Spent forty years doing that…
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One thing I learned from Clive’s tutorial link is the needle is actuated by two forces: gravity and magnetism. It’s delicately cut from very thin aluminum alloy. Light in weight. The needle is attached to a more substantial and intricately balanced brass and steel rotating assembly shaped like an hourglass, with the needle hanging longitudinally midway. Left as it is, with no power to the two electromagnets in the gauge, the needle will hang perfectly down and point to “half” on the scale. Just enough couterweight is added offset on the right side of the assembly for gravity to set the needle against the E stop post when the key is off. Even a little extra weight in that needle, like an overcoat of new white paint, will make it hang low and to the right of the “E’ on the gauge.
Key off, my gauge registers just shy of the 1/4 mark. Nothing I could do to make it register E gravitationally. If the tank is near empty it will still show almost a quarter tank of fuel before starting the car. Key on the gauge registers tank level accurately.
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Hi Nick:
What does your calendar look like for next week? According to the old steam computer there is a slim possibility of a shower on Thursday, but Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday look good with temperatures around 21C. Let me know if you are up for a visit and which day(s) might be best.
Regards,
Chris.
Next week is clear Chris but this is the current state of the car since Thursday:
I haven’t been happy with how the brakes feel so did a simulated panic stop as a test and the car pulled hard to the right. I discovered the lower LF wheel cylinder is leaking. I put in an order at Moss for a new one plus a spare and they were shipped expedited airmail Friday. If I get them by Thursday I’ll have the car back on the road this coming Friday … I’d appreciate tapping into your long term experience by you taking it out for a drive for your impressions but we can do that another time if it’s still laid up. Otherwise, let’s go with Friday. At least you can experience driving an E-type.
As an aside … or a further contribution to thread drift … I posted this pic earlier of my 120 at its very first show ‘n’ shine:
My wife called me over to talk to an unsmiling man who said the car is “only a replica”. I explained the significance of the Replica plate and the car was genuinely produced by Jaguar but he very obviously didn’t believe me and walked away unimpressed. I had to smile.Just one more “cruise night lawyer” encounter …
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That’s hilarious. My dad had this neighbor who insisted my Alfa was a Ferrari because of the Farina “f” badges on the front wings.
I’ve enjoyed those casual car shows, displaying all three of my non-restored cars. But now the youth have taken over, displaying their new cars, all fitted with fake tow hooks, etc. OK, but they insist on revving (with exhaust cutouts) and wheel spinning, drifting etc. Noisy, encounters with police etc. Not like the old days.
Your car looks beautiful!
Thank you, Robert. It’s still a work in progress but almost done. And a whole lot of fun to drive.
Explain it to us please Nick ?
(my vehicles are usually on “Historic” plates), which is concessional rego for club members with 30+ yr old vehicles)
I have taken some unusual vehicles to shows, and you get a wide range of unusual comments, ranging from very complimentary to downright weird
All part of the fun
Viart says the 141.51 mph Replica Plate was introduced after three Jaguars ran at Jabbeke on April 1, 1953. One was OTS 660986 with Dewis up, which presumably was an SE optioned car, as I believe only SE cars got this one. The other two cars were a Mark VII-M and a C-Type.
It was all about marketing.
I’ve had some fun plumbing the archives on the various “Replica plate” threads. There’s one owner who mused about covering up the Replica plate when he shows his car.
I once had a guy at a show insist my Austin Healey 3000 was a 1983 car, because it had an ‘A’ at the end of the registration number (wrong end), and another who spent 15 minutes insisting my 289 Cobra was an MG, because he’d never heard of AC and ‘it looked like an MG’. It was indoors, so I couldn’t start it, which would have cleared any doubts.
I don’t do shows these days, just tours and rallies. When you’re moving idiots can’t ask questions.
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There is nothing special as such about the “Replica Plaque” on an XK120 or XK140 roadster as probably some 5000+ cars had one !
They were so special that when one Australian owner with one of those lesser 7-1 cars wrote to Jaguar and noted his car didn’t have one they posted him one out!
Now if you have a 9-1 compression car with “Replica Plaque” you do have something special and even more so if it has the 160mph speedo!
Yes, indeed, Terry. But isn’t it just a little bit amusing that some people should believe they know more about our cars than we do - and when gently corrected double down and insist we’re the ones mistaken? 