Bonnet release

[Royzeboyze76]

Hi all,
The bonnet release cable has broken on my 3.4, fortunately the bonnet released to the second catch.
Can someone help and describe the quickest and easiast way to mend this. Is it possibe to fit a bowden cable to the existing knob, or do I stay with the original wire.
Is it a radiator out job to get to the mechanism, or do you undo the two bolts at the top, lift out the locking device and connect a new wire/cable, the workshop manual is useless and shows nothing.
Many thanks,
Royzeboyze

[JAGAZ]

Don`t know if the 420 is the same but i can remove the grill from accessing fasteners from underneath and then the catch is easy to work on.If you release the 2 bolts above then the catch will drop down,well on my 420 anyway.Hope this helps.

[TerryBeck]

You won't need to get the radiator out, but you will need to remove the grille. This'll give you access to the solderless nipple securing the end of the cable to the release lever. The new cable will come with a knob attached, if I remember rightly.

[stuarthardy]

Yes the cable should have a knob attached but, unfortunately, they are a pale imitation of the original bonnet release knob. Another case of parts suppliers using anything that falls to hand rather than getting it right on these (very) expensive spares.

420 cable replacements was easy but don't know about Mk2 etc.

Regards

[oldtimer]

Hi Stuart,
If you had any idea of the tooling costs involved , even for such a trivial item you may have a different point of view. Put in an initial order for 10,000 items followed by a scheduled supply chain and a contract you would get what you wanted at a sinsible cost. Set up costs are spread across a production run in order to get to a sensible unit cost. Then of course you end up with product on the shelf, that is money sitting there costing you interest or the lack of.

How many do you want!

The reality is that end suppliers probably route around for something that is fit for purpose and a near match,as in the item you refer to.

I understand your thoughts both in terms of match and cost but having some experience in this business I'm afraid it is a situation we stuck with.

Regards Oldtimer

[stuarthardy]

Yes Oldtimer, I've spent 30 odd years in industry designing, manufacturing and selling manufactured products of all descriptions. I imagine I have as good an idea as anybody as to the costs involved in manufacturing products. I know what is involved and the associated costs.

Perhaps your knowledge is a little dated because low volume batch production is so much cheaper these days thanks to modern manufacturing techniques and low cost production in China and the like where many of the sub-standard products we buy are made. I know this to be true as the major Jaguar parts suppliers use the same Chinese toolmakers and manufacturers that I do.

The point is, if you are going to make something, it doesn't cost any more to make it right!

How can we maintain originality of appearance when the parts suppliers churn out items that, if we're lucky, only vaguely resemble the parts they are meant to replace?

This is a subject dear to my heart.............

Regards

[oldtimer]

Hi Stuart,
Clearly I picked on the wrong person! Your Knowledge base has moved a little further down the line. I have to conceed and agree with what you have to say but it is not still down to numbers.
I don't have a clue about the volumes involved in our classic car market but they must be very slow. I know that reluctanly we used place orders referred to as "all time buys" and when most of the stock was still in the bin twelve months on, questions would be asked.

Good to chat on this interesting topic, on this occasion we have homed in on a simple release cable but it must be applicable accross many items.

It would be interesting to know how owners of very early car manage? Do they have bespoke parts made and accept the financial consequences?

I do appreciate that if you run a bus service you have to accept one or two poor routes in order to run a comprehensive service but do you see any solutions to the problem.

Regards Oldtimer

[stuarthardy]

Its really difficult Oldtimer. As I said the parts suppliers are getting the benefits of modern and low cost manufacturing but they aren't investing in 'proper' engineering. The problem is that the Chinese suppliers tell them they can sort all that stuff out and so they leave them to it. The problem is that they (suppliers), being so far removed from the hobby, don't really understand the application and the need for a degree of authenticity. I have seen this so many times.

Have you noticed how all the major retail brands of days gone by have all but disappeared? This is because the retailers are sourcing their own products direct from Far Eastern manufacturers and they simply make up some obscure brand name to put on them. The engineering work is done by the supplier and their brief is to make it cheaply, not nicely.

Volume is an issue but it isn't as though we are enjoying lower prices for these inferior parts. Quite simply, the prices charged for some parts are outrageously high, especially when you consider they don't really work properly. Obviously, being involved in the industry gives me some insight to this.

I think my advice to anybody who cares about originality is to repair original parts if possible rather than accept the sub standard parts sold as replacements. These, often times, require as much work to fit and set up as it would to fix the original part.

The people to admire most in this hobby of ours are those who manage to repair things and then help others to do likewise for little financial reward. The true spirit of the classic car enthusiast.

Regards

[oldtimer]

Stuart, I retired about fifteen years ago, and I recall some years before that our CEO of a major auto parts supplier talking about, don't quote me, German labour rates of £15 an hour compared with China at 80cents a day. Afterwards lot of grumbling and us being on cooly rates etc I'm sure you can imagine the senario. It now appears worse to me in that all the jobs have gone. Certainly all the well established names that I was brought up with have dissapeared.
We were just starting to see the flow of parts from China a lot of which left a lot to be desired !!

Stuart I'm sure we could keep this debate going for ever, just fight the good fight I suppose

Regards Oldtimer

PS I still have certain contacts and would not dare repeat some of the things that I am told

[J44EAG]

That`s why I try not to buy even OE parts which I know will fail again in a certain number of miles.

Hence buying Bilstein instead of Boge. Miltek instead of OE again, Goodrich instead of OE etc, etc. Polybush ARB rubbers, EBC instead of OE. At least these manufacturers seem to make a slightly superior product.

My only exception to the rule is sensors. OE electrical values are important. But then I have a moded ECU..........................Shot meself in the foot with that one!

Mike

[ecosselynx]

Hi Mike

I was going to put a comment there, but I thing you said it all!

[sweller]

in this hobby of ours

Whilst I find the discussion on outsourcing and globalisation illuminating, possibly a little close to home with added "oh, you seem surprised" I would rather pickily take issue with the word hobby.

I'm not so sure running an old car is simply a hobby - I only have my S type and a couple of shonky old motorbikes including a 90s Triumph, a 70s Guzzi and a 60s MZ as well as a load of non-runners that appear to be breeding.

I know a lot of people see looking after an old Jag as a love and a past time. I see it as a perverse duty to demonstrate that it is not necessary to inflict bland, generic motor vehicles on yourself. Preferably without appearing to shout "look at me, look at me".

I know it's silly but I tend to bristle at being lumped in the Sunday motoring/biking camp.

However, I too would like replacement parts to match the original components...

[tonystatham]

Does anyone have a schematic of bonnet release mech (the one on the car, not the bonnet) My manual shows nothing .

I very foolishly undid the two set screws holding the strike plate and the mech dropped , still attached by the release cable. But difficult to see how to re-attach. There is a lever which swivels on a plate with has two threaded holes and two spacers.

Do I need to remove radiator, Possibly not if I can remove the grill, but not immediately obvious how to remove the grille without first the rad.

[piman]

Hello Tony,

you can access the grill from below, there is a closing panel at the bottom (or maybe not if someone didn't refit it) You can reach the fasteners for the grill that way. It is a bit of a stretch but not too bad/

Alec

[340jag]

I would look into replacing the cable and attaching it to the pull knob , if the replacment part is not that good , I am lucky I have a spare !
You can buy new cable and solder the nipple on the end , just need to find away of attaching it to the knob , can't be that hard !!