I see this up for sale , I thought the 340 and 240 was the last of the line , with the slim bumpers , was the 3.4 know as the 340 in the USA all the time ?
The Brochure is for a USA car !!
This was a one year (1967) car in the USA which was the entry level Jaguar sold alongside the 420 and 420G. It was a bit down spec-ed from the earlier Mark II. They probably renamed it from the Mark II to 340 to get some model designation uniformity. Slim bumper versions were never sold in the USA.
Here in UK, the 240\340 had slim bumpers different hub caps and grilles instead of fog lamps. The brochure picture looks identical to a MK2 if you ask me.
They only made just over 500 lhd 340’s , strange that they are called the same , but are diffrent !
http://www.jag-lovers.org/brochures/mk2_9-67.html
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In 1966 Jaguar began to manufacture Mark 2 3.4 cars with ambla interiors and no occasional tables. Front visors did not have chrome molding on them as featured on earlier cars. Sitting with unsold inventory in 1967, Jaguar decided to ship LHD cars to the US and badge them as 340. I know because I own one, purchased in Southern California back in the spring of 1989. The car was manufactured in March 1967, and sold new in 1967. After I purchased it, I sent a letter to Jaguar , located in Mahwah New Jersey, complete with VIN, engine, gearbox, and chassis numbers. Several weeks later, I received a reply confirming what I’d suspected, informing me the car is, in fact, a Mark 2 3.4 , equipped from the factory with all synchro gearbox and overdrive. Several years ago, I met a couple who owned a ‘real’ 340 with slim bumpers and ribbed ( as opposed to smooth) cam covers. The car was registered in California, but further investigation had revealed it was a ‘real’ 340 which had originally been imported to Canada from the UK, and ultimately found its way to the US
For what it’s worth, our September 1966 Mk2 (UK car) bears the term ‘340’ on the registration doc but is (and was when new) the full blown Mk2 – fat bumpers, leather, tables, fogs etc.
That is a very good explanation of the USA 340. I have one also and the letter I received from Jaguar Heritage Trust says my 340 was a change over car and mine has many mkII items, engine bumpers etc. Jaguar was using up many of the MKII parts and putting them on the MKII and badging them 340.
Mine has smooth cam covers, four speed overdrive all synchro gear box, wire wheels, and Marles Varamatic power steering. Color combination on the car is ‘honey beige’ with a red interior. What are the details on yours?
Just got my Heritage certificate back for my '57, its titled as “Jaguar 3.4L MKI”
Also has a note that the car was originally fitted with disc brakes (along with 4 speed OD)
which confirms the theory the factory used up old Mark 2 parts inventory on the first of the 340 models.
To confuse things more , I did read you could have ordered 240/340 with big bumpers , not sure if that’s right , as it’s not just the case of bolting the back ones on , the Valance and lower back of the wings are diffrent to !
1967 MkII/ 340 P180641 BW automatic , Engine KJ70080-8 I removed the Varamatic power steering and installed rack and pinion kit from XK Limited and it works great. Black interior , original color Red, before i got it, it was repainted to Green. It has always been stored inside and is in great shape. I have owned it about 31 years .
Richard/Patricia
Oliphant
Yours is just a bit older than mine, P181278DN. Mine is a California car since new in 1967, this coming March I will have owned mine 30 years. I had it repainted the factory color honey beige in 1998, in 2002 I got a hold of a pair of factory reclining seats with occasional tables, at which time I had the entire ambla interior redone in factory color red leather with matching red wilton wool carpeting. I also got a hold of a pair of mid 1960’s Mark 2 visors with the chrome trim and had them redone with the headliner in ‘union cloth’ at the same time so they all match. I feel lucky I found one in a color combination I like, with both all synchro trans , overdrive, chrome wire wheels and Marles Varamatic power steering (yes it still works, and very well). Engine and gearbox numbers all match. I had the engine rebuilt when I bought the car. Over the years the only mechanical modification performed was the installation of an electronic ignition and conversion to negative earth. . Now, thirty years and 50000 miles later, car runs well…
Tigger2
which confirms the theory the factory used up old Mark 2 parts inventory on the first of the 340 models.
Heritage certificate reads Jaguar Mark II !