I have a 1974 xke v12 with 28K miles. It is largely unmolested and original. I went to time it after a tuneup and there is no timing scale underneath the harmonic balancer. I see no missing bolts and can not understand why someone would take it off. I do not even see a place to put one on. The two silver spots where I think the screws should be are not drilled and tapped. Were some engines shipped without the timing scale?

 

Yup, that's where it's supposed to be, but the attachment is not what one would think. the scale attaches with 2 vertical bolts thru the front of the oil pan into the front timing cover. Front and side pictures:


It approaches the balancer with the TDC mark at about a 45 deg angle from below. It's also quite hard to see; you have to get underneath the car. I added fuel injection to my '74 a while ago, got rid of the huge alternator hanging out in front of the engine, fit a 95amp Delco alternator, and built a new timing scale that sets TDC at about 315 deg. I can easily see it from above right of the engine.

 

This is where I located the ignition timing scale...

It can be viewed from top right of the engine. The scale is cutout instead of stamped into the metal, the small "o" is TDC. and yellow so you can't miss it. I set the engine to TDC from the original scale, checked position with a indicator on a piston and scored a new mark (not shown) in the balancer to line up. The scale can be moved just a bit to fine tune location, the clamp it down and you're good to go.

 

As you can see on my car those holes are not drilled or tapped. I have no explanation for that. However I have been showed another scale that seems to bolt to the engine using the oil pan bolts. There is a guy in Germany that makes those scales. Not sure I need it if I just set my timing light to 8 degrees and observe the mark at 180 degrees. Thanks for the input.

PS you should sell the scale you made. It beats going under the car.