A great choice IMHO. Tons of work, but, wow, what a neat end result it would be.

Cheers
DD

 

Ok, Lumpy you sure tore me a knew one.
You totally missed the point on the corvette though.
And the Impala point.
And the V8 swap for that matter. I'd love to stuff an XKR 510 hp plant in a clean XJC. Are you feeling me on this yet? No history lesson on ground breaking car builders and racers needed - we all read the same books.
What you see as a liability purists see as personality and endearing. Sluggish, heavy engine, Lucas electrics, questionable build quality in the Leyland era - begs the question:
Why did you buy a jaguar in the first place?
I know why I did.

I didn't sign up to step on toes - I apologise to anyone offended.

 

icsamerica- there was a company in the Midwest that fitted Chevy V8 engines into Porsche 911s. I'm guessing that gets your juices going also- and you'd find your ways of rationalizing it- no doubt citing cost of repair and expensive parts and chevy parts availaibility (while conveniently ignoring the cost of fitting the piece of cast iron chevy pig iron).

I own a TBI Buick Roadmaster with only 80K with a Chevy Small block- it hasn't been reliable- it's overheated and is under powered and unrefined and hasn't been dependable at all. It's a leaky nightmare. This has to be the most over rated engine in America. Would love to fit a Porsche or BMW V8 into it.

The other one is the Cadillac Northstar- what an utter heap of *****. Engines overheating, blowing head gaskets and all sorts. Still, folks soldier on with these terrible engines. No one does a transplant with these.

It's nothing to do with The Jag engine being expensive or hard to get parts for. It's more deeply psycological than that. It's a 'pose' that America rules and wants to americanise everything!

Napoleon Solo: I'm totally with you. A clean, crisp, worked over XK, with the little nuances ironed out is a joy that only true aficionados understand!

 

I've had quite a bit of experience with the XK engine in various forms. I personally see no real issues with the engine. It has plenty of smooth torque delivery, and can move the car with urgency when needed. Plus, with very little work it can be made a bit more powerful and somewhat more efficient. Oddly enough I find the parts are affordable, so it makes me wonder where those who cite expense are shopping. Working on them isn't bad either.

I'm not saying don't convert to V8, but it's not for me. When I find an XJC, I hope the original engine is done so I can put a later fuel injected one in with some tweaks to make it a bit more fun to drive. Until then, do whay makes you happy.

 

I think you're referring to Renegade Hybrids. Further proof that the Small Block Chevy enjoys broad support by sports car enthusiasts as well.


Pig Iron...Not quite you are very misinformed. The SBC is known for its metallurgy. Chevy's involvement in Nascar has helped them produce some of the best engine components. Chevy's high nickel blocks are so tough they ring when machined and wear out the tooling. Ask any experienced machinist about them. Chevy's powered metal connecting rods are also known for being very tough. Chevy's sleeved Aluminum small blocks are light weight, elegantly simple and reliable to 700 HP. By contrast Porsche's first alu V8 and BMW's first alu V12 both weigt more than the iron SBC of their day.

Most people's funds are limited and have to consider cost and value when making decisions.


Do it then and if you think the XK engine is so great then be the first to transplant one of those into your Roadmaster. How many miles on that "roadmaster pig"? I bet its comfortable and goes down the road real smooth. As for a Porsche or BMW V8 transplant you cant and you wont.

In any case which BMW V8? The Nickasil blocks that self destruct or the complex Twin turbo V8 that makes just about the same power as a LSX with out the complexity or turbo lag.

Again... your are clueless. Northstars enjoy considerable aftermarket and transplant support. There are kits for the Pontiac Fiero and other cars. Northstars have found their way into Mazda RX7's Vw's, 32 Fords and many other cars. They are a bit of a novelty but GM's first 4 valve aluminum engine is generally well regarded for it power to weight ratio.

But the Jag engine actually is unreliable, expensive and hard to get parts for. There was a post here a few days ago from a member that needed a radiator and found one for 700$. That's pricey.

