I am in the process of restoring a '67 OTS and have been receiving contradictory information related to head color(s). The JCNA Series I Authenticity Guide states that head color of a '67 Series one is gold (mfg date of my car is January 67). The guide actually actually states that heads were painted gold thru late '67. There is no paint on my original (matching numbers)...it is bare aluminum. Further, the March issue of Jaguar World states (article titled 3.8 E-types-a spotters Guide) that paint was eliminated sometime in 1966. My sense is they simply ran out of paint. I am looking for clarification on this issue. Can someone please clarify.

Best, Mark. San Rafael CA

Submitted by hilstonsmg@aol.com on Thu, 08/25/2011 - 22:55

Jim; I have a 66 2+2 #1E76775-9 that was built on 8 Sept 1966. The car has 24500 original miles and has never had the head off. It is unpainted alum and dos'nt have a trace of any paint. Put headders on it a while ago and all was original and no trace of paint anywhere. Yes I know that the paint might have burned off, but I looked very closely as I wanted to check for origality and it all looked kosher..When yours is back to running drive it like you stole it , they drive like a dream........Enjoy..................Don

Submitted by NC19-03320J on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 11:58

Hi Mark and George thanks for adding your thoughts. Mark you are correct that the wording
concerning this should be changed. At the time I was running this survey, probably around 2004, the listed numbers were the highest and lowest engine numbers that I obtained and as 7E 11938 had a production date of early to mid January 1967 late 1967 was stated when in fact there is some question if any but the very first of the E's titled as a 1967 had a gold head. I will change the wording in the next guide update to reflect the above, unless some factory documentation or original owner unrestored cars suddenly appears by magic! There is a possibility that this question along with several others, canvas top changed to vinyl etc, may never be resolved.
Bob

Submitted by mverwiel@wm.com on Mon, 05/16/2011 - 20:44

George,
Production date of my car is January 18, 1967, per Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust. Delivery date was actually Feb 6, 1967. I think I will look for other sources of information as I am certain, based on the cars complete documented history, that the head has not been modified (paint or otherwise), and was never painted, nor stripped of paint. It is bare aluminum. It unfortunately seems that the judges guide is somewhat contradictory in that the production dates of the head numbers in the guide are for early 1967 cars and heads, if not before.

Submitted by SE98-32482CJ on Mon, 05/16/2011 - 20:32

Mark--no problem! All questions are good. The other issue is folks like the author of the E guide and myself use production dates--others use delivery dates and registration dates--when a technical device like a car is spoken of it has to be the production dates as that is when the change is recorded. Please see my comments about other cars and the head change. As I said the 420G went naked in 1966 withot a doubt but the E-Type was a well guarded car. When Jaguar went through it's renaiming period in 1966 the MK2 became the 340--the MK 10 became the 420G and the new 420 was just that. The market folks went crazy when any attempt was made to rename the "E" as it had almost become its own market. The point of this is production deletion of head paint very well could have predated in other models and the E was later. Remember engines could have already been assembled and waiting--they would not go back and strip paint off!

Submitted by mverwiel@wm.com on Mon, 05/16/2011 - 20:14

Hi George,

OK, I see where I may have tripped. My head number is 7E11972-9. The earliest reported bare aluminum head is 7e11938-9; 34 cars/heads before mine. My car is early '67 (january 21 delivery date). Therefore, 7e11938 must also be, at a minumum, early 1967. The judges guide says "Color then changed to gold through LATE 1967 and then changed to natural aluminum." I think the guide should actually say, ".....through EARLY 1967 (minimum, and possibly even late 1966) and then....". This information bodes well with the article I referenced from Jaguar World. To be honest, I am new to all this and just want to make sure I get it correct. Again, I did not mean to question, just wanted to be certain on the head paint scheme.

Thanks for the help.

Mark

Submitted by SE98-32482CJ on Mon, 05/16/2011 - 19:10

Mark did you check the VIn? against the guide? As far as the statement there very well be merit and if they know that it is an issue they would have offered proof. Fact is the JHT has been asked to research this more than once--no answer. If you will notice the JCNA guides are written with citation.

Submitted by mverwiel@wm.com on Mon, 05/16/2011 - 18:30

True, the article was all about spotting early 3.8s. However, it did add other pieces of commentary about certain aspects of later cars (i.e., head color changes). I believe the article was written by a couple of gentleman at Jag Heritage, so I think there might be some merit to the statement/article. Im not trying to be critical, just looking for clarification on the judges guide..

Submitted by SE98-32482CJ on Mon, 05/16/2011 - 14:46

Mark I am not sure what an article entitled "3.8 E-Type Spotting guide" has to do with your 4.2L car but you have left out the fact the JCNA S1 Guide quotes observed serial numbers. Does your car fit into those runs? If so there is your answer. Simply stated if it does not there is no answer yet. JCNA and the Series one guide author have not been able to document the exact cutoff for paint. You must also remember that we are talking E-Types here and not simply Jaguars. I have a late 1966 production 420"G" which is blond alum. but that was the standard for those cars but not the E-Type. Did "Jaguar World" provide a refrence for their claim or simply state it? Without documentation the information is without merit.