That's the best part about the Jaguar V-12, Gav: there's so much room for improvement! That and the capability to up-build so far as to provide enough horsepower to power a Spitfire recreation--though I haven't tried that personally yet.

Will a Jag's engine even fit into a Sptifire cell? I have my doubts, but I'm not familiar with the subject. A quick web search reveals radically different form factors, however, not to mention the fact that Spitfire engines provided power in excess of 2000 hp.

Or did you mean power, as in, get it off the ground and back in one piece, not air combat?

Also, Gav, why the disdain for British engineering?

Because I hate looking at the Queen's face every time I open up my wallet.

Seriously though I personally don't actually have any real experience with British engineering. My grandfather worked on planes in the RAF, and said it was a nightmare. My father owned a Triumph, and said it was a nightmare. So it's mostly second hand information from grumpy old Canadians.

Hmm... I always thought Swiss engineering was horrible (acquiring the opinion much the same way you did). Maybe a direct comparison would clear things up.

But it'd take too long.

I'd like to take credit for creating the awesome-est thread ever:
Meat -> Taxes -> Cars in 5+ pages.

The XJS can be a nightmare, but is a V12 that, once the cooling and electrical systems are sorted out, the Cadillac-esque handling is dealt with by suspension/steering changes, and the intakes/exhaust are opened up wide... is a whole hell of a lot of fun. And a good one is less than $5k to buy used. Most importantly, I like the lines. I'm too damn tall to drive an old Datsun or Porsche.

Tosh, I think it was a spitfire. Google british airplanes and Jaguar V-12... I know someone did it with an 850 hp V12.

really, doc, less than 5k used, ill have to keep an eye out for that, might be an interesting project

"once the electrical systems are sorted out" ha that's a good one its a British car its never going to be "sorted out"

Jag v12 powers a Spitfire (replica) successfully.

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/dft_avsafety_pdf_501599.pdf

Okay it crashed, but the engine clearly was up to the task.

Whereas US cars do not have an electrical system. What's your point, peytros?

Seriously, though: Good handiwork can be done by skilled people, electrical systems can be good handiwork, especially electrical systems, actually. Look at Triumph bikes. If you love your car or bike, and the wiring's terrible, you re-do it if possible, and with a car pre-dating the frenzy of computer(-supported) control of... everything, it shouldn't be impossible (if a bit annoying).

Now Ducati bikes... there's shoddy wiring.

Lecter, I found the Spitfire/Jaguar crossover, and it seems like a nice bit of modification re the V12. I was just astonished because I thought that regulations required airplane engines to be certified, and those certifications are bureaucracy at its best. Apparently it worked, but I'm unsure about how it'd have compared to a Mk XIV.

Edit: Took too long writing the post. Props to you, Whistler.

discussion over the RT between the pilot and the builder about the oil and coolant temperatures, which the pilot thought were high, but which the builder advised were allowable

Yep, that's a Jaguar V-12.

examination of the spark plugs and exhaust ports indicated that it had been running rather 'lean'.

In case there was any doubt, that's a Jag V-12. Though I doubt that this instance of lean running was due to the classic clogged fuel pick-up strainer. Can't believe he didn't recalibrate the fucking ECU...I recalibrated mine, and all I did was modify the intakes, throttles, manifolds, and exhaust systems. Turning it into an airplane engine strikes me as a step further towards needing recal.

Tosh/PeyPey: the LUCAS systems on the Jaguars of that era are notoriously terrible. Contrary to popular belief, however, LUCAS did not invent darkness--merely perfected it.

However, I now run a 140 amp GM CD130D alternator, have modern fuse blocks throughout the car, have upgraded all the engine wiring harnesses to high temp rated wiring, and am in the process of switching all the traditional light bulbs inside and outside the car over to custom build LED modules. Oh, yeah: I've also checked, cleaned, and tightened every fucking ground I could find. Electrical issues no longer trouble me.

its not possible lecter the thing is cursed!

Nope, it's cured. Plus, LUCAS is not all bad! Their HEI ignition system is actually pretty good, though I scrapped the early 80's dual coil system. One day I may switch to a modern ignition system, but only for greater on the fly control over fueling/ignition timing. The LUCAS HEI is a great little system.

It is generally easier to diss an engineer and her or his ideas in hindsight, when the faults have already become apparent.

If you weren't on the list of people I don't like much already, you'd be on it now, peytros. Nothing personal, though.

toshiro its a known fact that british cars have less then stellar wiring just pick up any automotive magazine or talk to anyone resorting an old lotus. I suggest before you get all pissy about me "dissing" on an engineer you learn some of the back story behind it.

Sometimes you're best off ripping out entire electrical systems and rebuilding it from scratch based on something that is known to work well.

Sometimes you're best off ripping out entire electrical systems and rebuilding it from scratch based on something that is known to work well.

YOU try recreating a 12' long wiring harness, much less running it from the trunk to the engine bay :P

Do note that i did say sometimes, not always. that being said, Im sure I could given proper motivation. Often wires can be hidden in vehicle interiors much more easily than running them along the undecarridg, granted you've got to then make a path either through or around the firewall, but that ain't hard. the bastard would be making the connectors if you cant find salvage ones, but again not impossible, ive made those kind of things before using fiberglass resin and greese (keeps it from sticking to the other part of the plug). And actually i was more talking about engine electrical systems. It takes fairly sloppy engineering and workmanship to fuckup things like tail light wireing, wich I don't generally consider to be a picture of complexity to begin with.

I've fixed a friends car that had some stupid fancy electronic deal for the turn signal blinker by making it run using an old style electro-mechanical blinker and running new wires to the lights. The electronic piece that was needed to fix it properly was a couple hundred bucks, I had the other stuff laying around.

peytros, I'm aware of the peculiarities of British sports car wiring (edit: and that of some Italian bikes, for that matter). That does not change my opinion.

Plus, after some added reading, I find that tending to a car's electrical system (British or otherwise) is nothing a slightly intelligent person couldn't manage, if they applied themselves.