Hello All,

I have a 72 xj6, and I am in the middle of restoring/modifying/customizing/etc the car. I am creating this thread for anyone else doing the same.

To start off...

Anyone know about adding a rear swaybar to the car?

I am planning to LS swap the car, and am curious which modern GM transmissions will fit. I was thinking 700r4, 4l60, 4l80, or maybe a 6 speed, but I do not want to cut into the tunnel.

Any ideas?

I got a tone more questions, and have learned a lot. Please comment ideas/answers/or other questions.

Cheers!
-Jacob

 

Hi Jacob,

I have a 72 XJ6 I'm slowly restoring as well. Rather than lumping I have a V12 from a Pre-HE Jag going in probably next summer.
Anyway, a good place to start:

https://johnscars.com/xj.html

Keep us posted.
Jeff H.

 

You don't need a sway bar. That function is built in to the design rather than tacked onto a primitive solid axle as an afterthought. My series 2 has a non-electronic 700r and is smooth as silk. It's a tight fit but there was no cutting necessary. One suggestion I would make at this early stage is to get the best available front and rear engine mounts available. Avoid the re-badged Chinese crap at all costs.

 

Jaguar fit a rear sway bar to some XJS models, which have the identical IRS to the S1-S3 XJ. They also increased the diameter of the front bar. I fit the larger (7/8" vs 11/16") front bar as well as the XJS rear bar to my 71 XJ6. I and others like that arrangement. The rear bar is fairly wimpy. Some prefer a stronger aftermarket rear bar plus a 1" aftermarket front bar.

At any rate, there is to my knowledge no evidence that the Jag IRS has integral anti-roll properties even though it's not a solid axle. Both types of suspensions benefit from rear sway bars provided a good front one is fitted as well. Corvettes, for example, have rear anti-sway added to their IRS, although later cars utilize a specific transverse spring rather than a traditional roll bar. IMHO.

 

This is a much disputed discussion!
Within the XJS camp there are those like me (and I hesitate to include my name with the great man and do so in all humility) and Norman Dewis who consider the addition of an ARB (sway bar) not only unnecessary but unbenificial. My experience is that the rear ARB in a properly set up (ride height, shocks, radius arms, camber toe castor, cage mounts etc, including both front and rear axles) XJS rear axle makes it noticeably worse. Ride height is especially critical at the rear, I have found.
It is essential to use ONLY metalstik bushes throughout the car's suspension to have it handling properly.
Also, it is a fact that Jaguar added and subtracted the rear ARB to the standard spec of the model several times in its life.
Equally there are those who consider it beneficial.
Now the saloon is different because the CoG and weight distribution are different, so there is no straightforward carry-over from the XJS to the saloon.
My own feeling is that it would be best to get the car bang on in standard spec, and then see what it handles like, and make additions to the rear if needed to get the car handling as you would like.

 

I liked the rear bar on a S1 XJ6, but also had a bigger V12 front bar.

Doing a back-to-back test was easy, just remove one of the end link bolts and swing the link away in order to judge the handling without the rear bar.

Rob

 

When I traded my OEM front bar for a bigger V-12 bar last year, it Definitely changed handling.
Noticeably less sway, which means cornering is Way different! Almost flat!
In fact, on a tight turn I know, where I'm accustomed turning "this much," it doesn't need "that much. "

Husband wanted me to install a rear bar, but I think she's Just Fine right now.
(';')