx for reply, if your Dad had three of them then you'll certainly know all about Grace, Space and Pace

They're a bit of a marmite car but only in regards to its bulbous sides, it look fantastic from some quarters and yet others not so.



I can't remember where I got the pic, I suspect it was the AustinRover on line site and I so wish I could find more.

Its not really an unusual pic in as much that this is pre-production car where different front end treatments were being tried - e.g no grille vents either side of radiator.

V12 engine...regretfully not so. The V12 Quad Cam was initiated in 1953, with Jaguar already having experience in building the 9.25 ltr V8, the V12 was a natural progression.

The story of the Quad Cam V12 fitted into the Mk10 is well known, I believe there were three cars the last being a white Mk10 which served as a test car for the XJ13 programme, the engine of which ended up in Neville Swailes fantastic XJ13 build.

I'd really like to see someone build another Daimler 4.5ltr Majestic engined Mk10 which apparently fair flew and was a vastly superior engine to the XK

There's an interesting story about Jaguar using the Mk10 to test the Badalni variable hydrostatic transmission system. Though having the same end result in mind it's amusing to think of DAF using the 33 and Jag the Mk10 as test beds, approaching the end result, from different directions






Transmission demo using a tractor with the Mk10 in the background.(Rome 1962)

Badalini – tractor demonstration – © Gerry Beddoes

The single cam V12 which appeared in the E Type and XJ was never fitted in the MK10 to my knowledge, but I guess it must have been fitted to something for road trials- wonder what?

There are five V12 Mk10's that I know have been built, one of the nicest is pictured here.

Edited by Carsie on Thursday 15th December 12:14

I'm sure I read somewhere of the Mark X being fitted with the XJ12 engine (single cam) for development work; but that might be a misunderstanding over the XJ13 engine.

My dad's uncle had one; his aunt used to complain about "that huge car, and it only seats four people..."

[everyeggabird]

I ran a Honda CX 500 in my younger days fitted with a full fairing, following a minor bump I had to replace one of the front indicators on the fairing. It was the same as the front ones on the MK 10.

. (Not my actual bike.)

[aeropilot]

Carsie said:

I'd really like to see someone build another Daimler 4.5ltr Majestic engined Mk10 which apparently fair flew and was a vastly superior engine to the XK

Yes, its a shame internal company politics got in the way of what could have been a great car, had the 420G instead worn a Daimler badge and been fitted with the 4.5 engine.
It was rated at 220hp, but legend has it that was only because the Daimler-BSA engine dyno only read up to 220hp, and in reality the engines were around 250-260hp.

The legend of the 4.5L V8 fitted into a Mk.X at the factory from what I've read from the current owner of that very engine is thus.

The engineers at Jaguar decided to do a 'skunkworks' project by hot rodding a 4.5 litre Daimler engine, boring it out to 5 litres (305ci) fitting it with high compression pistons and a hot cam and dropping it into a Mk X sedan to 'see what she'll do'. Apparently the car was devastatingly quick - far quicker than Jaguars own triple carbed twin cam 4.2 XK engine which already put out a healthy 265 bhp. Management found out what the engineers had been up to and ordered the hot rod Jag destroyed. Fast forward a few years to the 1970s and an ex Jaguar engineer by the name of Ron Beatty founded a specialist company called Forward Engineering, tuning, restoring and race prepping Jaguars. One of the gems which was tucked away in a corner at his premises was a very hot big Daimler hemi. The engine was subsequently sold to a buyer in Germany who spent a fortune in having the engine rebuilt and was going to drop it into a Daimler 250 V8 sedan. However the project foundered and I was able to acquire the engine several years ago, which I had shipped to the US and it now resides in my garage.

This is that very engine

[Xtriple129]

I had a MK X 4.2 auto (FJU 99C) back in the early 80s, I was very young but loved it and kept it for 8 years. It was Sherwood green (sort of grey really) with a lovely tan interior and a record player under the front armrests! Over the years I spent a fortune on the old girl, had it drop on my head (yes really and I still bear the scar across my forehead which now just looks like a deep wrinkle!)had the gearbox lose first gear (made zero difference!) and got through several exhausts. Managed to get some brand new back doors when Unipart were having a clear out (mine were rusty of course) and had her re-sprayed, more than once actually.

At one point, she was two tone green (dark under light) and had whitewall tyres. I quite liked the look... for about 2 weeks then regretted it no end and had her sprayed back to just Sherwood green, much better though I did keep the whitewalls.

For a BIG car, she went really well but fuel consumption was dire, reliability was first rate to be honest and she only really suffered when fools worked on her... usually me! It did get through a few rear wheel bearings I seem to recall.

In the end, life got in the way and a new Capri so the Jaguar got used less and less and in the end I sold it to my stepdad for £500. He parked it in a field (no idea why) and that was where it stayed... No idea if she is still about?