There isn't any American conspiracy to rule the world one engine at a time. It's just a better option for some people to do a transplant and keep their cars running rather than scrap them. Transplanting an engine isn't a physiological dysfunction, it a rational decision based on value that some people choose for their own reasons.

Being a purist, rigidity, suggesting a conspiracy, and loving and projecting characteristics that don't exist onto inanimate objects are actual psychological dysfunctions.

I'm sure a well running XK is satisfying. Since were picking sides then... I'm on "Your" side... as in.... Your car, your choice.

 

Enough of the personal stuff!

Please feel free to disagree/agree about transplants and discuss.

But keep well away from personal type attacks. We don't enjoy sanctions and they are always a last resort.

It would also be wise to research backgrounds before making assumptions.

On topic, I don't understand what the price of a radiator has to do with expensive and hard to get parts for an engine, it has nothing directly to do with the engine, but rather the application in which the engine and radiator/s find themselves.

I once stuffed a big Rover V8 into a very short Landrover and had no room for the Rad and so plumbed in a small one in front and a huge one suspended from the rollcage in the rear + a bathroom rad in the cockpit. Cooled the engine and gave 'Central Heating'.

Any Art lovers around?

 

well i see we going into another FULL moon, everyone turns up the heat!

actually all things are normal, goin with the flow!

 

Well, the local automobile columnist wrote on his ride in a Sunbeam tiger once known as an Alpine. Where do you suppose it got it's SBF?

There is a local club of well healed enthusiast that continualy try to out do each other with their Tigers. My son's machine shop enjoyed the competition!!

Anyone considered the origin of the flat six in the ill fated Tucker?

I recall that in about the sixties, many pooped out Porsche engines were swapped for hot Corvairs. And some Corvairs got mid engine SBC's!

Why was the 32 Ford sp popular with early hot rodders? Because it easily accepted most any Ford flathead, whether it left Detroit with a four or an eight.

A WWII surplus GMC six fit most any old Chevvy and made it howl. That 270 CI enginepowered the famous six by, the original deuce and a half!!

Engine swapping is far from a new thing.

Carl

 

As somebody who had two Jaguars with the XK engine, a Mark 2 2.4 and a 1980 XJ6 4.2, I have to say that much disappointment can lie ahead for anybody with one of the 4.2 engines from the mid-70s onwards. By that time this engine had been in production since 1948, albeit the 4.2 was very slightly different. The long stud engines are absolutely notorious for block cracking and other ailments especially as they get older and older. I had to rebuild mine around an uncracked block, but others have machined out the liners, then machined the block to take lipped liners ("top-hat liners") so the cracks are covered. What I never see mentioned is anybody fitting one of the later aluminium-blocked engines (AJ6 or AJ16), or even a V8. The sixes, especially, were very reliable and some had superchargers fitted too. I would have thought a Series 3 car with the later engine (6 or V8), would be the ideal combination, frankly.

 

I think that's a brilliant idea. If (when) I had xjc and was going to do a transplant, I'd be looking at modern Jaguar options. I understand the AJ6 & 16 engines are very good. You'd just need to find a home for the computer.

 

Just joined so first post. I have a 1971 XJ6 which is essentially a one owner car. My grampa bought it new, gave it to my dad, who gave it to me. We even all have the same first and last name. Being that it's a family car, it has way more sentimental value than any other car I could ever own. It was my first car and I have owned it for 16 years.

I always thought I would get over the idea of a swap with age but I have not. Now that I have redone all key suspension and steering issues, it really makes me feel it could use more power.

I have the same dilemma as a lot of you. I find the 4.2 is a cosmetically beautiful. I feel a Chevy motor just looks ugly in this car. Even those who have really tried to make it look "right", it just does not.

I have seen a few cars over the years with XJR motors and I think it looks OK.

Really just looking for ideas for the future. I will not pull the 4.2 until I can buy the perfect solution between power, reliability and cosmetics but I would love to see what people have done, or would like to do.

