your 63 is a fine piece; you did an amazing job. it is especially nice that you used modern Jaguar seats. did you upholster the rear with similar leather and pattern or are these an actual matching set with the front. did you have to modify.
one of my crazy ideas for the future is to find an older sedan like yours and re power with the later variant AJ V8 and use modern Jaguar underpinnings. never thought of the interior transplant. thanks for the idea. hope that you have many fun years and perhaps pass this fine specimen along to your progeny.

 

The seats were from a Vaden Plas which required them to be sectioned about 12" to fit as the rears were wider but the pattern of the stock was recreated as original, what we did though was to change all four doors to match that design and change the door compartments to pouches which are more useful and hold more bits.

On the MK/ 3.8s forum, Doug has done what you are talking about to an MK but in my opinion it is way more complicated. Remember the LS is used for so many restomods for a lot of reasons, such as weight, reliability horsepower, and mpg. What people forget is that because of those and other reasons you have an enormous amount of accessories, kits, ECU tuners, computer options, engine mounts, pulley kits, and the list goes one that you WILL NOT have with another engine. That creates big hurdles on the retrofit that are not easy nor cheap and can cost thousands more than an LS. When you are all done you do have most things Jaguar in the engine bay but the engine is not that powerful so you maybe have 300 HP or so and to me these cars really need 400+ to really perform and then you can out perform modern performance sedans. As an example the quick ones that saved me a lot of headache going with an LS were: engine mount kits, ECU computer tunes and options (HUGE advantage), performance starter (solved heat issues), custom pulley kits (solved space issues for AC, alternator, etc (clearance issues solved), and so many performance options that are just unavailable to non LS engines. I understand the initial desire to do a engine conversion with all Jag as I am doing that with a 240 and using a Nissan Skyline but the difference here is engine swap is such a difference going from 6 to 8 that I would not recommend it and if you have unlimited budget to do it the car is just not that fast for all that work. On my Nissan 240 it is going from 6 to 6 cylinders and the advantage is the stock 6 can be modified to 400-450 Hp but the Skyline can be modified to 750-1000 and still be reliable so that swap is worth it to stay true Nissan. It is still more than V8 240z swaps so again the LS is an option that is cheaper with the end HP result about the same but I was willing to spend the extra money going Skyline. A Jag to me is clearly better going LS route and the resale value is there and the performance is just night and day... .

 

thanks for the interior details. one day i would like to see the car in person. as for my crazy idea, yes you are correct that the LS is easier and makes more sense. i would like the challenge.

 

I daily drive mine in California averaging about 30,000 miles per year. For an XK8 / XKR and other later model Jaguar's, Andrew at Jaguar Specialties has great kits that make it easy for the DYI and for a competent auto shop to do it for you. The advantage to your year and other late model Jaguar's is that the car is larger making the drop in much easier with the larger engine bay and your cars are newer so you do not have to deal with fuel systems & gas tanks to convert them to fuel injection nor the other things you take for granted like power steering, AC, etc. that never came with an old car like mine; heck I had to add hazard lights as they were not stock as I guess that was not a safety thing in those days? Thus you might want to do one when your motor needs rebuild, etc. before taking on an old Jag as that is more challenging for sure....

check this XJ8 as an example of what can be done to your model and other late model Jaguar's
or this one

 

Hello all. this is Andrew from Jaguar Specialties. It was great to meet Mr Sandwich in person and take him for a test ride. Because we are an internet business I don't get to meet many, if any, of our customers in person. This was a nice change. And a good opportunity for an enthusiast to see that these conversions are daily driver capable cars, maintaining the operation, look and feel of the original but with huge performance potential up to chassis limited levels...

The XK8 Mr. Sandwich took a ride in is our LS-manual trans proof-of-concept car, and it was far exceeded our expectations as a great runner and driver (actually, it's my daily driver....) . The engine is a 2002 Camaro SS LS1 (completely stock, 325hp/350 ft-lbs, with all of the best LS1 pieces on it- LS6 intake, 241 heads, LS6 cam, etc.,.) mated to a T56 (6 speed double overdrive- .50 final !!!) transmission. The front half of this conversion (the engine part) is virtually identical to our regular XK8-LS automatic conversions but from the firewall back it is very different. Developing proper brake pedal and clutch pedal/clutch hydraulic hardware for a car that had never been designed for it was no simple task. (no, nothing from an earlier XJS manual trans car would work). This all had to be engineered around an injection molded plastic pedal box that offers none of the benefits of the cast aluminum units used in earlier Jags- the plastic pieces cannot be welded, etc.,. Getting a pedal hardware design that fit the space and worked with man-size feet was not simple. Have a look under your XK8 dash some time and you'll understand what I mean. (ponder for a moment the fact that the clutch master cylinder is mounted vertically under the hood- there was no other practical way ....) Anyway, after tinkering for many months a good design was developed which now, several years later has proved itself well on this car and multiple customer units since including one recent 97 convertible in Ohio that is running a 530hp LS3 and Cadillac CTS-V-based T56 (pics attached). The stick shift option isn't for everyone but it does make for a Very Fun car, even with modest LS power outputs.

