I'm creating an online resource for tracking XKEs. It should go live in the next week or so. One thing my database does is check the validity of serials numbers entered...and that is where I'm running into a problem. Later cars seem to come in a mish-mash of car numbers, with various random prefixes and suffixes. I'm trying to exclude those prefixes added by individual states, such as the "J62" type numbers California was fond of adding. In all cases, I ask the person entering the data to look to the builder's plate in the engine compartment for the proper number...

However, it seems that some S3 cars (and possibly others) have "UD" or "UE" stamped from the factory in front of the 1S prefix mentioned in the texts on the subject (the texts are almost uniformly unhelpful in this regard). Is this a legitimate factory numbering scheme? Right now I'm asking people to ignore these letters, but if it signifies something like "air conditioning" or whatever, I'd rather record it.

Right now, the database is programmed to accept the following numbers:

3.8 S1:

850001 - 850942: RHD Open Two Seaters
860001 - 861798: RHD Fixed Head Coupes
875001 - 881886: LHD Open Two Seaters
885001 - 890872: LHD Fixed Head Coupes

4.2 S1 (I break out the 1.5's at the Skilleter numbers, see next group; I also allow a "BW" suffix if noted):

1E1001 - 1E1863: RHD Open Two Seaters
1E10001 - 1E15888: LHD Open Two Seaters
1E20001 - 1E21583: RHD Fixed Head Coupes
1E30001 - 1E34249: LHD Fixed Head Coupes
1E50001 - 1E50974: RHD 2+2s
1E75001 - 1E77644: LHD 2+2s

S1.5:

1E1864 - 1E2183: RHD Open Two Seaters
1E15889 - 1E18367: LHD Open Two Seaters
1E21584 - 1E21958: RHD Fixed Head Coupes
1E34250 - 1E35814: LHD Fixed Head Coupes
1E50975 - 1E51378: RHD 2+2s
1E77645 - 1E79221: LHD 2+2s

S2 (I also allow the database to accept a "2R" prefix--is this right? No text mentions it, though it seems pretty common. I also allow a "P" prefix for power steering):

1R1001 - 1R1776: RHD Open Two Seaters
1R7001 - 1R14853: LHD Open Two Seaters
1R20001 - 1R21071: RHD Fixed Head Coupes
1R25001 - 1R26786: LHD Fixed Head Coupes
1R35001 - 1R36041: RHD 2+2s
1R40001 - 1R44287: LHD 2+2s

S3 (I allow the BW suffix and the "P" prefix, though I don't know if the "P" is legit on anything other than S2 cars):

1S1001 - 1S2872: RHD Open Two Seaters
1S20001 - 1S26120: LHD Open Two Seaters
1S50001 - 1S52116: RHD 2+2s
1S70001 - 1S75183: LHD 2+2s

Your input and guidance will be greatly appreciated. Thus far, the biggest issue is the "UE" or "UD" numbers.

Roger Los

Submitted by cleavefamily@c… on Sat, 12/28/2002 - 19:10

Roger:

I'm writing the Series 2 Judges Guide that will be posted on this site by early Spring or sooner. About the prefixes:

"The 2R prefix is for those cars certified for sale in the U.S. in 1971 even though made prior to November 1970" per page 7 of the Series 3 Seminar held at the JCNA AGM in San Antonio, Texas in 1997.

Of these the first OTS was 2R13621, made May, 1970; 926 sent to the U.S. and the first FHC was P2R27980, made April,1970; 619 sent to the U.S. No 2+2's were made with the 2R prefix.

You can see from the above, the P prefix preceded the 2R prefix. The BW suffix is correct for cars equipped with the Borg Warner auto transmission which was only available on the 2+2.

There are 3 major variations dealing with emissions systems on the Series 2 and this information will be available in the judges guide. It would be very helpful to be able to insert information on the emissions variations into you data base, as there are some who question weather or not emmission variation 1 (with the aluminum crossover at the rear of the engine) was produced in OTS or FHC models, although the Interum Parts List indicates this variation was produced in all three models. There may have been only 200+/- of each model made in this variation according to my research.

Also, you should add one digit to each of your ending numbers for the S2 to account for starting numbers ending a 1, i.e., there were 776 RHD OTS S2's made the first being 1R1001 and the last 1R1777.

Good luck on your data base.

This info good only for S2's I know nothing about S1's and S3's.

Stew Cleave
JOCO Chief Judge
'69 E-Type 2+2
and other LBC's