if you are gonna do all that stuff in this century, Europe is safe!

 

I don't know if this marvelous chap is on here....but as I read fried_hippies' list of upcoming mods, my twisted mind drifted to the XJS in this video
Ans here he is driving it. Somewhat otherworldly...

 

I used the non-electronic version because it was easier to fit to the jag without prior trans electronics and I wasn't planning on adding any. Plus it let me keep the stock starter and shifter. I can't remember what flywheel I ended up going with, but there was some trial and error there. You really have to keep your foot on the break when stopped becasue she really wants to take off, but that was the best balance I could find. Second, mine is pretty short to second gear. I actually wish it was a tad longer. It bumps into 2nd gear at about 5-10 mph. It reminds me of a manual trans truck or jeep that has a really low gear that you only use for towing. I feel this jag could start in 2nd gear without much problem. But the first gear really gives you some oomph and torque right out of the gate from a dead stop. It shifts pretty hard, which is how I wanted it. It really gives the car that low end torque that I wanted, plus much better acceleration and nice cruising on the highway. I couldn't be happier. Well, sometimes I wish I went for the 5 speed manual, but at the time I was thinking that's not really the character of this car, plus it was quite a bit more involved. So I am very happy with my 4 spd auto.

 

Oooh very nice!

I'm surprised by what you say about the short 2nd, because I understand the factory ratio for the 4L60 is 1.63, which is only marginally shorter than the 1.48 second you get on the facelift factory auto.

Whatever I do with mine, I am 100% going to be fitting an electronic version because I want a switchable manual mode; so the shift points are something I'll be able to tweak. How much effort I need to put in to do that is another question, but it ought to be doable.

For you, with your non-electronic version, if you wanted to adjust where that shift happens - and I know you don't, jnp, since you're happy with the car as it is now, but I'm writing for anyone who finds this through google - you'd do the following:
- choose and buy a shift kit
- remove the transmission pan (pain in the **** job given that it's over the mount and full of fluid!)
- remove the valve body, taking great care not to lose the various ball-bearings or the magnet that sits in the pan
- perform the relevant modification using the shift kit; these typically involve careful drilling of holes and replacement of springs
- take wincing pains to clean out any swarf or detritus
- put it back together, using vaseline (?) to help hold the ball-bearings in place
- run the engine, switch to neutral, let it spin for a few minutes to get the fluid circulating, then try a test drive

ALWAYS replace the trans fluid filter. That ought to be done as often as possible; every 20k miles is ideal but at least every 50k

 

changing transmission fluids some times NOT recommended, my Japanese car has 200K miles on the original fluids , trans ,P/S,!
brakes just overhauled , 5K ago!
my Jag with 700 mechanical has low miles B&M kit in it, works just fine , adjusting shift points took a few drives but once set all is good!
you seem to say things are difficult , when its just simple changes!
what we are waiting for is some actual PIX of your car and some pix of your mods!

low and wide, fantasize,

lotsa engine internal mods!

 

Ron, you'll be waiting at least a year, I get one day a week to work on it and it's not even completely stripped yet!

 

got it , maybe later?