I messaged you my contact details.

 

Great. I will respond.

Thanks.

 

What is your budget? Do you want something that is more GT or full on sports car? A good buy for a keeper car could be an Aston Martin 4.3L Vantage V8 (2008) and spend an additional 15k on a AMR or similar clutch, headers, race cats, shocks, tune etc... Velocity AP or Bamford Rose sell such kits. At the end you'll have one heck of a beast Aston Martin manual with new clutch that will be faster than the 4.7's. DB9 manuals are really hard to find and I think it's a car well served in automatic. The paddles are a hoot on the DB9's with exhaust valves open. Way better than Maserati's paddles. You may think twice on the "need a manual" when you drive a good paddle car. Ferrari California is also a great paddle car. Granturismo is just ok with the paddles. Makes some pop's & rev matching, but not nearly as cool as it is on the DB9.

Evora is another one to consider. 3.2L V6 isn't exactly small, but something to consider. Evora 400 is so precise manual shifting and clutch is a dream. Not to mention it drives like a rock star.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, both Vantage and manual V6 Ftype are a real option here. Even the X100 is a good option since it seems there are no major problems in converting them to manual. But they handle like a bag of beans and to sort it out we are talking about rear suspension work, adding a LSD etc. So who knows if it would even be cheaper than converting a X150.

Considering the money it will probably cost to convert a X150, the Vantage makes the most sense. A manually swapped X150 would definitely be a decision from the heart rather than a sensible one. But there are all the things I already said about the Vantage which are not a click for me.

Although I'm finding reports that the running costs on a X150 are not really much cheaper, if at all, than running a Vantage. Hence why I started the running costs thread.

The Evora is just a car which never really interested me. I would rather go for a Exige if I was looking at a Lotus.

Yes, I'm looking for more of a sports car experience. But I don't need the full on race experience with the ultra hard suspension etc.

I have driven plenty of paddle cars. It has nothing to do with them being bad or not. It has to do with me enjoying shifting, the clutch, heel and toeing and the experience that a 3 pedal sporty car offers.

 

The Evora is the least hard suspension of the XK, Vantage, Exige, F Type, etc... It's like a Cadillac over the bumps. The Evora is an actual car you can drive and live with. Exige is a toy and has a small engine in the US.

I would suggest driving them all before jumping to any conclusions. The Exige/Elise are starting to feel a bit old. There's only a few cars I'd want in a paddle and Jaguar, Maserati, or Porsche aren't on the list. Not very inspiring at all. Aston gets it right. V8V in Sportshift configuration is a hydraulic actuated manual. The throttle has to be treated the same a manual.

 

Another idea which came to mind. The late X100 cars came with basically the same engine as the early X150s right? What are the differences, if any, between the X100 4.2 and X150 4.2 engines?

Since the manual swap has been cracked for the X100, would converting a 4.2 X150 to manual instead of a 5.0 be any easier/cheaper?

And in case the 4.2 in the X150 is just different enough to complicate things, and now I'm reaching I know, but what about doing a full drive train transplant from a 4.2 X100 into a 4.2 X150? Meaning swap the X100 4.2 engine into a X150 and then swap the transmission using the X100 manual swap "kit/method"?

Yes I know.

 

I will get in touch soon. Still getting my thoughts together. If it wasn't for being on opposite sides of the world it would make things easier. But I will get in touch soon.

 

Evora wise, a rear mid engine is just not what I'm looking for. The engine in it does nothing for me as well and I don't particularly like how it looks either. But yes, it drives nicely. Never drove one of the 400. But they are nice. Just not what I'm looking for.

 

How about just buy this and call it day. Has everything you'd want in a car and will age gracefully forever. 2011 Aston Martin V12 Vantage Manual. 9500 miles. 99K

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...3427/overview/

 

As much as I would love a V12, I'm not sure it's the right choice here. For one I want a car which I can drive. Put miles on without fear of depreciation. Without fear of it being rare and high maintenance or too expensive to run etc. I want to drive it as much as I can. Of course in that case, something like a Corvette would be perfect. But it's just not special. This is why I think a Jaguar is perfect. It's special enough and yet it's not an exotic.

Also, the asking price for that V12V breaks the bank. I wouldn't want to pay that much. Especially given that as I said I don't love the design of the Vantage.

 

Hang on now, I just want to be totally clear here...

My proposal was for a 4.2L X150 XKR, not a 5.0L XKR. The 5.0L is a whole different story with the Gear Shift Module, Dynamic/Winter modes, etc. converting a 5.0L to manual is not on the table.

The engine management system, and the whole electronic architecture of the vehicles is different, there is nothing shared between the X100 and X150 from an electronic perspective.

No that's not how it works.

The engine is not the problem. It is the electronic systems in the vehicle that need to be resolved.

 

Ah OK. You had not mentioned it was for the 4.2 only. That makes a bit of a difference. Stock 4.2 XKR is nearly 100bhp down from stock 5.0 XKR. As a matter of fact, pretty close to the X100 4.2 XKR in power. That's kind of a push towards a X100 conversion, since it seems to be simpler and much cheaper. A bit of a important piece of info there.

What's the tuning potential for the 4.2 XKR realistically speaking? Anything like a pulley and a remap can do much good?

 

IMHO you are barking up the wrong tree with a Jag.

I'll post some suggestions shortly.

 

Have you considered an older TVR?

This one is even has the steering wheel on the correct side!

https://www.autotrader.ca/ico/tvr/ch...%203A8&sprx=-1



But if you are a southpaw, there are many other TVR options out there. Then spend a little extra dough to up the HP and you are golden.


Or perhaps a Noble...

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2006-noble-m400/

 

 

Or a Panoz may fit the bill...

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/20...z-esperante-5/

 

Aren't TVRs built out of trees?

 

 

Wow. Quite an effort you put in there. Thanks! Appreciate it.

Unfortunately none of them are what I'm looking for. I'm looking for a front engine RWD, manual transmission coupe which is somewhat special, as well as classy and beautiful.

TVR is just not it. Most of them are too vulgar. They feel cheap too.

I would say the same for Noble. Besides being rear mid engine. I never sat in one. But they do look a bit kitcar-ish.

Viper is great. But none of the classy and beauty going for it. It's muscular and vulgar.

Alfa 4C is lovely. But paddles only. Rear mid engine too. But since it's an Alfa I could forgive that. If it was a manual and maybe a V6 in there.

370Z doesn't tick any boxes really. Apart from RWD and manual. But neither it is beautiful, classy, special or any of that.

Panoz has nothing beautiful or classy about them. Besides that don't know much about them.

Like I keep saying, the choice seems to be either a Jaguar or Aston. Alfa if they made a RWD coupe which wasn't the rare and very expensive 8C and that is paddles only as well. But checks all boxes apart from too expensive and paddles.

Since we have been through the Aston options, I guess it leaves only a manual swapped X100 or manual swapped X150. I fear a Maserati 4200 GT would be too much of a diva to keep on the road.

 

I'm in the AU often. If you ever get the privilege of the conversion, I'd love to see it.

Like Mike V8, I too prefer 'being in charge' with the manual. Tiptronic doesn't really cut it... And neither does a bimmer;-)