Hi
I just purchased a MK2 which does not have an engine or transmission. Basically I am starting with a clean sheet of paper and trying to figure out my options. I have done a few engine conversions and realize the work involved, I am interested in what others have done and made work. I eagerly await your ideas.
Thanks,
Ed

 

There is a firm that has put in an AJ6/AJ16 assembly (engine and gearbox), but the name escapes me. There should be plenty of these around from scrapped XJ40 models. Beecham of New Zealand put in an AJV8 4 litre engine, again from scrapped X308 saloons.

Thing to remember is the Mark 2 automatics used a column change so the centre console has to be modified to take the change lever.

Of course a standard XK engine and gearbox out of a scrapped XJ saloon will slot straight in with little trouble but the engine and gearbox mounts are different.

All the above are autos, but you might be able to find an XJS engine and manual gearbox. This would be an AJ6 or AJ16.

 

I have read and followed all of the engine swaps on this forum and a few others and my opinion from almost completing my 3.8s is that for ease of the retrofit I would recommend a GM LS 1. The reason is that there is a lot more aftermarket companies making items to make this motor easy to swap in any car as it has been the most favored engine swap for many classic cars wanting a modern, reliable and fuel efficient motor. Compared to what Doug and others whom are trying to use a Jaguar modern V8 to my swap, my swap has a lot less custom changes to make it fit in my opinion.

I think from reading what Doug and others have done that is why companies like Beecham can charge around 100K or more for their turnkey cars as those custom modifications are a lot of work and effort even if you pay someone else to make those changes. Many people in general regardless of the make of the car doing a major restoration or engine swap, etc. often never finish their project cars so my recommendation would be keep it easy unless you have a lot of money and determination to do it yourself.

Unless you really have to keep it all Jaguar my recommendation would be a GM LS1 or if you have more money the LS3 which is the same just bored out larger and do not get a GM with variable valve timing as most aftermarket front serpentine kits will not work with that type of V8 and those kits will make it easy to fit all of the modern things like AC compressors etc. in the tight engine bay. To me in the end another reason I went with the GM LS motor is it is one of the lightest and highest horsepower power plants that is very reliable. If you keep it a smaller 5.3 liter GM you can like me get easily 450 HP with very minor cam upgrade and computer upgrade while keeping the rest all stock while getting about 22-25 miles per gallon and it should last 200,000 miles.

 

Primaz
I love the LS1, I have one in my Corvette and it is a great engine. Do you have a write up of what modifications you had to make to fit the engine? I have also thought of building a series 3, 4.2 and running a Megasquirt injection system. I am trying to understand the trade off between body mods vs trying to modernize a 4.2.
Ed

 

Yes take a look at a few of my postings as I have posted a lot of pics of the transformation. The main modifications needed is just a minor small section of the passenger fire wall section needed to be cut which was as easy mod for any body shop and nobody would really know anything as changed. Other than that for the swap about the only other modification we did were the following minor items: linkage for the gear shift needed the bracket modified to keep the stock column shifter to be in synch with the GM tranny, we changed the throttle pedal, and we installed a fuel filter near the gas tank to ensure the fuel injection never sucked air.

Those are the only mods I recall that were needed for the transplant as there were off the shelf engine mounts, serpentine kits to enable easy install of all modern accessories like AC compressors, power steering pump, etc., 360 degree radiator necks that accept stock thermostats and enable easy routing of the radiator lines, off the shelf electric fans, retrofit kits for power steering.

I did many other crazy mods for my mobile office and other personal tastes separate from the powerplant

 

Hi Primaz, I follow you and your friends re your work, and look forward to your postings, great work by the way, wish I was a bit younger!!!!!!!!. Can you please enlighten me as to what is a GM LS 1?. Is it fitted to any uk/euro cars?. Our vauxhall grp is owned by GM, I think, is it fitted to one of theirs
best regards barry

 

Barry,

The GM LS1 is General Motors V8 engine that they have used on many models from the Corvette, Camaro, TransAm, GTO, and even the full size trucks, to name the most common models all from around 2000 to now. They are very popular in the US for so many classic muscle cars, hot rods, and resto mods of all types of makes from people using them on Fords, Dodge, Chevy, and even import cars. Many of the drift cars actually use the LS1 or it's later variants which are the same block just bored out larger, etc. I am not sure the models in Europe but any V8 from GM or Chevy is likely to be an LS motor just look for an aluminum block version as there were a few iron block with aluminum heads but for the most part many are all aluminum.

The reason why they are so popular is for a number of reasons:
- they are extremely light as they are aluminum block and head V8
motors about 400lbs or less complete
- they also produce a lot of horsepower. Stock they range from 350 to
600 hp and a stock motor can easily be lightly modified like my
motor with just a mild cam, computer, headers, and cold air intake to
get over 450 hp
- they also are very efficient as my motor will get a 3500 to 4000 lb
car to average around 22-25 miles per gallon
- since they are in so many average cars the cost of them used is
very inexpensive
- all of the above has created a huge performance car parts industry,
so as an example there are probably over half a dozen to a
dozen different aftermarket motor mounts designed for non General
Motor engine swaps, not to mention the same type of numbers for
everything from super chargers, and every single nut and bolt on
the motor.

In my engine swap as an example the wider v8 is a tight fit and we finally found an off the shelf aluminum polished header that worked which was not that hard as there are so many aftermarket ones to choose from. If you use an engine without so many aftermarket brands then you would be often forced to have it custom made which will be outrageously expensive. These are some of the reasons that die hard Ford lovers as an example we still use a LS1 in their prized resto mod versus a Ford V8 or a import drifter like a Nissan 350Z or 240SX uses the LS1 as you cannot find any other motor that will give you easily 450-750 hp with no fancy blue printing or race prep just bolt on mild items for so cheap. Those figures are mild motors as race versions will be easily over 1200 hp. Thus for me I went to Sand and Street Performance in Arizona and I got a LS1 with transmission that was rebuilt with new rings, and basic rebuilding items, plus was upgraded with a mild street cam, new computer with custom ECU, headers, upgraded internals on the motor and transmission with everything such as full intake fuel injection, all the linkages, all the stock accessories like alternator, etc. all for only about $5300 US. The same set up if you want to risk a low mileage used motor can go for as low as $2000 to $3000.

 

hi pall
im in the same position with my daimler mk2 i was advised to look at the jaguar v8 conversion by Doug on hear to see what was involved and it is a LOT i was going to keep the car as standerd as pos (winding windows ect ) with a suprise under the bonet
the BIG problem i think with the GM V8 engine is so few there are in the uk

 

Genuine GM V8 LS Chevy Performance Crate Engines | PartsWorld Performance


This was just the first that showed up on a Google search so there are probably many others?...

 

thing is I for one donot want to pay 10k for an engine and a box.

 

Is it expensive to ship to the UK? The prices is the US are so much cheaper as I said I paid about $5k US for a mildly rebuilt complete LS1 with new mild performance cam, new computer with performance ECU, headers, upgrades to both engine and tranny for the increased power all with every accessory, wire, etc. I know that there are some models of the Vauxhall which is the UK brand for GM using the LS V8's but I do not know how hard it is to find used ones? Good luck and I hope you find some options as the GM will slide it much easier and save you thousands on not having the many other modifications that other motors will require to make it work.


I think I might have found a great UK source whom gets GM LS motors for UK drifters, check this out!
http://www.lsxp.net/#/prices/4561262899