Greetings all,
When I showed my newly-acquired 3.5 litre Mk IV to a friend about 17 years ago, he remarked that the pastel green engine paint suggested it had been reconditioned by Repco, an Australia-wide automotive service, parts and accessories group. I accepted this, as it was 55 years old when I bought it, (and very original) and although I had some receipts it did not come with a complete history.
Our covid-19 circumstances have seen me rummaging through my parts collection (which came with the car) and digging out my spare cylinder-head with a view to having it reconditioned to replace the original (which has a slightly burnt valve). The spare was wrapped and very dirty and when I cleaned it, I was a little surprised to find it was the same colour. So perhaps both engines had been serviced/reconditioned by this company in the distant past?
I was a little intrigued when I just saw this LHD car for sale in the UK which previously has only been in the USA and Spain but with the same pastel green colour engine.
So; at the risk or raising an issue which saw some differences in the past, my question for you knowledgeable people is – Is it likely that this is an original Jaguar engine colour, or is it just a fascinating coincidence?
Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
Wishing good health to you all!
Kind regards
Darryl
Photos of my car’s engine (in 2003 – also note AC pumps painted), my spare cylinder head and the UK sale car attached.
Mine was a lighter shade, but still a strange choice by whomever wielded the paint brush.
It has become a joke among us that American rebuilders often chose red to make them go faster.
Careful examination led me to determine that mine had originally been gray in 1938. Remember that it was built by Standard where yours was built by Jaguar.
Not sure why I called them AC pumps! SU obviously.
Thanks for the feedback. I am suspecting coincidence but the pastel colour match is intriguing.
Cheers
Darryl
FWIW, the mad pastel green paint demon who once had my car also painted the gearbox, brake rods, steering rods, ignition coil, front shock absorbers, front axle and rear axle. Some other mad painter started to do the left side of the engine yellow.
I agree with your friend about Repco. The block was always black on MKIV’s and MKV’s, in fact all XK motors also had black painted blocks. The UK car might be a MKV engine looking at the wrong air-cleaner for a MKIV as it’s not a drop-head. Nevertheless, the green block is wrong. Just as well it’s not red - yuk!
LHD Mark IVs had the air cleaner on top to clear the steering column.
Then with LHD Mark V they discovered the air plenum casting used on LHD Mark IV still interfered with the steering column, so they put a slant on the lower rear corner.
Guess who discovered that little bit of information decades ago when searching for a Mark V air cleaner.
Hint: he also acquired a Mark V block that had been painted red with a brush.
I stand corrected. That makes perfect sense and I must stop presuming that all MKIV’s and MKV’s are RHD. I’ll go to bed now as it’s late here in Australia and I’m obviously not thinking clearly.
It must have been a Repco thing? I’ll start digging around on the internet for an answer. Interestingly, your air-cleaners are also green when they are more typically black? See, I didn’t say “definitely” which means I’m learning.
May well be the case in Victoria, but not so in the ACT, albeit we can’t drive far without hitting NSW border restrictions. Other States have varying rules.
I left off some information: I had to go to the chemist, to get essential prescriptions: secondarily, while I’m driving, the chance of infecting (assuming I were sick, which I’m not) or getting infected is as close to zero as it can get.
It was a glorious drive, with mostly clear, blue skies, and dry roads… today?
I drove to the grocery store, wearing a mask and gloves. AFAIK there is no rule about what kind of car I drive.
Here is that Mark V air cleaner plenum with the slanted corner for LHD.
Remember the old days–about 30 days ago-- where, had we gone into a bank with a mask on, the next thing we would have heard was, “ON THE GROUND!!!”
I’ll go to bed now as it’s late here in Australia and I’m obviously not thinking clearly. 
