Jaguar S-Type sleeper performance upgrade questions

[SABARRAS]

I will returning to the UK shortly after living abroad for a couple of decades, I was looking for a cheap but fun V8 engined car to buy and upgrade.
The Jaguar S-type V8 models seem to fit the requirements, the price for a low mileage model ranges from £5000 - up to £10000 for an R model. I expect that I'll end up spending an extra £15K+ altogether, after every upgrade has been installed. The goal is to have a practical, discreet and very powerful car that can survive some light track driving. I also want to feel like I'm driving a NASCAR in tunnels, so I'll be reworking the exhaust system for sure.

I have a few questions that I haven't found answers for anywhere so hopefully there is someone here that can provide an answer.

1. Are the standard V8 models and the R models identical mechanically? Same brakes etc. What differentiates them apart from the supercharger and styling?

2. I read that a Kenne Bell supercharger is far superior to the R's standard Easton model, has anyone fit the former (to any V8 Jag)? How much did that cost? How much extra power did you achieve?

3. How does fitting a Limited Slip Differential improve the car's performance?

4. Is fitting a manual (V6 diesel) gearbox worth it? Are there performance gains? How much would that cost?

5. I love the sound that equal length manifolds make, has anyone heard of any "off the shelf" tubular manifolds available for the 4.2 V8 engine?

If anyone has already pimped their S-Type, is there anything else I should know about?

Other mods I had in mind are 19" lightweight forged alloy wheels, Michelin PS4 tyres, adjustable suspension, shorter springs, grooved brake rotors, pad upgrades, PU bushes, braided cables... did I forget about anything?

Cheers!

[a8hex]

Back when the X100 XK/XKR were current there was a discussion here, probably started by NormanD, about fitting manual gearboxes to the V8 cars, it was non-trivial as the whole lot of the cars electronics are based around the assumption that there was a manual gearbox.
I think another thing he looked at was fitting a Qaife limited slip diff. Some of the car rags covered this conversion and the videos showed a considerable improvement off the line. It looked better than the electronic TC the later models got.

[P700DEE]

SABARRAS said:

I will returning to the UK shortly after living abroad for a couple of decades, I was looking for a cheap but fun V8 engined car to buy and upgrade.
The Jaguar S-type V8 models seem to fit the requirements, the price for a low mileage model ranges from £5000 - up to £10000 for an R model. I expect that I'll end up spending an extra £15K+ altogether, after every upgrade has been installed. The goal is to have a practical, discreet and very powerful car that can survive some light track driving. I also want to feel like I'm driving a NASCAR in tunnels, so I'll be reworking the exhaust system for sure.

I have a few questions that I haven't found answers for anywhere so hopefully there is someone here that can provide an answer.

1. Are the standard V8 models and the R models identical mechanically? Same brakes etc. What differentiates them apart from the supercharger and styling?

2. I read that a Kenne Bell supercharger is far superior to the R's standard Easton model, has anyone fit the former (to any V8 Jag)? How much did that cost? How much extra power did you achieve?

3. How does fitting a Limited Slip Differential improve the car's performance?

4. Is fitting a manual (V6 diesel) gearbox worth it? Are there performance gains? How much would that cost?

5. I love the sound that equal length manifolds make, has anyone heard of any "off the shelf" tubular manifolds available for the 4.2 V8 engine?

If anyone has already pimped their S-Type, is there anything else I should know about?

Other mods I had in mind are 19" lightweight forged alloy wheels, Michelin PS4 tyres, adjustable suspension, shorter springs, grooved brake rotors, pad upgrades, PU bushes, braided cables... did I forget about anything?

Cheers!

S Type R is good starting point but also if its power you want consider XF SV and XFR that are not much over the £10K budget.

1 No the basic cars have different brakes (non Brembo) and the electronics are not compatible so its very difficult to add a supercharger to an 8. Just start with an R
2 Kenne Bell mods have been done both sides of the pond with good results. Andre Vos (AVOS on xkec) in Belgium did all the work initially and has run his XKR at about 600BHP for at least 10 years. Here in the UK Tom Lenthall did the kits but you are looking £10K+

3 Quaiffe limited slip diff was Norman Durban's first effort and kits are there that work. Try Tom Lenthall.

4 There have not been any really sucessful conversions to full manual keeping the Jaguar electronics. Nornan did get a kit done and working which was fitted to a few cars but at big cost £10+ If you really want a manual buy a DB9 The only way to do this on a budget is go US and fit big block V8 and gearbox replacing all the Jaguar electronics etc.

5 Plenty of exhausts out there and something to release a little noise is always popular.

[SABARRAS]

P700DEE said:

S Type R is good starting point but also if its power you want consider XF SV and XFR that are not much over the £10K budget.

