I am looking at the second generation mirror for the 120 which was the same as the Mark VII. Urs says it is 41x88mm or 1 5/8" x 3 1/2". This seems incredibly small. Is this correct? My car is 660365 made in late November 1950.
On page 32 of Urs book he mentions that between October of 1950 and February of 1951 they used oval mirrors instead if the square ones and that they are the same as the Mark VII ones.
Does this then make 4 types of mirrors used?
Somewhere on here is an entire thread on mirrors.
The later 120FHC and DHC’s had MKVII MKV type mirrors sort of oval shaped gllass with flat ends
Terry,
I went back through them and confirmed there was four types and a few people said Urs was the ultimate authority, so I am fairly happy.
The question is part C4645 the same part as the Mark VII mirror?
Matthew,
Tried to upload my story on the subject, but it seems that a PDF doc can only be presented here in its complete form and that’s too many pages. If you want the complete story, send me a PM.
This is the complete survey of XK 120 interior mirrors:
Your November 1950 has the second mirror type C.4097, identical to C.2887 but mounted on a different, vertically positioned 5” long stem. Exactly as Rob said.
I have slightly different dimensions for the mirror: 1 9/16 x 3 7/16” (or 40 x 87 mm).
It’s always possible that due to stock problems, Jaguar had to use another mirror type. The C.4645 was used at undefined moments in production as I called it. But the C.4645 mirror was also wider and had a better rear view, so some people started asking for that mirror as an option. The full text reads:
This 1951 introduced oval mirror type was used on the Mk VII with Jaguar code C.4645, and had the same oval mirror (measuring 5⅞ x 2¼” so meanwhile 70% wider than the first XK 120 mirror) as the C.2695 but with a somewhat longer stem (about 3¼“).
Although nowhere found in the XK 120 SPCs, this oval shaped mirror version is seen on many XK 120s.
Philip Porter in his book “Original Jaguar XK” (3rd Edition) refers on page 128 to this oval mirror type. He states: “A larger oval mirror was fitted to DHCs and later OTSs and FHCs”. He shows (on page 127) a photo of the interior mirror of the XK120 FHC prototype of November 1950 which was of the oval type. Although this does not imply that it was now the standard mirror on all FHCs, it does indicate the availability of these mirrors in production.
Anders Clausager in his book “Jaguar XK 120 in Detail” shows on page 96 a number of “works photos” (so excluding any later replacement) of a production FHC with the oval mirror. Even a JDHT photo of the 120 OTS with aero screens and cowls (page 99) shows the use of an oval mirror instead of a rectangular one.
Urs Schmid, in his book “Jaguar XK120 The Anatomy of a Cult Object Volume 2“, even refers to the use of C.4645 on the OTS specifically from October 1950 to February 1951, but also installed on later OTS cars as an “Optional Extra”. The same mirror C.4645 on the FHC & DHC was (again according Schmid) only fitted as “Optional Extra”.
So far we’ve been unable to bring any logic in the application of the oval mirror type on the XK 120, although we know that they have been applied ex-factory and probably also as a later modification. There is no proof that C.4645 has been used for regular OTS production during the period October 1950 to February 1951 as indicated by Schmid. Nor has any evidence surfaced that C.4645 was available as “Optional Extra” on the XK120 . Nevertheless: some XK 120s did receive the oval mirror during production.
Another possibility is that dealers ordered oval mirror C.4645 as a replacement part for the Mk VII, and then mounted it on the XK 120 to replace the (very) small standard mirror. Remember the XK 120 was standing next to the Mark VII in the Jaguar showroom and customers could make the mirror comparison themselves! The introduction of the 40% wider C.5500 and C.5501 versions in February 1953 is another indication that customers weren’t that happy at all with the small interior mirror of the XK 120.
Bob K.
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thats what I call a detailed answer 
Its worth a punt, do you happen to be able to identify especially the older looking mirror
(bottom 2 pics) in this thread
We have positively ID on the MK5/7 mirror and the late xk120/140/early xk150 one
the other 3 are still not known
Bob,
Thanks for the detailed reply, exactly what I was hoping for. The mirror in my car now is nowhere near original so the oval Mk vii mirror will not be terribly out of place. I am not after a 100 point car and after what you said I will be happy with it for a long time, at least until someone has a spare original mirror in excellent condition they are willing to part with.
Matt
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Ah, thanks, that explains it, the C.2695 stem is 2-11/16" tall measured to the ball center, but the same oval size.
Here is the C.2887 mirror in my XK120 FHC. With the convex glass I find it is big enough to see the whole rear window, and that’s really all you can ask of a mirror in a FHC.
Yes Rob, the C.2695 is the early Hallam made mirror. Hallam, Sleigh & Cheston Ltd from Birmingham were trading under the brand name Widney. All Hallam mirrors have this typical oval “deep drawn” rear side for the “swivel” mechanism. The Mark V was the first to have Hallam mirrors. Before the Mk V , Jaguar (and SS) used Lucas mirrors and Jaguar would return to Lucas by the end of the Fifties. In between we have the Hallam period, followed by the Wingard era.
Thanks for mentioning the height of the C.2695.
Bob K.
oh the exquiste details…the MKVII mirror has a stem that is 2-11/16 tall…unless you include the height of the base plate, which makes it 3"