BTW- that gold LS powered XJ8L that PrimaZ mentioned above was built with one of our XJ8-LS conversion kits (by a shop in the Chicago area)l. What was done there could be easily duplicated by any end user with our kit/parts. FYI- we do also have a manual trans option for the 98-03 XJ8-XJ8L-Vanden Plas sedans.... One note on that: the gold Jag uses a video display style race dash instrument cluster which is non-standard (nor required) with our conversions. All of our Jag conversions (done using our kits/parts) maintain the standard Jag instrumentation with full and accurate function. The dash in the gold Jag was a customer selected piece outside of what we support. Getting the factory chassis/electrics/etc.,. to work with the new drivetrain is always more impressive, in my opinion.

Best regards

Andrew
Jaguar Specialties

 

Great work as usual Andrew! I highly recommend that anyone considering a Jaguar V8 upgrade, to buy the kits from Jaguar Specialties and work with Andrew. Andrew provides a well engineered kit that enables all of your factory gauges and interior controls to work seamlessly with the new engine. When a V8 engine swap is done right like Andrew does you will get a very reliable, fast car that will have strong resale value. The LS engines are definitely the way to go as they provide incredibly reliable power in such a lightweight package and it is important to do it right like Andrew is engineered in his kits so that you have a street legal performance Jaguar that will be a joy to drive and always be desirable...

 

To add onto what Primaz said: I've seen a fair number of what turned out to be Jaguar Specialties cars sell for big money. The xjc that was on bring a trailer a few months back turned out to be a Jag. Spec. car and sold for over $100k. If I recall correctly, a pretty hefty profit was made on that car.

The gold XJL mentioned above is also fairly famous car belonging to a guy named Karl Muth. It got featured on One Take with Matt Farah, who I'm pretty sure has first dibs when Karl decides to sell the car. It's a pretty gnarly car, with a gated manual and a lingenfelter LS3 making 575hp. Stylistically, it's a polarizing car, with fifteen52 wheels and seats out of an Audi A4, but I'm a big fan, and it's the car that convinced me to research more about the LS swaps.

As it stands, the market for X100s is not that robust, and I don't have a whole lot of faith that they'll appreciate in any significant, inflation-outpacing way. Educated buyers tend to know the difference between a well-done modified car and one that was slapped together, and even "well-kept" X100s that I see for sale often have had crucial services neglected (guides/tensioners are the most common). In either--just do it right (if you're able) regardless of which engine you have.

Not really trying to make a point about what one should or shouldn't do, but the more I learn about these cars and the market for them, the more intriguing it gets. Obviously these aren't the equivalent of a Singer Porsche, but these are far from backyard swaps with sketchy wiring in terms of resale value.

Admittedly, in the end, I tend not to care at all about the resale value of my specific car--Farah had a great quote about that, which was roughly "Screw the next owner; enjoy your car as much as you want."

 

Hi guys

I also have a 97 XK8 convertible with an LS using Andrews kit, I bought it modded as I wanted the Jag look with the GM reliability and ease of service, they really are the prettiest of cars and with the LS an excellent performer and so far completely reliable. I actually prefer the sound of the GM V8's and as a weekend car it is just plain fun to drive and own, if only the rest of the car was as reliable, but that is Jag ownership and I don't have to worry about the engine or gearbox, probably for ever!

Garry

 

That's what many thought in the 70's and early 80's about the E-Type. It's also what was assumed would be the case with the XJS until a few years ago. Mark my words, unmolested XK8's will start appreciating within a decade at most. Why don't Aston Martin owners ever lump their DB-7's but in Jaguar circles this is common?

How reliable are Corvettes and Camaros of the late 90's?

 

probably the reason is that the cars are relatively inexpensive currently and for some reason older Jaguars tend to stay as such. if something is costly, we tend to value it more with the exceptions of those of us who see the value in the craftsmanship and engineering of these cars. will this change; who knows. too much to go into in this thread.

i have driven a Jaguar Specialties XK8 conversion to LS engine and transmission just out of curiosity. there is no doubt that the engineering of the kit and the owner's workmanship were excellent. in another thread, i went on that in this situation nothing is actually destroyed or permanently modified. it is then possible to restore the car at a later date. this makes this a thoroughly responsible modification in terms of historical preservation.

before we go too crazy with the originality thing, i have personally owned and have friends with collectible cars which require accuracy and perfection to be displayed let alone maintain any value. how many of us would appreciate not being able to upgrade the thermostat tower or install Real Gauge or use a better hose clamp? or parts that are astonishingly expensive? be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.

