Has anyone done it? The Poor Man's XKR in the making perhaps?

 

I've moved your question from General Tech Help to XK8/XKR forum. Members here with the same model will be able to advise.

I just get the feeling buying an XKR could cost a lot less!

Graham

 

No , whilst in theory possible it is far cheaper to sell your 8 and buy an R. To swap you need complete wiring looms and everything, then you have to get it to communicate to all the other modules. No-one has wasted their time trying when Rs are so cheap.

 

That's what I did, got rid of the 8 and picked up an XKR a ton cheaper. However if you really love your car check out the LS! kit from Jaguar Specialties you could put in a blown LS1 and they have a manual option coming as well.




Jaguar Specialties

 

Here is the only documented (non LS1 conversion) case I am aware of: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...d-works-49685/

Starting with an R engine and transmission probably would lead to fewer compromises, but trading up for an R really makes more sense. You are going to need to swap a number of the electronic modules and wiring harness also to make it work.

 

and trading up for an R gets you all the non-engine bits ... upgraded suspension, wheels, cosmetics.

it's not just the engine that makes an R an R.

you'll also get the upgraded insurance bill

 

Thanks for chiming in on my inquiry - here's my thought process...


I purchased my '98 8 coupe with 90K miles on it for $2,500 USD and I absolutely love the coupe - it has a blown transmission (that way when I bought it) - the engine runs great. I tracked down a R hood (bonnet) because I love the look of the vented hood. I've seen complete XJR's for sale for next to nothing - not nearly as expensive as a XKR...Example - I've located a complete '98 XJR locally for $3,000 USD with 20k miles on it...


So...I was kicking around buying an entire XJR for cheap, then swapping everything - engine, transmission, ECU's, harnesses, etc....


More trouble that it's worth?


My other option: I have it lined up to buy a 2000 XK8 convertible next week that has a blown engine (tensioner failure) but has a rebuilt transmission with only 14,000 miles on it - I can get the entire car for $1,750 - swap out the transmission and used the vert as a parts car...

 

Buy the vert, however if you want more power fix your 8 sell it and buy an R, you will struggle getting good power out of an 8 without spending big money in which case you might as well fit an LS in the first place.

If you are handy with the spanners..... something I have fancied doing is fitting R pistons a couple of turbos and a stand alone ECU, i don't think the Jag management will like the forced induction

 

Which leads me to next question along those lines - I was thinking about doing a rebuild on the blown engine in the vert - it has 160k miles on it.

How does the AJ26 respond to performance mods and are there any aftermarket parts or parts off other engines to increase HP without getting ridiculously over-budgeted (i.e. different intake manifold, headers, heads, TB, injectors, cams, etc.)?


What about aftermarket superchargers (ProCharger, Paxton, etc.)?


Or taking a supercharger, intercooler, plumbing off a XJR/AJ27and putting it on the AJ26?


I would eventually love to buy an R at some point in the future...

 

It's been done with mixed effects....... For the 8 there is not much which is why most opt for the R

It takes a lot of money to improve an 8 the picture in my signature is of my XK8 engine, that has about $10K in it.......

 

Unlike the small block Chevys and big block Fords, there are limited legitimate power adds to the XK8. As everyone has noted already, you'll spend way more money for far less effect going this route.

Buy the 'vert for the cheap transmission, fix your coupe and sell it. With the proceeds, buy an XKR. You'll be far happier and own a car that does have upgrade aftermarket parts available. Sell what remains of the 'vert for parts to finance the upgrades.

 

Limited power add-ons for the XK8 is an understatement. Unless you consider K&N filters and loud exhaust to be substantial power enhancements, that motor is stuck in OEM land, generally. That said, it sure sounds nice compared to the whine of a supercharger.

Before my XK8 got totaled, I was considering an LS-1 swap. Then once the car was gone I just said screw it and bought an XKR with low miles in great condition. I never considered putting an XKR motor into an XK8 as the aforementioned problems would make the LS1 swap far less troublesome, and with more power to boot. Additionally, there are infinitely more possibilities with any kind of Chevy swap, not to mention the sheer delight of getting rid of any ZF transmission in exchange for an easy to source GM unit. So though I am very happy with the XKR, there are days when I think "Hmmm..... what if?"

