I was looking through the Series III parts catalog on Jaguar Heritage today and when I finally got to looking at it (in Firefox because it works neither on iPad nor Mac Safari which is fairly stupid these days but that's another story) I noticed there are gas struts shown on the bonnet parts pages, part number BAC4302. When and how are these attached? My '87 certainly never had 'em and I've never seen them in any of the cars I've looked at, nor can I discern where they'd be put. There's also BD.48824 which is a 'bonnet strut brace' that I don't recognize either.

Is this a regional thing? A later enhancement? What have I missed? Thanks for any enlightenment.

Andrew.

 

never seen gas struts on a Series 3 either.

 

I've seen them only on V12 cars. Not sure they attach. Maybe someone has a pic?

Cheers
DD

 

I am seriously thinking about going to gas struts for the bonnet. Several years ago my boot lid would blow closed in the slightest breeze - usually hitting me in the back of the head. I found a company that manufacturered and sold gas struts of every size and strength. They were very kind and worked with me on finding the right one. Only about $20 with shipping and simple ball stud mount for each end. Now the boot lid opens with one finger, stays open, and shuts easily. That is what I want for my bonnet. I look forward to any photos your post may turn up.

 

Yellow:


That sounds interesting. Not that I am going to install gas struts on my SIII, either on the boot or bonnet. The boot lid works just fine. The bonnet, not quite as well!!!


As to the latter, I've learned and executed.


1. Removed the "monkey motion" device at the left front. Bonnet opens wider for better access to mess with stuff. I use a prop to keep it from bonking me if a breeze comes along.


2. I wiped a gob of lube on the latch pins. They grab and hold a lot better.


3. The passenger side latch is still a bit iffy. It seems latched. But a bit of a push on that corner seats it better.


A set of clunks gone.....


OTH, my 94 Jeep Grand Cherokee has gas struts on hood and hatch. Just swapped out the failing hatch struts. Pops right open. Fairly hefty pull down needed to close. Good ! no risk of getting my head bonked by that big hatch.


Carl

 

The struts were used on cars for some markets (not the USA); and they were on the 1992 V12 cars for Canada...I might have a photo somewhere...

 

Although the Series 3 cars left mainstream production in 1986, the V12s carried on in very limited production until 1992. By about 1990 it was down to around fifty a week. It could be that bonnet gas struts were introduced onto these cars which were almost all Daimler badged. Some may have been Jaguars to special order of course.

 

I'd love to see how they attach, Gregory, thanks.

FWIW the parts book shows them on a page for 3.4, 4.2, Sovereigns, Daimlers and VdP. That doesn't rule out XJ12's of course...

Andrew.

 

These photos are from car #92 of the last 100 V12 Vanden Plas cars built, model year 1992.

 

WOW. What a historic car. The gas struts look like a fantastic idea. It was a bit hard to orient what I am looking at. It appears that the top of the strut is mounted to the front side of the support structure beside the radiator. And then it pushes in a downward direction? Can you please describe to me where the mounting points are? I am the guy that put a gas strut on my boot lid and it works perfectly. So I am excited about installing gas struts on my bonnet. Thanks for your invaluable help. Jeff a.k.a Yellow series3

 

Jeff, I agree that the photos are a bit confusing. I no longer have this beautiful car; it is in a collection in Beijing - so I cannot take any more photos. But this might help: the front of the car is to the left, with the bonnet open in each of the strut photos and we are looking down beside the rad; the red/yellow wire is the wiring for the front fog lamps; this wiring is on every Series III car in my experience, taped up on the outer side of the rad panel. If you can find this on your car it might help to determine the relative position of the strut. The cadmium-plated piece on the left of the photo to which the strut is connected is mounted on the bonnet.

 

Well off what I envisaged. Very short units, way up front of the bonnet.
About where the springs are in other somewhat similar cars. Almost makes sense as the struts perform the function of the springs.


Paul Novack posts on J-L. He has a pride of Jaguars, one of which is a sister to Gregory's now gone car.


He might illustrate a bit better.


Gregory, I'll be you miss that beauty....


Carl

 

Paul Novak's beautiful car is a 1990 model and does not have the struts. And yes, Carl, I do miss #92; it is irreplaceble because it was in better-than-showroom condition...you may remember that I tried to sell it in Canada (preferably -because it was a model Jaguar made for Canada only) or the US and found no buyer for this "last 100" car...and that is why it is in Beijing.😞

 

Well, so much for that idea.


Next up might be Mark Scotton. he has one, year unknown, complete but with serious rust damage. It might be so fitted. If he sees this, mebbe.


Then. Get a pair. Not too bad on the pocket book, I hope. Using Gregory's picture, eyeball them in place. Then fab the connectors.
A "backer" of some sort would be needed for the bonnet. The bolts in the picture screw in to mote than tin. But, some version of a "Nutsert" just might suffice.


Carl

 

Perhaps any confusion as to front gas struts on XJs may span a few issues, including any market specific issues of which I am not aware . . . ie all Australian delivered Jaguars up to and including this era were of UK home market (RHD)\, and generally of the highest available spec.

