The S-Type is a beautiful car.

Sadly I do not have a picture of the S-Type, when I first saw it in the shape of a full sized medium-brown clay-model in the S-Type-design-meeting-room in Coventry in 1998… (well, obviously I can’t have a picture, as everything was top-secret, as usual…)

But what bugged me ever since I saw the finished S-Types on the road were those very visible and very ugly orange side reflectors, 2 in the front, 2 in the back. I am not aware of any legal requirement to have those reflectors there… The oval side indicator is also orange (and therefore ugly, too), but at least it is not as big as the reflectors – but there is a remedy for that as well…

I found a solution to solve this issue with the orange reflectors by accident:

It all started, when I bought a bunch of functional crystal-clear-plastic LED Side-indicators for my X-Types. I bought a bunch, because they were seriously cheap (Aliexpress). When I was installing them on my X-Type, which was parked right next to my S-Type, I noticed that the X-Type side indicators do have a very similar shape to the useless non-functional orange S-Type side-reflectors, just shorter). And there the idea was born to modify the X-Type side indicators and to use them to replace the non-functional orange reflectors with additional functional clear (crystal) plastic indicators…

It’s a 2004 3.0L S-Type, where I did this modification – I hope that this modification is possible on all S-Types…


Orange side-reflectors... - ugly as!


If you squeeze the plastic-clips of the reflectors from behind the bumper a bit (it is not difficult to get there with your arm from underneath the car), it is quite easy to remove them.


That's a reflector removed - this will give you a good idea, where to squeeze to get them out.


That's a side indicator from a Jaguar X-Type - aftermarket - LED - running LEDs. Modifications: Where the arrow points at I removed the front bit of a plastic clip, plus I removed that stud in the red circle.


In detail: a bit of the plastic clip removed.


Using a little file and a cutter knife to reduce the thickness of the black bit of plastic behind the bumper in position, where the shortened clip (see picture right above) will latch in. As is, the thickness of bumper plus black plastic behind bumper is a tad too much.


I cut a bit of thin cardboard to size to produce a template, which then lets me cut off the right size of a bit of sheet metal (it was roofing sheet metal).


That metal part is used to extend the length of the side indicator to match the aperture in the S-Type, where the reflector was. Black roofing silicone is doing the trick. Next I need to mark very precisely the future position of a 5mm hole and drill it (see the part with hole 3 pictures below).


The CD-Changer in my S-Type is in the boot on the left. It is blocking proper access to the "dust flaps" (seen here behind the aperture). Hence, I used a bit of wire (the arrow points at it) to guide a thin bit of electric cable past those dust flaps. A fairly thin cable does not disturb those dust flaps too much. If the cable is too thick, it holds the flaps open and you'd get more dust into the boot.


So this is the thin cable fed thru the dust flaps. I soldered the cable onto the "T10" connector of the side indicators and then covered this with shrink tube.


Matching bolt & nut for the 5mm hole.


Due to the extremely restricted space behind the bumper on my left rear (this is because of the CD changer), I had to come up with an idea of how to hold the nut in position, while I insert the bolt: See above: As there is not enough space to hold the nut with 2 fingers, I taped the nut onto ONE finger. That worked out alright. On the right rear there is more space. There you can use 2 fingers.


Side indicator positioned


I used a short strip of chrome moulding (30mm wide) and black silicone to cover the gap.


The moulding strip was held in its correct position over night via a bit of duct tape.


Done. And I checked, which two cables connect to the indicator bulb in the rear light. I spliced those 2 cables (before they get to the connector) and connected them to the thin cable that goes to the side indicator. Polarity does not matter as there is a rectifier incorporated into the LED side indicator.


Action! Obviously, I did the same on the other side (you see the other side-indicator in the reflection on the X-Type).


And this is the replacement for the ugly orange S-Type side indicator. Don't worry about the "blue" - that is just a protective foil. That removed, this side indicator is also crystal-clear.

And there is a funny story about those oval side indicators...:
I ordered on Aliexpress 6 pair side indicators for X-Type - 'bout AU$4 each pair, plus postage. But what I received were 6 pair side-indicator for S-Type. Seller's fault - so they have sent me the correct order now and I could keep the S-Type indicators. Initially I did not plan to swap the oval S-Type indicators, but not I'll, obviously. (And had I ordered S-Type indictors intentionally: They cost more than double than X-Type side indicators...). So that was lucky.

Also: Above I showed, how to replace the rear side reflectors with functional side indicators, and I plan to do the same with the two side reflectors in the front, too, soon.

I also made a short video regarding this modification:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA-c0WMdTi4&pp=ygUVcy10eXBlIHNpZGUgaW5kaWNhdG9y

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA-c0WMdTi4&pp=ygUVcy10eXBlIHNpZGUgaW5kaWNhdG9y

 

Good write up Peter. They would be mandatory in most markets. Probably 'reflecting' light in very dark conditions.
I've lost count of how many panel beaters have broken the reflector lugs by not knowing how to remove them. My panel beater mate has broken two so far, plus his apprentice ripped my inner wheel arches trying (without patience) to remove them..
Managed to effectively glue and save the (difficult to find) inner wheel arches at least.

