I have an early model XJ6 Series 1 with HD8 Carbs, chrome dials and importantly for this question no air vents in the front wings.
It seems the previous owner has replaced the left hand side front wing and I note it has the air vent in there (obviously not connected to anything). Whilst not 100% sure, it seems from some basic measurements that the car is square, however, the panel doesn’t seem to correctly fit and this means the door is out of adjustment and does not close correctly.
I therefore wonder if there is a difference between the early and late model front wings for the Series 1? How different is the series 2, could the previous owner have used a Series 2 and manipulated it into roughly fitting? Can anyone describe the difference between the the S1 and S2 wings?
Sincerely appreciate any information. Trying to figure out the best approach for correcting the issue so the door closes correctly. I’ve attached some images, note the uneven gap (tight at the top) - this is with the door leaning backwards, interestingly even at the bottom. Also attached is an image of the misalignment with the bonnet, the wing sits lower and slightly further back
There were body differences between Series I and II, and the wings may be very well be different.
Others might shim in on that.
From the second picture I see that the hood / bonnet is not aligned with the wing.
Is the bonnet aligned with the rest of the body, especially the rear with the windshield valance ?
It seems like the wing, and maybe the door, must move forward.
I also noticed that the gap between the wind and the door is uneven and very small.
The reason the door does not close properly could also be its vertical and parallel alignment with the body, and also the alignment of the latching mechanism.
My suggestion is:
Remove the wheel arch cover, this will give you access to the screws at the bottom of the wing and also at the door’s hinges inner screws (fore / aft alignment).
Loosen all screws and move the wing forward.
Loosen all door’s screws and try to adjust the door as best possible:
fore-aft
up-down
patallel
vertical
latching hook
easier said than done…
Once the door is acceptable and closes fine try to adjust the wing.
Lastly you might have to re-adjust the bonnet
Use a jack to support the door, it’s a heavy beast.
I thought the only difference with the S2 front wings was a smaller indicator lamp aperture and a more flared wheelarch? Is the poor fitting wing a pattern part or genuine? About 25 yrs ago i fitted Genuine new S2 front wings to my S1 i had at the time and recut the indicator lamp aperture to suit, I dont remember having any alignment issues.
Thanks for the note. You may be right, perhaps with some manipulation I can get a better fit.
My concern with trying to shift it forward is that it meets correctly at the end of the sill panel. It needs to effectively move forward and up and this would cause it to pinch at the top further.
Hmmm… interesting. Perhaps I need to pull the panel off and inspect.
Thanks for your help, it’s a reasonable thought. The panel was put on before I owned the vehicle and it could well be a poorly fitting wing pattern, the only thing making me feel like it is original is the air duct piece that I can see from under the wheel arch; can’t imagine a replicator part coming with this piece in place.
Does any one know if the body parts perfectly standardised or did craftsman work to manipulate the finish when the vehicles were in production?
I know of no changes during S1 production–although the bonnet hinges, overriders, bumper and bumper mounting brackets underwent considerable revision for 1973. I was under the impression, from my own work years ago, that the air vent from outer headlight bezel to an opening within the car had no connection to the outer wing itself. It can even be added to S3 cars if wanted.
I’ve seen very few XJ cars with splined hubs. I assume they were fitted by a PO? Do you know the source (donor car) of the hubs, and what wheels are being used…perhaps S3 E-type?
Thanks for the info. The panel seems to be the same dimensions as the other side so perhaps the front end is not straight…
The wheels were put on by the previous owner. Wire wheels are a bit controversial on the XJ6 but the hubs and rims where purchased new from http://acww.com.au/ in Melbourne, Australia.
at least the parts do have different numbers: SI (first type) specifies 11689, SI (first type fitted with fresh air ventilation and second type) specifies JS.388, SII specifies JS.676.
Frankly, I wasn’t aware that there were SI and SII cars without fresh air ventilation and would have guessed SI and SII differ only in the size of the cutout and a second hole.
