Three years four months, what a long strange trip it's been. I won't count back to 1990, which is when I bought this car. It did operate now and then. Did a strange thing and jumped the timing chain on the jack shaft, moved the distributor one tooth nine years later and it fired. So I retired and went after finishing this car.


462 BBC, 485HP, 530ftlb torque, all in all done at 5900 RPM. 700 R4, 3.54:1 Powerloc. Pictures are from before a day at the 1/8 drags. 7.977 seconds in the 1/8. Not bad for a 4200# sled. Skinny drag tires up front and 235R60 15 Mickey's in the rear. Flowmaster Super 44's. You can still hear the radio with the windows up. Goes immediately sideways with the stock street tires.

 

Nice

 

That's the Prettiest dragster I've ever seen!
(';')

 

I am very, very, impressed by the engine conversion and the quality of installation. Was it converted just to get more power, or did the XK engine blow up ?

 

very nice, kudos to you and thanks for all the pics!

 

I'm hoping there was a catastrophic failure with the original engine, and that you didn't do the swap just for more power considering this is an XJ12L...

But nonethess looks like a high caliber of workmanship.

And I appriciate the mostly stock appearance

 

Thanks again for the comments.


LnrB, There are three sets of wheels. I added an XJS sway bar. "Pi" can growl in a straight line or around corners. I'll pull pictures of the other two sets of wheels from my phone and post.


Fraser, Silverstone,
I bought the car with the intention to install a BBC. The twelve was OK, but had worn/trashed cam tensioners. The timing chain jump the jack shaft and left me along the side of the road. The T 400 was buttery. So at the crossroads it was rebuild the 12 and add overdrive, or stick to the plan. With the BBC I have not been able to wipe the grin off of my face.

 

Wheels: Stock chrome 15x6 pictures are first time down off the jack stands after 3 years four months. Aluminum rim is a 16 x 7 1/2 Borbert. No tires for the 16's yet. This is what the engine bay looked like this when I started.

 

Guess I never put these pics in my "garage. Powder everything! Front and rear suspension. New series III fuel tanks.

 

Oh My that's pretty!!
I don't think I could stand to be without my car for that long though. This Winter I plan to do a lot of suspension work, but I'll probably just clean it up, shoot it with a rattle can and stuff it all back into place.

Tell us about that small lift holding your IRS. It looks quite stable; better than what I had planned to use. That looks like something I might be able to talk husband into acquiring for me.

Did I mention how Pretty all those parts are!?
(';')

 

Thanks for the kudos. If you read all the forums about IRS removal with a floor jack they say "caution, as you get it out it will roll of the jack". Here's one more confirmation, IT DOES! the stand is a Harbor Freight Motor Cycle Stand (no affiliation). Watch for coupons on this one. Or % off coupon. I paid less than $300. It's a great table for building stuff, including the IRS. You can see we blocked it with wood to square it up with the car. Truly was minimal effort to install. The four isolators were left finger tight. It went in surprisingly quick. The shocks and radius arms were tightened at the Mid Laden position as per the book. The Isolators are the HD ones from SNG B(no affiliation). The arms are XJS with poly urethane from SNG B. U-joints are zerkless (no grease fillings) Spicer units, same in the one piece drive shaft from John's Cars (no affiliation). Zerkless units are stronger. Differential is a Covenrty West Unit (no affiliation). Brake Rotors & Pads are EBC from Summit Racing (no affiliation). Miscellaneous parts came from John's Cars and SNG B. The car took three plus years, not the rear suspension. It's grimey when taken out, fussy to re-assemble, powder will not add that much time to your project.


YOU CAN NOT TAKE ENOUGH PICTURES. You will go back to them constantly, asking yourself, "How does this go back together". JDHT CD, shop manuals, this and other forums were all useful and helpful. When your are asking yourself, "which side was this nut on?" The exploded parts pictures offer clues.


The front end is another story. For me it was easier, as the engine was out.