Headlining Colours

Here are details of the only records I have of headlining colours as fitted
new.  Note that there are only 2 colours mentioned, JCNA agrees with this.
Also a Cream/Red FHC had fawn headlining while a Cream/Red DHC (my car) had
Grey headlining.  Also Red interior could have had either colour
headlining, apparently depending on the body colour.  Seems like it might
be hard to set any fixed rules here that would enable us to work out what
other combinations would have been.

XK150 FHC
Body        Leather     Headlining
BRG         Tan         Fawn
BRG         Tan         Fawn
Cream       Red         Fawn
Mist Grey   Red         Grey
Cream       Lt Blue     Grey
Cream       Lt Blue     Grey
Cots Blue   Grey        Grey
Cream       Grey        Grey
Mist Grey   Red         Grey

XK150 DHC
Body        Leather     Head      Hood
Cream       Red         Grey      Black

Anyone out there got a FHC or DHC (120, 140, 150) with original headlining,
and would care to advise me the details (esp chassis number, original
colours of car)?  FHC often are still original but not so with DHC.  All
contributions gratefully received. Any feedback from Michel re the French
car cards (?held by Viart?).  Copies would be great! - Regards, John
Elmgreen

1956 XK140MC FHC  S814791  Cream exterior, Black interior (now red), Fawn
headliner. - Ted Zenuk, Tucson, Az.

John:  I sent you a snippet from my headlining, which appears contrary to
the rule, like several other items on my car.  It was blue vinyl (?)!  I am
convinced that it was original because there was no sign of a refurbishment
as I cleaned out the interior.  Besides the headliner, this material
covered the "crescent-shaped" rear quarter panel containing the interior
lights and the rear window frame.  I am not sure I will replace the
headliner with the original material, however. It makes the interior pretty
dark!  And I would have a devil of a time convincing JCNA judges that it
was authentic! - Carl Hanson, 1951 XK120 FHC (possibly a prototype)

John, Thank you for the information. But as I know Jaguar, we cannot be
sure that the same was applicated on 120? You snipped a part of the
headlining of my 120 dhc in Donington. Do you remember? I think it is
original the headlining on my car. And I guess this is what is called fawn?
Do you have the magazine Sovereign? There was an article about Xk120, and
there was a picture of a car with very light coloured surrounding of the
windscreen. Original? Who knows? - Best regards Zoran Mitrovic

John,  How about a deal? As soon as I get it out of storage, I'll trade you
a piece of the original (Fawn - it think comes closest) headline for the
same kind of writeup as you just did for the 150 series. - Regards, Klaus
Nielsen

Carl,  re your vinyl headlining, I think the simplest solution will be to
have it carbon dated. That should satisfy the concours judges! I have
looked closely at it, it is clearly not Rexine, but so what? I must say
that I am sceptical that it is original, vinyl headlining was very common
in the 50s and it could readily have been replaced by an earlier owner. I
have never heard it suggested that vinyl was used here before, but I
certainly would not close my mind on the subject. Have you tried to locate
the original owner, I guess you have his name? That was the way that Zoran
sorted out for sure his seat colour. I should add that Terry McGrath has
advised me that Jaguar did use blue and green headlining in the 50s
although he cannot recall whether this was limited to sedans, but no
mention of vinyl. My 150 has vinyl inside its hardtop too. - Regards, John
Elmgreen

Zoran,  Did I take 2 samples from your hood, one in original colour and the
other that had been exposed and was therefore discoloured? I think they are
yours, and certainly they are fawn not grey. - Regards, John Elmgreen

I don't know if it's any help to you guys but there is an XK140 brochure
that lists all the colour interior/exterior colours in detail (doesn't
mention headliners specifically of course). It does also say you could
order what you wanted to at extra cost which won't be of much help! The 150
doesn't have such a brochure nor the 120 as far as I can tell. If it is of
help try
http://www.jag-lovers.org/brochures/xk140_55_main.html
and it's on page 13. There's also a German version there. - Tony Bailey,
Jag-lovers Brochures Homepage

Klaus,  Do you want a write up of the 140 cars re headlining? I do not have
the Car Cards for any 140s sadly, and the only other way I can get the info
is to keep asking you guys to give me feedback, and to keep looking at
(apparently) original cars and recording the info. I have the impression
that Fawn is more common than Grey at this stage. I would like the sample
you offered! - Regards, John Elmgreen

John, I just wanted to be certain that my sample is original and that a
piece will its way to you. If grey and fawn were the only 140FHC options,
all is clear. Certainly, where exposed, mine is "varigated dirty...muddy
brown", but where it was covered, fawn is a better call than grey. I will
send you a section showing both. - Regards, Klaus Nielsen

John, just for the record. My '53 FHC also had vinyl headlining. It was
beige or fawn coloured. I thought it was a later  replacement, but the
structure is the original one and I found no traces of anything else
(wool). BTW the rest of the interior was also vinyl ( even the seats). This
was why I thought it to be non original. I will replace it with wool (fawn)
regards - Duco Avis, 120 FHC S681221 august 53

John, My headliner on my 150 FHC is a vinyl material-I have seen cloth on
some other 150 FHC examples. Is the vinyl original or is the cloth ? - Doug
Wilson S834582

There you have it Judges, " You could order anything you wanted and if it
were sent to America it could have been anything from Zebra skin to pink
daisy's because we are as crazy as hell and we like it. - E.W. Blake Ha!
HA! HA!....

