After many years away, I’m back as the new custodian of a '75 XJ6C. It was lovely weather today, so I had a nice drive, then immediately tore into the console to sort out the reverse lights, opticell, etc.
Now I have to revisit the archives to see what my options are on the opticell…
Great seeing your name pop up, Chuck. What have you been up to?
Cheers
DD
Trying to keep my sanity by staying away from you clowns… 
…but it didn’t seem to help, so back to the circus!
The coupe is green with tan interior (like I’d ever do anything else). It’s been converted to SU carbs and has a 700R4 conversion. I think it needs some tweaking, as it really wants to hold onto low gear, then shift quickly through the others. The exhaust is incorrect, coming straight out, so I need to look into that. And it unfortunately has a leaper on the bonnet, but at least it’s not the giant one.
URL below the pic will take to you more.
https://goo.gl/photos/ff6qA9FKMdrXYmtLA
https://goo.gl/photos/ff6qA9FKMdrXYmtLA
Chuck,
I have replaced the Opticell unit with miniature LEDs… they fit very nicely to the space where of the optic fibre mounts, and they are green and bright. The wiring is a bit of a pain but if you use thin wire there is enough space.
Best,
Aristides
Hi Chuck,
good to have you back and what a beauty! I like the narrow pleats and the chrome turbo wheels. Engine bay looks great, too. What is the squarish thing underneath the stainless heat shield on the left engine side though?
The leaper would be lower on my to do list than the bumpers:-( Some cars clearly were getting along better with the US bumper rules than the SII. Even the SIII looks a lot better in direct comparison. The SII looks a bit like Mark Spitz wearing diapers …
Unfortunately, the original bumpers are expensive and of doubtful quality, so unless you’re living in a no water no salt region are prone to deteriorate again. There are polished stainless kits around http://www.bumperworld.de/stossstangen/jaguar/s/205, but they look a bit more bluish than the originals, are quite pricey as well and I suppose it’ll take some effort to adapt the ROW bumpers to US cars.
Enjoy the car and good luck with it
Jochen
I’m not sure if you predate me, I vaguely recall your name. My issue, if any, surely not yours!!!
That is one beauty. Leaper, bumpers or whatever, were it mine, it would be kept as is.
Straight pipe/s all the way, no mufflers or resonators? Yowee, if you can get away with that, go for it.
My car is resting, dry and sorta only warm, in the garage. Our long lost rainy season has returned with a vengeance. Should I get my flash light, aka
torch, and see what cabin lights work.
The last time it was out, the driver door window refused to open. OK, for now, it is raining. An open the console and fix or swap a swicth? I sure hope so, I’ve that drill down pat. don’t want to contemplate any other issue, ala door card???
Congratulations on a great find, and welcome back to the circus. You think PETA might shut us down?
Carl
Regarding bumpers, here’s an English language version with prices in USD: http://www.groupharrington.com/en/part/64/jaguar-xj6-series-2-bumpers.html
Artistides - I might eventually go that way, but don’t want to get too bogged down right now. I think I’ll try one of the ‘tower’ style LED bulbs and see if it works.
Cadjag1 - Yep, I remember you. There are mufflers, but the tailpipes come straight out of the rear valence, rather than having the correct curved part.
As for bumpers…I naturally have a fantasy about swapping to Euro-spec, but that’s a ‘someday’ item.
The squarish bit is a heat shield covering the aircon compressor. I have no idea if such a part was installed at the factory, or if someone thought it should have one.
Thanks Chuck,
that’s probably why that squarish thing didn’t look familiar to me - I don’t have climate control on my car.
Frankly, I like the early SI straight end tips better than the curved ones. If you don’t have any issues with exhaust fumes being sucked into the cabin you might just leave them as a part of the car’s own history.
Best regards
Jochen
Hello Chuck. I took over from you as Admin you may recall. Al McLean evrntually took over from me but things were busier then.
I note that Harrington don’t state the bonnet hinges have to be changed when swapping from US to RoW bumpers. I think I have a spare set of UK bumpers although the front is S1 I believe. If anyone wants them to try playing around with, they’d be a tiny fraction of the Harrington cost.
