E Type V12

[Autocross7]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/73-1973-JAGUAR-XKE-V12-AWESOME_W0QQitemZ250420001776QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS _Cars_Trucks?hash=item3a4e31fbf0&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A317%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318


I could for this... :thumbup:


Cameron

[WayneB]

Lovely looking car Cameron, and that silky smooth V12 is a marvel, you should buy it.:yes:

I have a Black 1988 XJ12 which I bought after deciding I needed the best looking production 4 door saloon of all time.:)
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/WayneBarr/blackJag-1.jpg?t=1241830139

[Autocross7]

Very Nice! I love the way those 12s sound. The 512BB boxer 12 is the only thing I would compare it too, but the British flavore is a little more R&B where the Ferrari boxer 12 is heavy metal.

I think the XJ12 is def. one of the best looking 4 doors of all time! If I recall Iron Maiden's front man has a collection of those...


Cameron

[WayneB]

The Jag V12 becomes heavy metal with the addition of Weber carbs and tubular exhaust manifolds (Hedders to you).

Raucus stuff!:thumbup:

http://v12jag.the-lair.info/assets/v12carbs.jpg

[Autocross7]

The Jag V12 becomes heavy metal with the addition of Weber carbs and tubular exhaust manifolds (Hedders to you).

Raucus stuff!:thumbup:

Exhaust manifolds to me too! Never called them headers. I suppose I spent too much time in shops containing British and Italian cars. As a result, most of my close friends and fellow car junkies also say bonnet, boot, and often write "tyre"... strange huh?


Cameron

[JimGunther]

While a Jag V-12 motor is a thing of beauty, I've often wondered how PRACTICAL the darned thing is.

How much does it (then, the transmission) weigh? Power? Technology (i.e. valves per cylinder, VVT, etc.)?

How does it compare with the Chevy small block? or the 306 HP Caddy 3.6 litre V-6 (which BTW will be the STANDARD motor in the base 2010 Camaro <if there IS a 2010 Camaro>).

BTW: There are darned few cars that are any more attractive that that Jaguary 4-door (or almost ANY of the Jag small 4 door vehicles). I've always felt the motor was the weak link. Some people have re-powered them - Does anyone have knowledge of how the Corvette motor (Carb'd or Injected) works as a replacement?

PS: Just "bench racing":)

[Dan]

Very nice Wayne. Reminds me of the series "The Equalizer" with Edward Woodward, from the eighties.

Can you legally fit the slimmer euro/oz bumpers?

[Andy B]

I love most Jags but when it comes to XJ's I have a big soft spot for the short lived coupe. I saw the first "Broadspeed" race in the "Tourist Trophy" at Brands. Unfortunately it was a DNF, flat followed by wheel bearing failure if memory serves.
These cars were quite stunning regardless of colour or form.
http://www.pbase.com/sarrana/image/112351543.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/sarrana/image/112351539.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/sarrana/image/112351541.jpg

[Autocross7]

While a Jag V-12 motor is a thing of beauty, I've often wondered how PRACTICAL the darned thing is.How much does it (then, the transmission) weigh? Power? Technology (i.e. valves per cylinder, VVT, etc.)?


I'm not sure any 12 cylinder and "practical" should be used in a sentance? Hahaha... As far as my limited experience with the Jag 12s, there is a little tinkering involved (here is Alabama) as the temperature and air pressure drastically change from season to season and the carbs need to be re tweeked several time a year. But, I have never known them to be un-reliable. A rat rod builder here in Mobile actually put a mtor from a totalled XJ12 in his rat rod and for the past 3 years it has been at least as reliable as the clubs V8 counter parts.

As far as technology... even the XJ12 is a bit vintage. The XKE is def. vintage. As such all the whizmo ghizmo crap is not part of the picture and should not be IMO. Vintage is what it is. I am sure there are some S2000 or MR2 Spyders out there that have been reworked that would give my Esprit a run. But, I have 15 plus years on them and... well... I have a Lotus! :thumbup:

Personally, I have never been in love with the V8 motor. I like them, but a 6 can make the same power or more (ie: The Ferrari 246 Dino vs. 308GT4) and 10's ands 12's sound better...
Cameron

[WayneB]

The V12 Jag is definately not a current state of the art powerplant (it was designed in the late 60's after all) but the later additions of fuel injection, the May "fireball heads" and a decient Marelli electronic ignition system (replacing the Lucas Opus system used prior) made it a relyable and somewhat economic (for a 5.3 litre) powerplant.It carried on into the mid 90's in 6.0 litre form in the XJ40 untill it was replaced with a Ford V8 engine of some sort.

Of course it is not a foolproof unit to maintain , the fuel rail has to come off to change all of the sparkplugs and the tappets are of the shim in bucket type (like a Lotus 907/910/912) so doing the valve clearances (every 30,000 miles) is an involved job that means removing the cams etc to get at them.You also have to keep an eye on the long timing chains for signs of stretching (can cause the valves to hit the pistons If they skip)Changing the alternator is also quite a game (almost as bad as an Esprit).

Most V12's seem to bite the dust in the field at the hands of unsympathetic type low or zero maintenance regime owners who run them low on coolant and /or oil warping the heads or taking the bottom ends out of them.I particulary remember a local lawyer who constantly complained about the price of genuine Jaguar Crosland oil filters , and he ended up just running his car into the ground (because he reconned it was not worth anything).

Powerwise my car develops about 280 bhp and 350 ft lbs of torque which moves the old girl in a brisk If not fairly linier rapid fashion (with turbine smoothness) The transmission is a GM TH400 (indestructable) Jaguar used it to replace the old Borg Warner unit which wasnt a very good unit at all(the British never could build a good automatic gearbox).

As for pulling out a V12 and sticking in a Chev motor , why? (unless of course you destroyed the V12 in a fashion I mentioned earlier) I have nothing against the Chev units (I own 2 cars fitted with them) , but 50% of the reason for owning the Jag is its engine, the rest is that beautiful styling.
http://jrt.se/_internal/cimg!0/3xgfm2nz472gro89

[Mark B.]

I've always loved the XJ-S. I almost bought one instead of my Esprit, but was talked out of it by a mate.

http://www.ashbrookxjs.com/images/adverts/xjs1975ad.jpg

http://www.ashbrookxjs.com/images/adverts/xjsv12ad.jpg

[WayneB]

I used to go to a scrap yard (auto wreckers) in Bordesley Green that had alot of Jaguars in it and one time I was looking at a strange looking XJ-S that had a bulge in its bonnet that kinda looked like it was from an Etype(presumably to clear an XK 6 cyl engine they had fitted).

Turned out it was one of the pre-production XJ-S prototypes from Jaguar and a guy from Australia paid a gazillion pounds to fly to England and took it back to Australia to restore.

We all thought he was barmy at the time , but shows the kind of complacancy you can have towards interesting stuff that is right under your nose.

Jaguar doesnt sell off any of the prototypes whole anymores, they are all completely destroyed .:crying:

The early XJ-S are getting very rare now, might be a good time to save one from the junkyard.