1952 Jaguar XK120 OTS Paint Questions - Chassis 672233

Ooops. Thanks.

Sorry Bob, they are the things that the brakes are attached to, You called them Brake Backing Plates!

Okay Bill - you got me. What are "back plates"?

Hello Bob, the backplates were gloss black.

Thanks again George.

The 5 factory wire wheels for my car, although somewhat rusty and missing tires, have original Cream color paint inside and out (the original factory color of my car).

I was curious about your answer but was willing to accept it. Thanks for the correction.

Bob

I must offer a bit of a correction on the 120 OTS. In consultation with Dick C. he reminded me of NUB 120 and other things so it made me take my own advise--check the documents!). I have no excuse except a rush to finish up a few things before the holidays.. The 120 OTS did in fact offer BODY color wire wheels but not Interior color (unless special order). What I was think of but not checking was the later models. I will pull out my documents and comment on all of this later but Robert my answer is modified to this: your wires could either be painted BODY color, stove enamel silver, chrome, or chrome spokes with painted rim. Hope this helps. Check the JCNA XK120 Technical Seminar for the information.

Thanks again for your expert help George, I have been in touch with Dick and hope to meet with him in January after the holidays. I just received my Production Record Trace Certificate from Anders, issued by the JDHT in England. My car 672233 was delivered to Los Angeles in 1952 and sold to Homer E. Smith (address unknown). Next owner was Harold R. Brenholtz in Ada, Oklahoma in 1969. I recently purchased the car and it is back in California for a ground up restoration. So far the body has been stripped down to bare metal, repairs have been completed to any rust areas, battery boxes and door hinges have been rebuilt, chassis & suspension parts have been powder coated. I am in the process of reassembling the chassis. Hoping to have the engine & body back on the chassis by early summer and complete the painting, and other reassembly by end of summer, too late to show the car in 2012. I am doing everything (except painting) out of my 2 car garage in La Verne, CA.

Clyde wires were never offered as standard to "match" interior color. If tthe car was a special order then it may reflect such on the certificate. Wire wheels were either stove silver--chrome, Painted rim (silver) with chrome spokes (very rare) or painted body color for FHC and DHC if ordered. All Jaguar documents confirm that--all secondary works confirm that. When you say delivered you mean from the dealer--the dealers did (and still do) things to cars to help move them-a common XK dealer change was to paint the brake drums red! Show cars and prototypes are not part of this discussion but for production cars your engineer friend is simply mistaken I think. Once again if they were done that way from the factory it will be documented on the build sheet as "special" !

George and Robert,
My XK120 OTS was delivered with Red Wires in 1952. The body is black, red interior, black top. Wires were sometimes painted to match the interior, especially black with red. Source is a British engineer who restored XKs in England prior to coming to the U.S.

Robert your wheels should be either stove enamel silver or chrome. Only DHC and FHC cars had the option of body color wheels.The black parts you asked about were chassis black which is neither gloss or flat. Brake parts in the wheel wells are not judged! The body welts are body color. Red interior was the combination with silver but that silver was called "sports"7 so not sure what "Perlescent" actually is. As far as painting the black areas of your body I suggested you contact Dick C. He is proofing a definitive original publication and has access to a hyper accurate answer for you. Good luck.

Sorrym I forgot to ask about the rear brake backing plate - paint it gloss or flat black?

Also, my car has wire wheels and dual exhaust. I assume the wheels are painted same color as the body?