Jag V12 or 318

So, I'm doing up a Dodge Fargo at the moment, complete rebuild (hotrod) and I'm going with a Jag front and rear end.
Same bloke also has a v12 engine...
I know Jags are pretty much shit (except from the ends) so what do you think of a 12 cylinder pickup truck?
And what should I be aware of... How do I go about gearboxes aand shit.
Otherwise I'll stick with 318 or something...

G'day,
As stated previously, you are best to discuss this with your engineer because he will have the final say in what goes and what can't go! Ultimately it comes down to how deep your pockets are.

On a side note - Early V12 Jags have a reputation for dropping exhaust seats

-Stu

Stay with the Chrysler, maybe 360 8-)or 5.7 Hemi from 300c : : :

since your going to use a jag front and rear end ..id "dummy" fit the V12 and auto..if it looks like a easy fit go for it if not as previously stated use a 318/360 also dont bypass a 265 if its a easier option as they can make some decent horsepower as aussie racetracks in the 70s found out

G'day Mr I,

To quote Elma Fudd " be vewy vewy careful" ... with a V12 Jag donk.

Exercise caution here and only go for a fuel injected one if you really have/want to. Earlier engines had 4 x SU's and related tuning issues. Plus the donk was all alloy block and heads which means head gaskets would need replacement (probably) sooner than the ones on a 318.

Even though cubic capacity is about the same as the Chrysler donk 326ci vs 318ci, the Chrysler one has less of everything and especially electrical relays! British Leyland had hit their straps in the 1970's in buggering everything up by outsourcing manufacture of small component bits via Lucas, Unipart and others; which impacted on reliability. BTW, radiators are too small for our climate and an alternative unit would be recommended. Rover's had the same problem too.

If you go chrysler, I'd suggest a 727 auto box = near bulletproof.

Whilst on gearboxes, the Jag V12 was coupled to a GM Turbo 400 and parts for these should be accessible except for bell housing. These boxes were also used in Ferrari, RR and Bentley and and housings differed because of angle of Vee in each motor etc. No doubt rodders in the know probably have figured out how to "trick" them up.

Motoring journalist Chris De Fraga once said "any man who can keep a V12 Jaguar on the road is a genius"..My father is one of those said geniuses = another story.

In summary, go with something tried and true and not be a pioneer with your project. Engineers certs are hard to get (so I'm told) as the legal/insurance "risk" is quite high for them to sign off on your pride and joy.

Good luck with it and hope my comments help.

Cheers

Rob

The Jag V12 is an awesome engine, turbine like torque and power. But bloody expensive if you need to do major work such as reco heads which - as Stu said - do drop valve seats if over heated. Even servicing is exy with 11 odd liters of oil and 12 plugs. Also doing valve clearances is a right pain in the arse.

I've also got a spare V12 sitting on the floor of my workshop, and like you I've often fantasized about dropping it into a truck. Not yet, but maybe one day I will

A Jag V12 engine???!! ... arrrrggghhhhh!!! .. (backs away screaming, holding out a cross ..)

You will never keep a V12 Jag engine running for an extensive period .. without spending copious amounts of time and money on it .. :'(

They are a mongrel of a thing. Heads that need special wedges to remove them from the block, after they have become welded to it by corrosion .. valve adjusting mechanism that involves buckets and shims, that will drive you insane (remove camshaft, remove buckets, install shims, replace buckets, replace camshaft, check clearances .. remove camshaft, remove buckets, remove shims, replace buckets, replace camshaft, check clearances - and so on .. ad infinitum :'( ) .. an open deck block that is a prick of an engineering design, at best .. a timing chain that needs total engine removal and disassembly, to replace .. and an overall engine design that is unbelievably complex and costly to maintain.

The Chrysler V8 is one of the finest pieces of simple and robust engineering to ever come out of America .. besides the Chev V8's. You will never look back in sorrow if you install a Chrysler V8 .. but you will, if you install one of those mongrel Jaguar engines .. :'(

shame they didnt make a cast iron version of the jag V12 ... .. mite of been good for a boat anchor at least
beautiful motor when they are going but when they dont go
you need a V12 sized wallet ..

G'Day and welcome ro the forum,

The others have mentioned most of everything and even if the last 6.0L injected units (early nineties) have been sorted out, it's still horribly expensive if anything goes wrong - and you are 25,000 miles away from Pommy. I'm only 10 hours away from the Calais ferry, know a couple of parts suppliers and breakers in England and I'd still use the Mopar in the Mopar - does that answer yr question?

Good luck with the project, whatever you decide to do...

Cheers,

T

PS: Another one to add to the list of horrors: if your crank is scured, it's a throw away, you can't regrind them...

When I lived on my gold mine at Higginsville, North of Norseman in the early 1980's, there was a miner, Richard, who lived next door on the adjoining lease with his wife and boy and girl.
Richard went up to the roadhouse/service station/shop that was about 20kms up the highway at Widgemooltha one Sunday .. and the owner, a Dutchman, said to him .. "Do you want to buy a Jag? - or more importantly, a V12 Daimler Sovereign?" ..

Richard asked him how he came by a Jag? .. and the Dutchman said to him .. "A bloke abandoned it here .. it broke down. He was travelling to Sydney in it, and it stopped, just up the road .. so we towed it in, and he caught the Greyhound bus, and abandoned it!"

The Dutchman had found the problem, and fixed it (can't recall what it was, it wasn't a huge problem) .. and he offered it to Richard for $2000. Now, that was a pretty good steal in those days .. the car was about 10 yrs old, and well worn, probably in average to fair condition, and I seem to recall it had moderate kms on it.

Naturally, Richard always dreamed of being a Jag owner, so he bought it. He lent it to me for a few days, one time we were both in Perth, and I can tell you this much .. it was a very nice car to drive .. and the impact on people when you rocked up in a Daimler Sovereign was nothing short of impressive ..

You could practically see the people genuflect to you, as you drove up, it was amazing ..
However .. despite the impressive look that driving a Daimler gave Richard .. he soon became very disenchanted when it started to play up, and things started going wrong with the engine. Then he started to find out all about Jag/Daimler parts prices!!! ..

$2800 for a grille if he hit a 'roo!! .. $240 EACH, for rubber door seals!! .. the list went on and on. Very shortly thereafter .. Richard quietly disposed of the Daimler, and he was never seen driving one again!! ..