The postal vote conducted during November showed that there is overwhelming support amongst the 'S'-types owners for the formation of a new Register within the Jaguar Car Club of Victoria devoted to the 'S'-type. With 86% of the primary votes (24 of the 28 received) going to the 'S'-type Register, it is clear that this is the preferred option for the future of the group. A preferential vote distribution calculation was not necessary (fortunately!).

We discovered recently that the JCCV had agreed to separate the 'S'-type out of the IRS Register during 1999, however nothing eventuated at the time. Given this information, it was clear that it was very likely that the JCCV Committee would vote to accept a motion to form an 'S'-type Register given the level of support demonstrated by the many 'S'-type owners at the meeting at Jells Park in October 2000.

We approached the current JCCV IRS Register Secretary Bob Showers to see if he would support a motion to form the 'S'-type Register. Bob committed to support our proposal with no hesitation whatsoever. Bob has a soft spot for the 'S'-type, as he was the previous owner of a unique 1964 'S'-type, now owned by Brian Daly. His 3.8 'S'-type features optional 9.0:1 compression ratio and a close ratio manual gearbox with O/D as well as upgraded brakes.

Our immediate priority was to identify JCCV committee members to propose and second the motion.

We contacted Tim Maslin, (JCCV Vice-President), to explain our proposal in detail. Tim expressed his full support for the formation of an 'S'-type Register without requiring any coercion! His first question was whether we intended to include that other orphan of the Jaguar family, the 420 (compact), which in fact, is a derivative of the 'S'-type. More on that question later. At the same time, the opportunity was taken to clear the date for the run to attend the "Picnic at Hanging Rock" announced in Newsletter No. 3 with Tim, as he is responsible for the JCCV calendar. Tim also agreed to mail us a copy of the JCCV's "Register Secretary's Manual" which he compiled during 1999, and this duly arrived in late November. Further canvassing resulted in Neville Lockstone (JCCV President) making a firm recommendation to the JCCV Committee at the January meeting to form an 'S'-type Register. His support was based on the fact that we more than adequately met all criteria for forming a new register. Our motion to form an 'S'-type Register was approved without a vote. It read as follows:

It is proposed to elect the 'S'-type Register Secretary and Deputy on 8^th April. Accordingly, we call for nominations for these positions from interested owners. The election cannot be held at our meeting on Sunday 11^th February at Hanging Rock, as there will not have been the minimum one-month's notice via the CatALog as required by the JCCV. Note that it is also a requirement that the Register Secretary be a current JCCV member. If you want more information about this role, or wish to volunteer, or just want a JCCV membership application form, please contact Dereck on e-mail: stype@jagvic.org.au.

The question has been raised several times recently as to whether we should include the 420 in the 'S'-type Register. The 420 (known unofficially as the 420 Compact or 420C, to prevent confusing it with the much larger 420G), was developed from the 'S'-type and used the 'S'-type body from the A-pillars rearwards with a new front end styling based on the MkX. Mechanically, the major difference between the 420 and the 'S'-type was the adoption of a twin SU version of the 4.2 litre XK engine from the MkX with an uprated cooling system to cope with the larger engine capacity and optional air-conditioning.

Technical Subject: Chrome Wire Wheels

Chrome wire wheels are something that we have learnt about the hard way, as we have had all five wheels on our 'S'-type re-spoked three times during the last two years! We have original optional 72 spoke "curly hub" Dunlop 5 x 15 inch chrome wire wheels, and it was not too long after purchasing the car that we discovered seven broken spokes in one wheel. We made a significant financial commitment based on safety grounds, to fully re-spoke all five wheels. The car had completed just over 100,000 miles and appeared to exhibit simple fatigue failures of spokes replaced some time in the past. Some wheels actually still had the original short spokes, which have a stepped shank with the head end made from 5 SWG steel, and the threaded nipple end drawn down to 6 gauge.

