I posted this on Facebook but thought some of you might like to see it as well.....


As you know, we work closely with our customers as they do their Jaguar conversion projects. The process is very 2 sided- information going back and forth- and I often say I learn as much or more from my customers than they do from me. Regardless, one of the end results of these collaborations is of course a completed car and I always look forward to the pics customers send us.

Well, I just got an Email with pics yesterday and wanted to share them with you. Here's the key info- the car is a 1990 XJS Rouge coupe (red, of course) that has been converted with a 1998 Camaro LS1 drivetrain package using our kit and related parts. Look how well everything fits under the hood there- like a factory install (and it should- 98% of what we use in these conversions are original-style GM parts- great fit, reasonable cost, and great reliability). The customer reports the car is a joy to drive- fantastic. I think the car itself is FABULOUS, but I'll let you decide for yourself.

PS- the engine covers are Australian market LS pieces- not something we normally see here- neat, yes?

 

who would ever think the GM LS engines would be so great,and so cheap to buy!

far overshadowing the venerable Chevy SBC engine!

who would have thought a pushrod engine could do what they can do!

 

Looks nice and is probably the best for cheaper powergains...

 

I understand the argument that LS engines are powerful, easily upgraded engines, amazing parts availability particularly in the US, but still I believe it's a tragedy to remove the Jaguar V12 that was intended to power the XJS.

 

I think the same but to each their own

I wouldn't replace my V12 with anything other than a V12 or a Lister supercharged V12

 

would you use an LS , if your Jag was a 6 cylinder?

and to expensive to repair.

pic of my Buick GN with an LS2 engine ,4L80E trans.

 

Ron, if I were allowed to, I'd throw the AJV8 out of my XJ8 and fit a nice Vette Z06 engine... The V12 is something I love... I am an XJ-S original fan... I wouldn't even buy a 6 cylinder XJ-S... It is only "half" a V12 and therefore not complete

BUT if I could get my hands on a rolling chassis with no engine and tranny and in a really bad overall condition AND if I had the fabrication skills, I'd have no worry turning a WORN OUT XJ-S V12 into a Draguar... But as I don't have those skills and as I am likely not to gain them either (lack of time or funds, depending on when), I won't be able to do that.

I wouldn't rip a perfectly running V12 out of an XJ-S just for a V8 conversion. Nor if the repair was only something "minor". Throwing a rod or warped heads etc.: out with the bad, in with the good! No matching numbers? Then no V12!

 

well if i really did own a Jaguar XJ220 i would do a blaspheme and yank out the turbo 6, and put in a nice V12 , i know what everyone would say!!

but i'm not interested in esthetics or any such jibberish, money is not important except to make modifications that i want for my personal desires!

 

Now THERE is where I would agree with you Ron!

The XJ220 NEEDS the V12... It was supposed to have a turbocharged/supercharged V12 and ended up with an engine from a Rover... Okay, it had two turbos but heck, it lacked everything it needed to be what it wanted to be. I mean, hey, Lister managed to supercharge the V12 in the XJ-S... Why couldn't Jaguar not do that to the XJ220? It would have been REALLY awesome.

Make the XJ220 that what it should have been... AWD with a V12 and loads and literally LOADS of power. More power than some supercars have TODAY! THAT would be awesome.

I think people would more so be jealous if you had the V12 XJ220 Jaguar was supposed to build! And if they started to say "blasphemy", well that is just the jealousy exiting their gobs!

 

Guys

Virtually no one is taking apart a good running car to do a conversion- the decision for almost all of them is either go this way and keep the car on the road or sell/junk it. The conversion cost itself (in parts alone) is usually considerably less than just that rebuilt V12 long block alone (before any labor figures in) and the simplicity/reliability of the installation helps insure the car will be on the road for a long time to come.

The car in this post, like almost every other Jag that get converted (especially XJS V12 models) , had major engine issues before the project was started. The owner loved the car itself, but these days, at least in the US, the cost of having a V12 rebuilt and reinstalled is astronomical. Prices on those start at $15,000 (long block alone) and go up from there. That doesn't account for installation costs and all of the other parts needed to get the engine installed properly. It all adds up....

On top of that, there are fewer and fewer shops qualified any more to work on these cars, particularly the engine, so finding good support has also become difficult. So the prospect of keeping the car together and running (in stock V12 form) going forward is bleak, not to mention the cost. Not everyone has the experience, knowledge, time, or dedication to take this V12 responsibility on themselves, as many of you have.......

And remember, this is not an installation using a carbureted all iron small block Chevy with a 3 speed automatic- it's a modern, all aluminum, sequential fuel injected engine with a 4 speed overdrive transmission. These are proven, reliable powerplants that make great power, have great economy.

Let's be honest here- very few of these cars that develop major engine trouble ever get back on the road again- most go to the crusher. This saves the few that are worth saving, perhaps in a slightly different form, to be enjoyed a while longer.

This is not for everyone and to each his own. It is not my intention to convince anyone to do anything, but more to show some interesting possibilities, and in this case, a fine project done by one of our customers.

All the best

Andrew
Jaguar Specialties

 

Andrew;


Well put. It would be odd, indeed, to remove a nice healthy V12 for installing almost any V8. Now, if faced with major issues in the V12, a conversion can make a lot of sense.


Now, this applies to the I6's as well, but, yeah, I can see a quest for power as a reason there.


In 2001, unfortunately, not that long after getting my 83 I6, it suffered a major melt down. I studied and thought a lot before embarking on a journey into the unknown.
A computer managed EFI, well beyond my prior experiences. Cathartic at times, and stressfull others. But, was the end result pleasing, oh yeah....


