Rut roh…that’s gunna make the Jaguaristas pop a blood vessel!!!
Don’t worry about it.
My 2000 S-Type has the name Jaguar on the engine which was made by Ford.
For that matter, pre-war models, when the company was called SS Cars and Jaguar was only a model name, had SS on the engines which were made by Standard Motor Co.
Very well put Frank,
I too love the pin your head back as your eyes move to the sides of your head power, However, I have yet to drive anything as divine as a Jaguar infused V12. The V12 power delivery doesn’t come on as a slap in the forehead and hang on, but more of a sense of consistent urgency all the way to redline. Civilized.
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And I once saw a photo of a Corvair with a front mounted (!) Jaguar V12. Now that took some serious re-engineering.
LOL, where do you guys come up with these cars? Rhetorical question… I know… The Internet. 
LeMons: the ONLY racing Id ever consider getting back into!
I follow along on one of many Faecestube channels.
The issue is not “moral” to me in any sense, it is much cheaper.
I have never grouped a car like orlando limo company, although I have lent a hand to improve a few pony to a larger displacement.
For a Jag, by the time you have purchased a (new) engine, purchased or manufactured all the supports, etc., built an adequate exhaust and discovered how to make the instruments, etc., read correctly … I have problems believe that you have saved money or time by just rebuilding the original.
Some of the manufacturing jobs that guys do in the #lumps category are pretty impressive, but if they add up all their time and costs, do they really win, compared to just putting the original car in rights?
On a side note, if someone should be foolish enough to track your time and costs, do not post it here or leave it anywhere else you can see.
Smooth!! So was the Model A motor in my school chum’s cut down coupe.
And a well tuned stock flat head Ford V8 is velvety smooth. And crank at the touch of the starter button almost instantly.
My first car, that became the percussor of the “mdern” T buckets was flat head powered. the T engine remained til the end of it’s days… Quite smooth. A Carb, milled head. split manifold and twin straight pipes.
Carl
In response to the query as to whether there are any lumped Ferraris out there, follow this link to a CL ad for one here in So Cal.
“…not currently running powered by a Chevy 350…”
Um… Cletus?
An original 1963 Ferrari 250 GTE would be worth $250,000 to $500,000, so there is a margin there for somebody who is willing to put the work into restoring that piece. One wonders how it got lumped in the first place and why it was never finished.
Outstanding. Imagine the satisfaction the owner of this lumped Ferrari must enjoy as the purist who
oh and ah over this "icon"finally realized that this automotive “masterpiece” is in fact powered by a lowly Chevy engine.
Back in the day used Ferraris where of so little value that rather than wait weeks or even months for
the overpriced repair parts to be shipped to the west coast, a cheaper ( more powerful ) alternative
could be purchased from the local GM dealer. Got you back on the road with a FASTER car than you started with. That was the point of buying one in the first place. Pete
I was cleaning up my email files when much to my surprise I noticed that two years later there were recent replies to this topic. I wish all of you well with your Jaguar (lump or not) adventures, I’ve moved on to other fun cars and that is why I haven’t posted in a couple of years.
My only reason for comment is to call out the bluff about inexpensive V12 engine rebuilds - pure fiction by people who have not actually rebuilt a Jaguar V12 to a decent standard. Yes of course you needn’t spend $16k for a high end precision build that will last for another 130,000 miles or longer - but I am confident that a brand new standard (not high performance) GM crate 350 engine with a 3 year/100k warranty and all the related parts will still cost less than a bodged V12 home rebuild. Good luck finding a local machine shop that would be interested in bringing a tired or broken Jag V12 back into spec - virtually guaranteed that they will turn the work down and tell you to find a specialist. The Chevy 350 V8 with TH350 trans swap is super simple and the swap kits are downright cheap in price. The basic problem with the XJ is that they are not highly revered by collectors (save for the XJC) and that the expense of a proper V12 rebuild cannot be more than fractionally recovered upon resale.
Again best wishes, but put down the rose tinted glasses when talking about the cost of a proper V12 rebuild.
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**
Why go super simple when you can have a Jaguar, Thomas…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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Frank,
I couldn’t agree more. Why go simple, cheap, and Chevy when you can have what Jaguar originally designed and built instead? Attached are pictures of the engine bays of my wife’s red 1990 XJ-S convertible (5.3L V12 with Marelli ignition), and my green 1990 V12 Vanden Plas (5.3L V12 with Lucas ignition).
