Happy New Year Everyone,
This is my first Jag build, I have built/restored lots of cars for customers in the past, mostly GM's
I purchased this XJS from a friend in South Carolina last year. He had a fuel problem with it & parked it for a year or so (turned out to be fuel filter) I learned this long after I bought it. I had intended on getting it running so I could sell the v-12 & 400 trans as running but unfortunatley while it was parked at his place, a rodent chewed up the fuel inj. harness, so I will be selling the motor & trans as more of rebuldables in the near future.
Plans for the build are: a hot small block chevy motor & 700r4 trans using a Johns cars install kit, complete rebuild of front & rear suspension, completely redone leather interior & a color change to a deep burghandy candy color.
Being that this is my first Jag Build, I was truely blessed that this car was 100% rust free & I did not break a single bolt in the disassembly!
Here are the first batch of pictures:

 

Great Project. Keep us up with the progress.

 

It'd be a "Great project" if it was going to run the V12 JAGUAR engine in it...not just another "lumped" Jaguar....sorry it's just how I feel and It's a strong feeling. To each his own I guess.

 

I agree.
I have to admit that i am a bit confused as to why someone would want to replace one type of engine with another, why not just buy a different car with the engine that you want in it in the first place?
Changing the engine must change the character of the car which presumably is what attracts someone to it in the first place.
Whilst I greatly admire the V8 beast the sound of something grumbling and lumping away under the svelte lines of an XJS wouldn't sound right to me.
A V12 with the centre exhaust box removed sounds epic on full chat; my old Lister was awesome, especially in a tunnel!
The Mark 3 Listers were running around 700 bhp so there is plenty of room for improvements and modifications there.
Is it hard to get hold of useable V12 engines in the States?

 

Please put the V12 back in the car and forget about the small block Chevy - Corvettes are a nickel a dozen...

 

V12's are indeed NOT hard to came by in the U.S....why would one want a "push rod" V-8 over an OHC silky smooth V-12 ??? The fact is that Johns cars has made a small fortune convincing people the V-12 is too hard to fix/maintain so he builds V-8 swap kits...it's amazing how many people bought these things (V-12's) didn't know what to do with them nor did their garage so they simply "lumped" them...Im always tickled at the poor sole who pulls into a JCNA Concourse event in a "Lumped" Jaguar and wonders why most shake their heads as they walk by it.

 

I am very sorry I offended the purests & I completely understand the thinking. I do not want to hurt anybodys feelings but comparing a v-12 Jag engine to a small block Chevy is like comparing Rosie O'Donnell to a supermodel!
If the car would have been running when I bought it, I might have tried to keep the misrable v-12 running for a while, but that is not what I wanted. I wanted the look of the XKS conv, The Jag handling but with the dependability of the chevy engine

 

My V-12 Jaguar is EXTREMELY dependable (way more then the POS GM motor in my son's Firebird) and by the way I'm no purest. I just think a non- Jaguar engines in a Jaguar is similar to removing it's heart. It no longer remains a Jaguar. Most of them have GM transmissions in them but that's fine by me because that's what Browns Lane put in them...I think that was a bad choice given other ways the could have gone. Calling the V-12 "miserable" isn't exactly helping your cause.

 

I didn't know I had a "cause" I just posted a build thread as a new member of a supposedly friendly forum. If one of the Moderators would like me to delete this post or not continue with it I will do that.
The small block chevy is the most dependable engine ever built & John's Cars didn't have to convince anybody that this engine swap would make the car better... it is obvious

 

Its a good looking car. im excited to see it running with a "hot" SBC.

one more 190bhp 350 and im gonna puke XP

also, im doing a similar project with a hard top. L67 + 700R4

 

Thank you M90Power, I will post pics as I assemble the engine. the pieces are:
4 bolt block bored 40 over
Forged steel GM crank
speed pro full floating pistons 10 1/2 comp
Manley aluminum rods
Balanced & Blueprinted
Aluminum Heads
Not sure on cam yet, I have a couple here to choose from
Also not sure about carb- small dual quads or 750 dp

 

You posted a proposed "lumping" of a Jaguar on a "Jaguar" forum. Friendly forum ...YES. "Lumping" popular among Jaguar enthusist....NO
You'll get those that support it and in Jaguar circles FAR more that do not. I don't feel I was being un-friendly just opinionated as to what I'm against, which is the "lumping" of a Jaguar. You say the engine needed a fuel filter and then a fuel injection harness...hardly anything "major" so why then is it "miserable" for 1/2 the cost of the upgrades on the SB Chevy you intend you probably could have had a heck of a good running V-12...sorry if your offended (and yes I am directly offended by the lumping of a Jaguar) by my displeasure but face it...it's a public Forum where those will share their opinion, good or bad some your way, some not...the subject at hand is indeed a sensitive one with many a Jaguar owner. In short order you had 2 for your idea and 3 against. Not trying to be an a$$ you just happen to strike a nerve. I hope it turns out to be everything you want it to be.