 

jya, I just read your post above regarding the ripped wheel arch liner... - and then I went out by the front door and took pictures, of how I just fixed mine:


Step 1: Reconnection of the ripped pieces on that side facing the tyre with black heat-glue.


Step 2: Smearing a layer of black roof silicone onto the other side and let it dry over night at least.


Step 3: Revisiting the side with the black heat glue and melt it again to make it look nicer - more evenly looking.


Like that - better than ripped apart...

That's a wheel arch line of an X-Type. I just had it lying around there, as I just completed spray-paint half the X-Type today (when I bought it it came with massive clear-coat-damage (sun impact) and minor damage on fender and door-sill). The damage on the wheel arch liner was also a result of the fender bender.

And regarding the other thing...: I still do not believe that the orange side reflectors are mandatory on the S-Type, as the X-Type does not have those ugly additions.

When I checked the net, the only mandatory thing I found about orange side reflectors were, that they are required on trailers. Hence, as long as the S-Type does not fall into the hands of those funny guys in Australia, which transform basically any car into a trailer, the S-Type should be good without side-markers....
In case you have never seen such a "modified car trailer"... - I found this on the net - this was made in the UK, but I see other Trailer car-trailer conversions here in Australia from time to time;

 

Yes, there'd be no issue without reflectors here in the antipodes. Unless some copper had it in for you.
Clever idea with the heat glue and silicone, never thought of trying it. These liners are so thin and easily ripped.

I has some of the 'Selleys Power Grip All Plastics', lying around so I thought I'd spot test that first on the liners (the apprentice had ripped all four and once ripped the tear keeps growing). I rang Selleys to check what sort of product this is first as it looks just like super glue. They told me it was a stronger formula to their very high quality super glue. And I must say it bonded that plastic amazingly well. I reinforced it on the rear with some gaffa tape.
All their products are certainly premium quality but they're very expensive..

A very nice trailer!
Wouldn't mind one for my Stag!



Gaffa tape as a reinforcement.

Some of the lining had complete chunks missing. I forgave the apprentice. He's still there.

A few versions of the inner liner used by Jaguar.

Hasn't broken away for several years now. I'm always careful when I remove the liners.

 

@jya: As future taping reference: The strongest tape I ever came across (and I use it permanently for everything) is silver reinforced roofing tape from Bunnings, called "Ametalin 72mm x 50m Reinforced Insulation"...:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ametalin...-tape_p0029077

PS: I was thinking: Are you sure that this panel beater of yours & his apprentice are "panel beaters" rather than junk yard recyclers or wreckers?

 

This is the continuation of the thread I started above, where I already announced that I will also replace the orange oval S-Type side indicators with crystal-clear ones and that the orange front reflectors are also on my list (to be replaced).

Let my start with this: I saw meanwhile that I am not the only one, who finds the orange reflectors utterly displeasing: I saw a old thread on another forum, where people asked what can be done about those orange reflectors, and what they came up with: Remove the reflectors and paint them in the colour of your car...

And I found this on the net:

I think this was an attempt to get one step closer to the OLD S-Type (1963-1968) design... And I note that the orange side reflectors disappeared as well.


I loosened the inner wheel arch lines... but that did not help, as the wiper wash bottle behind the bumper makes sure that access with your hand is impossible from behind (on the right front side). So not even taping the nut to a finger would help here (as I did it when replacing the rear left reflector (see above)).


Hence, a new approach was required: I "glued" a nut onto the position, where it will be needed behind that silver latch. Then I tightened the bolt so that the nut would hold on to that position a day later. That's kind of the idea of a "weld-nut", which I used here...


I made those metal extensions again - pretty much the same as for the rear reflector replacements.


The power for the new clear indicators comes again via a splice on the wires to the front indicator.


That square module in the centre of the picture is the controller of the front indicator LED bulb, which doubles up are DTRL when the indicator is not active.


Note that I had to improve on my metal latch design: Not as wide on the end and bent inwards in a step.


It works. Plus: On the left front side, it is possible to access the reflector from behind, which made removing the reflector and installing the X-Type indicator easier.


I used 30mm wide chrome moulding (plastic) and I had bent the edges inwards a bit (using a heat gun), before fixing it with black roof silicone and securing it with household sticky-tape for 2 days. And the oval S-Type side indicators are now also LED and crystal clear.


Certainly a big improvement. Btw.: The LEDs in all those new indicators are "running" - there is not much choice: The rear X-Type indicators will be "running towards the back and the front X-Type indicators will be running towards the front. Where the LEDs in the oval are running to is your choice (depending of how you mount them). I have then running towards the back, i.e. the LEDs are running "away" from the front wheel, which looks kind of cool.

And this will be visible in the video, which I will linked here, showing all 10 side-indicators in action: