Mk I and MK II Numbers on Tag in Boot Behind Fuel Pump

Saloons
1

In a previous post one of my questions was the meaning of the number on a tag screwed to the inner
boot below and behind the fuel pump. My number was E 009033

One of the replies was this:

pdm75 pdm75 Phil Madeira
November 22
Hi All,
I have a mk2 jaguar 3.4 1961 , this also has the small plate below the fuel pump in the boot . Does anyone know what this number relates to ? it is not the same number as the chassis number or the body number and doesn’t appear anywhere else. My car matches all the numbers on the heritage certificate and on the main plate in the engine bay but I can’t seem to find any information about this small plate.
Can anyone shed any light on this ?

Regards Phil

Recently I emailed the Jaguar Heritage Trust about this. Here is their response:

I am presuming this number is stamped on the left-hand inner rear wing area, behind a millboard panel.

I looked at our records for where numbers are stamped around the vehicle (other than the main identity plate underneath the bonnet.

For the Mark I, I found the following note for the body number “stamped on a small plate attached to the right-hand side of the scuttle under the bonnet”.

However, when I checked the Mark II notes, I found this: Up to 1963 - stamped on a small plate attached to the right-hand side of the scuttle under the bonnet. Subsequent – stamped on a small plate attached to the right-hand side of the body behind the rear bumper. Not to be confused with a similar plate on the left-hand side giving the Press Steel reference number"

These are notes compiled by the factory in the late 1960s. Thus, whilst I appreciate your vehicle is a Mark I, and this is a note for the Mark II, I think, given the passage of time, I find this the most compelling explanation for the number you have found in your vehicle - it is the Press Steel reference number.

I hope this is of assistance.

Best wishes,

Tracy Nabbs
Jaguar Heritage Trust Archive

2

Nigel Thorley in his book Mk1 & Mk2 Complete Companion says the bodies were developed with the help of the Pressed Steel Company. He does not say how much Pressed Steel did. However, the William Lyons biography mentions Pressed Steel frequently as the supplier of bodies throughout the period, and even that there was a problem with defective welding on Mark II bodies produced by Pressed Steel.
You could assume, barring any new information coming to light, that Pressed Steel gave them their own serial numbers for production tracking and billing to Jaguar, and Jaguar would have referenced the numbers in any defective product warranty claims to Pressed Steel.

3

You’ll also note that there is a Pressed Steel plaque under the rear seat cushion. Which contains many lines of information.

Gerard

4

That’s interesting , so it was a reference number for internal use at the factory so would therefore not need to be recorded anywhere else. My concern was that if it was the body number as per the vin plate under the bonnet then it didn’t match, but this information solves this problem. However should I have a plate with the body number on it under the rear seat or behind the rear bumper? also Does anyone know what the pressed steel plate under the back seat looks like and what information it had on it?

Phil

5

Phil,

The Pressed Steel number would have been a kind of tracking code, the shell wouldn’t have been assigned a Jaguar body number until it arrived at their shops and passed QC. Pressed steel would have been keeping track of what they shipped so that they could bill Jaguar, and presumably also so that if Jaguar rejected, or complained, about the shells being delivered they could then track the defects back to engineering changes, or possibly even specific jigs.

The plate under the seat on my S just contained a list of patent numbers, and the fact that the shell had been made by pressed steel. It was about 3x4" and very thin.

Only the Al plate under the bumper carried the individual Pressed Steel shell number.

6

Hi Andrew,
So in theory what I have is correct and the "pressed steel " tag on mine is on the left inside the boot .

Phil

1 Like
7

Have to have a look for that! Paul

8

Curious: anyone know how much a shell cost Jaguar?

9

Hi, here is an image of the Pressed Steel plate under the rear seat in my 1962 RHD Mk2. I’m surprised I didn’t take a better picture when I disassembled the vehicle.

Pressed steel-2
Pressed steel-2.jpg1205×874 1.19 MB

10

This is somewhat off topic, but until 1946 Pressed Steel was mostly owned by a man who became a rather famous spy. See

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1343031

and

http://spartacus-educational.com/2WWstephensonW.htm