Carl the straight exhaust comment is just the tail pipes that stick out through the resr valance - no noise difference.
Pete
Chuck,
Welcome back, it’s a beautiful car. I like the green exterior with tan interior combination myself and have two Jaguars with that combination, my 1990 V12 VdP and my 1969 E-Type FHC.
That “Compressor Heatshield” (Jaguar part number C37293) located over the A/C compressor, was originally installed on the Series II and III XJ6s equipped with climate control. I have seen many Series III XJ6s without one and at least one of my XJ6s (including the two parts cars) came without one. This was no doubt due to misdeeds of the prior owners or their shops. The flat rectangular (asbestos?) fiberboard is easily broken and it gets bent for some reason during use.
Regards,
Paul M. Novak
1990 Series III V12 Vanden Plas
1990 XJ-S Classic Collection convertible
1987 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1984 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1969 E-Type FHC
1957 MK VIII Saloon
Ramona, CA
Chuck,
I picked up a Series II Parts Catalogue a few years ago on eBay to help me sort out which XJ6 parts were common between the Series II and Series III. The Jaguar Part Number for the Parts Catalogue is RTC9097C, it’s dated January 1977 and it covers the saloons and coupes. I just looked on eBay and they have an auction now for a copy of RTC9097D, Item# 131937379479 for $35.00 (including shipping) now. Seems a very reasonable price. I have the Parts Catalogues for all my Jaguar and I find them very helpful for parts purchases as well as repairs.
The tail pipes in the Series II XJs had a different shaped curve to them than the Series III cars and neither one had straight tail pipe. I have heard that the shape was designed to minimize the exhaust fume smells in the cabin. Per my Parts Catalogue, the part numbers for the Series II chromed tail pipes are C.36598/1 for the Left Hand side and C.36598/2 for the Right Hand side. The Stainless Steel ones are C.45200 for the Right Hand side and C45201 for the Left Hand side.
Regards,
Paul M. Novak
1990 Series III V12 Vanden Plas
1990 XJ-S Classic Collection convertible
1987 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1984 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1969 E-Type FHC
1957 MK VIII Saloon
Ramona, CA
P.M.Novak7@gmail.com
I think I have the SII catalogue on a JDHT CD. But I have to find it first… 
I further believe, looking at some online catalogs, that the SIII tips have superseded the SII part, as they are giving the same part number for both applications.
Chuck,
I much prefer the hard copies of the Parts Catalogues, they are much more difficult to misplace. In addition, I did get a JDHT CD for one of my Jaguars a while ago, but then it wouldn’t load when I upgrades operating systems or perhaps it was when I got a new computer. I find sitting down with the hard copy is best for me but I know that others prefer the digital documents.
I think that the Series III tail pipes will probably fit on a Series II so that might be why some of the vendors list it that way. Finding the correct Series II tail pipes will probably be more difficult than finding the Series III tail pipes. There likely won’t be any problems using the Series III tail pipes on a Series II unless you plan to enter the car in JCNA concours and the Judges know the difference.
Regards,
Paul M. Novak
1990 Series III V12 Vanden Plas
1990 XJ-S Classic Collection convertible
1987 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1984 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1969 E-Type FHC
1957 MK VIII Saloon
Ramona, CA
Pete;
Yeah I get it. In my lexicon, “straight pipe” has meant
no mufflers at all. Straight out, no muffler detours, to the rear.
I’ve indulged a few times in my past.
Now, I see the Jaguar context. Straight exhaust tips, not curved tips. Tips, the descriptive word in my lexicon.
Yahoo, another guy, more fun.
Carl
I too am recently returning after many years…
It looks great…congratulations.
Yes, pity the leaper…sigh. Why do people do that?!
It drives me crazy those who do it on anything but a series1 XJ6…
People are nitwits, such ignorance, it ruins the lines completely.
My god, I often see them also on an XJS for heaven’s sake?!
Anyway, got that off my chest.
mine needs serious restoration…so I am jealous.
Great car. Dream color combo.
Enjoy and thank you for posting!