Anybody can swap out the original Jaguar V12 and put a Chevy engine in. The real challenge is keeping these V12s running and looking like new after 39 years and 100K + miles of driving. If I wanted a Chevy, I would have bought a Chevy.
Paul
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Or:
I wonder !!!
Decades ago, in my former profession, I need a consultant to help me with a contamination claim for a new genetics company. My insured, terrazzo contractor “bent” the rules and dry sanded in lieu of the proper wet process.
Al showed up with his new toy. …A Ferrari!!! His last name was Ferrari!!! A real beauty, but in black? A bit of a surprise. Red should be the “proper” color!!
Al was proud of it, yet embarrassed. we met in a parking lot a short distance from the plant we were to examine. Al popped the hood and disconnected the battery!! Sheepsihly, and Al was not a sheepish guy, explained a parasitic draw he could not find.
We conducted our prep using the tail gate of my f150 as a desk! Then off to the site in my truck.
Although my 85 was Ford’s first EFI truck, in comparison with Al’s V12, a “crude” example. But, mine was utterly reliable and very useful…
Oh, 4x4 as well…
Carl
As beautiful as those meticulously detailed engine compartments are, and they are wonderful examples of well preserved relatively low mileage survivors - neither has had an engine out total rebuild… My $800 '76 XJ 12 already had 130,000 miles in 1993, and judging by the original owner having spent the money on an interior and exterior color change I would say he thoroughly enjoyed his 17 years of ownership and was ready for fun in a different car when he finally sold it.
I have no problem with people spending more money than makes sense in order to keep their Jaguar as originally made, I also have no problem with show car people who avoid driving their cars and derive their enjoyment just looking at an immaculately detailed car. But let’s be honest, XJ’s are not like E-types when it comes to return on value for restoration dollars - and that is why many a tired XJ has received a Chevy swap to extend its driving life. Supposedly the Jag to Chevy 350 V8 swap is one of the all time most popular engine swaps. I’ve heard from current swap kit vendors that if you add up all the different kits from all vendors over the last thirty years that more than 10,000 Jags have been Chevy swapped. It is your right not to like that, and its okay if you want to deride other makes like Chevy as crude and unsophisticated (although I would note that many non-Jag owners have decidedly unfavorable views of Jaguar reliability and durability).
If you enjoy the self flagellation of saving the original configuration of your XJ, good on you - but I would tell you to be happy that many Jags have been kept on the road with Chevy swaps to become future sources of parts for your restoration
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Paul,
Not everyone wants a challenge. Some prefer to be able to drive a beautiful old Jag and not have to stress over making it back to the house.
Those engine compartments of yours are works of art. Not everyone is an artist. Keep up the good work.
Phillip
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The important thing, at the end of the day, is that you enjoy the car…with no regrets over the time and money invested. Lumped? Original engine? I can see where a lot of satisfaction can be had either way. And, just like Chevy V8s are not for everyone, owning a V12 isn’t for everyone. Frankly, running an old Jag isn’t for everyone regardless of engine choice.
My V12 is my daily driver. It took some effort and time to sort out all the usual faults to make it a reliable engine…but I don’t begrudge a single dime spent or hour of labor expended. It’s very satisfying; there’s a sense of accomplishment. The car repays me in more than equal measure each day when I slide behind the wheel.
I’m sure someone who has gone thru the lumping process feels the same. A big task undertaken and completed, with good results. Most lumps these days are pretty involved…many with really admirable workmanship. Not something done over a weekend like the earliest (and most crudely executed) examples.
For anyone on the edge I’ll add that V12 ownership is easier now than it has ever been. Over the last 20 years or so tons and tons of info has been out out there for anyone to use. Virtually every problem area is known and the fixes documented. I often sense that some V12ers throw in the towel too soon. But different people have different levels of enthusiasm, patience, and time.
$16k for a V12 overhaul? I’d never do it. No way, no how. I’d find a decent used engine for $500 or buy a different Jag! Heck, the budget for my entire project was $10k, including the price of the car!
Cheers
DD
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