Courtesy Light and Switch

Trying to lay out a new wiring harness for my 150S OTS, Wiring diagram from XKs shows wires from a courtesy light to 2 courtesy switches. Are these even present on a roadster? Seems to me that a Fixed head that I once owned did have 2 door switches and a light that turned on when you opened the doors but there arent even holes in the door jambs on the open car. Any thoughts?? (Special thanks to Bob Oates who, in an earlier posting gave us all his thoughts and experiences on rewiring)[thank God I saved it!] - David M. Drenzek

Dave, I have just put a new wiring loom in my 150S OTS and asked the same question. I am told that the courtesy light connections apply only to the Fixed head NOT to the OTS. I just put a single rubber covered connector on each of the ends for prtection. The same applies to the boot light wires in the boot as I understand that no light was originally fitted to the OTS. - Regards, Col Haywood

Ok here's one I've been meaning to ask for some time but never got around to it. Do any of you with an XK120 FHC or DHC have switches in the door hinge posts (i.e. the "A" posts)? Mine has matching sets of holes on each side, a large round hole flanked by two small holes. They are high up and a mirror image of each other, nicely measured out and punched, which leads me to believe they were not done by some PO with a hand drill. I gotta believe these are for switches to turn on the interior lights like the saloons have, but I can't find any mention of them in the parts catalogue and they're not on the wiring diagram. So does anybody else have them, or not have them? - Rob Reilly - XK120 FHC 679187

Bob, I just went out to the parking lot and checked the door pillars on my 120FHC. No holes like you mentioned. I can not attest to the authenticity of my car however. Bye for now, it's time to leave the office behind and listen to the purr of the Jag as I head for home! - Jeff Snook

Just for the record, My 1953 120FHC se does not have such holes. - Duco Avis, the Netherlands

My 680844 (fhc) does not have these holes. - Mike Plechaty

Rob: No sign of holes on my A-pillar. - Carl Hanson, 1951 XK120 FHC

I saw the replies from Jeff, Duco, Mike and Carl. Thanks to all of you. 4 cars, 4 no holes. So I conclude mine are non-factory. Still, it's surprizing that someone actually did a pretty good job putting these holes in, which doesn't jive with the schlocky hack jobs elsewhere on the car. Maybe it was a dealer add-on. I suppose I'll never know. Pity the switches themselves are gone. Thanks again. - Rob Reilly

Make it five for five. My 53 DHC has no holes (nor did it ever). Would have been nice, though, to have the interior light come on when the door opens. - Gardner Howard, 53 120 DHC, 52 120 OTS

My '53 FHC has holes, cause I put them there. - George Badger

Thanks for your comments. Neither of my two 150 roadsters have holes at the face of the door hinge pillar assemblies. While always expecting the exception to appear on our list and especially with all the subtle documented and undocumented changes to these cars, I would venture to say that no factory holes appeared because the open cars were not equipped with an interior light such as a dome light. But like a lot of suppliers did, the body maker provided a sort of universal part to the factory (e.g., the frames were made so the factory could fit for either left hand or right hand drive cars). Accordingly, the main harness (dash/cowl) had two short leads (purple) with bullet connectors affixed from which you connect a wire to each door switch if the car was to receive a door switch. (I just bought the door switch connector harness- to- cowl harness last month from Rhode Island Wiring Service and will install after completing the painting of the car which we are scheduling before Thanksgiving, I hope.) - Robert Oates

If you have any questions or comments send e-mail to: ted@jag-lovers.org
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