Just wondering...
Somehow I think the weight of the Jag engine would make the poor GT6 nigh undriveable. They are BIG, HEAVY engines...
You know that depending on the era motor weighs 650-800lbs right?
Instead of being negative I will try and be helpful as I am in a unique environment and happen to have a Jag 4.2 and a Triumph 2.5 right here. Let me grab a tape measure
Jag block is 28" from trans flange to front face. This is without water pump or anything on the front.
Triumph 6 is 23.5". Same measurements.
Cylinder head on the Jag is 11" wide
Triumph is 6" wide
Jag motor is 27 and something inches from the bottom of the oil pan to the top of the valve covers
Triumph is 23 as far as I can tell
Total length of the Jag with pulleys and such is 34
Total length of the Triumph 6 with pulleys and such is 27
The measurements were taken with the motors in cars (67 Triumph 2000 and a 63 4.2 E Type) so add in a +/- margin of error.
The blocks were just sitting on the floor.
Those Jag motors are freaking huge. I know the Triumph 6 is no lightweight but I can load a bare block into the bed of a pickup by myself (did this yesterday) We use a hoist to do the same with the Jag block since it is too much for two people.
SlickDizzy wrote: Somehow I think the weight of the Jag engine would make the poor GT6 nigh undriveable. They are BIG, HEAVY engines...
And the GT6 in stock form is already massively nose-heavy. I've had to do a lot of work to make mine at least reasonably balanced enough so it doesn't want to go backwards on every wet corner, lol.
I would rather swap an S2000 engine into one or another lightweight modern 4cyl. The thought of double the stock power and a lot less weight up front makes me happy.
It might fit if you did something like this....
http://www.britishv8.org/Triumph/GeraldKannenberg.htm
In reply to Ditchdigger:
So, what you're saying then, is that with a slight bit of sledge hammer work to the GT6, it will fit, right?
I saw a Rover V8 swap into a GT6 that worked well. It's a V8 that weighs about 350 lbs, probably lighter than the original 6 banger. I'd think the Jag swap would put too much front weight on a car that was already a bit front heavy.
In reply to Dr. Hess:
I'd rather take the hammer to the Jag motor but to each his own
I don't have a GT6 around, but in the 2000 and TR250 we have here there is barely enough room to slide the radiator past the fan and pulleys. I doubt there is a surplus of room in the smaller car that was designed around a four cylinder.
Ditchdigger wrote: In reply to Dr. Hess: I'd rather take the hammer to the Jag motor but to each his own I don't have a GT6 around, but in the 2000 and TR250 we have here there is barely enough room to slide the radiator past the fan and pulleys. I doubt there is a surplus of room in the smaller car that was designed around a four cylinder.
GT6 has a good bit of room under the bonnet actually. Plus with the full clamshell bonnet you have a lot of room to work with and no bodywork in the way. Here's an overhead of mine:
Unless you just want to prove you can do it, why would you want to. There's a reason so many jag engines were chucked in favor of chevy small blocks. If one with a modern 4 cylinder turbocharged engine with an independent BMW rear end ever crosses my path, I'd consider adding it to the fleet of TR8s.
I tried to post this yesterday from my phones, but no dice.
A guy has put a Jaguar engine into a Spitfire. He called it the Spitcat. I don't know if he ever finished it, but it showed up in the Spitfire/GT-6 magazine from time to time. He split it down the middle and added several inches. He also put a custom frame IIRC. So he didn't just put a jag engine into a Spit.
I would look at a BMW motor over a Jag motor. I know not that beautiful but much better motor package if you have to stay inline six. Land Rover V8 would be my absolute first choice.
Reminds me of when I was helping my buddy clean out his dad's auto collection and shop and we found a jag 6 under a stack of tires. We tried to move it by hand and that thing was so heavy. So I went home that day and looked up the weight and just was amazed how heavy they actually were.
Get one of those silly VW narrow angle V6 engines. They really are more of a staggered straight six than a V and might even fit in the front to rear space available. Side-side in a Spitfire should not be an issue. Gearbox solutions are available.
So what's the big deal? People do outrageous engine swaps everyday with little or no forethought.
I saw a Model A Ford driving around the parking area of The Mitty a few years ago powered by a Lambo. V-12. I can't say that V-12 fit in the car, more like it was hung out on the front of the car. But that contraption was under its' own V-12 power when I saw it.
I never saw the rear wheels of that Model A come off the ground. However under heavy braking, they might. I suspect it was a tad bit front end heavy. But then again, someone did build a bridge to hold the motor up.
Does modification to that extreme make sense? Check out the modification thread on the Classic Motorsports forum.
Who am I to say one way or the other what others choose to do with their property. It probably makes no more nor less sense than putting a Jag. motor into/onto a GT-6.
Putting a Jag six into a GT6 is just right. I would expect there's at least one running around England somewhere. I like the idea of the swap because it's something that would have been done when the GT6 was new. And there really is something about a straight six. It's not a restorod, it would be more period-appropriate and cool because of it.
Says the guy with the LS1 in the MGB
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