Restore converted E-Type V8 to original 4.2 straight 6

[Filos Hippos]

Hi guys,

I found a very nicely restored Jaguar E-Type 1 series... although with an chevy V8 conversion...

What do I need to budget to get a properly rebuilt 4.2 straight six with triple carburetors and 4 speed gearbox to get the car back to original spec?

And also, where to find this engine and gearbox as the car does not come with these original parts?

Thanks,
Filip

[SV8Predator]

I would budget on about £15K.

Get very friendly with a real specialist, they may have the mechanical bits you need already.

If not, then embark on the slow process of trying to find a scrapper Mk 10 or 420G with a manual box. Use the drive train from that. That's if there's any left of course, because they've all had their drive trains removed for E-Type rebuilds.

But it's certainly possible to do what you wish, maybe not very straightforward though.

But a good, real specialist will be able to advise you.

[jith]

SV8Predator said:

I would budget on about £15K.

Get very friendly with a real specialist, they may have the mechanical bits you need already.

If not, then embark on the slow process of trying to find a scrapper Mk 10 or 420G with a manual box. Use the drive train from that. That's if there's any left of course, because they've all had their drive trains removed for E-Type rebuilds.

But it's certainly possible to do what you wish, maybe not very straightforward though.

But a good, real specialist will be able to advise you.

A manual/overdrive 'box from a MKX won't fit an E Type; it's too long. It must be the correct 'box or a similar sized 5 speed. The MkX engine is a lower compression and has an auto choke on the carbs.

J

[SV8Predator]

Who mentioned overdrive?

The engine is to be rebuilt, so the Mk X engine is ideal.

[jith]

SV8Predator said:

find a scrapper Mk 10 or 420G with a manual box. Use the drive train from that.

The MK X/420G manuals only came with overdrive boxes.

J

[SV8Predator]

jith said:

The MK X/420G manuals only came with overdrive boxes.

J

No they didn't

I once took an engine and (non-overdrive) box out of a Mk 10 (the owner had bought it for the rear suspension to put in a hot rod) and used it to convert an auto 3.4 Mk 2.

[Filos Hippos]

Here it is... To me it seems in pretty good nick, doesn't it?

Unfortunately can't come to terms with the V8...although it sounds rather nice.

Anyone knows were to get a (rebuilt) straight six?

[Filos Hippos]

Here it is... To me it seems in pretty good nick, doesn't it?

Unfortunately can't come to terms with the V8...although it sounds rather nice.

Anyone knows were to get a (rebuilt) straight six?

[Filos Hippos]

Here it is... To me it seems in pretty good nick, doesn't it?

Unfortunately can't come to terms with the V8...although it sounds rather nice.

Anyone knows were to get a (rebuilt) straight six?

[Filos Hippos]

[phumy]

Nice find.... you sure you want to do all that work, I think you`d be better off selling it to me and letting me do it

[jith]

SV8Predator said:

jith said:

The MK X/420G manuals only came with overdrive boxes.

J

No they didn't

I once took an engine and (non-overdrive) box out of a Mk 10 (the owner had bought it for the rear suspension to put in a hot rod) and used it to convert an auto 3.4 Mk 2.

Did you now? Had it occurred to you that it wasn't original? Or could it have been ordered for an overseas market?

The point is that the E Type will not take an overdrive 'box. The tunnel does not permit it.

Trying to find a scrap mark X with a non overdrive 'box is almost like looking for a piece of moon rock, and is a slightly silly suggestion.

As is implying that the MK X engine is exactly the same as the E. It is not, and would require substantial changes to fit, particularly when you don't have an old engine already in the car to use for ancillaries.

J

[Filos Hippos]

What do you guys reckon a LHD 1966 series 1 FHC with a full nuts and bolts restoration would be worth WITHOUT engine and gearbox?

[SV8Predator]

jith said:

Did you now? Had it occurred to you that it wasn't original? Or could it have been ordered for an overseas market?

The point is that the E Type will not take an overdrive 'box. The tunnel does not permit it.

Trying to find a scrap mark X with a non overdrive 'box is almost like looking for a piece of moon rock, and is a slightly silly suggestion.

As is implying that the MK X engine is exactly the same as the E. It is not, and would require substantial changes to fit, particularly when you don't have an old engine already in the car to use for ancillaries.

J

You really don't like being contradicted do you?

[jith]

SV8Predator said:

jith said:

Did you now? Had it occurred to you that it wasn't original? Or could it have been ordered for an overseas market?

The point is that the E Type will not take an overdrive 'box. The tunnel does not permit it.

Trying to find a scrap mark X with a non overdrive 'box is almost like looking for a piece of moon rock, and is a slightly silly suggestion.

As is implying that the MK X engine is exactly the same as the E. It is not, and would require substantial changes to fit, particularly when you don't have an old engine already in the car to use for ancillaries.

J

You really don't like being contradicted do you?

Look, this isn't about what I do or do not like. The OP came on here looking for advice about fitting an original engine to an E. When I post on here I would like to think my advice helps to get it right, particularly to someone who is doing this for the first time.