 

I understand completely & I am not offended. As far as the original v-12, I should have stated that it already had 139,000 miles on it plus I have a very large collection of small blocks here (probably could assemble 10-15 complete engines) so this to me was a no brainer.
Everyone is entitled to there own opinion & is free to express it on a public forum & again if the Moderators deem my build thread to not be in the spirit of the forum, I will be glad to delete it. I would hope that there is room for all here.

 

Nobody is offended (I hope) and we are all entitled to our likes and dislikes and if you have a ton of spare engines lying around then why not?
There are always going to be purists who turn their noses up (as stated), those who really don't give a toss and the rest of us who fit in the middle somewhere.
I've seriously considered binning my V12 and slush box and sticking an XJR6 lump and manual box in which would be pretty cool (and fast!). But it would still sound like a Jag.
But I can't afford to.
Did see an XJ6 advertised once with a Datsun diesel engine in it.
That is absolutely wrong.

 

Steve,
If you have not already got it, the full AJ6 intake kit for the V12 really makes a BIG difference, all bolt on, and not that bad a price, considering.

I have some middle-box replacement pipes, but have never fitted them, too frightened of how noisy thay will make the cabin...

Greg

 

Let's look at it this way....for some reason no one would dare post on a Camaro site they were dropping a Ford engine in one or in the same vein no one would put on a Mustang Forum they were putting a SB Chevy in one of those or worse yet a SB Chevy in a Chrysler/Plymouth Muscle car and then put it up on their enthusiest Forum....not without dramatic negative remarks. For some reason people have made it "mainstream" to drop an Chevy/Ford "lump" in a Jaguar..........puzzles me. I don't like it...not going to tip toe around the subject. If I've violated any forum polcies also, any monitor can pull my plug. I don't wish anyone anyone any ill will, just very opinionated on this particular subject.

 

Greg
I still need to sort out the overheating problem (still waiting for replacement radiator to arrive) and myriad other problems before I think about bolt on goodies.
Replacing the middle box with straight through pipes does increase the noise slightly in the cabin but a slight adjustment to the stereo covers that up nicely and most of the noise comes out of the back anyway. Plus you are removing a considerable restriction to the free flow of exhaust gases so it's a win-win really.
It's only when you wallop the loud pedal that you really notice it and I have to say that it is quite intoxicating. I'll have to see if I can dig out my video tape of the Lister on a track day at Goodwood and see if I can put it on here somehow.
The Cabbie has straight through pipes and that sounds lovely with the roof off.
JT - fair comments buddy.

 

>>>Highjack mode on<<<< Steve my 86 has the "growler" air intakes, mid mufflers removed, cats emptied and an "H" pipe put in just in front of where the mid mufflers were....w/o the "H" pipe there was an annoying drone at highway speeds...the "H" pipe eliminated that. Sounds G-R-E-A-T at WOT! my next move is to remove the "honeycomb" at the top of the downpipes as soon as get the nerve to drop them...wish I would of done it while I had the steering rack out a couple of years ago! >>>>Highjack mode off<<<<

 

I think your build is perfectly suited for this place. Though the original car with its V12 is truly unique, there is nothing that makes the same kind of HP/$$ as a small block Chevy, esp the LSx engines. Having driven a 400+hp LQ9 powered XJ6, I can tell you that the performance is well beyond the stock V12, not to mention the instant starts, butter smooth idle, regular fuel, and 28+ MPG that this car was getting.

What I would not advocate is a swap like some I have seen - such as a low-compression, emission era 305 cube, 2bbl truck motor with a turbo 350 trans......worse performance, mileage, and driveablity all around.

 

If your V-12 doesn't start instantly, isn't buttery smooth on idle and can't at least pull 25 MPG in HE form then you defiantly have a motor that isn't up to par and is in need of some service....there is nothing and I mean nothing more smooth and turbine like the a Jaguar V-12, certainly not any GM V-8...and believe me I've driven my share of GM V-8's. They are great, durable motors but there is no way I'd compare it to a good tuned V-12 Jaguar.......plus your BIG issue with a Jaguar V-12 isn't it's engine but in the 2:88 rear gear and T/H 400 3 speed auto box.....all the GM V-8's in the world aren't going to improve that. The Jaguar V-12 is a marvelous motor hooked to a mediocre drive train....I'd put my $$ into that and keep the prestige of the V-12 badging ACTUALLY being under the hood. Just my $.02...but then again it's a broken record coming from me ; )