The following pictures (many more to follow ...) show some of the external details and initial findings of the prototype V12.
The engine is in superb condition - testament to its dry storage conditions by its previous owner for the last 30 years.
Collection from resting place in Germany for the past 30 years - before almost non-stop 12 hour drive back to the UK! Customs officials were taken aback by what initially seemed to be a V12 mid-engined pickup ...
After leaving Coventry, the engine passed to Jaguar (Germany) who sold the engine to the previous owner. The previous owner displayed the engine at a Motorshow in Essen, Germany in 1998 in the same condition as when it left Jaguar (although he said he polished it!). There is a mention of the engine at Essen, as well as a picture of it, at http://www.stallard-engineering.co.uk/stories/Jaguar/ESSEN.htm
It seems the engine may have been rebuilt/restored in England by Jaguar before it was transferred to Jaguar (Germany).
The engine turns easily and looks to be complete internally. Looking into the inlet shows slight carbon buildup around the inlet valve so it was possibly run for a while before it was put into storage by Jaguar.
The cams are chain-driven although there is evidence of considerable modification in this area. It is possible there was a different cam drive mechanism at some point and it was later converted to chain drive. Interestingly, there is an external chain tensioning mechanism as can be seen in the following picture. The large nut can be used to exert pressure on the chain via a "slipper".
Device for tensioning cam chain drive.
All the currently accessible major parts have "X" (for experimental) identifying numbers and many are also complemented by hand-stamped numbers - mostly the number "3". I suspect these numbers will be recorded somewhere in Jaguar's archives and I hope to be able to access them at some point. I list some of the numbers below in the hope they may mean something to a fellow-enthusiast.
- Front of sump - IXW 5041 (cast)
- Front of block below water pump casing - remains of a number that could start with "X" and end with "015" (cast) (there is a stud through the middle of the number!)
- Water pump casing - 0XW 5020 (cast)
- Rear of flywheel - 2XW 5179 (stamped)
- Front of block (below water pump housing) - stamped number "3"
- Front of left head - stamped number "19"
- Rear of left head - WM70253 0XW5641 (cast) and "T3" stamped twice
- Front of right head - stamped number "18"
- Rear of right head - WM70252 0XW5640 (cast) and "T3" stamped twice
- Cams are engraved with "X" numbers / timing etc.
- Jackshaft (distributor drive) cover - 2XW 5043 and stamped number "3"
- Centre distributor (cylinders 7-12) - LT22357, crossed-out number below, then X2 66 (all stamped)
This engine has two 6-cylinder distributors. The plug leads are all individually numbered and it seems the centre distributor connected to cylinders 7-12. The distributors appears to be development versions and there is provision for some sort of linkage (missing) to simultaneously alter their timing. Rather perplexingly (for me anyway!), only one of the distributors has a vacuum advance mechanism - with no evidence that the other distributor has ever had vacuum advance.
Removing the right-hand bank exhaust cam cover shows it to be a substantial alloy item which is thicker than production XK cam covers. The cam bearing caps appear to be hand-finished and shaped and are all individually numbered with corresponding marks on the head. The cams themselves appear to be reground cams with quite an aggressive profile. Each cam is engraved with its experimental "X" reference number along with other numbers which may be timings. Although only a superficial examination at this stage, things such as clearances will be measured before the cams are removed.
(Exhaust headers are custom welded tube and not cast iron as in production cars).
Although a detailed examination of the sump will follow, externally there is evidence of considerable modification.
This picture also shows the rear suspension/engine mounting bracket casting. The XJ13 uses the engine as a stressed member as later practised by Lotus - this same mounting point could be used to mount the engine when fitted to a road car "mule".
The spark plugs are in the most inaccessible location! It must have been a nightmare to change them when the inlet manifolds were in place ....
More pictures to follow ......