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OTS???

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L

Legal Bill

Jedi Knight
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I've owned a 63 E-type coupe, a 59 XK-150 and a 2000 S-Type. But I have no idea what OTS is supposed to mean. I see it on a lot of ebay adds. Any help here?
 
Believe it means Open Two Seater - old nomenclature for convertible.
 
In the "old days", they were roadsters or DHC's (drop-head coupes).
In the 50's and early 60's, I never, as in ever, heard this "OTS" stuff, and when I joined the Jag Club it was a real eye opener.

In, say, an XK-140, how does one differentiate between a roadster and a DHC, when they both seemingly are called "OTS" now?

Try buying a LH door for an XK-140 OTS and see if it's right.....
 
It is confusing. Just did a search and found this:

"The XK140 was available in three body styles. A Roadster or OTS (Open Two Seater) which had a light canvas top assembly that when lowered fitted behind the seats and thus completely disappeared inside the body. The interior of the Roadster was very sparse with no wood embellishments, but with a leather dash. Just like the XK120 Roadster, the XK140 OTS or Roadster had removable canvas and plastic side curtains on light alloy doors. The DHC or Drop Head Coupe had a more substantial padded top that when lowered sat above and outside the body of the car, it also had a fixed windscreen (unlike the removable windscren of the OTS). The DHC also had roll up windows and a very elegant veneered dash, both of which featured on the FHC or Fixed Head Coupe as well. As a gesture to practicality, a jump seat was added to the coupes."
 
Thanks. We always called XKs Coupes, roadsters or Drop Head Coupes. E-types were called convertables. Now I know what OTS means. I'll have to look at the XK-140 doors my brother has stashed out in his garage and figure out if they are for roadsters or DHC. I fugure the glass (or lack thereof) will give it away.
 
If you look, a FHC has a window surround.
A roadster has a cut-down door along the "swoop" line of the body, and padded on top.
The DHC has a raised portion above the "swoop" line.

Distinctly different, altho you could probably use the lower bits to repair all three.
 
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