my personal opinion is that the car did not feel the same even with some of the other benefits. Jaguar went to a great length to achieve much of the driver experience. the engine feel is a good deal of this. Millions of dollars, engineering time and expertise went into this creation. i can tell if a car fatigues a driver. the XK8 and other similar Jaguars can be driven hundreds of miles in a day and for the reasons above you exit the car feeling better than when you started and sorry that the trip is over. personally i am a fan of small displacement V8s such as the old Chevrolet mouse motors which displace about the same as our car's engines. even though they predate me by many years, they are a joy to run and probably represent a mode that Chevrolet should not have abandoned in the displacement wars. Those of us with the 4.0s are probably a similar evolutionary dead-end, yet it led to one of the UK's most reliable and powerful V8s. the 4.0 can be reved and played with a satisfaction unlike the later iterations. in supercharged form it will remain a unique, very collectible experience. Jaguar did the right thing going to 4.2, but there were a few small trade-offs.

sometimes a car's engine is about more than the total HP or Torque, rather about performance and feel for a situation. just look below at an engine with a displacement close to ours and how it just works in bone stock configuration.

none of this is to be considered a criticism of Jaguar Specialties or anyone who performs the modification. engineering and mechanical art take many forms.

an original V8 and its sound and feel to die for. the driver seems to be enjoying it. best part, it happens to be a Chevrolet. 14:30 for the sound, would you put an LS motor in that?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AFDhxk97Xg

 

The LS series motors have proven to be bulletproof, whats breaks after 120K miles very easy/inexpensive (gaskets, flexplates) to fix and every speed shop in american can tune one.

People doing LS swaps generally buy a Camaro for the Motor/trans and throw the rest away.

 

What gaskets are you referring to? There is no reason why flexplates should go at a mesely 120k miles. That's not exactly bulletproof. That's why I am extremely skeptical that these Chevy V8 are somehow better built and more reliable than any Jag engine - be it the 4.2 I6, AJ6/16, or V12.

Like the poster above you said, once you lump the car it's not a Jaguar anymore. It sounds, runs, and just generally feels different. He's also correct in his statement that the low prices of used examples tend to attract butchers. "I like the Jag look but want a Chevy engine!" I have never understood this logic and never will.

Lumping does not make sense in the money department either. What you'd spend on the conversion is almost certainly more than even a full rebuild of your original engine would be.

Anyone see this thread? Why are original good condition XJS cars fetching these prices? There must be something special about them..like the engine.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/xjs-x27-32/prices-still-rising-216416/

 

I own a fleet of commercial vans all running GM LS engines and by far they are one of the most reliable powerplants. When you have employees whom drive the vehicle hard and it is hard to ensure they always do maintenance as religiously as one would do on their personal pride and joy and I am have vans going over 250,000 + miles and still reliable that is pretty darn reliable to me. My 1963 3.8s Jag with an LS1 aluminum block is just as reliable and with minor mods I am well over 400+ HP and it is a daily driver averaging 30,000 miles per year. It does drive different but on the positive side; it is smooth, quiet, much faster acceleration (0-60 in 3.9 to 4.05 seconds), and it handles better due to the lighter engine. I really have no negative issues but when your car has a lot of miles remember whether you keep it stock or do an engine swap you need to also restore or upgrade all of the suspension, etc. If you rebuild the stock engine to a quality balanced/blurprinted level, do the suspension and brakes, etc. then you will have brought the car back to a reliable condition. If you do it stock I doubt you will get your money back but if you prefer that then do it but do not expect a 90's Jag to appreciate in value. If you do a V8 swap make sure you do a LS1 or newer engine, DO NOT do a carbureted or older engine, even an LT engine I would not recommend as everyone wants the LS or newer technology.

The LS is the powerplant that is reliable and desirable in an engine swap. The older LT and older conventional V8 engines will not command the price of an LS or newer GM V8. The LS engines have such a proven history of power, reliability, and lightweight design that they will command a much higher resale than other engine swaps. If one does the conversion themselves you will have a car that is very reliable, fast, and will have good resale value more than what you put into it. If you need to pay shops to do all the work you have to be careful as the cost might be more of a breakeven depending on whom you use but compared to a stock Jaguar in these years of 90's a quality LS swap will command better money. These years are not that popular for collectability people want the old 1960's sports car models or the much newer sports car models that have similar power to my LS. I have continued to get offers well above what I put into my Jaguar LS but having done one I love the improved driving performance, reliability but also know why an LS swaps are commanding higher prices than numbers matching at Barrett and other auctions now.

