Latest idea for a project...

"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
10/07/2014 at 10:14 • Filed to: Bad Ideas

Take 1 Jaguar XJS (non-runner). Take 1 4.0l AJV8. Mash the two together with a helping of manual gearbox and ITBs. Hey-presto 1500kg 350bhp GT with near 50/50 weight distribution...

Same power, lighter weight and better economy than my idea for a V12 E46 M3-fighter. Loses the cool of twelve cylinders, but still has a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

DISCUSSION (29)

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/07/2014 at 10:19

I always wanted to do something similar. Supercharged AJ in a series 1 XJ sedan. Certain monetary restrictions always prevented this from happening.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/07/2014 at 10:20

Why not go 4.7?

RazoE > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
10/07/2014 at 10:40

Why not LS1?

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > RazoE
10/07/2014 at 10:54

He clearly wants to stick with Jaguar/Leyland hardware.

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/07/2014 at 10:55

Isn't the 4.2 a lot more reliable than the 4.0?

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
10/07/2014 at 10:55

Because not enough shekels.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/07/2014 at 11:01

I think you go AJV8 instead of LS1 so that snobby Jaguar jerks like me feel halfway okay about the swap. I once saw a S1 E Type with a small block Ford and an AOD and I think I was dead for 3 minutes before they brought me back.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
10/07/2014 at 11:22

I'm wholeheartedly a snobby Jaguar jerk myself :) I have a severe dislike towards any number of the many 350 Chevy-engined Jaguars knocking around the States. I get that it helps keep an old cat on the road, but it's not quite an old cat any more...

If running costs weren't a problem, I'd go V12 XJS all the way :) TBH I might anyway, but I do like the idea of an AJV8 XJS...

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Goshen, formerly Darkcode
10/07/2014 at 11:26

I know the 4.2 got a much improved timing belt tensioner system which was afaik the only big failure point on the 4.0s. They're interchangeable though so a lot of older Jags have the newer system fitted.

TBH I wouldn't mind if it was a 4.2 either. It's just a little easier to find 4.0s for a reasonable price :)

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/07/2014 at 11:31

Yeah, it's better than a Jag heading to the crusher, that's for sure. But the 6 really isn't any more work than anything else, and even the 12 has a bit of an overblown reputation for unreliability.

The key to a 12, really, is to get as nice of one as you can afford. One that hasn't run in 10 years is a recipe for disaster, but one that's been driven and maintained is what you want. Sitting is the worst thing for them...all the seals dry out, the hoses (of which there are many) dry rot, the fuel changeover valve freezes.

When they're well maintained, there isn't much better. If you want to make it a little easier and still rock 12 cylinders, you could go carbureted...eliminate as many Lucas electronic systems as you can. They don't call Joseph Lucas The Prince of Darkness for nothing, haha.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
10/07/2014 at 11:34

Mmmm now that would be cool. It's not a straightforward swap for anything unfortunately as the management is tied into so many other systems, and the options for standalone management are few because of the VVT.

Far from impossible though :)

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
10/07/2014 at 11:35

4.7 non-Jaguar engine?

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/07/2014 at 11:36

Aston Martin V8 is the same family as Jag V8

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > RazoE
10/07/2014 at 11:42

I don't know why but I've never really warmed to LS swaps unless it's in cars made by the General. I just think it dilutes some of the character of the car, making it just another box surrounding an LS engine.

Great engine. Great engine for swaps. Not my cup of tea (or whatever it is Americans drink ;) )

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
10/07/2014 at 11:44

So you're right! And that comes attached to a manual box.

Dude you're a genius :)

RazoE > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/07/2014 at 11:54

We drink Powerthirst.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
10/07/2014 at 11:59

All true :) I'm a little frightened by the fuel economy of the injected 12, let alone the carbed one :S other than that it's a great idea :)

I was genuinely considering a £1500 XJS V12 at one point. I still kind of want to get one as a thorough test of my engineering skills :) if I can DD that I can conquer anything...

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/07/2014 at 12:06

I'd be more tempted to build a highly custom 12, but there are so many ways for that to go hilariously wrong.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/07/2014 at 12:28

If fuel economy is the thing, make sure to look for a later one with the May HE heads. Same power, super high compression (12.5:1 on my car), nearly 50% increase in fuel economy. I get about 15mpg city and 20-22 on the highway.

I'm going to encourage basically any V12 Jag project. My ebay id is thev12jaguarguy, for cryin out loud.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
10/07/2014 at 15:18

That's not too bad actually :) not great, but what do you expect from a V12?

For my proposed XJS M3-fighter I'd be looking to make about 350bhp from any engine. Easily doable on the May heads (I hear it's tricky to get over 400bhp out of them, but that's past what I'd need).

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
10/07/2014 at 15:19

I'm tempted to do the same as well. There's nothing else like a V12 :)

TotallyThatStupid > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/07/2014 at 16:38

Like most of these ideas - which are not bad, mind you - the trick is the manual transmission swap. I read an article somewhere about a guy with a custom XK8 manual swap, but it was neither cheap nor readily available. Google tells me:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gAssing/topic.…

http://classicjaguar5speeds.com/Jaguar/Transmi…

EDIT: And this: http://www.jaguar-world.com/news/product-n…

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/07/2014 at 17:50

350 is cams and a better flowing intake and exhaust. My XJ12 is German market, so it makes about 40hp over what we got in the States...300 vs 262. Hell, TWR made 700+ hp from a 7 liter version of the engine in the XJR9 and 12, I'd imagine you can find 350 pretty easily.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/07/2014 at 21:04

Yeah. Honestly I think the easiest way to do it would be to use a complete donor car and swap all of the necessary wiring and modules. Something like a wrecked XJR would be perfect.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
10/08/2014 at 04:46

That's part of the reason I love the Jag V12. The performance ceiling is so damn high :) You can bore and stroke (with a bit of decking of the head) it to just over 10 litres! Ludicrous :)

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > TotallyThatStupid
10/08/2014 at 06:17

Duuuude :) I've come across The Drive Man's MT conversions before. Expensive and I'd need to ship to the UK, but comes as a complete kit. That would be ideal for a V12 car.

Haven't seen the manual XKRs one though. That's definitely intriguing :)

TotallyThatStupid > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/08/2014 at 10:15

I did this dance when I decided I wanted an X308 XJR with a manual.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > TotallyThatStupid
10/08/2014 at 10:26

Cool :) how far did you get?

TotallyThatStupid > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/08/2014 at 10:33

That was it. And I wrote this: http://totallythatstupid.com/2014/06/20/lol…