I find for my Mark V judging guide I need to provide some easy identifiers of rear windows for the judges.
Width and height measured on the outer edge of the chrome with a pocket tape, general shape and number of screws inside should be enough.
My current belief is that three different windows were used at one time or another in Mark V DHC tops. Two were also used for XK120 OTS.
BD.1369 is an oval with 20 screws, also used on early XK120 OTS.
Rob,
I have not come across anything to suggest 3 different windows in rear of MKV DHC, The best photo of the rear window and zip down panel is in my SS MKIV MKV DHC book more precisely it shows zipped down panel in a new car in dealer showroom when new.
Attached is part of update page in XK120 explored showing the dimensions of the 2 different windows in XK120’s
Skinny one is basically alloy and very early steel cars very early alloy cars it had a piece of triplex glass in it not plastic.
later cars had the bigger window initially didn’t zip open, then window zipped open and down onto tonneau deck, then later zipped up and clipped to underside of hoodframe.
The drawing doesn’t show vertical height but I will pull out originals and measure and number of screws.
Early had studs with lock nuts on, later had 1/2 raised 1/2 countersunk chromed threaded metal screws.
My rear window frame is 22” X 5” with 16 screws. However, it is not original to my November 1953 car, which had no top frame or hood when I purchased the car.
My top frame/hood/rear window frame were purchased as a used unit, which I subsequently restored.
My top frame has the two pegs on the middle bow used to attach the un-zipped rear window flap (which folds upwards and attaches to the bow with two lift-the-dot fasteners). It is my understanding this final style un-zipped window flap was used on the late XK120 OTS and all XK140 OTS. So my rear window frame likely came from either a late XK120 or XK140.
Ok, Rob et al, this little thread has piqued my interest now. It seems my rear window frame is the right shape and size for a late XK120 OTS but has two too many screw holes, 18 instead of 16.
Any theories? If not original to my car what is it from?
Thanks Nick, Terry and Mike.
That brings an answer to one mystery, if BD1369 and BD4405 are the same width. I could not figure that out just looking at pictures.
Nick, is yours 5" high to the outer edges of the chrome?
Anyone know the height of BD1369?
One theory on the variation in number of screws is an unrecorded improvement, unrecorded because they only sold the backlight as a set.
Mark IV books list it with dome nuts, but do not give the number quantity of them.
There are also new reproductions of the rear window frames. The one in the photo below was made in Mexico by Jaguar parts supplier Jorge. It measures 21.75 inches by 5 inches and takes 16 screws.
Both halves of the original BD.4405 window frames supplied to later XK120 and XK140 OTS were made of chrome-plated brass and were non-magnetic. Both halves of Jorge’s window frames are chrome-plated iron and attract magnets.
It would be interesting to know for sure whether all other original Jaguar window frames were made of chrome-plated brass. I suspect they were.
The outer frame is a brass extrusion kidney shaped in cross section and tapped to receive what appear to be #6 machine screws. The inner frame is formed from 16 ga. brass sheet with a 90 degree outer lip with tapered holes to take countersunk machine screw heads. Both appear to have been die-formed from linear stock and brazed in the same general area before finishing.
I obtained some very well made small parts (rockers, fender panels, etc.) for each of my MGA restorations from Jorge, much better that those offered by Moss, who gave me a refund.
