Hello all,
Does anyone know what the black headlight escutcheon behind the light switch had written on it? I have seen “O, S, H”, with “Lights” at the bottom of the escutcheon as well as no “Lights” but just “O, S, H”.
Cheers,
Tim
The Side and Head Lamp Switch escutcheon on the Mark V has “OFF”, “S”, and “H” labels. Pretty typically these are partially or completely worn away.
I was under the impression that the three positions were, “Dim,” “flicker,” and “off.”
Mine has O S H. No ‘off’ or ‘lights’
Chassis 622228 Dec 1949
Regards, Graham
Thank you all for the suggestions. As you said, Roger, mine has all the black and lettering completely worn away. Before repainting and re-lettering the escutcheon I wanted to try and be accurate, however as I have found with Jaguar that most things on the cars varies according to what they had to hand. I had assumed rightly or wrongly that the XK 120 escutcheon being made at the same time had only “O”, “S”, “H”!
On page 126 of Allan Crouch’s book, ‘SS & Jaguar Cars’, it shows that the escutcheon as “LIGHTS”, “OFF”, “S”, “H”.
Cheers,
Tim
Im sorry.
I mistaken submitted the wrong information.
My escutcheon reads OFF, S, H but no LIGHTS
Chassis 622228
Thanks for the photo, Graham. With that one being the same as Roger’s escutcheon I think the issue is decided!
Cheers,
Tim
I think one can get Lettraset letters in a suitable size and font.
But in a matter of utmost Trivial importance, I have never been able to find out definitively when was the change from a green lens to a clear lens in the cigar lighter made.
Hi Ed,
I’d never thought of Lettraset. I’m guessing that a coat of clear lacquer over the letters, once applied, might help?
As for the cigar lighter perhaps it was around the same time that Cuban women stopped rolling cigars on their thighs?
Tim
Hi Tim, looking a bit further offers more choices on escutcheon labels. There is a Mark V dash photo in Graham Robson’s “The Big Jaguars” on page 64 which shows escutcheon with single letter “O” for the “OFF” position.
I don’t claim to be an expert here but I suspect this photo is correct for a MkV both in terms of font and character size.
This differs from my SS Jaguar that has OFF S H.
Peter
My 38 SS has the dim remains of OFF _ H and presumably once had an S.
My Mark V lost its escutcheon before coming to me.
My XK120 markings are worn off.
Both OFF S H and O S H versions appear on XK120s.
This may be one of those items where both are right. When we wrote the JCNA XK120 Judging Guide we were unable to pin down any dates for these variations.
I think that the photo from Peter is from an XK120. The problem with this one is that when the switch is in the headlight position on my car it’s at 45deg to the “Off” position and would sit below the “H”.
Cheers,
Tim
Timothy Fox
I meant to say that the escutcheon is possibly from an XK120 or painted and lettered in the same style.
Tim
Well the lettering is only part of the question, The other part is, when did they change from having the edge
of the bezel chromed to it being all painted. The 40 model here has a chromed edge and " OFF"
Possibly a previous owner chromed the escutcheon and then painted it black, like the MKV hubcaps? I like the style of the chromed then painted and lettered escutcheon very much and this that I will do that.
Another question might be as to why Jaguar went from the light switch of the SS model as on your car, to the MKIV switch which is horizontal, then back to the MKV which is the same as the SS switch?
Tim
Sorry, I’m very tired.
I meant to say that I like the chromed then painted escutcheon and will do the same with my MKV with “Off”, “S”, “H” in a suitable Lettraset Font!
Tim
I think the switch on the MK IV is the same as the SS. It’s just the knob which is different.
The switch itself was fairly standard. The SS100 had the same switch but with yet another knob, Which was the same as on an Austin 7.