Talk:Jaguar S-Type (1963)

Commonality with Mk II
The S type shared the entire centre monocoque unit with the Mk II, not just the bonnet. Doors, roof, and all glass were identical to the Mk II as was the interior apart from small cosmetic changes.

For its new rear suspension the S type needed an extended sub frame and this made it heavier and therefore slower than the Mk II, any improvement in handling was marginal although the ride was softer.

DesmondW 19:45, 6 February 2007 (UTC)

The roof was different in the S-Type and 420 compared with the Mark II, being longer and flatter towards the rear than the Mark II and having a different rear window. The Jaguars Mark I, Mark II, S-Type and 420 all shared the same wheelbase dimension and essentially the same centre section floorpan. The body construction is better described as "unitary" since the car had an integral body and frame, whereas a "monocoque" has either no frame or only separate suspension subframes. The rear "subframe" of the S-Type and 420 was based on the same main frame as the Mark II but was adapted to carry it over the new IRS and support the longer tail, so it was not a subframe as such.Steepwiki (talk) 09:18, 26 September 2010 (UTC)

Power Steering
"A very few of the last S-Types built had the same Marles Varamatic Bendix power steering that was available on the 420. Built by Adwest in Reading, the Varamatic steering provided reduced assistance about the straight-ahead position to give a more positive feel to the steering"

This I am sure is incorrect. The Adwest varamatic had variable ratio, not variable power. DesmondW (talk) 17:15, 6 February 2010 (UTC)

Variable ratio provides variable assistance as a consequence of simple mechanical advantage, so the initial comment is correct.Steepwiki (talk) 09:19, 26 September 2010 (UTC)


 * The comment is misleading and incorrect; variable power steering systems reduce assistance at speed, any variation in a variable ratio system is incidental. The two are quite different, there are many variable ratio systems but few variable power. In any case, the effective power in a variable ratio system will be *increased* when straight ahead because of the reduced ratio. DesmondW (talk) 16:38, 4 January 2011 (UTC)

It is only "misleading and incorrect" if one chooses to conflate "assistance" and "power assistance". Assistance in relation to steering means a reduction in the effort required to bring about the desired change in direction, which may be achieved by power assistance, variable power assistance, variable ratio or some combination thereof. Nevertheless, the article should not be worded in such a way that readers may think the Varamatic system featured variable power assistance. It has been revised accordingly. Steepwiki (talk) 03:37, 3 March 2012 (UTC)

Engines
The 3.8 Mark 2 was not dropped after the S Type's release, at least not in the UK. The 3.8 Mark 2 remained available until the revised 240 & 340 models and even then 3.8 engined 340 models were available to special order. DesmondW (talk) 16:44, 4 January 2011 (UTC)

The statement concerning the 3.8 Mark 2 being dropped after release of the S Type was found in one of the article's references. Nevertheless, and despite the absence of any opposing reference in DesmondW's statement, the phrase concerned has been deleted from the article because it is clearly moot and is not vital to it. Steepwiki (talk) 03:41, 3 March 2012 (UTC)