The new old
- Thread starter roketman
- Start date
spartan
GT Owner
TO AWSUM
Ford GT Owner
w.a.nelson
GT Owner
THamonGT
GT
PeteK
GT Owner
By all means do so if you’re not a stickler for originality.
Advantages: you can use a much stronger unit than OE, you can get overdrive ratios, whereas the OE 4th was direct 1:1, which revs pretty high at highway speed. I don’t think overdrive units were available in Jags, although they were available options on other British cars. So a 5-speed makes a lot of sense. I took a quick look around the internet and it appears that several vendors offer bolt-on kit conversions using Tremec T-5 trannies and others. The shifter even ends up in the OE location. You’ll never wear out or break a Tremec with the Jag 3.8 engine. Others I know with E-types have said it’s a pretty popular upgrade.
Join the jag club and look at their info about the conversions.
Advantages: you can use a much stronger unit than OE, you can get overdrive ratios, whereas the OE 4th was direct 1:1, which revs pretty high at highway speed. I don’t think overdrive units were available in Jags, although they were available options on other British cars. So a 5-speed makes a lot of sense. I took a quick look around the internet and it appears that several vendors offer bolt-on kit conversions using Tremec T-5 trannies and others. The shifter even ends up in the OE location. You’ll never wear out or break a Tremec with the Jag 3.8 engine. Others I know with E-types have said it’s a pretty popular upgrade.
Join the jag club and look at their info about the conversions.
Last edited:
dr914
GT Owner
congratulations! Every car collector needs an xke. I always say that my jag will be the last car I will sell
Cool thanks! I’m gonna drive and see how it is before I make a decision. It actually has a 4.2 L motor in it.
Pete,
I took your advice and joined the Jag club. I’m gonna look around for that five speed transmission. But I’m curious,in today’s world. Is it safe to call a transmission a tranny?
texas mongrel
GT Owner
I planned on putting in a five-speed when I bought mine, but they don’t need it; four speeds are enough. The only question is what gearbox is in it now? It’s an early car so you should have the terrible Moss gearbox with no synchro on first but.....you say it’s got a 4.2 motor, so maybe they put in the matching all-synchro box with it? If it’s still the Moss then I’d say change it out - originality doesn’t matter because of all the other modifications on the car. If it’s the later box, drive it for a bit and you’ll probably find (like I did) that the four speed is just fine.
dr914
GT Owner
Mine is the last of the series two, a late 71. I think that when they stretched it into the v12, it lost a lot of its looks. I have had mine since about 1996, had always wanted one since I was 14. My across the street neighbor let me drive a freshly off lease xke in 1969, and as I was flying up an unopened interstate with my high school chum and the top down, that was it for me. Has only 31,000 original miles on it
dr914
GT Owner
The xkes really need five speeds or overdrive here in the states, as they changed the rear end ratio to give it more off the line (the later year dual stromberg carbs and reduced compression had to be compensated for. So although the later cars are really great off the line (of course no where near our Fords!!!! LOL) they have no top end without the rpms screaming.
I did a couple diffs and a tranny for a guy, 64 and 67 XKEs. He did a Tremec in one too. He brought in pics of one that's completed, purdy!!
PeteK
GT Owner
Better than “trans” I suppose.
Try these links:
5Speeds Transmission Home Page
Muncie T10 Super T10 4 speed and T5 Manual Transmission Parts and complete new transmissions
www.5speeds.com
1965-71 E-Type 5 speed kit 4.2L - The Driven Man
Kit Contents: • Patented: 100% new custom built gearbox based on the Tremec Z Spec T5 • New cast aluminum bell housing • Chrome shift lever • Jaguar style shift knob • Gearbox mount • Gearbox support bracket • Reverse lamp harness • Installation hardware • Jaguar specification output flange...
drivenman.com
Thank youBetter than “trans” I suppose.
Try these links:
5Speeds Transmission Home Page
Muncie T10 Super T10 4 speed and T5 Manual Transmission Parts and complete new transmissionswww.5speeds.com
1965-71 E-Type 5 speed kit 4.2L - The Driven Man
Kit Contents: • Patented: 100% new custom built gearbox based on the Tremec Z Spec T5 • New cast aluminum bell housing • Chrome shift lever • Jaguar style shift knob • Gearbox mount • Gearbox support bracket • Reverse lamp harness • Installation hardware • Jaguar specification output flange...drivenman.com
David
It a series 1 with a 4.2 with the Synchro gearbox. I’m going to take your advice and try it obviously with the four-speed.
PeteBetter than “trans” I suppose.
Try these links:
5Speeds Transmission Home Page
Muncie T10 Super T10 4 speed and T5 Manual Transmission Parts and complete new transmissionswww.5speeds.com
1965-71 E-Type 5 speed kit 4.2L - The Driven Man
Kit Contents: • Patented: 100% new custom built gearbox based on the Tremec Z Spec T5 • New cast aluminum bell housing • Chrome shift lever • Jaguar style shift knob • Gearbox mount • Gearbox support bracket • Reverse lamp harness • Installation hardware • Jaguar specification output flange...drivenman.com
Any idea which is best?