 

I wanted an LSA engine, even ran one down. At the time they hadn't worked out the interconnect with that new of an engine. It has since been sorted and the result would be wicked fast. I may still do that though now that I have the F-Type my need for speed has been reduced. Best of luck and please keep us posted on what you end up doing.

 

Lots of good information here mates - thanks so much for your words. I SO wish the vert was a coupe - it would be the perfect (for me anyway) project for a LS1 swap.


What sucks is I haven't been able to drive the coupe at all since I've bought it - unless you count in and out of the driveway in creep mode when I play car roulette in my driveway...so I don't know if I would want to get into it right away, but a LS swap with a 6-speed manual trans would be sweet - and reliable.


Are there any companies out there who support the swap with brackets, mounts etc. and/or any articles of reference for the swap?


BTW, what's the going rate on the blown engine in the vert - what's a reasonable amount to expect to sell it for? Or should I sell the entire car and advertise it to see if another gear head who's prone to the vert over the coupe is looking for a donor car to do the swap?


I've also decided to sell my 35th Anniversary Vette to put towards my 8 - I'm crazy about my XK and I've lost interest in the Vette...Maybe I can find a running LS/6-speed combo for what I can get out of the Vette. I used to think the Vette was a woman-catcher, but after seeing the XK I can only imagine how much attention you guys get

 

Perhaps, but at what age bracket? Both Jaguar and the Vette suffer from image problems among the younger set. Notice the marketing of the new F type - nobody under 35 in their ads. GM also realized there was a problem with the Vette image: Corvette Not Just for Successful Plumbers With New Design - Bloomberg

Time will tell if the makeover was enough to remove it from old fogie land. Meanwhile, strangely enough my XKR gets noticed a lot more (by young and older folks alike) than the XK8. Both coupes, but the XKR is black while the XK8 was burgundy. I think the Paris wheels set the XKR apart a bit more.

 

Jaguar Specialties (link above) has a complete LS1 swap kit. Here is the link: http://www.jaguarspecialties.com/


Also you don't want a Corvette, it has a transaxle, you won't be able to use the transmission. GTO, Camaro, Cadillac etc.

 

Thanks for the info on what to look for and for the link - $2k for the kit - not too shabby, especially when considering you can get a complete LS1/transmission combo for @$3k - maybe less if you can find a munched donor car - 1998 & up Trans Am's and Z-28's come to mind as being affordable. I noticed they don't have a kit for the 6-speed yet but it's in the developmental stage.

@$5k plus labor for a complete swap out - definitely something to consider. I'm going to be on the lookout for another coupe in need of a new engine.

 

Well, the thing that caught my eye about the XK is that is doesn't look like the old fogie Jags - the XJ, the X-type, etc. and that it looks more like a DB7 - the over 35 age bracket is fine with me, especially considering that I'm 52. I'm sure the under-35 younger set are more prone to the Scion crowd anyway - I think of the XK as more refined and sophisticated, yet still on the cool side - especially with the growl of the v-8.


Speaking or wheels - I'm prone to the 19" Tamana's - which run circles around the Revolvers and totally change the look.





I've also ordered a front air dam and XK150 rear spoiler/brake light - together with the R hood I picked up - basically a straight up trade for my stock hood - I think my 8 will look pretty sweet...

 

Revolvers are such a horrible wheel for these cars (although interestingly enough they look quite nice on XJ8s). Those wheels look quite nice. I'm one of the younger ones, just under 30 for a couple of months and I bought my XK8 just before I hit 25. My wife sometimes accuses me of old man taste but I just tell her I am refined.

 

Yes wheels definitely make or break the XK's; it's amazing how the right wheels can not only change the appearance but also the aggressiveness of the car. I know they had to differentiate between the 8 and the R - but damn the R is simply awesome - that's why if I can't have an R (for now, anyway) I want to make my 8 look as good as I can to appease my own taste and vision that I have for it. When I was your age I was playing with Mustangs - both old and new. If the XK's were around back then I don't know if I would've wanted one or not. The XJ was around back then and it definitely was thought of as an old fogie car. I just like the fact that the XK's are such a bitchin' car, you don't see them on the road every day, they're very inexpensive to buy (especially compared to how much they were new) and they turn heads. Yes, we may beat to the drum of a different drummer, but I like to think our drummer is John Bonham and the rest of the world beats to the drum of Peter Chris...