Interior trim restoration on a Jaguar XJS or XJ40 usually comes down to two jobs: refreshing the wood veneer dashboard and cappings, and replacing the small plastic parts around them, such as switch bezels, vent surrounds, seat-belt trim and escutcheons, which become brittle and crack with age. This guide covers the common failure points on both cars and the aftermarket reproduction options for renewing them.
Which interior trim parts fail most on the XJS and XJ40?
The XJS was built from 1975 to 1996, and the XJ40 saloon (sold as the XJ6, Sovereign and Daimler) ran from 1986 to 1994. Both used wood veneer surrounded by injection-moulded plastic detailing, and it is usually the plastics that let go first.
Typical trouble spots include:
- Switch bezels and surrounds. The plastic frames around dash switches, window switches and console controls become brittle, discolour and crack at the screw points.
- Vent trim. Centre and side air-vent surrounds warp and the fine louvre tabs snap.
- Seat-belt trim. The plastic surround at the belt aperture is fragile, and the slider that runs inside it often becomes brittle, so both can break during removal.
- Escutcheons. The small finishers around ignition barrels, door pulls and interior handles wear, fade and lose their fixing lugs.
- Veneer-adjacent plastics. The trim that frames the wood on the dash and door cappings is where lacquer cracking and plastic shrinkage tend to meet.
What goes wrong with the wood veneer?
On neglected cars the lacquer over the dash, centre console and door cappings can craze, lift or flake, particularly where sunlight hits the top of the dashboard. The veneer itself can also peel away from its backing.
The XJ40 was trimmed in walnut on earlier cars, with darker rosewood used on later examples. The XJS gained more wood detailing through its long production run. When you assess a car, check whether the wood needs re-lacquering and re-veneering, or only the surrounding plastics need renewal, as the two jobs are often confused.
What were the Jaguar interior colour names?
Matching new trim to an original interior is easier once you know the factory colour names. Jaguar leather and trim of this era carried names rather than plain descriptions, including:
- Doeskin
- Barley
- Mulberry
- Isis Blue
- Savile Grey
Each name also had a Jaguar trim code, and many leather suppliers still cross-reference those codes. Identifying your original colour helps when you are ordering plastic parts in a matching shade or specifying a dye for surrounding panels. If you are unsure, the trim code is often recorded on the car's identification plate or in its build records.
What aftermarket replacement options are available?
For the small plastic items, many owners replace rather than repair, because reproduction parts arrive crack-free and correctly shaped. These are aftermarket reproductions made to fit the relevant model, and they are not manufacturer parts.
Options to consider:
- Reproduction switch bezels and surrounds that drop into the original apertures.
- Vent trim and louvre sets to replace warped or snapped originals.
- Seat-belt trim surrounds and sliders supplied as fresh mouldings.
- Escutcheons and finishers for ignition, handles and pulls.
Because these parts are made to order by an EU workshop, it helps to confirm your exact model year and trim level before ordering, so the fitment reference is correct. You can browse fitment-specific listings on the XJS interior and trim parts page, and saloon owners can start with the XJ40 parts collection.
How should I approach the restoration?
Work in a logical order so you are not refitting around parts you still need to remove:
- Photograph everything first. Capture switch positions, wiring and clip locations before disassembly.
- Remove fragile plastics carefully. Warm the cabin slightly and ease parts out rather than levering hard, as cold plastic is more likely to shatter.
- Decide wood versus plastic. Separate the veneer work from the plastic-renewal work, as they are different skills and budgets.
- Match colours early. Confirm your trim code before ordering replacement mouldings so shades are consistent.
- Dry-fit before final assembly. Check each reproduction part locates correctly and clips home before securing fixings.
How long does an interior trim refresh take?
A focused job replacing bezels, vents, seat-belt trim and escutcheons can be a weekend task for a competent home restorer, provided the parts are to hand. Re-veneering and re-lacquering the wood is a longer, more specialised process and is often sent out to a trim specialist. Tackling the plastics yourself and outsourcing the wood is a common way to manage both cost and quality on an XJS or XJ40 interior.
If you are planning a refresh, identify your model year, trim level and original colour first, then match aftermarket reproduction parts to that specification before you begin stripping the cabin.