 

Your car will take a V12 Jaguar engine. It was installed after your car was built, but will go in OK. It was the same transmission I believe, until the GM400 was put on it. Other than that, it is US Ford or GM V8 "lumps" or try an ally Jaguar engine like an AJ6 or AJ16, or the Jaguar V8.

 

I was thinking the same thing. One of the newer six engines from an XJ with the Supercharger attached sounds like fun. Why dont we see this?

 

It's a very doable transplant but more difficult than some other swap options. You wold need some hard to find parts too. You would need motor and trans mounts from a 94 to 96 xjs 6 cylinder which are rare to begin with. Some people are scared of fuel injection and the wiring necessary to get a modern fuel injection engine going right. Getting the older analogue speedometer and tach working and interfacing with a modern ecm requires some serious effort and expensive converter boxes. Some things can be daunting like the evap plumbing & speed sensor that is in the diff on new jags but doesnt exist on the older cars. The electronic transmission used on the later cars would require a totally different shifter and lots of wiring. You would really need a complete or totaled xjs 6cyl as a doner car to make it practical. If I ever came across a XJ coupe and a totaled XJS I'd give it a go.

 

Doing a transplant would be fun and all since power = fun, right? I have a 1975 Series 2 XJ6 and a 1990 XJS V-12. I love the speed I get with the XJS, but no one really notices it since I'm usually going slightly too fast. The point is, with a Jaguar, it isn't about speed. If you want a fast Jag, get an E-Type or a F-Type or something. If you want fast, get something else. The XJ's I believe were intended not to go fast simply for the executive feel. When you drive your XJ, do you feel nostalgic and executive? I know I do. I'm all for do what you want to do to your car, but it just seems wrong to take such a fun, slow car, and beef it up because it "feels slow". Yeah it feels slow, that's what makes it fun. Yeah a 3 speed auto is slow and completely out of date, but who cares?! It's fun nonetheless. It's a Jaguar thing.

Point is, do what you want to your car.

I'm no purist, as I've done plenty of non OEM things my car. But I think the XK 4.2 engine is fabulously reliable and perfect for the XJ's. Just change the oil ever 500-1000 miles.

 

But I won't lie, an AJ16 would be interesting in and XJ.

 

This is exactly the point I was trying to make in earlier posts. Very well said. It's a Jaguar thing indeed.

 

A Jaguar, any Jaguar is about comfort, speed and performance. The racing history and Grace space and Pace moto codify this. The XJ series was offered with the powerful V12 and the 4.2 6 cly was available with a manual transmission so clearly the XJ sedan was intended to be a performance car if you wanted it that way. If you look at the details and test data of the Series 1 XJ at its introduction it becomes clear the XJ was intended to be a performance car because the performance was excellent for it's day.

 

I won't deny it, the XJ is quite a sporty car. From the way it rides, and an unexpected amount of pick up from the engine, even by today's standards. I drive a 1975 XJ6L everyday, and know that it is sporty and fun to drive. But at the same time, I mostly just want to be seen in it. The other day, my friend asked if he could ride in the backseat, and after the ride, he felt like royalty or some matter like that.

Yes, an XJ is a plenty sporty car, no doubt. It is incredibly sporty by any standard. But I feel it's more of an executive car, a working man's Rolls-Royce as opposed to something that should've been competing with the American muscle sedans of the time period. It was Jaguar's way to say "HEY! Look at us, we can produce something sporty and executive at the same time!". We all know that in 1972, the XJ12 was considered the world's fastest car with a top speed of 140ish mph, but I still feel that it's more of a be-seen-in car than a hey-let's-drag-race car.

 

As a lump owner, I think you know which way I lean, but if you're taking the engine out and replacing it with something it didn't come with, them that's alright in my book, so whether it's a SBC (as many have said, probably the smartest, least expensive of the conversions), or an LS (probably the coolest/most realistic conversion), or some weird variety of Jag engine, if it didn't come factory, it'll be cool

And amen to you, icsamerica""