John, My 150 coupe (834699) has fawn headliner.  The upholstery of the car
is vinyl and obviously not original, but I have always believed the
headliner to be original as it appears to be much older than the seats and
in considerably much worse condition.  Atually, the seats are not worn at
all but the headliner is very tattered.  According to the JDHT certificate
the interior was suede green. - Regards, Dick White

EWB is right that Jaguar would take your order for unusual paint and trim
colours, I noticed a few while researching there recently.  One that I
recall in particular was a car finished in primer, with an unpainted
(therefore presumably to be polished) bonnet.  What about the cars (there
were a few) that were sent with primer only?  Presumably the local dealer
or maybe even the owner finished these in some highly unusual colour.  When
all this info gets computerised, I may be able to identify the location of
some of these cars today and check the end results.  By the way, for
concours purposes, the general approach seems to be that you need to prove
your unusual colour was what your car actually came with new. - Regards,
John Elmgreen

i guess you took one when I was looking, and one when I was not looking!
VBG. That's why I got so wet inside afterwards. Seriously, I can not
remember, but it could be. It is a pitty it was not grey, because this
would suit the car better. - Best regards Zoran Mitrovic

Doug Wilson, Usually we would say that wool was the headlining material,
and I remain so far sceptical about the vinyls.  But, as Fats Waller once
said, "one never know, do one?" and I am still listening to all that is
said. - Regards, John Elmgreen

Thank you, John, for your comments regarding my unusual "vinyl" headliner.
I have traced back 5 owners (!) and have reached a dead end around 1965.
None of them touched the headliner except to spray paint it black. Since
the Commonwealth of Virginia no longer gives access to archives and the
Hornburg Jaguar dealership has destroyed all early records, it is unlikely
I can go back any further. We may never know the answer, but I will save
the evidence for future archivists! - Carl Hanson, 1951 XK120 FHC #679012

Duco:  I am glad to read that I am not the only one with vinyl headliner!
Mine looks very original in that I can find no trace of a second layer of
nails or tacks or tack holes in the wood pieces.  Moreover the interior
window frame is covered in the same material and it looks original also.
It might be interesting to exchange snippets of the material to see if they
are the same. They may not be the same material because yours was
manufactured 2 years later than mine.  Anyway, thank you for your input.

This reminds me of the controversy I started when I found rubber shims
between my body and frame and nobody believed me, including some Jaguar
experts here and in UK.  My case was made when Rob Reilly looked under his
car and found the same and another early FHC in Arizona had them also.
Porter acknowledges the fact in his latest book.  My next unorthodox
feature to demonstrate is the Mark V sidelights on the few earliest FHC's.
The early renderings of the FHC in the promotional literature and service
manuals show the sidelights mounted higher on the curve of the front
fenders than what later came to be the standard position.   My car has the
lights mounted in exactly the same position, and the light bodies are
identical with Mark V's. I intend to have fun with concours judges on that
one! - Carl Hanson, 1951 XK120 FHC

John E, Re:your summary in #493 My 150S (RHD) didn't seem to fall in
anywhere. The exterior is Cream with Dark Blue leather (not French Blu) and
Grey header lining. This is all according to the Jaguar Cars Vehicle
Informaton Sheet. Good Meeting You at XK 50. - Gary  (gjhjag)

In defense of the judges, there is an allowance made for special orders.
The top small saloon in the US is a two-tone Mark 1. Jaguar didn't make a
two tone, and those are not the original factory colors, but because it
would have been available as a special order, and because the paint is
something that would have been available in 1959 (not a opalescent pearl,
for example), there is no deduction. What you'll need to do is to show that
that type headliner could have been installed as a special order. At least
that's the theory. - "Mark 1" Mark Stephenson, 1959 3.4 Litre Saloon,
Phoenix, AZ

Carl, happy to assist. If you give me your normal adress, I will cut a
small piece off and send it to you. I also could not find other holes or
so, but I will have a closer look tomorrow  ( when I hope to spend a whole
day on the car). The interior window frame was also covered in the vinyl. -
regards, Duco Avis

Dear Gary Hershon, Thanks for info re colours. The colours that the factory
gives you do not normally include the headlining colour. I do not seem to
have the numbers for your car although I know that it is a RHD 3.8S. Could
you let me know? Who brought the car to the USA?  By the way, I appreciated
your small club badge at XK50, and will see what I can get here as an
exchange. I hardly go to any club meetings here, which is why I am not
aware. - Regards, John Elmgreen

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