Garage find
Author
Discussion

lowdrag

Original Poster:

13,181 posts

242 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
I had a call from an old friend the other day and I've bought something rather special. Have a look at the photos:-



Turbobanana

8,316 posts

230 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
Wow, 1948 2.0 litre 4 cylinder Jaguar XK engine, ine of 4 built?

That is special. What are you doing to put it in?

Longnose

262 posts

142 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
What capacity is it? Does it run?

InitialDave

15,072 posts

148 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
I think I saw one of these years ago. At the Gaydon museum maybe?

Is it just a shorter 6-pot, same internal components and bore spacing etc? Or lots of differences and only visually similar?

Allan L

799 posts

134 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
What you need is a streamlined MG Magnette to put it in . . .

or perhaps you should create the only XK100 ever made.

lowdrag

Original Poster:

13,181 posts

242 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
There were two versions in the early stages. One was 1750cc but was quickly dropped. The second was this 2 litre version. I am not sure of the measurements internally, but 2 litres isn't 2/3rds of 3.4 litres so I guess not. I believe mine dates from 1943, but I need to do more research. As regards usage, it hasn't turned in anger for probably 30 years, so it'll get all polished up and sit in the lounge on a stand. It is a curiosity, but part of Jaguar's heritage so important in its way. One interesting fact though is that the cylinder head was based on the 328 BMW.

Ambleton

7,253 posts

221 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
I assume this is one of the "four known examples" and not a new one that's been unearthed in some warehouse in Coventry that's been untouched for 50years or something.

a8hex

5,832 posts

252 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
Wow, what an incredible find, so do you know which iteration it is? Clearly a lot earlier in the alphabet that XK.
Interesting that the head was based on the BMW, it was known that was an inspiration behind the lines of the XK120.

lowdrag

Original Poster:

13,181 posts

242 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
It is one of the pre-production 2 litre engines, which of course was dropped and never used. It is technically the XJ engine, before the XK of course.

Dogwatch

6,381 posts

251 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
I'd be happy enough but I can't see the Management here welcoming it in a living room, cleaned up or not!

beer

lowdrag

Original Poster:

13,181 posts

242 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
As a matter of fact I divorced the memsahib but kept the car. The car has less costly maintenance.

Peter3442

450 posts

97 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
Yes, 2 litres is not 2/3rds of 3.4, but at the time of the 2 litre engine, isn't it the case that the (projected) 3.4 wasn't 3.4 either, but 3.0 or 3.2, depending on who you believe?

Seriously, it's a fabulous find. Assuming the internals make it at all maintainable, I'd be very tempted to put it into some sort of streamlined MG.

On that last point, perhaps that's what MG really needed in the late 1950s and later, a really beautiful twin OHC 2 litre. If only ...

lowdrag

Original Poster:

13,181 posts

242 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
Here is the Jaguar Heritage version of events:-

https://www.jaguarheritage.com/jaguar-history/jagu...

Also, you can find this too, which explains the first six cylinder and later the final 3442cc design:-

"A six-cylinder version of the XK engine was also developed, initially with a bore and stroke of 83 x 98 mm for a capacity of 3,181 cc. This was run for the first time on 15 September 1947 giving a power output of 142 bhp at 5,000 rpm. The six-cylinder layout proved better and smoother than the four cylinder and development work concentrated on this version. The 3.2 litre six-cylinder engine offered no increase in power over the 3.5 litre pushrod engine that was already in use by Jaguar. The stroke was lengthened to 106 mm to give a swept volume of 3,442 cc and power increased to 160 bhp at 5,000 rpm. Jaguar now had a smooth-running, six-cylinder, double overhead camshaft (DOHC) engine and this was put into production."

Edited by lowdrag on Thursday 4th June 14:37

Mike-tf3n0

573 posts

111 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
Wow, what a find, rare thing, lucky you!!

Lotobear

9,037 posts

157 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
What a beautiful thing - I would have that in my living room as the centre point.

That alloy fan blade is just gorgeous

Mark A S

2,091 posts

217 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
Lovely, I’d be tempted to mount that in a table and hide a high torque 240v motor driving the flywheel so you can watch it turn over, with the plugs removed of course smile

P.S. IMO, don't clean it up too much.

friederich

266 posts

215 months

Thursday 4th June 2020
quotequote all
Amazing find. Do you know the history of this particular engine?

Mr Tidy

31,211 posts

156 months

Friday 5th June 2020
quotequote all
lowdrag said:
As a matter of fact I divorced the memsahib but kept the car. The car has less costly maintenance.
That's definitely been my experience too! thumbup

What a rarity you have found there - but I can't help thinking a small 6 cylinder was probably better than any 4 pot version.

LotusOmega375D

9,313 posts

182 months

Friday 5th June 2020
quotequote all
Wow great find! Can you imagine Jaguar putting a 2 litre 4 pot in one of their sports cars nowadays?

Oh, hang on a minute...

lowdrag

Original Poster:

13,181 posts

242 months

Friday 5th June 2020
quotequote all
LotusOmega375D said:
Wow great find! Can you imagine Jaguar putting a 2 litre 4 pot in one of their sports cars nowadays?

Oh, hang on a minute...
I agree wholeheartedly. I am now confused as to whether to put it in an X-type, an XF, or an MG. I thought of midget racing it in view of my height too.