Jaguar V-12 Corvair Conversion -

Interesting but completely mad.

 

A much better choice of projects.

That Jaguar V12 is really a miserable boat anchor of a motor that the owner has obviously spent a fortune making into something.

As an engineering exercise the Corvair is wonderful but one really has to question why.

 

Crazy or not, a really top notch redesign. Not your typical "let me stuff in a crate motor and see what happens" engine swap.

 

The Jag V-12 was a great engine. It got messed up by the Italian Marelli ignition on the XJ-S in 1989 and the combination thereof with catalytic converters. Now someone tell me no Ferrari has burnt because of the same thing...

In standard Euro form the Jag made 300HP, 30 less than the V-12 in the 400, and I haven't seen one of those yet with 400.000kms on the clock and the heads still never been off.

Of course things could have been done differently and better, but show me any engine from that age that couldn't?

And, up until it was phased out in 1996, did anyone ever make more V012's than Jaguar/Daimler (NOT Benz or Chrysler)

So, if your personal experience with the Jag V-12 were so bad, please tell us the story?

I ran all of mine with the greatest of pleasure and without any of them ever missing a beat. I did, however, maintain them.

 

Facinating conversion. This guy must be a real eccenteric.

 

Fire is only one of the troubles.

The Jag V12 engine is remarkably heavy and bulky for a mere 5.3 liters, seriously inefficient and underpowered (more like 250 HP), prone to overheating, dropped valve seats and more leaks than you can count (Jaguar still employed the old-fashioned 2-piece "rope" main seal). The transmissions that were mated (particularly Borg Warner) left much to be desired.

I will concede that by the time they brought out the 6 liter some of the irritating problems had been corrected but after 50,000 engines were made you'd think it would get better.

Don't think I'm just a Jag V12 basher as I do own 2 of them and have fixed a lot of them for folks over the years. Some cars are better than others and a good Series 3 Etype is a pleasure to drive but it will still drip on your driveway.

There must have been some unknown objective when the Corvair and Jag engine project was conceived because there are numerous other engines that would be vastly more suitable.

 

the gentleman in question is a extraordinarily talented and gifted designer, engineer, craftsman and business genius....you cannot judge him by his choice of projects...for one thing, he will start and actually finish a project!! he is well known and respected in the calif car scene.

not to mention he totally melted my wife's heart at the monterey historics a few years ago..

 

Tim,

Sure, the engine wasn't perfect, but it was good enough to win Le Mans 18 years after it saw the road in a production car.

Yes, it's a big engine, and in certain areas over-complicated, but in Euro-trim the least powerful version still made very close to 300HP, and th 6.0 was on a par with the quad-cam 400, so I wouldn't say it's that much down on power, even if the Ferrari V-12 makes its' power from less volume, just look at the extra effort!

The BW box wqassn't good, but we're discussing the engine, not the box. The GM box that followed it was much better, but still a slush-box. Manual trans makes the engine really come alive, like an E with SU's (throw those Strombergs away) and a Getrag manual box...

Yes, the rear rope-seal is a crappy solution, I agree, although I never had a leak. Once you do though you are facing a lot of work.

Dropped valve-seats uniquely caused by overheating, overheating almost uniquely caused by Barrs Leaks....

Good to know that you're not a Jag-basher because it 'looks right'. I sold my last one a year ago (Daimler Double Six HE, was daily driver) and am scanning for another one, missing it badly.

If you think putting one in a Corvair is odd, what about an MX5? (Yes, really!)

 

I love it. Kept the pie plates and the stock stance. Wonderful. Now give him a Tatra before he decides he's bored.....

 

Insane, but almost sublime... or is it the other way around?

 

I can appreciate the time, effort, and expertise required, to complete such a project.........and I will stop right there.

 

My first two cars I bought when I was 15. A Corvair Corsa with a blown transmission for $40 and a pretty nice 1964 VW Beetle with a blown engine for $400. I put the Corvair engine in the Beetle and had a pretty fast car when I turned 16.

 

I have had 3 'Vairs. A '64 with an updated 110 and auto trans. Pretty little car. I had a 65 Corsa with a 140 and a 4 speed and a 66 Corsa also with a 140 and a 4 speed.

The 65 was affectionately called the "Bucket" because it WAS a total rust bucket. It had the quick ratio steering box and knuckles, lower springs and handled fairly well for an American car built in the 60's. I could turn corners hard enough that the carbs (4 on the 140) would starve for fuel and it would upset the chassis then it would squirt on down the road. I could never get the exhaust to seal properly to the heads and so the interior always smelled of fumes when I ran the defroster/heater. It also had some natty glass pack type mufflers that were basically open exhaust so it was very, very loud.

I really would like to find a nice body and some "Stinger" body parts and make a mid engine car with an LS7 and Porsche transaxle with upgraded brakes and suspension.