[Halmyre]

aeropilot said:

Carsie said:

I'd really like to see someone build another Daimler 4.5ltr Majestic engined Mk10 which apparently fair flew and was a vastly superior engine to the XK

Yes, its a shame internal company politics got in the way of what could have been a great car, had the 420G instead worn a Daimler badge and been fitted with the 4.5 engine.
It was rated at 220hp, but legend has it that was only because the Daimler-BSA engine dyno only read up to 220hp, and in reality the engines were around 250-260hp.

The legend of the 4.5L V8 fitted into a Mk.X at the factory from what I've read from the current owner of that very engine is thus.

The engineers at Jaguar decided to do a 'skunkworks' project by hot rodding a 4.5 litre Daimler engine, boring it out to 5 litres (305ci) fitting it with high compression pistons and a hot cam and dropping it into a Mk X sedan to 'see what she'll do'. Apparently the car was devastatingly quick - far quicker than Jaguars own triple carbed twin cam 4.2 XK engine which already put out a healthy 265 bhp. Management found out what the engineers had been up to and ordered the hot rod Jag destroyed. Fast forward a few years to the 1970s and an ex Jaguar engineer by the name of Ron Beatty founded a specialist company called Forward Engineering, tuning, restoring and race prepping Jaguars. One of the gems which was tucked away in a corner at his premises was a very hot big Daimler hemi. The engine was subsequently sold to a buyer in Germany who spent a fortune in having the engine rebuilt and was going to drop it into a Daimler 250 V8 sedan. However the project foundered and I was able to acquire the engine several years ago, which I had shipped to the US and it now resides in my garage.

This is that very engine

Anyone got a spare Mk 10 shell? Or, interesting thought, would it fit in an XJ...?

[Strugs]

Halmyre said:

aeropilot said:

Carsie said:

I'd really like to see someone build another Daimler 4.5ltr Majestic engined Mk10 which apparently fair flew and was a vastly superior engine to the XK

Yes, its a shame internal company politics got in the way of what could have been a great car, had the 420G instead worn a Daimler badge and been fitted with the 4.5 engine.
It was rated at 220hp, but legend has it that was only because the Daimler-BSA engine dyno only read up to 220hp, and in reality the engines were around 250-260hp.

The legend of the 4.5L V8 fitted into a Mk.X at the factory from what I've read from the current owner of that very engine is thus.

The engineers at Jaguar decided to do a 'skunkworks' project by hot rodding a 4.5 litre Daimler engine, boring it out to 5 litres (305ci) fitting it with high compression pistons and a hot cam and dropping it into a Mk X sedan to 'see what she'll do'. Apparently the car was devastatingly quick - far quicker than Jaguars own triple carbed twin cam 4.2 XK engine which already put out a healthy 265 bhp. Management found out what the engineers had been up to and ordered the hot rod Jag destroyed. Fast forward a few years to the 1970s and an ex Jaguar engineer by the name of Ron Beatty founded a specialist company called Forward Engineering, tuning, restoring and race prepping Jaguars. One of the gems which was tucked away in a corner at his premises was a very hot big Daimler hemi. The engine was subsequently sold to a buyer in Germany who spent a fortune in having the engine rebuilt and was going to drop it into a Daimler 250 V8 sedan. However the project foundered and I was able to acquire the engine several years ago, which I had shipped to the US and it now resides in my garage.

This is that very engine

Anyone got a spare Mk 10 shell? Or, interesting thought, would it fit in an XJ...?

Sod that.. it's a Daimler engine.. let me put it in my dad's '66 V8 saloon like the original German owner wanted to!

[Huntsman]

Why didn't Jaguar put the V12 in the 420G, could have been the 530G?

[P5BNij]

Huntsman said:

Why didn't Jaguar put the V12 in the 420G, could have been the 530G?

The 420G was nearing the end of its life when the V12 was being developed, I think the last one was sold in mid- 1970, by which time the XJ6 had been in production for about eighteen months or so. Would have been an interesting avenue to go down though!

Often used to see a lovely two tone blue 420G on my way into work, parked up nonchalantly by the side of the road outside an old Victorian three storey house, it looked very grand.

[Carsie]

Huntsman said:

Why didn't Jaguar put the V12 in the 420G, could have been the 530G?

Like this?

[Huntsman]

Carsie said:

Huntsman said:

Why didn't Jaguar put the V12 in the 420G, could have been the 530G?

Like this?

Phoar!

[galro]

Carsie said:

Couple of interesting features, firstly the flush grille treatment along with the lower chrome radiator mesh grille which pre-dates the Bentley's similar design.

Another car with this feature that predates both: This 1949 Lagonda by Leacroft.