140 Spare Wheel Lid

The lid of the spare wheel compartment, i.e. the boot floor: some say this was always black, but I have seen 804010 with unpainted aluminium, and also the 140 handbook shows an early car with the top of the lid (i.e. the boot floor) painted body colour, and the underside probably black. Can any 140 owners let me know what they think were the original paint (or unpainted) finishes on these surfaces? - Regards, John Elmgreen.

John, When I stripped my 140 OTS down I found the top side of spare wheel cover body color and underside black. You have the numbers from my car and it is an early model. I posted this same question a few months ago after returning from a car show in Washington and everyone responded it should be black all over. I resprayed it. Mutter, mutter. I have the pointy front indicator lights on my car and can get you a picture if you are not in to much of a hurry. - Neville Laing

John, My 140ots - S810123 has a chrome grab rail. The car was repainted in the sixties and the spare lid is now car color but under the white is black which is probably original. The underside of these pieces are also black. - Ken Beck

John, Logic (if it can be applied to Jaguar production) would dictate that the door be black, since the body, and spare tire well, would have been painted before the door was installed. My car body was also black, so I can't help to verify this for you. - Mike Carpenter

Mike C: You suggested "logic" re "Jaguar" production? Those words in the same sentence? The result so far seems to be that a few early cars had the body colour spare wheel lid top anyway, rest black. A few more responses might add some more, but thanks for all those so far. Regards, John Elmgreen

Neville, Interesting re the body colour top of the spare wheel lid. I think I did not research it before, so sorry if you were misled! Maybe it applies only to early cars. My 150 is certainly black all over. Would love some closeups of the front indicator lights - send to 3rd floor, 75 Castlereagh St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia. Regards, John Elmgreen

Have an early 1955 xk140 fhc. The top the spare wheel lid is body color (red), and the inside is black. - Gene Burda

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