XK 140 OTS 1955, Bonjour, nouveau ici , je cherche a identifier ma culasse ,moteur 1956, G9693-8 bloc C 8610-1 ,en bout de culasse n° BV 790 frappé sans bosse, devant la tète aucun numéro très propre , en fond de vallée 2 ou 5 ou 7 ou une lettre difficile a lire sur une bosse, sous la culasse coté échappement ,grosse étoile 204 ,C 6733-1 , V3 frappé, WM351 ,il reste de la peinture rouge très beau site merci a tous
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Yes, Gaetan and I have been having a private conversation but I wasn’t providing much in the way of information since block and head casting numbers are not something I’m too familiar with.
Edit: I might direct this inquiry to the expertise of @Roger_Payne and @Rob_Reilly
Here’s something to start with:
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Sorry, the only French words I know are Chevrolet Coupe.
I gather its something to do with heads?
I have the same problem as Rob - I dont speak any French above a couple units at High School that I got only a 50% pass mark - sadly zero need in Australia to speak French. But the pictures/numbers says it all, indeed only this week I have identified a non-original Head fitted to an XK140MC here in Australia, and its exactly the same as gaetan’s Head.
It is a ‘standard’ A-type head, Jaguar Part No. C6733-1 as made in 1955/6 and was fitted to ‘standard’ XK140 (not XK140SE or XK140MC), Mark VIIM saloon, and 2.4 litre (Mark 1) - and as appears to be the case, also supplied as a new Spare Part to Jaguar Dealerships, or for Warranty replacement, without having and Engine Number stamped on, as it would if ex-factory on an XK120/ Mark VIIM or 2.4-litre. Given this Head was fitted to a block stamped G9693-8, so a late 1956 engine, there is a good chance this C6733-1 Head with a HSN (Head Sequence Number) of BV790 may well have been a warranty replacement head. I have a very similar example of this exact same head with a HSN of BX28 that is original to, and stamped with (standard) XK140 Engine Number G9723-8…
The cast in numbers underneath are conclusive proof - the WM351 denotes the basic head casting comes from the William Mills foundry, one of two foundries supplying these castings to Jaguar, with the 351 being their internal project or order number. The C6733X -1 denotes being a casting intended to be machined up to be a completed Head Jaguar Part Number C6733-1 (I presume the X means, its just a suitable casting, not yet a machined/up finished Head. The -1 indicates a very slight modification made to the casting, to allow reinforcing of the casting, to protect against the inlet manifold studs breaking into the water jacket (new shorter thread studs also required) The *204 is a casting sequence number, of no real significance except order of these castings made in factory. The other same G9723 head example I have shows *212…
Hopefully, that answers your question, given I have presumed what it was by the pictures and bits and pieces of the French dialog, so sorry my comments are in English and not French
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Good pickup David,
I had forgotten I wrote that ‘meal’, albeit it was 10 years ago…
But as you will have noticed, this current head is indeed an example of the A3b head that back in 2013 I had yet to positively identify. Maybe I should update my ‘meal’ as although I had this resolved some years ago now, in my experience so far, these William Mills foundry A3b heads are very much a minority supply, relevant to the West Yorkshire Foundry A3a variants…
Google Translator !
XK 140 OTS 1955, Hello, new here, I am trying to identify my cylinder head, 1956 engine, G9693-8 block C 8610-1, at the end of the cylinder head n ° BV 790 struck without bump, in front of the head no very clean number, in bottom of the valley 2 or 5 or 7 or a letter difficult to read on a bump, under the cylinder head on the exhaust side, big star 204, C 6733-1, V3 hit, WM351, there is red paint left, very nice site, thank you all
Salut, voila une réponse qui va enfin donner une histoire a cette culasse , grand merci a tous…
Plus je regarde la jaguar xk , plus je la trouve magnifique …
So since it is an A head it would not normally be painted red, is that correct? The red paint looks to be in too good condition, probably not 65 years old?
BTW if anyone said to me “Renault Dauphine”, I would run away screaming. 
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What would you do if I showed you a picture of the one sitting in my front yard? 
Bonjour, en effet la peinture rouge sur le haut de la culasse est vive, pour être ancienne, toutefois sur le coté échappements, il reste de la peinture rouge sang, très ancienne , encore un peu de mystère !!! si tète A ou C ? au départ la 140 ots et une MC , avec ses équipements , mais vu que le moteur n’est plus d’origine !!! L’usine livrait aussi des OTS MC avec la culasse A…!!
The Head you pictured is 100% definately a standard C.6733-1 A-type cylinder head - thus was never painted RED ex-factory, but left natural aluminium. This head, without Engine Number stamping has been fitted ex-factory, either spare parts or dealer warranty, so who knows, maybe whoever fitted this replacement head also decided to paint it red… So zero mystery.
You advised the Block is stamped with G9693-8 ENGINE NUMBER - that also tells you that this Engines Head was originally an A-type Head, and not a C-type Head which always had a -8S suffix to the Engine Number. There were three levels of XK140 Specification. Basic XK140 that had an engine with A-type head with no suffix S to the Engine Number and no prefix letter to the Chassis Number. Then next was the XK140SE (special Equipment) as called an XK140M in USA that had same A-type Head engine with no suffix S to the Engine Number, but added wire wheels, dual exhaust and a few other options not engine related. These cars add an A-prefix to the Chassis Number. And finally the top specification was the XK140SE with C-type Head, now called an XK140MC in USA that had all the SE options, plus now the higher power C-type Head. These added an S suffix to the Engine Number, and also added an S prefix to the Chassis Number.
Your standard A-type Engine (and its now replacement A-type head) could be ex a standard XK140 or an XK140M, but definately not an XK140MC, most likely a standard XK140 as the XK140SE (XK140M) is exceptionally rare, but still many around, still generating a lot of confusion, as the casual observer erroneously assumes all XK140SE (XK140M) also have the C-type head
See picture of an XK140M Chassis Plate - note A-prefix to the Chassis Number, and no S-suffix to Engine Number. This is a very original/unrestored LHD OTS with Overdrive Transmission - as indicated by DN suffix to Chassis Number…
See also pic of its original Cylinder Head - an A-type, thus bare aluminium, and not painted Red…
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easy enough to cut and paste into Google Translate, guys.
Suis certain c’est exactement ce que fait Gaetan.
True deal! There’s another Star Trekkian thing that’s coming to pass: the universal translator!
Bonjour, voila ma culasse est identifié, super merci beaucoup a tous , on apprend vraiment beaucoup de choses , je vais maintenant essayer de remonter les anciens propriétaires pour en savoir un peu plus sur la vie de cette belle voiture …
En France sur mon vieux ordinateur, un clic droit sur la souris , traduire, et c’est fait …bon week end a tous
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