From the 1954 XK120 manual: ‘In the event you need to remove the engine, gearbox and clutch…’ Remove your engine! Imagine seeing that in a new car manual!

I’ve just taken delivery of my new Jaguar XJ. Something I enjoy doing whenever I get a new car is reading the owner’s manual front to back. To me it’s like a good book, but over the years they’ve become less and less interesting. I thought it would be fun to compare it with that of my 1954 XK120. For 
example, my brand new XJ’s says ‘Changing The Battery: 
Battery disconnection, removal or replacement should only be carried out by qualified personnel. Consult your dealer.’

Compare that with the XK manual’s section on dismantling the cylinder head: ‘Obtain a block of wood approximately the size of the combustion chamber and place this under the valve heads on the number one cylinder. Press down on the valve collars and extract the split collars. Remove collars, valves, springs and spring seats. Repeat for the remaining five cylinders. Valves are numbered and must be replaced in original location. Number one cylinder being at the rear, that is, the flywheel end.’

Jeez. Imagine seeing something like that in a modern manual.
I think people were a lot smarter years ago, or maybe the car companies don’t give us enough credit. Here’s another example from the XJ manual: ‘If engine warning light goes on… consult your dealer.’ And from the 1954 XK120 manual: ‘In the event you need to remove the engine, gearbox and clutch…’ Remove your engine! Imagine seeing that in a new car manual!

I have a 1939 Ford owner’s manual, and it explains how the ignition points work and gives the correct points settings, and there’s a detailed cutaway. It shows you how to adjust the distributor and the vacuum brake. Just in case, it also says: ‘Your Ford dealer can make this adjustment for you, but there’s no reason you can’t do it yourself.’ Would any car dealer say that today? NO!

It makes me laugh as I compare these manuals. My XJ manual is 186 pages long and doesn’t really tell you how to do anything. My 1954 manual is 59 pages long and has removal of engine, transmission, rear end, how to adjust the suspension, etc etc; there’s a myriad of things to do here. It’s hilarious.

The steam car’s is one of the funniest set of instructions I own. You’re driving a car that’s made of wood and is on fire. In the Stanley manual it calmly says: ‘If flames start licking over the front of the hood, shut off fuel and increase speed until flames blow out.’

Back to the Jag XK120. Headlamp focus: ‘To raise the headlamp beam, rotate spring-loaded screw on top of lamp clockwise.’

From the XJ: ‘Do not adjust headlights. See your dealer.’

I think we live in such a litigious society now, that it’s such a nanny thing. You can’t be expected to try and figure out how to do anything for yourself. If a warning light comes on, you are advised to see your dealer. There’s nothing to adjust. Obviously, the modern XJ is an infinitely better car than the 120. But in the early days, automobiles were bought by enthusiasts; people who didn’t mind being a partner with the manufacturer. It’s almost as if, when you bought one, you were part of the R&D process. In one of my Vincent manuals it says: ‘After 1000 miles, disassemble engine, check everything, reassemble.’ That’s one of my favourite quotes.

The really fun manuals are from the Japanese. Here’s a quote from my 1960 Honda motorcycle owner’s manual: ‘At the rise of the hand of the policeman, stop rapidly. Do not pass him by or otherwise disrespect him. When a passenger of the foot hooves in sight, tootle the horn trumpet melodiously at first. If he still obstacles your passage, toot him with vigour and express by word of mouth warning, hi! hi!. Even more importantly, give big space 
to the festive dog that makes sport in the roadway. Avoid 
entanglement of dog with wheel spokes.’

Another great manual is the McLaren F1’s. It’s almost like a bible, with illustrations. McLaren suggests you go to the dealer for everything, but there’s some stuff about adjusting headlights and a few other things. That’s 18 years ago now. Things change.

The thing about new cars like the XJ is so much is electronic, so there’s not a lot that is intuitive. They tell you some things: topping up the oil, brake fluid check. But the idea that the 120 manual tells you how to take off the cylinder head or remove the gearbox is pretty amazing, and it’s all done in so few pages. Ironically, the last thing most owners want to do now is to read the manual.