It is almost 43 years to the day when I left a good engineering job to become a Jaguar specialist. I was immersed in it to the point where I can explain repair procedures off the top of my head from memory. When I started I owned a MK1, Mk2 and a '62 fixed head E type. My dad had a 420G at the time. He owned Jags for years and I was brought up in the back of them.

In further detail this is the difference between the MkX and the E type engine. The sump on the MkX is stepped to clear the crossmember and flared at the back. It will not fit the E chassis. The E is rectangular and of a greater capacity: this also means the oil pump pickup pipe is different. The oil filter housing is also completely different, as is the sump return pipe.

The engine mountings at the front of the block and on the gearbox are different. This is even more pronounced on the later 4.2 MkX and 420G where they adopted the same practice as the XJ6 and fitted the front mountings further back on the centre of the block to permit the engine to mount to the subframe: clearly that is not possible on the E.

The carbs on the MkX have different lower sections fitted with no facility for a manual choke. They also have different needles on the automatics from the manual, and different again for the E type. The air filter box assembly is entirely different for both cars and cannot be interchanged.

The exhaust manifolds run at a different angle on both vehicles and again cannot be fitted to the E. The water pump outlet runs at a different angle on the E to clear the front frame and the pulleys are different on both the 3.8 and 4.2s.

The largest and most expensive difference however is the pistons. All the Es are 9:1 compression and it is the height of the piston crown that determines the compression ratio on a Jaguar engine of that age.

You mentioned fitting a non-overdrive 'box to a Mk2. The non-overdrive 'box fitted to the saloons is not the same as the E type 'box. The saloon box has an extended mainshaft in place of the overdrive unit to ensure the propshaft length is as short as possible. The E type 'box has the output flange mounted immediately behind the main casing due to the tunnel on the floorpan. This is why you can't fit the saloon 'box, unless you carve up the body shell!

So you see, to fit a MK X engine is not as simple as it seems.

J

[Jagmanv12]

jith said:

Look, this isn't about what I do or do not like. The OP came on here looking for advice about fitting an original engine to an E. When I post on here I would like to think my advice helps to get it right, particularly to someone who is doing this for the first time.

It is almost 43 years to the day when I left a good engineering job to become a Jaguar specialist. I was immersed in it to the point where I can explain repair procedures off the top of my head from memory. When I started I owned a MK1, Mk2 and a '62 fixed head E type. My dad had a 420G at the time. He owned Jags for years and I was brought up in the back of them.

In further detail this is the difference between the MkX and the E type engine. The sump on the MkX is stepped to clear the crossmember and flared at the back. It will not fit the E chassis. The E is rectangular and of a greater capacity: this also means the oil pump pickup pipe is different. The oil filter housing is also completely different, as is the sump return pipe.

The engine mountings at the front of the block and on the gearbox are different. This is even more pronounced on the later 4.2 MkX and 420G where they adopted the same practice as the XJ6 and fitted the front mountings further back on the centre of the block to permit the engine to mount to the subframe: clearly that is not possible on the E.

The carbs on the MkX have different lower sections fitted with no facility for a manual choke. They also have different needles on the automatics from the manual, and different again for the E type. The air filter box assembly is entirely different for both cars and cannot be interchanged.

The exhaust manifolds run at a different angle on both vehicles and again cannot be fitted to the E. The water pump outlet runs at a different angle on the E to clear the front frame and the pulleys are different on both the 3.8 and 4.2s.

The largest and most expensive difference however is the pistons. All the Es are 9:1 compression and it is the height of the piston crown that determines the compression ratio on a Jaguar engine of that age.

You mentioned fitting a non-overdrive 'box to a Mk2. The non-overdrive 'box fitted to the saloons is not the same as the E type 'box. The saloon box has an extended mainshaft in place of the overdrive unit to ensure the propshaft length is as short as possible. The E type 'box has the output flange mounted immediately behind the main casing due to the tunnel on the floorpan. This is why you can't fit the saloon 'box, unless you carve up the body shell!

So you see, to fit a MK X engine is not as simple as it seems.

J

You missed the inlet manifold is different as well.

[mph]

Jagmanv12 said:

You missed the inlet manifold is different as well.

Yes but apart from all that it's identical

Genuine E-type synchro boxes are getting a bit expensive these days.

May be better to fit a five speed if you're not too bothered about keeping it completely standard.

[jagracer]

Get a moss box or take the overdrive off, or fit a 5 speed conversion. I would have thought that an Etype with a V8 in would have had the chassis butchered (I owned one once) and other mods so it wont only be a matter of looking for an engine and box, and prop.

[macp]

jagracer said:

I would have thought that an Etype with a V8 in would have had the chassis butchered (I owned one once) and other mods so it wont only be a matter of looking for an engine and box, and prop.

This is what I thought but then im no expert.

[tortop45]

Finding parts won,t be that difficult ,just make a list and start looking,youve got ebay ,stoneligh park jag international spairs coming up soon and next weekend Beaulieu auto jumble.