Over the next two months the wheel rebuilder replaced all 360 spokes using straight 6 SWG spokes sourced from the USA, and we resumed using the car regularly with no more worries - or so we thought! Imagine our horror to discover only 2,500 miles later that there were broken short spokes in all four wheels, although our 'S'-type is not used in competition of any kind. Fortunately, the spokes were still in warranty, and so it was off with the wheels again, dismount the tyres by hand again, and back to the factory 110 km away. The premature failure of the short spokes under the head appeared to be due to hydrogen embrittlement, caused by inadequate heat treatment after the chrome plating process. All restorers should be aware that it is vital to heat treat any steel part after chrome, zinc, or nickel plating, to prevent a catastrophic premature failure under normal tensile loads.

We were assured that we were the only customers to have had any failures of this type with their current stock of spokes. The wheels were collected two weeks later after all 360 spokes had been replaced a second time with US sourced spokes at no cost to us.

This time, we were a little nervous and checked all spokes after each use of the car. Everything went well until the odometer ticked over another 2,500 miles, and we were devastated to find a few broken spokes in one wheel! Over the next week this spread to all four wheels. With the spokes still under warranty, we decided to wait until a shipment of thicker 5 SWG spokes drawn down to 7 SWG arrived from the UK. In the meantime, we replaced spokes ourselves as they broke.

We finally received word that the spokes had arrived, and so we removed the wheels and tyres again and had them re-spoked a third time. The turnaround was excellent at only two days, and after again polishing the wheels and refitting the tyres, it was off to Jells Park for our inaugural 'S'-type meeting. At this stage, we have completed 2,450 miles on the re-spoked wheels without any failures and have our fingers crossed. The moral of this sorry tale is if you find a few broken spokes in one of your chrome wire wheels, simply replace the broken ones and leave the rest alone!

David Reilly has published an excellent set of Maintenance Notes covering "The Care and Cleaning of Wire Wheels" in his International Register Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 11 in May 2000. We recommend that all 'S'-type owners join the International Register and obtain a copy of this very comprehensive guide. Although we have experienced the worst side of owning a car fitted with wire wheels, and this, along with the tedious job of cleaning the wheels regularly by hand, sometimes makes us wonder why we bought a car fitted with these relics of the past. Then again, you only have to look at the 'S'-type with its chrome wire wheels gleaming in the sun (meticulously cleaned by my dedicated wife Irina), and centre-lock spinners glinting dangerously, that I realize the allure of 72 spoke centre-lock chrome wire wheels!

The first two 'S'-types arrived in Australia together in late 1963 and were sold to Bob Jane (of T-Marts fame) & Col Shea. The ex-Bob Jane car's whereabouts is not known, although it is thought to have been white, and was presumably a 3.8 MOD. Bob Jane does not know of its fate. We hope that his car still exists, and that perhaps we will receive a questionnaire back from an owner soon which helps us locate this early 'S'-type.

The original identification numbers are stamped on a "commission" plate mounted in the engine compartment, some on the left-hand inner guard, and some on the firewall. The plate details the Car number, Engine no., Body no., and Gearbox no. The numbers are also stamped into the items themselves, and numbers that do not match indicate that the component has been replaced. Having matching numbers is proof of an original 'S'-type, but beware that reproduction plates are available, and can be used to build "fake" 3.8 manual overdrives for example. The numbers and build date can be authenticated by providing the current numbers to the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, who check the factory records and issue a Certificate to confirm the original numbers.

Engine number: The engine number is stamped on the block and on the head. It is found on the right hand side of the block above the oil filter, (you will need a torch but no mirror), and on the cylinder head casting between the cam boxes beside the front (#6) spark plug hole. The engine number has three elements:

Car or Chassis (VIN) number: The car or chassis number is etched or stamped into the cross-member beside the bonnet catch just forward of the radiator top tank. The car number breaks down into four elements:

We can depart in convoy from Melbourne without using CityLink, and meet more 'S'-types at Gisborne. There is free entertainment available, with activities and displays for the whole family, but only limited food services are provided. Picnic facilities are available but are very popular. Entry is $10 per vehicle. As it is impossible to park together unless we arrive at the gate "en-mass", we have to ensure that the 'S'-types arrive in close convoy

We hope to meet a few 'S'-type owners wandering amongst the Concours cars, but have not planed an official 'S'-type outing.

We hope to meet a few 'S'-type owners wandering amongst the Concours cars, but have not planed an official 'S'-type outing.