The XJ6 was long a top-seller for Jaguar, but as the years have rolled by, many of these luxury cruisers have received little love or even been completely abandoned. Fortunately, these cars can be brought back to life via the ever-popular LS engine swap. Classic luxury with reliable American power. What's not to like?
Jaguar Dreamin'
Every now and again when an LS-swap topic pops up on LS1Tech.com, forum member Johnny Mayday declares that he dreams of owning a classic Jaguar XJ6 powered by a potent American LS V8. Sexy European chassis coupled with American muscle has been a winning combination for over 60 years, with the most notable being the Shelby/AC Cobra. As a result of Johnny Mayday's continued interest in an LS-swapped XJ6, we've decided to take a look what goes into making the swap and examine the end results.
Photo Courtesy of Arden.de
A Lengthy Production
For starters, Jaguar's XJ series was a popular platform for the British manufacturer that ran from 1968 through 1992. While the car did undergo two facelifts (aka Series II and Series III) that altered various interior and exterior features, it remained strikingly similar to the original Series I car throughout its production run and was considered Jaguar's flagship model. In total, over 300,000 units were produced for worldwide sales.
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>>Join the conversation about LS-swapping a Jaguar XJ right here in LS1Tech.
High-Maintenance
Although the XJ was offered in a 12 cylinder model (XJ12), it was the 6-cylinder XJ6 variants that sold in volume. The XJ6 made up approximately 80 percent of all XJ sales, and while they did a great job of combining luxury and performance, their complexity and quality control made keeping these machines on the road a rather expensive affair.
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>>Join the conversation about LS-swapping a Jaguar XJ right here in LS1Tech.
Left for Dead
Because of the nagging engine, electrical, and rust issues that saw many of them parked or junked, XJ6 prices are in the basement. But a beautiful design that screams classic luxury is not withering away entirely because owners began swapping small block Chevy engines into them, and more recently, the ever-popular LS platform.
Photo Courtesy of Roadkill
>>Join the conversation about LS-swapping a Jaguar XJ right here in LS1Tech.
LS to the Rescue!
The go-to source for anything XJ V8-swap related is Jaguar Specialties, who began their foray into LS-swap kits for the XJ6 back in 2008, mainly because the owner personally wanted something different than the old 350 swap and no other company offered anything LS-related for the XJ6. Gathering up a few donor cars, they set out to design a complete kit to swap variations of LS powertrains into the Jag chassis.
Photo Courtesy of Jaguar Specialties
>>Join the conversation about LS-swapping a Jaguar XJ right here in LS1Tech.
Testing the fit
Having been involved with various Jaguar engine conversion kits for some time now, Jaguar Specialties focused on typical engine swap problem areas such as mounting, pan clearance, wiring, cooling system setup, power steering, accessory drive, and exhaust to ensure that the end result would be straightforward for customers completing a swap.
Photo Courtesy of Jaguar Specialties
>>Join the conversation about LS-swapping a Jaguar XJ right here in LS1Tech.
Fits like a Glove
In the end, Jaguar Specialties developed an LS conversion kit that will not only bolt in without any cutting, drilling, or welding of the original Jag chassis, but it also retains the original Jaguar functions (gauge readings, shifter functionality, etc.). Even better is that Jaguar Specialties gives you a list of off-the-shelf LS components that are compatible for use in the XJ. Simply put, they did all of the hard work determining what parts fit so you will not have to waste time nor money figuring it out for yourself.
Photo Courtesy of Youtube and 1320 Video
>>Join the conversation about LS-swapping a Jaguar XJ right here in LS1Tech.
A Classic Power Cruiser
Word is that there is no better match for the XJ chassis than the power, torque, flexibility, and reliability provided by the LS engine. From the video of this LS-swapped XJ6C running, the classic looks and modern power sure seems like a winning combination. So here's to you Johnny Mayday and your dream of owning an awesome LS-powered XJ6!
Photo Courtesy of Jaguar Specialties and Jalopnik
>>Join the conversation about LS-swapping a Jaguar XJ right here in LS1Tech.
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