Daim. your considerable skills are more than enough to do a conversion, with a kit and be guided by folks like Andrew.


Do we respect your choice to make your V12, "right"? Absolutely'


And, even a free wheeling discussion on the points are not only helpful but, fun!!!


Three cars in my garage and drive with issues!!!


1. I think the battery in my Jaguar has bit the dust. $'s but simple. It is on the charger now.


2. My daughter's 2001 VW Passat is here with an intermittant miss and stall. I have 9 trouble codes to fix. I have a set of plugs, wires, coil pack and cam cover gasket to install. It does start easily and rtun, most f the time, just not all the time!!!


3. My Jeep. Old faithful failed. Stalled when loaned to my daughter. Last night in a freeway tunnel. After tow truck adventure, it came home on a flat bed. Rough symptom description by daughter implies an alternator failure. I'll charge it's battery and use my VOM and patch cord to see if the alternator is creating volts. If it is, here I go. Up til 2 AM, slept til 6. so, energy level not optimum...


Carl...

 

Being lucky enough to have a XJ220 in my care, and actually drive when I feel like (not often) I can attest that, if nothing else, it has LOADS of power. After all, it's a 25 y/o supercar that *still* is among the world's fastest cars.

I know the V6/RWD configuration isn't what "it should have been" in a romanticized sense but the end result is thrillingly quick (0-60 mph in something like 3.5 seconds) and fast (over 200 mph top speed) and the road holding/cornering/driving dynamic is mightily impressive. Personally, I certainly don't have the courage, skill, experience, or opportunity to explore the car's limits and I'd say that relatively few car enthusiasts do.

IMO, those who cancelled their orders because the production version didn't have a V12 made a mistake. But that's just me talking. I merely get to flirt with the life of choosing expensive toys, not live it !

Cheers
DD

 

That's a very clean installation. Looks even better than the stock late model factory Jaguar V8s. I like the idea of keeping the V12 and other stock engines in the appropriate car, but I know that I couldn't afford to rebuild one, so if anything happens I would probably go with a used engine. The economics of major XJS restoration and repair still haven't tilted in the owner's favor. I've got my XJS up on stands in the garage finishing up a tranny replacement. Darn, these things are hard to work on. I told my Wife that it's a Jello mold of a car. The engine and drive train are fruit cocktail with the rest of the car just poured around it!

 

Tragedy....C'mon. Laughable comment.

It's a missed opportunity for a company to have made a great GT car even greater by using venerable v8. They could have used the rover V8 or imported a domestic V8 the way Jensen did.

Actually the V12 was intended to power race cars and it's large bore, short stroke is not ideal for the street. It was diluted and then found its way into the XJS becasue there was no other choice. The XK engine was underwhelming for a performance GT.

 

a little info about the Rover V8, it was originally an aluminum Buick V8, 1st version designed in late 1940s for military WW2.

then went on to the incredible Buick Le Sabre 1951,(google it amazing)!

well USA guys did not like small displacement engines that era! Rover bought patent rights and some machinery! and then many versions came to be,( not many of the original were used). but it would not be if they did not BUY the small ali. Buick 1st.

an Oldsmobile aluminum version showed up with the WORLDS 1st production turbocharged car, with 1st production car with ALCOHOL INJECTION, 1962, i actually got to drive one!

 

lets be honest here, we love the Jag V12 because its got 12 cylinders, no other reason!

it never was a serious powerhouse!

USA muscle cars of the lates 60/early 70s, would run donuts around any Jaguar ever made in those years!!

Hey dont get me wrong, i love my V12, because i grew up with V12s(father influence), thats all he drove in years 1937/1946, big engine cars WW2 got extra GAS points for them,(rich people in government,HE HE)!

my 1st V12 1948,a gift, NO licesne, no money, 1934 Lincoln V12 big car,never did get it to run,(didnt know anything).

but 1950, bought a Lincoln Zephyr V12 coupe, it run great,smoked like hel#, handled like a race car! check prices today,shocking, i paid $35.(no lie), and seen one on Amelia auction for $300K, YIKES no lie!

 

I was merely expressing my opinion as you have also, I have no problem with you disagreeing.

I have over the years owned two cars powered by Rover V8 as Ron stated derived from Buick 215ci, lovely engine although again not massively powerful even after development by Rover, early 3.5L delivered 177bhp, which reduced to 150bhp when 5* high octane petrol disappeared from UK.
Not as refined as the Jag V12 in my experience.

well aware of the development history of Jaguar V12, 5.0L quad ohc race engine.
Despite your quotation of 'accepted wisdom" of the relative unsuitability of short stroke engines for road use, I haven't experienced any lack of low down torque from my 6.0 V12 (78.5mm stroke)

One final point, again contrary to popular belief, Lister's Le Man's XJS (road car) modified 7.0L V12 was reputed to produce 604bhp which Is hardly unrespectable even by today's standards let alone those of 1990's when it was manufactured.

 

The Chrysler V8 in the Jensen was a pretty poor performer and it weighed a ton. The Interceptor was a much slower and thirstier car than the V12 XJS, and its chassis was far less capable. I do not think dropping an early 1970s era production V8 into the XJS would have made it a better or faster car. I am open to correction, and certainly my mid-1970s era Pontiac Grand Prix with (I think I remember) 417 cubic inch motor was a superb car.

I do not disagree with you about the origins of the V12, but it did make the XJS at its launch a faster car than the opposition were fielding at that time, and far less money!
Greg

 

Completely agree, and getting 300 road useable everyday no stress BHP out of it at the time the XJS was launched, or indeed in the 1980s was a very tall order indeed.
Greg

 

OP, that isn't my cup of tea, but what a nice execution. Thanks for sharing!