As such, NO Series I, II, or III XJ6 cars had gas struts to bonnet, but all XJ40 cars did have them and from inception. The V12 cars were exceptions, surviving right through to '92 . . . and thus incorporating some detail developments that flowed from the (by then) superseded XJ6 or were common to the XJ40 . . . but without the car being categorized as either true XJ Series III nor as an XJ40. The sole V12 example I have seen from this crossover era had gas struts, identical to a contemporary XJ40, so I assume this is why they might appear in Series III parts catalogues.

Thus . . . just like your XJ6s, my '79 Series III XJ6 does not have gas struts to bonnet, but both my early '87 and very late '94 XJ40s do have them . . . and what a brilliant improvement on the guillotine friendly early cars . . . until, they get tired and need replacement. Good news is they are awash and reasonably priced online.

Putting aside originality, I am now planning to retrofit the XJ40 style gas struts to my Series III XJ6. One benefit that many owners may not have considered goes beyond eliminating the "windy day guillotine" . . . they far more positively locate the closing bonnet, thus avoiding those unsightly paint chips at corners when even slightly worn hinges allow the bonnet to flex and strike the inner edges of guard panels.

Cheers,

Ken

 

Hmmm . . . just gone out to see if it is too dark for some pics. It is!
But not so dark that it masked a problem I had not considered in my plan to retrofit the Series III with gas struts . . . the bonnet structure and hinging is entirely different on the XJ40, where the inner lights and grille are not part of the hinged bonnet as on the Series III. This makes copying the XJ40 problematic . . . principle is still sound but detail needs to be checked carefully.

Now makes me wonder if the '89 or '90 V12 Series III that I quoted with gas struts, may have been retrofitted rather than factory supplied. Have no access to nor pics of this long gone car so cannot clarify.

Ken

 

Hi all. Really enjoying the robust discussion on this topic. From studying the photos above it looks to me like the whole apparatus is forward of the radiator support. Of course, it looks pretty crowded back in the engine bay. As I mentioned above, I installed a gas strut on my boot lid and love it. I got it from www.liftsupportsdepot.com. They were very helpful and they provided all kinds of options. It all comes down to length, strength, and most importantly, the geometry to give you the leverage you need. I would say that a lot depends on whether you are just trying to replace the catch that supposedly holds the bonnet open or if you are trying to replace the springs too.

The problem with engineering a solution and ordering parts is that if what you order is a little too short, long, weak, etc you have to send it back and try another one. I think I am going to try to use my existing boot strut on the bonnet to see how that works and go from there. I am interested, however, to see any photos or drawings of the xj40 system. If I come up with one solution and then later come up with a better solution later I can always re-do it. Thanks again for the discussion. Jeff

 

Hi again. Just looked up the strut I used on my boot. 10 pounds of thrust, 23" extended, 13" compressed, ball sockets on the ends. With shipping, the whole thing was $30. It doesn't replace the springs, just holds it all the way open in a breeze. Works perfectly.

 

Greetings Jeff and you won't be alone in not have ready access to pics of the various hinge/strut employments across all XJ variants. I hope that the attached pics help . . .

• the first 3 pics are of our red '79 Series III and show the traditional forward hinged bonnet and grille combination, the "monkey puzzle" friction stay at front left side (?same side on LHD cars), and importantly, the rearward pin locating/locking mechanisms which are positioned against each inner wing and well forward of the firewall;
• the next pic is of our blue early '87 XJ40 which, because it is identical in every regard to all other XJ40s, is included for verification but is currently sited at rear of garage in poor light conditions for pics;
• the final 5 pics are of our burgundy '94 XJ40 which shows that the fixed grille moves the hinge point well to the rear, the lack of scuttle body paneling, the gas struts to the inside of each wing, their fixture to the bonnet stiffening rail by way of a separately spot welded bracket, and the rearward pin locating/locking mechanisms which are radically different to those on the Series III and which are positioned against each inner wing but well back against the firewall.

Precise measurement would be helped by having access to an XJ40 and while I will retrofit gas struts to our Series III, I have other priorities.

**NOTE** as stated earlier, I no longer have access to the late XJ12 . . . while the XJ-S and XJS, although built over XJ platform common to other variants, employ a different setup again.

Cheers,

Ken

 

Progress engineering a gas strut for the bonnet. My goal is no cutting, drilling or welding on the car so it is completely reversible. My plan is to get the strut in the space currently occupied by the bonnet restraint mechanism. I fabricated an anchor point and am now trying to find a strut that fits the bill. I have no beef with the stock spring system – it works and is easy to get them out so, the plan is to just replace the restraint system so that it opens the maximum amount and also does not do the guillotine thing. I hope to have it designed and parts on order by the end of the week. If it works, you could do the same thing on the other side, get struts with more force and replace the springs as well as the restraint. If anyone else comes up with an alternative idea I am all ears.