As shown in the image above, there’s a lot of hardware squeezed into the relatively small engine bay of a Mk2 Jag.

Heater

First up is removal of the much maligned Jaguar heater. Contrary to conventional wisdom the heater will eventually heat the car to a cozy temperature. This normally occurs immediately before arrival at your destination, at which stage you don’t want to get out as it seems such a waste of heat.

Heater enclosure inside engine bay
Heater tap
Screen demister hoses inside the car
Heater removed
Heater airflow

NB. The text in the picture is misleading, it should read “Path of lukewarm air”

Brakes

The braking system, although good for its day, is pretty primitive by today’s standards. The system consists of four wheel disc brakes, a single (not dual) master cylinder, brake servo and a vacuum reservoir tank for the servo.

We love the looks of the Mk2 but that narrow engine bay imposes compromises. The brake servo is forced into a strange existence; half in the engine bay, and half under the wing. The vacuum tank doesn’t have it that good. It lives completely under the wing. This leads to predictable problems. In my case this occurred in the lower South Island, a long way from home, with a loud hissing sound coming from under the wing. It wasn’t too difficult to bypass the vacuum tank, which I assume had a stone or rust hole. I drove it like that for the next few years.

Layout of servo and vacuum tank
Brake and Clutch master cylinders (brake on left)
Servo located halfway into wing

Also seen above is the brake fluid reservoir, which needs to be replaced.

Enclosure protecting the brake servo from stones etc.
Servo removed

In this shot taken from under the front wing you can just see the see the vacuum reservoir front left. No wonder there are problems given the location directly in front of the front wheel!

Stripped engine bay