Re: Pontiac OHC/XK-E

[George Graves <gmgraves@domain.elided>]

The idea at the time was, I believe, that it would increase the 
Jaguar's reliability and drivability. Jags in those days were terribly 
unreliable due to the use of the 'British Prince of Darkness," Lucas 
electrics. They also had drivability problems due, mostly, to the fact 
that the XK engine had inadequate cooling (the engine started life as a 
3.4 liter, and was subsequently punched out, first to 3.8 liters, then 
to 4.2. Each increase in capacity shrunk the already marginal water 
jacket) and and the E-type had a small radiator, so the cars tended to 
overheat.  However, I don't feel that the electrical reliability 
problem needed so drastic a remedy as to replace the car's engine, and 
even though the Pontiac-6 had a larger water jacket than the XK engine, 
that still didn't address the small radiator.

George Graves
'86 GTV-6



On Monday, November 25, 2002, at 12:22  AM, alfa-digest wrote:


> Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2002 22:15:20 -0500
> From: Joe Elliott <jee@domain.elided>
> Subject: Re: Pontiac OHC/XK-E
>
> At 3:18 AM +0000 11/25/02, alfa-digest wrote:
> > Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2002 12:31:33 -0800
> > From: Will Owen <nashwill912@domain.elided>
> > Subject: Re: Pontiac OHC/XK-E
> >
> > Howard wrote, concerning the Pontiac SOHC six -
> >
> >  "I suspect the E-Type with that engine in it was a fine road car as 
> > well."
> >
> > I'da thunk so, but I never found out. The C&D project got underway
> > with a lot of editorial drum-rolls, and I for one was eager to read
> > how it all came out...then nothing. No progress reports, no
> > blow-by-blows, no pictures or road tests. As I recall it, all I read
> > subsequent to that was a grumpy response to some reader's imquiry
> > along the lines of
> > "Don't ask."
>
> I would have to ask "Why?"  Why replace the silky-smooth, torquey,
> 265hp twincam XK six with an unproven, thrashy American engine with
> what, 150hp?  Am I missing something here?  Was the notion of a
> rubber timing belt really exotic enough to justify putting so much
> effort into such a downgrade?  At least putting a V8 in a Spider
> would yield an increase in power...
>
> Joe Elliott
> '82 GTV6  (how 'bout a Buick 3800 engine?)
> '73 Opel  (I'll take any engine that runs)
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