Jaguar introduced its Mark V in the Fall of 1948 alongside the XK120. The slinky XK120 stole the show, but the Mark V staked out new territory too: it was the first Jaguar with hydraulic brakes, sealed beam headlamps, and independent front suspension. It also outsold the XK120 by 2.5 to 1. Jaguar was already known for its appeal to luxury-lovers, but the Mark V took the company to a new level. Meanwhile, as more imported cars reached American shores, engine swaps proliferated. Hot rod culture and customs were revered, and no one thought twice about giving over a Ferrari or Jag to the local speed shop to perform a transplant. The idea was popular enough to inspire Jensen, AC, Bizzarrini, and others to equip entire models with American engines from their factories. Here on facebook Marketplace is a Jaguar Mark V with a Chevy 350 cu. in. V8 installed. The asking price is $10,000 and the car is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. T.J. found this Americanized Jag for us – thanks T.J.!
I’m not sure how many differently-configured Chevy 350 cu. in. V8s were made, and our seller isn’t telling us where this one came from. It is paired with an automatic transmission and one glance will tell you why there’s no bonnet on the car: the radiator hose is threaded over the radiator support, leaving no room to close the original bonnet. That’s a serious fan assisting airflow, and for good measure, louvers have been cut into the sheet metal on either side of the engine bay. I guess the car’s original cooling system was no match for Florida summers. The seller says the car does run and the brakes work, but not much remains of this Jaguar’s factory equipment.
That goes for the interior as well, where modern seats replace the British originals, and every scintilla of charm has been stripped away. Even the rear seats have been replaced. The windshield and vent windows remain in place but the door glass is gone. The landau irons still hold up tattered remains of the intricate cloth top.
This perspective reminds me of a dowager in a bustle – not a particularly flattering image. Still, we have to compliment the panel fit, and other than a few dents and dings, the sheet metal is fairly clean. No underside photos are provided in the listing so rust is a question mark. These cars came with disc wheels color-matched to the body – someone has replaced those with what appear to be faux wires. After considering this car for an hour or so, I’m still not sure what I’d do with it if it showed up in my shop. What do you think?
Oh, Ms. Rand, do you really want to know what I think? It’s okay, I’m making peace, albeit slowly, with how mishigosh this world is today, you want to put a “Luxury Sport” motor in one of the finest cars in the world and destroy its fragile spirit, by all means, hack away. Nothing is sacred in that regard, and I suppose it’s more important to focus on what an, um, adequate job someone did, or tried to do, but ran out of steam. Can’t find fault with that, however, it’s always tough selling a “personalized” vehicle, especially not finished. Sadly, I don’t see much interest here.
If you think that junkyard 350 is a luxury sport motor ( btw it’s an engine not a motor) you need to pick up an issue of road and track.
Maybe try MOTOR trend.
What is a motor?
The English refer to the engine AND the car as a Motor
A motor generally refers to electric propulsion
Motor (engine)? What about the seats? They for sure didn’t come as an option.
RKS, it is a DONK!
Thanks HoA I haven’t heard the wors mishigosh used since my parents were alive, Zie Gesunt!
I see a lot of work needing to be done on this one. That said, I don’t see 10K to buy it.
I do see this as a lot of fun if it can be rebuilt and have gas money left over.
Looks like this was going to be fun. Has a ways to go. The Jeep seats look comfy. Hopefully someone out there has a similar vision.
But of course, a Chevy 350 with an automatic. About as dull a driving experience one could hope for. What a shame.
Aaahhhh….,Nope!
I say, old boy, this cat looks like it was put together after Billy Bob Joe Reynolds had a few.
I know this sort of hybrid usually generates debate, some on the “a nice original Jaguar spoiled” and some on the “I like it” side. I’m on the “Jaguar spoiled” side of the argument (as I usually am)
At least from what is shown in the photos, the mods look clumsily done. Admittedly, this was obviously not a pristine Mk V in the first place, but at his stage it’s just a mess and not even one that could reasonably be restored as a genuine Mk V anymore.
As I always say, “it’s a free country” so the owner can do whatever they want with their own car – but as an outside observer, it’s a shame as there are limited numbers of viable Jaguar Mk Vs left out there. I can’t imagine many people queuing up to hand over $10k for this, but who knows.
I get “it’s a free country” attitude but several car clubs I know actively promote the “you’re a caretaker for a future generation, so act responsibly” attitude. I have mixed feelings – at this point, this car’s probably only going to survive because of those mods.
Now a parts car. Absolute travesty. Likely worth much more before the first wrench was lifted in anger.
This could’ve been done decently with a viable result, but given the mess they’ve made of the install and the interior it looks like someone would have to start over completely. So yes, the parts car sadly.
What a waste of a 350.
So sad. The dead kitty has used up all of its lives. The drive train would be easy to come by but not the other batch of bits.
I’ll give you $11,000 if you throw those seats away. And the wheels and tires.
That is one abused Jaguar. At least use an in-line six and manual trans.
I would use the engine to build a motorized barstool , and replace it wit a 3 carb EJag//5speed. Jag steel wheels, find the stock covers. Finish the hoyro theme. No goin original, too far down the road. So? $3500? As is?
