I’ve just purchased a non-running SII XJ6L. It’s a non-runner, but has a 4 spd manual with o/d and a webasto roof. It was a UK build, but probably brought to Australia when new or close, as the body is as clean as any Jag I’ve seen. Are there online decoders for the VIN for a SII? I’ve found a few for Series 1’s and Series 3’s, but not 2’s. My VIN is 2T 7387 DN. I’m not sure if that is all the numbers as the id plate isn’t in great shape. I thought there was mean to be a couple of letters before the 2T? E.g. UE? And I thought there should be 5 digits, not 4. Cheers.
Freoway,
don’t know where you’re located, but your VIN is perfectly normal. There are some fairly broad VIN lists around, e.g. on SNG Barratts’ site, putting your car in the standard range of Jaguar SII LWB RHD cars produced from September 1973 on. In fact VINs started with 1001, making your car the 6387th leaving the assembly lines. BTW, mine is the 11.048th built in early 1975. DN stands for the OD gearbox - my VIN has the BW suffix.
You should have a chromed centre console cover, narrow pleats and embossed door cards, typical of early SII cars.
Life is good
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec)
LHDs have 5 digits.
The DN indicates the DeNormanville overdrive.
Mine has the prefix UE2R but I did not find any explanation of what the UE means.
Thanks Jochen and Rob. I had looked at a few XJ6 decoders and seen the prefix “UE”. Maybe it’s only on some cars. Might be US cars for Export? I guessed DN was the manual overdrive, but didn’t know that it stood for DeNormanville. Just seen that De Normanville refers to a British engineer responsible for these o/d gearboxes. Thanks, Lloyd
The main producer of OD gearboxes was Laycock-De Normanville. The name of the engineer found its way into the company name. Hence the suffix.
Good luck
Jochen
Good day, I have a Daimler Sovereign 1973 and I would like to decode the VIN number. Can anyone help? The number is 2C1702DW
Michael,
I pretty sure you misread and in fact have a “BW” (instead of “DW”) in the end. “BW” stands for “Borg Warner” and indicated automatic gearboxes.
“2C” indicates Jaguar 12 cylinder LWB SI cars and your no. (1702) indicates it is RHD. Production ceased in August 1973. If you misread “2D” for “2C” however, you’d be more on track as 2D 1702 would be supposed to be a Daimler Sovereign SI 4.2 LWB RHD. Production ceased in July 1973.
All data as per SNG Barratt Vehicle Identification.
Good luck
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec)
Good Day,
Thank you for the information. Yes the number is supposed to be 2C1702BW however the motor fitted is the 4.2 Straight 6. I guess it must have been changed somewhere along the line.
Thank you
Mike,
the 12 cylinder specimen always wore special insignia of majesty: different radiator grill, different tach, speedo, and a V12 badge on the center console. I’d be surprised if someone fitting an inline six had removed all these signs.
With the 2C VIN the production date should have been between Oct 1972 and August 1973. The original 12 cyl engine would have been 7P1001 …
Happy searching
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec)
Thanks again for the information. I think the vehicle was in an accident and the bonnet and grill has been changed. There is a badge on the boot " Double Six" I have also found a Double Six Service Book in the car. I have also found the diff is a LS, not sure if only the V12 cars had this fitted. I have attached a pic of the Tacho. I see the difference in the grill compared to the picture in the service manual.
Mike,
the story makes sense and whoever did the conversion - maybe because of unavailability of 12 cylinder engines, maybe to economise on fuel bills - seems to have done a complete job as speedo and tach are both for 6 cylinder cars (this part of the conversion may have been a bare necessity to keep the instruments working though).
The thing that strikes me more about your car is the picture of the instruments and the steering wheel as they are all SII, not SI. While 1973 was the year of the change your VIN indicates a SI car. Could you please post more pictures of you car (esp.) center console with heating/ventilation and the dashboard, as this is where most changes occurred from SI to SII. SI should look about like this
The LSD could be ordered optional for 6 cylinder cars. “Upgrading” a SI car to SII specs - involving a different heater element, dashboard, wiring loom etc. - is a bigger endeavour though.
Good luck
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec)
Very interesting … the interior is clearly SII while the VIN is SI. The missing “cheek panels” at the console might indicate that they wouldn’t fit around the SII heater element? The interior parts seem to be reupholstered, as the narrow pleats were perforated and the underscuttle panels were always black, I think.
As per SNG Barratt the first 12 cylinder cars in SII had VINs starting with 2R (production from September 1973 on). Either their list is wrong - what does Thorley say? - or someone mixed and matched big time. Did you double check the VIN against the one pressed into the body underneath the rear bumper?
Good luck
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec)
Hi Freoway3
I am looking at a SII with a manual and roof like you have described. It is located in Queensland so I can’t check it out. The owner said he purchased it from someone in Perth, I am guessing it was you?
Are you able to tell me anything about the car?
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Hi William.
Yes - sounds like the one I sold a couple of years ago. Not sure what I can tell you as it’s been out of my hands for a few years. Where is it advertised?
Cheers, Lloyd
Hi Lloyd
It’s on eBay.
It is not running but he says it was when he purchased it. It was restored by a previous owner, was that you?
Hi William,
Perhaps it would be better if you gave me a call.
Cheers,
Lloyd
Mob:0422007159
Jag-lovers, kind of Tinder for folks that want a Jag or once had a Jag 