You can see the restomods now commanding an increasing price while the numbers matching are declining. From experience it is NOT an easy thing to do yourself at least on my older Jaguar so while I would make $20,000 - 40,000 profit selling my car I would not do it as it took 3 years of super hard work and many problems to engineer so doing it again would not be desirable; that is why people with money are paying big dollars for LS swapped cars now. Other swaps that use carbureted V8's are not worth much as people want what I have, just turn the key, stick gas in the car and no real maintenance, no choke, no carbs, etc. and just have that great performance that can go 250,000 miles with no issues.

 

i Just see it easier to swap in a used jag motor as I find them relatively cheap in junked cars. Saves a lot of time and headache. Now if you wanted a 500 plus Hp XX I can totally see the swap as a viable option. To be quite honest these cars are tanks so I don’t see the why in that. Just personal preference. I love both my xkr’s and all though I’d like a tad bit more power.....there is no cheap easy way about getting it.

 

The greatest engineering creations at GM still had beancounters involved in the production. The flex plates on the auto trans models were un-deburred stamped steel and were very prone to crack from high cycle fatigue (ie out of warranty), but a robust aftermarket means even the minor problems have all been solved.

For power in a compact, lightweight package with vast support network, there is currently no equal to the LS.

What would 400 Normally Aspirated RWHP with a 6 speed manual in an XK8 body cost if someone was trying to keep it "all Jag"? Besides the dollars involved, has anyone even ever successfully done it? I'm pretty sure I don't have the pocket depth or computer programming knowledge to pull it off. 400 RWHP out of an LS motor is cam (only one) and some cheap heads.

 

Roughly $30k. It would just be in an Aston Martin package as the DB7 or GT variant with 420 or 435hp respectively.

 

AM's are cool, but even in major US cities, the support network is nil. So now instead of an engine tuner in every little town (plus tune it yourself options) and every motor part available with "same day delivery" from Amazon, I'd have to pay 2X-3X more to have something I'd be scared to drive anywhere and if it breaks, either pay through the nose or wait forever and the support community goes from millions of DIY people to handful of people, most of whom have a $120/hour mechanic to do all their work.

Old cars are "neat". I've always daily driven old cars.. I had a '71 SC360 in high school and a '71 'Cuda Convertible in College, I used to restore Big Block American Muscle Cars and keeping them stock was where the "big bucks" were. They also absolutely sucked to drive stock and having 11-15 undriveable "iconic" cars in the garage that are cool to look at (or drive for a few miles) defeats the whole purpose of the automobile.. Logic eventually kicked in and I sold them all (for big bucks) and only build "drivers" now.. They may never be worth big bucks, but I'll actually enjoy driving them..

 

@Ungn That is a fair point about the support network for AM but you sound like a mechanically savy guy. If you can do lump jobs I don't see why you couldn't keep a DB7 running.

 

He already answered it saying that he would rather have a reliable low maintenance daily driver. The DB7 just like the XK8, XJS are all going down in value not up. Thus not everyone would put the $30-40K in materials even if they are handy enough to do all of the labor when the car will sell for less than what you put into and keep declining.

https://www.cars.com/research/aston_martin-db7/
https://www.cars.com/research/jaguar-xk8/
https://www.cars.com/research/jaguar-xk8/

Jaguar owners are generally very against doing any modifications on their cars but the general public will pay top dollar for a restomod done right with an LS engine. Instead of "lump" I would say "Restomod" In the past people would throw in a chevy engine but a old school carb engine ('Lump"), but today people want modern reliability and modern features. That is the difference of a "Restomod", when you put a modern powerplant along with modern amenities and those are rapidly increasing in value today as you can see the Barrett Jackson and other resale prices of restomods are out pacing restored numbers matching today. For Jaguar the old 1960's are the ones that will hold and increase in value. In general the cars that are pre-1975 are the ones that appreciate and newer cars after 1975 are rare to increase. The way Jaguar Specialties has created their conversions enable you to do so and still pass all of the smog emissions so that is why those are attractive both to do and for resale. If you restore your stock Jaguar to new condition (drive train, brake, suspension) the value will be way less than what you put into it. On the other hand if you restomod it with an LS you would get what you put into it often and may get more and that does mean you need to restore the other bits, brakes/suspension/etc..

 

I don’t see anyone paying big dollars for a restomod xk with a Chevy engine. I don’t see the ls motor adding anything to the value of a used xk. Unless it was a blown up xk. Anything is more valuable than that. A junkyard ls is just that. A junkyard likely high mile engine with its own problems. Fix those issues and you still aren’t ahead of the game with a lot of time and resources in. Get a nice healthy 400hp plus ls engine you’d be better off just buying an Xkr. Adding a Chevy motor to a jag has in the past makes it a car many don’t want.. and with the surplus of used 4.0 and 4.2 engines. I’d just swap in the factory engine and call it a day.