I think the lights went under because they had to raise the bumper height,
by regulation. “under” was a styling choice
And yes, I recall that the headlight thing was a height issue. I am not
sure but head light covers may have been specifically disallowed and the
country was forced to accept standard dual or quad sealed beams as someone
mentioned.
Bill B
At 12:29 PM 12/5/2003 -0800, you wrote:
Mike,
I seem to have misplaced my 1968 CFR but I do think some of the changes were
a response to current or anticipated federal regulations.
The headlights were changed, I’m almost sure, because they were required to
be an inch or so higher than the location on the SI. This may have been a
convenient excuse to ditch the glass covers or they may have been legislated
out as well. Also, the new law(s) prohibited protrusions from the dash such
as the long actuators on the switches. It’s a mystery how the headlight dip
switch was retained as a toggle when all the others were rockers. Perhaps
because it’s located more or less behind the steering wheel. The changes to
the rear of the car in 1969 may or not have been a response to the new laws.
Dropping the lights below the bumper and adding the stainless trip piece may
have been an attempt to “freshen up” a design that had been on the market
for six years without any changes. That was an eternity in those days. The
side markers were definitely federally mandated.
I agree some of the changes may have been an over-reaction, typical for the
time. You may recall all the U.S. manufacturers pretty much stopped making
convertibles during the late sixties and early seventies, assuming roll-over
regulations would prohibit them.
One factor that leads one to believe many of the changes to the e-type were
based on current or anticipated legislation is Jaguar was developing the
XJ-6 during this period. I doubt if they had a lot of money to devote to
upgrading the e-type unless they were forced to as a condition to remaining
in the U.S. market.
Regarding the comments, not yours, below your message, I disagree strongly
with the writer’s contentions. I am no fan of Ralph Nader (my first car was
a Corvair), yet it is pretty difficult to argue the changes resulting from
the environmental and safety legislation that began in the late sixties
caused permanent damage to automotive progress. Granted, cars got a lot
worse during the seventies and eighties when the industry was adapting to
the changes. That period is over and now the auto buying public has a wider
choice of excellent automobiles at every price point than ever. These are
the good old days.
Allan Jones
'69 e-type with side markers defiantly removed
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-e-type@jag-lovers.org [mailto:owner-e-type@jag-lovers.org]On
Behalf Of Mike Frank
Sent: Friday, December 05, 2003 4:53 AM
To: e-type@jag-lovers.org
Subject: Re: hmm Re: [E-Type] Economy effect on E-type?
You know what…I challenge you to dig through the DOT regs for
1967-1971, and find anything that required these changes, except, perhaps
the spinners. Even the EPA regs could have been met with a less compromised
solution than the twin Stromberg arrangement. Most if it was Jaguar’s
overreaction. Or perhaps they never wanted to admit that some of these mods
were actually styling touch ups to a six year old design.
Mike Frank
At 11:57 PM 12/4/2003, you wrote:
And then in the 60’s the FREAKING US GOVT under the influence of Ralph
Nader, the anti christ, passed a bunch of safety and smog laws. And after
1967 1/2 that beautiful design was naderized with raised headlights and
lost the headlight covers, the triple carbs, the toggle switches, the
spinners on the wire wheels, etc.
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66 S1 OTS
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