Tow bar

[470HW]

Has anybody fitted a towbar to a 3.8 MK2? I have one that I want to fit to my car. I'm not sure of the best place to pass the cable through the body work.

[470HW]

I'll elaborate on this since I've had no responses and could really use some help/advice. I'm sure somebody must have fitted or removed a towbar at some point. My problem is this. I cannot seem to find a suitable place to pass the cable through the bodywork for my towbar electrical connection. There are some drain holes in the spare tyre well that I could pass it in through but no reasonable way out from there into the cavity behind the side trims to the right and left. Most of the panels that I could feasibly drill a hole through are double skinned so I'm reluctant to to that. Towbars must have been fitted as an optional extra so there must be a standard Jaguar way of fitting them surely.

[piman]

Hello 470 HW,

I don't think manufacturers were particularly concerned about tow bars and Witter I think was one of the main suppliers of after market tow bars and people either had their garage fit them or DIY. I would guess that going through the boot floor adjacent to where the bar rails were bolted making it easy to cilp the cable out of the way.
I can't say I've ever seen a tow bar on a MK 2 and would guess that it is not the easiest of cars to fit one as theer are no real chassis members at the back of the car and also the petrol tank is quite far back on the left side? Do you have a model specific tow bar for your car?

Alec

[470HW]

Hi Alec, thanks for the response. I take your point on the chassis. I bought the tow bar second hand and it was photographed fitted to a 3.8 MK2. It seems it gains its strength and primarily anchors through the rear bumper tow bar plate, two large bolts passing through the thick plate and double skinned body panels via some tubular spacers. There are thick shims that match the profile of the bumper to pack the space between the bumper and the plate. Looks kind of ok strength wise but other tow bars I've fitted have gone straight onto the chassis so its not the best setup. It doesn't seem too close to the tank for concern.

The steel body plate right next to the boot catch is single skin and I believe a good candidate to drill and pass the cable through. It would be a nice neat way to run the cabling into the side panels and I believe its what you're suggesting too. I'm in the final throws of restoration now having spent a great deal of time and money on my car. I intend to get full use out of it so a tow bar is a must have. The bumper will be back from the chrome shop early next week so I have a bit of time but I'd like to feel a bit more confident about the whole thing.