1 No the basic cars have different brakes (non Brembo) and the electronics are not compatible so its very difficult to add a supercharger to an 8. Just start with an R
2 Kenne Bell mods have been done both sides of the pond with good results. Andre Vos (AVOS on xkec) in Belgium did all the work initially and has run his XKR at about 600BHP for at least 10 years. Here in the UK Tom Lenthall did the kits but you are looking £10K+

3 Quaiffe limited slip diff was Norman Durban's first effort and kits are there that work. Try Tom Lenthall.

4 There have not been any really sucessful conversions to full manual keeping the Jaguar electronics. Nornan did get a kit done and working which was fitted to a few cars but at big cost £10+ If you really want a manual buy a DB9 The only way to do this on a budget is go US and fit big block V8 and gearbox replacing all the Jaguar electronics etc.

5 Plenty of exhausts out there and something to release a little noise is always popular.

Thanks for your answers, it has cleared up some doubts I had.

Oof! A gearbox swap would require a lot of consideration at that price!
I saw this video of it being done, but there isn't any mention about the electronics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMG_32GiS8w&t=...

[SABARRAS]

a8hex said:

Back when the X100 XK/XKR were current there was a discussion here, probably started by NormanD, about fitting manual gearboxes to the V8 cars, it was non-trivial as the whole lot of the cars electronics are based around the assumption that there was a manual gearbox.
I think another thing he looked at was fitting a Qaife limited slip diff. Some of the car rags covered this conversion and the videos showed a considerable improvement off the line. It looked better than the electronic TC the later models got.

If the manual conversion is really £10+, I'd probably just be happy withe the LSD, I couldn't find any S-Type videos clips but it looks good on other rear will drive cars.

[Golan]

Hi there

Mines hasn’t exactly been pimped but it dose have a few upgrades.
It sounds great hands well and goes like greased pig...

https://youtu.be/CgD_CLGhggI

https://youtu.be/ku_KY38gZrs

[Golan]

Golan said:

Hi there

Mines hasn’t exactly been pimped but it dose have a few upgrades.
It sounds great hands well and goes like greased pig...

https://youtu.be/CgD_CLGhggI

https://youtu.be/ku_KY38gZrs

Plus it could be for sale...

[SABARRAS]

Golan said:

Hi there

Mines hasn’t exactly been pimped but it dose have a few upgrades.
It sounds great hands well and goes like greased pig...

https://youtu.be/CgD_CLGhggI

https://youtu.be/ku_KY38gZrs

Looks like fun, nice colour too. What upgrades did you do?
How much are you asking? what's the mileage?

[Golan]

SABARRAS said:

ooks like fun, nice colour too. What upgrades did you do?
How much are you asking? what's the mileage?

It’s huge fun...
It’s been lowered, it has a custom 4 pipe CAT back exhaust system, the engine was remapped and has a smaller supercharger pulley oh and it’s got a S/S intake pipe it’s supposed to give it more power (I’m not sure if it does....) but it does make the supercharger louder, a sound I’ll never get fed up with.
Now the mileage will make you wonder but it’s like a car half it’s age. I’ll try and attach some photos.
So it’s covered 140,000 and I’m looking for £7500.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wvyZy65vpaDCMpij8

[SABARRAS]

Golan said:

It’s huge fun...
It’s been lowered, it has a custom 4 pipe CAT back exhaust system, the engine was remapped and has a smaller supercharger pulley oh and it’s got a S/S intake pipe it’s supposed to give it more power (I’m not sure if it does....) but it does make the supercharger louder, a sound I’ll never get fed up with.
Now the mileage will make you wonder but it’s like a car half it’s age. I’ll try and attach some photos.
So it’s covered 140,000 and I’m looking for £7500.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wvyZy65vpaDCMpij8

That colour is even nicer in the sunshine, it certainly doesn't look like a high mileage model at all.
Those quad pipes look good, did you have to chop some bumper off for them to fit? They look like 30mm tips, right?

[Golan]

SABARRAS said:

Golan said:

It’s huge fun...
It’s been lowered, it has a custom 4 pipe CAT back exhaust system, the engine was remapped and has a smaller supercharger pulley oh and it’s got a S/S intake pipe it’s supposed to give it more power (I’m not sure if it does....) but it does make the supercharger louder, a sound I’ll never get fed up with.
Now the mileage will make you wonder but it’s like a car half it’s age. I’ll try and attach some photos.
So it’s covered 140,000 and I’m looking for £7500.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wvyZy65vpaDCMpij8

That colour is even nicer in the sunshine, it certainly doesn't look like a high mileage model at all.
Those quad pipes look good, did you have to chop some bumper off for them to fit? They look like 30mm tips, right?

30mm!!!! They’d look like pea shooters... They are 3 inch/75mm pipes. Yes the bumper was cut for the pipes to fit through.
It’s a lovely colour (a bit of a bugger to keep clean) it’s had all of the rust cut out and re-sprayed so the whole front end, sill covers and rear bumper have been done to a high standard.