S Type 3.8 Cylinder Head Colour Code

Saloons
1

Hello Members,

Im finishing the rebuilt of a 1966 S Type 3.8 engine and I want to paint the cylinder head with the original metallic blue.

Does anyone have the colour code for this paint?

Regards from Portugal,

António Melchior Carvalho

2

Dont know the code but mine is a 66 S Type 3.8 too and the head is a pale blue. hope I can try find out the code if you wish
Dave

3

The 3.4 head color is robin’s egg blue except the 150S which is gold. The 3.8 is dark metallic blue

4

The correct designation on the 1960’s service manual is Dark Blue for the 3.8 and Light Blue for the 3.4.

The colour I have on the head is more like a Silver Blue Metalic from DuPont.

Yours was never painted?
If you could find me the code of yours it would be great, Dave.

5

Usual disclaimer but Bill Basset sells the correct paint

6

Thanks for the info I will look into the code for mine tomortow and let you know
Dave

7

The ‘S’-type was produced with two different cylinder head colours: a ‘Light Green’ on the 3.4 litre engines; and ‘Dark Blue’ on the 3.8 litre. The 3.4 colour was also used on the Mk 2 2.4- and 3.4-litre. It is also described as ‘Light Green’ or ‘Duck Egg Green’ and the ‘Dark Blue’ is sometimes described as ‘Metallic Blue’ and was also used on the XK150 (not ‘S’), Mk9 and Mk 2 3.8-litre. As Jaguar used various manufacturers for their paints and the heads were painted by hand there are variations over the years and models.

Jaguar World reprinted their comprehensive series of 1990-94 articles on the Jaguar XK engine, by Jim Patten, into the book Jaguar 6 Cylinder Engine Overhaul (1948-1986) (Including I.R.S. and S.U. Carburettors) , Kelsey Publishing, 1995. The September/October 1992 article, Part 8: Headin’ for Trouble? describes the 3.4 litre head colour as “duck egg green” and the 3.8 as “metallescent blue”. In the article, Ken Jenkins was said to have the correct head colours in stock but today his company, Jaguar Spares (www.ukjag.co.uk/), appears to deal only in classic Jaguar used parts.

Philip Porter, in the Original Jaguar XK: The Restorer’s Guide , Bay View Books, 1998, gives the cylinder head colours as “Metallic dark blue” for the 3.8 litre and “Light blue green” on the 3.4-litres varying to light green on later cars.

Steve Kennedy devoted years of research in producing Jaguar, The Classic Marque (subtitled Distinguishing Coachwork Features ), Golden Cat Publishing, 2002. While he touched only lightly on cylinder head colors in the book, he has since produced two XK Cylinder Head Colours charts, the latest of which is reproduced to the right.

In the June 2002, Jaguar World Monthly, Jim Patten, in a column on products and services, wrote “Now, a Buxton-based company has taken the trouble to mix all of the colours to the correct shade, including engine finishes.” The company was K & L PAINTS (Ken and Lyn Burdekin), in Buxton, Derbyshire. Your Editors contacted them and were told that they researched Jaguar head colours and mixed them to the exact factory shades. We were able to obtain a tin of both the 3.4 and 3.8 litre ‘S’-type head colours and hand carry them back to the USA. These are shown below.

They still offer paints and can be contacted in the UK at: 10 Meadow Lane, Dove Holes, BUXTON, Derbyshire, SK17 8DG, England; Tel: 01298-814813; mobile: 07778165966.

8

I trtied to upload a copy of Steve Kennedy’s XK Cylinder Head Colours chart which but I failed.
Cheers,
David

9

Continuing the discussion from S Type 3.8 Cylinder Head Colour Code:

Hi David,

Could you send me that chart to my e-mail - antonio.melchior.carvalho@gmail.com ?

Best regards,

António Carvalho