Ah what a bunch of negative Nancy’s, I say finish hot rodding it, tub it , ford 9″, the works ! Somebody else already killed the originality, so, no guilt ! just have fun, and you won’t run into another like it at the cars and coffee. Just sayin…
They had to butcher the crap outta the whole front end to stuff that engine in there. I bought a roller 50 Mk V 40 years ago with the intent of putting a 3.4 engine out of a scrapped Mk 1 as a retro-fit. It wouldn’t fit. The car came stock with a Standard 2.5 liter engine – think TR6 for a reference – so it wasn’t very big. I can’t imagine what the frame or firewall looks like after this install. And seeing the huge power brake booster and master I can’t imagine whats under it for brakes or suspension for that matter. Too bad really – could have been a nice car but as others have said – to each their own…
Brough, Railton and Allard were using American engines in their British cars long before hot rodders in America started doing engine swaps. To this day I find it ironic that a certain mindset exists that if you want to have a reliable Jaguar or even Rolls-Royce, a Chevy V8 is the way to go because both the Jaguar XK engine and the Rolls- Royce engines are pretty darn bulletproof. It’s everything else that gives trouble. Interestingly in Portland alone I know of a Model T hot rod powered by a V12 Jaguar and there was a fabulous ’32 Ford Roadster built with all Rolls-Royce parts – engine, suspension, brakes, gauges etc.
Hi!
$10K? No way.
BT
As I have ruefully learned, repeatedly, over the years, It’s a lot easier to take something apart, than put it all back together again.
Sadly, that’s what happened to a lot of
old exotic cars here in Florida. Once
something broke, factory parts and
service were all but non existent.
Meaning if you had a car like this years ago, you either drove the car til
it broke and took your chances taking it to Billy Joe Jim Bob down the road
to have it fixed or sent it to the crusher. It was true in the Midwest too. These cars were scarce as hen’s
teeth there, and seeing one in the flesh was a monumentous event. Not
too many folks had never seen a Jaguar outside of Chicago or any other big city in Illinois. First one I saw was a ’59 Mark something 4-door
sedan. I was 5 or 6 back then and it left a great impression on me. A few
years later, (’71) I got that very same
car as a freebie from a friend of Dad’s
who wanted it gone. The car had been through a wire fire that took out
everything from behind the dash forward. So much for those “reliable”
Lucas Electrics. Lack of parts and
service for foreign cars was the reason that car sat on his lot for almost a year. Lo and behold, a friend of mine told me to beat it down to the bookstore and get a copy of Rod &
Custom Magazine NOW as it had an
article in it on how to put a small block Chevy into a Jaguar. Boing! Light bulb pops on and I rush down to
the store and buy the mag and start
reading it. Long story short, with help
from my family and friends, (and many cases of beer) we swapped in a
1970 350 and T-350 tranny I got from
a smacked Impala sedan. While the car was apart, I had it re wired to
American spec for safety and reliability. I also had it repainted in a
beautiful shade of blue metallic that
looked great with the cream leather
interior and the dark blue carpeting on the floors. The Jag was so complete that it even had that really
fancy picnic set in the trunk with china and silver that would’ve made
my other SIL jealous. In all, I might’ve
spent maybe $2K rebuilding that car
but it all was done right, not like this
poor car. Wound up selling it to a local doctor for $4K 6 months after I
got it done. Thank God I was playing
enough road dates to make all that
happen. Had fun doin’ it and never
built another one. Point is, I did it to
put a really nice old Jaguar back on
the road. This one, hard pass!!!
I can certainly see why he wants that decrepit monstrosity out of his sight, but he’d have to pay me $11,000 to take it.
like it better than the XK (of the era).
There are loads of doner Jags out there where an original type drive line can be had to be rebuilt at one’s leasure. Meanwhile this could be driven as is. The missing bonet would have to be sourced possibly form a Mark VIl.
Sorry – its long —
OK – lets back up. IF I were serious about this heres what I’d do.
1st – make sure the changes to the frame were quality, safe and sound. Sound meaning geometry etc is good and viable (safe).
2nd – Runs and drives? Make it so. This will mean verification that all suspension and brakes are not only good/functional but adequate to stop the car with the current engine pushing it.
3rd – starting with cosmetics, I’m not going to address paint/etc – yet. Gotta address presence first. Loose those dorky rims, find a set of original 16’s and have them re-rimed to meet the above safety aspects (mostly cornering and braking). So band or re rim to probably a 6-7″ wide rim with a 70 or 75 profile to keep the traditional look happening – with original hubcaps. (I’m going sleeper here…)
Fix the top. Yea, I’m gonna bet thats the most expensive part of this whole project. Last time I checked, there was a UK based company that would make up the top for just under $10k. Spend the money on a good Alm radiator and re-route the hoses so you can put a hood on it.
Paint it black
4th – So it has a modern interior in it…finish it. Go full custom inside. Your on the road to “Resto-Mod” anyway.
I’m gonna guess based on the hours and funds to complete this, if it showed up at my shop as-is I’d quote (with a real sit-down and sharpen the pencil) somewhere in the $40-45,000 range for labor and another $20-25,000 parts. So best case you’d end up with $60,000 in a $30-35,000 car…