THE TENTH LIFE of A JAGUAR E-TYPE

BY MACK BESSER of ZZAAPP VINTAGE AUTO

In 1987, the current owner purchased the '63 E-rdst. with a 283 Chevy V-8 & Muncie 4 speed. I believe the modification & butchery came gratis. Driven for several years as is,(owner attempted peering behind dash once-decided against it!) things eventually failed and the car was allowed to stagnate. I wonder why? We were approached by a large shop in regards to taking on the project in it's present roughed-in condition. Grapevine has it: this was the 3rd shop said car had resided at, in the attempt to further upgrade the driveline. Now...we see a Dallas, TX. Jag V-8 conversion kit at work (?) for the 1st time. A FoMOCo 302 V-8 crate motor & Tremec 5 speed, with bolt-on Edelbrock fuel injection; all the parts look great! The car does not run, start or crank. I wonder why? The first item of business is to remove a bushel basket of erroneous wiring, phony switches, (controlling who/where/when?) Stewart-Warner gauges, as well as, E-type brackets, relays, vacuum tank, etc. no longer useful. Most items removed from behind dashboard.

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FoMOCo V-8

Now it makes sense to install proper instruments, correctly color code repair wiring harness, contact P. Groh with the ignition switch key code number and obtain a key.(most folks just buy a new switch-that doesn't fit the doors!) I wonder why? New battery, connect the terminals...watch for smoke. Turn key on...watch for smoke. Push starter button...watch for smoke. It cranks! The F/I computer & assorted relays are not cooperating-no spark & no fuel. A Ford friend comes by: researches the Edelbrock instruction/wiring harness booklet, a few tests...fuel pump relay faulty. Said relay jumped & we have fuel & spark! Add gas, push button, starts right up! Even charges, boy, that saves time! I question the frame modifications and additions-requiring a call to a mechanical engineer associate. He will assess the critical aspects, and leave the decisions to the owner. Some assembly still required! LOL. I contacted Ford Motorsports dealer about the FoMOCo tag found epoxied to the lower right hand corner of the block.

I read the part number and was informed: 5.0 liter, roller cam, GT40 aluminum heads, 340 HP w/ a carburetor. The Edelbrock F/I probably adds 15-20 HP, according to Ford. Now what does the owner do about the brakes, wheel width and tires? 350 HP w/185 Michelin X tires on 5" rims, inadequate brakes (when car was new), etc. ZZAAPP Vintage Auto has all those answers. They just need application. ZZAAPP will be this Jaguar's last stop! ZZAAPPAUTO.

UPDATE DEC 21, 2010

Vented front rotors with Wildwood 4 pot alloy calipers. 

Well, the '63 V-8 5 speed is running , charging  and shifting. Since we now have snow & salt, it will be a while before road testing. So, in preparation for Spring, we have upgraded the braking system; seeing that the original small pot/solid rotor system was substandard even when new! I trust that these photos are detailed enough for your viewing. Vented front rotors with Wildwood 4 pot alloy calipers & 30 percent larger front pads! Also, bigger calipers need more fluid, so 3/4" MKII master cylinders adapted to replace 5/8" of units. Small mods to cylinder housings allowed bolt in application to complete the upgrade & give plenty of PSI to the calipers, dual brake boosters fitted; giving double the hydraulic pressure from the master cylinders. With 360 HP on tap, this car now has the ability to slow down quickly! The front caliper & rotor "kit" as sold by XK'S Unlimited, Inc., needed only a slight modification to be a truly bolt-on upgrade. Can't wait 'til Spring!!!