Original supplies by Borg & Beck

Jaguar used  clutches supplied by Borg & Beck. Borg & Beck originally started their clutch activities in the USA. Like with many other US automotive parts companies, from 1931 onwards clutches were manufactured under licence in England by Automotive products (AP) of Leamington Spa under the brandname Borg & Beck.

In 2000 Delphi purchased AP (Borg & Beck), then in 2005 Delphi declared bankruptcy, returning the company to AP but chose to keep the name Borg & Beck. Hence the clutch pieces are nowadays  OE but with only part of the original name.

1951  1954

There is a long standing relation between Jaguar (or better SS) and Borg & Beck: already before WW2 clutches were supplied for the 3½ litre Saloon and Coupé as well as for the SS100.

Borg & Beck used Type numbers for complete clutch units and part numbers for sub-assemblies and individual (spare) parts. Example: Clutch unit for 1938 3½ litre Saloon and Coupé had Type number BB.590 and consisted of Clutch  Plate with part number  BB.41676, Release bearing part number BB.40968 and the Clutch housing assembly did not have a (spare) part number but the individual part numbers were all listed. The basic Borg & Beck product coding system is basically still the same, as will become clear hereafter.

 Non-XK; later type with diaphragm spring (1964)

Clutch for XK 140 and other XK’s: an overview

The original clutch installed by Jaguar for the XK 140 was supplied by Borg & Beck. Jaguar quotes the following numbers for this coil spring type 10” (254 mm) clutch unit which has a 1⅛” (28.6 mm) inner diameter and 10 splines:

• Complete Clutch Kit              BB 10 98/C        Jaguar code C8456
• Clutch Cover Assembly         BB 45696/14
• Driven Plate Assembly          BB 47627/46     Jaguar code C8401
• Release Bearing Assembly   BB 48444

 Original XK 120 clutch cover 45696/14

The Complete Kit for the XK 120 originally had Jaguar Code C7460 for Borg & Beck BB 10 98/A, but the XK 120 Spare Parts List also refers to (the XK 140 version) C8456 which is Borg & Beck BB 10 98/C as fully “Interchangeable” with the former part number. The Clutch Cover Assembly was identical for XK 120 and XK 140. The Driven Plate of the XK 120 had Borg & Beck code number BB 47627/22 but again the XK 140 part BB 47627/46 is fully “Interchangeable”. The Release Bearing BB 48444 was apparently identical for all 10” clutch versions.

In fact the coil spring type 10” clutch has been applied on many different Jaguar versions of the 50’s and 60’s with a non-synchro Moss Box: XK 120, XK 140, XK 150, Mk 7, Mk 8, Mk 9, Mk 1, Mk 2, 3.4S (partly), 3.8S (partly), Mk X (only 3.8) and E type (only 3.8).

Replacement clutch parts can still be obtained today, but the use of brands and part codes may be rather confusing. Possible manufactures of new parts (but also “old stock”) are:

• Borg & Beck,
• AP (manufactured by Borg & Beck)
• Laycock (occasionally).

To add to the confusion: in 2000 Delphi purchased AP (Borg & Beck), but in 2005 Delphi filed for bankruptcy and returned the company to AP but chose to keep the name “Borg & Beck”. So AP (Driveline) clutches are in fact made with the  old Borg & Beck tooling, whereas the UK based company Firstline has purchased the rights to the Borg & Beck name and are marketing “Original Borg & Beck” clutches and selling them in blue Borg & Beck boxes, but probably not based on the original Borg & Beck tooling.

An overview of alternative code numbers for the main parts:

Complete Clutch Kit

Borg & Beck:

• BB 10 98/A      (Jaguar C7460 for XK 120)
• BB 10 98/C      (Jaguar C8456 for XK 120, 140)
• BB 10/153A     (Jaguar C15819 for XK 150 3.4)
• BB 10/152A     (Jaguar C15821 for XK 150 3.8)
• BB 10/160A     (Jaguar C16172)
• BB 10/161       (Jaguar C16174 Racing or Competition use)
• BB 10/161A    (Jaguar C19951 Racing or Competition use)

AP (Borg & Beck):

• HK5229 replaces Jaguar C7460, C8456, C15819 and C15821.
• HK5229AF same as BB 10/160A (Jaguar C16172)
• HK5229QAF same as BB 10/161 (Jaguar C16174)

                        AP or Borg & Beck HK5229 (for standard use)

              AP HK5229QAF (Racing & Competition use)       AP HK5229xxx?  (Jaguar part number C.19951)

Clutch Cover Assembly:

Borg & Beck:

• BB 45696/14
• (BB) 45696/100 (Jaguar C15822)
• (BB) 45696/101 (Jaguar C15820)
• (BB) 45696/106 (Jaguar C16173)
• (BB) 45696/107 (Jaguar C16175 Racing or Competition use )
• (BB) 45696/112 (Jaguar C19952 Racing or Competition use )
• BB 45696/122 (Heavy Duty)

AP (Borg & Beck):

• HA2521

BB 45696/100

BB 45696/101

(BB) 45696/106

BB 45696/122

Driven Plate Assembly:

Borg & Beck:

• BB 47627/22
• BB 47627/46
• BB 47627/90     (XK 150S: Heavy Duty?)
• BB 47627/124   (3.8 S)
• BB 47627/125   (3.4 S)
• (BB) 46093/42  (Racing or Competition use )

   BB47627/124

 Is HB 1378 replacement number for HB 8750?

AP (Borg & Beck):

• HB 8750
• HB 8750Q

Laycock:

• 83508/00 (Jaguar XK150S and a XKE up to 1964)

AP Borg & Beck HB8750Q

Laycock 83508/00

Release Bearing Assembly:

Borg & Beck:

• BB 46890
• BB 48443  for MkVII 19502-57, MkIX 3.8 litre 1958-61, MkX 3.8 litre 1961-64, Mk1 1955-59, XK120 1949-54, XK140 1954-57, XK150 1959-61, XKE E-Type to eng # RA5800 1961-64.
• BB 48444

 Borg & Beck 48443

AP (Borg & Beck):

• HD3301
• HD3306

Quinton Hazell:

• CC14