Mine was relatively non-crooked…
Hi Les,
I believe you, however it is very likely the car was then a “US Spec.” car. I think most cars bought new by US military people were ordered as such, either a PED car or just through a local distributor, but however destined for USA. (As long as there were no local requirements, in Finland (and some other Nordic countries perhaps) the front indicator lenses were different. Italy and Netherlands had sometimes different requirements for mirrors, horns, lamps, you name it. (some of those can be seen in the Spare part books)
The E-type did not suffer from it, but later XJ’s and XJS’s did, that for most Nordic countries, Finland included, headlamp washers were compulsory, and not just a spray, but also a wiper. They are quite a rare sight nowadays, as are the original Nordic front indicator lenses on Series 1 and 1.5 E-types.
Cheers!
Hi quite likely a job for an apprentice!
Very clever to have a car meticulously prepped and painted and assembled and the at the end of the line, some 15 year old drills two holes and attaches that thing with two screws (or rivets). 
On my MKV DHC it is clearly just somewhere on the bulkhead where it was convenient to attach it. On those cars ONLY the ones shipped to North America have that tag , I would think this was also true for E-types. There are a few in Finland that have it, but those were cars originally destined to USA and then surprisingly got sold to Finland (and thus the front lenses were changed and in Finland also four mudflaps installed to pass the first MOT!
(oh well, maybe just the rear ones were compulsory, but the front ones were very welcome on those gravel roads of Finland back in the day, rallying anyone?)
Cheers!
Photo from Kari T.T, FJDC (lower one from Sept.1965)
Mine has made in England tag, mounted with rivets, not quite straight.
65 FHC.
John
Here’s a possibility: My 63 OTS was purchased new by a US Military officer stationed in the UK near Harrogate. I know that is true, because when he returned he brought the car with him and later sold it to my boss years later who sold it to me when he retired in 2000. It does not now nor never did have a Made in England tag.
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I believe there was a ‘scheme’ wherein a US serviceman could buy a US spec E-Type through a European distributor and ship it home (possibly using his allowance for household goods). May have typically been done near the end of his tour of duty.
Mine was purchased this way. The service voucher book indicates only the 1000 and 3000 mile services were performed in Germany, then the car was in New York.
The difference in yours may be that it was purchased and driven in the UK for some time before going to the US.
Tweety was so used, and purchased.
The mystery deepens…
Paul, my 63 E Type, delivered on 3 January 63, was delivered with painted steel spoked wheels, I never checked up on why that was. That is not noted in the Production Trace Certificate.
Hi Mike, I believe painted Dunlop wheels were standard, at least in the US. Chrome was an expensive option, more than $100 as I recall.
A card I have listing prices and options for overseas delivery for the 1969 model year list Chromium-plated wire wheels as a $107 option and Chromium-plated turbo disc wheels as a $58 option. The detachable hardtop was only $172, AC was $438.
My '64 FHC has the tag and my '63 OTS didn’t have the tag, nor any holes for it. Not until it was restored anyway.
Consistency, workmanship, and quality control on the E Type line in the '60s is another topic.
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Woo, dawgy, you could open us a serious can of whoop-ass, with that one!
I am starting reassembly of my late 62 OTS. This car was originally sold in Canada and still resides here. Would it have come with a Made in England tag?
I don’t believe it had one originally, but the was such a rusty mess it was hard to tell.
AFAIK, all the early cars (pre-67) came with one, and maybe beyond that.
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Both of my 1969 Series IIs did.
Hi,
It was an Amerixan import requirement to show the COO (Country of Origin). Some other makes added it to the numbers plate, Jaguar used those tags. They were not put on cars that were sold elsewhere in the world. If a car was first sold in Eurooe and later imported in the US as a used car, it might not have it. Lots if Jaguars sold to Americans who served in Europe, but also those were sometimes ordered as ”North American specification” as the first owner had the intention of taking the car to the US.
Cheers!
My November 62 build FHC shows no sign of having one. Sold new in California, underbonnet not repainted.
Note VIN plate is NZ addition required on import.
You are all overthinking this, e-types after 1968 were British Leyland and their workers with the reputation they had could just not have decided drill or put a plate on.
My original 11k mile 65 OTS DID NOT HAVE A MADE IN ENGLAND TAG. Where the data tag was placed by the factory, there would not be enough room for one. Build date Feb 65. My 66 FHC did have one build date Jul 65. So, maybe the factory ran out of them for a while. What is your build date Bill?
Regards,
Allen