Is electronic ignition worth it on a Jaguar Mk2?

Yes — replacing the points with an electronic ignition ends points wear, gives a stronger, steadier spark and improves starting and running; it is a cheap, high-value upgrade.

Should I convert my Mk2 to an alternator?

If you drive in traffic or add an electric fan or power steering, yes — the original dynamo charges weakly and barely at idle, whereas an alternator charges strongly at all speeds.

Is it worth rewiring a Mk2?

Old looms get brittle and connections corrode; a modern fused loom or rewire removes the fire risk and intermittent faults, and adds the circuit protection the original lacked.

Do LED bulbs help on a classic?

Yes — LED brake and indicator bulbs are brighter and draw less current, improving safety in modern traffic; check flasher compatibility when converting indicators.

Upgrade guide

Ignition & Electrical Upgrades

By Jon Cosson — classic-car owner, North Yorkshire, near Thornton-le-Dale

Neatly loomed colour-coded wiring harness, fuse box and distributor in a classic British engine bay — Placeholder image — owner to replace with a photograph of the car's own loom and fuse panel.

Nothing decides whether a classic gets driven more than its electrics. The Mk2's original Lucas system is charming and fixable, but a handful of upgrades turn "might start" into "always starts" — and support the electric fan and power steering a fast-road car wants.

Electronic ignition

Replacing the contact-breaker points with an electronic ignition (Pertronix, 123, Lumenition, Accuspark and others) ends points wear and drift, gives a stronger, steadier spark, and sharpens starting and running. A 123-type distributor also lets you dial in the advance curve. It is a cheap, high-value first upgrade.

Alternator conversion

The original Lucas dynamo charges weakly, and hardly at all at idle — a problem in traffic and fatal once you add an electric cooling fan or electric power steering. Converting to a modern alternator (often in a period-look housing) gives strong charging at all speeds and is one of the most worthwhile electrical upgrades.

A fused, uprated rewire

Sixty-year-old wiring gets brittle and its connections corrode. A modern fused loom (or a full rewire) with proper circuit protection removes the fire risk and the intermittent gremlins; adding fusing where the original had almost none is a real safety gain.

Earths, lighting and the details

Poor earths cause a huge share of classic-car electrical faults — refreshing and adding earth straps fixes many problems at a stroke. LED lighting (especially brake and indicator bulbs) draws less and shows brighter, worth having in modern traffic, and a battery cut-off switch is cheap insurance.

On our car

873 EUT has a modern 12-circuit fused rewire, LED lighting and the electrical capacity to run its fan and power steering happily. The full specification is in The Build: 873 EUT.

Common questions

Is electronic ignition worth it on a Jaguar Mk2?: Yes — replacing the points with an electronic ignition ends points wear, gives a stronger, steadier spark and improves starting and running; it is a cheap, high-value upgrade.
Should I convert my Mk2 to an alternator?: If you drive in traffic or add an electric fan or power steering, yes — the original dynamo charges weakly and barely at idle, whereas an alternator charges strongly at all speeds.
Is it worth rewiring a Mk2?: Old looms get brittle and connections corrode; a modern fused loom or rewire removes the fire risk and intermittent faults, and adds the circuit protection the original lacked.
Do LED bulbs help on a classic?: Yes — LED brake and indicator bulbs are brighter and draw less current, improving safety in modern traffic; check flasher compatibility when converting indicators.