I know the X150 is a GT. But I'm a fan of manuals and I'm looking for a project to keep forever. I would like a beautifully designed RWD coupe with a big engine and a manual transmission. Something that feels special. A keeper.

Of course there is always a V8 Vantage 2005-. But apart from that, even if you ignore beautifully designed or special, unless you want to go American in a Corvette, or old Japanese in a Supra, Z car etc, there is not much in the way of sport coupes in RWD and manual transmission. Let alone beautifully designed.

BMW has nothing. 2 doors M3 etc are not it. Looking for a sports car type. Not a 2 door saloon type.

Mercedes ditto.

Maserati has the old 3200 GT. But I like the X150 more. Granturismo is again only auto.

Porsche only has the old 928. But I don't like the look.

So nothing within affordable means that qualifies. Actually regardless of budget, not many options.

So it seems custom is the only way. If I go custom I think the X150 is a beautiful design with a nice engine and comfort.

But I never heard of a manual swap being done. The XK8 has been done and even Chevy LS swaps.

Is it feasible to even consider such thing with the X150? Am I crazy or just out of options?

Thanks.

 

It has been done a few times...RSR here in the states is one example. They had a thread here with details a few years ago:




https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/m...na-race-95849/

 

Tell ya what you do...... Make a fake pedal to the side of the brake pedal and use the paddle shifters exclusively.

Although something COULD be done, that doesn't mean it SHOULD be done, or that it's feasible or even advisable. Costs a mint to do it, so if you basically want to pay for a new car to have your OLD car worse, go for it.

 

F-Type.

 

And if you are really a glutton for pain, take that V6 MT6 F-Type, and shoe-horn a V8 into it from your XKR.

 

Wow, why all the negative reactions? Is it because me thinking about doing that hurts your egos, as in I think your car is no good the way it is? If so I apologize. Not my intention. I'm just a fan of actually shifting. If you take away that, driving is not as fun TO ME. But I respect people who don't like to shift a manual. To each his own. But I guess it's too much to expect respect back.

 

Some useful replies along though.

Yes, for the longest time this is what I had in mind V6 F-type or a V8 Vantage.

When it comes to the Vantage, I somehow prefer the rounder shape of the XKR X150.

The F-Type is a V6.

So both would be a compromise in one side. Reason I thought about looking somewhere else and maybe going custom.

 

Interesting. Thanks for the link. That's a track car. I guess in a track car where you don't need all the electronics, gauges and other things to work it's less of a problem. My interest in doing a road car. Maybe some of it could still be useful though.

 

I'm exactly the same. I bought a Jaguar X150 in spite of it having an automatic as the rest of the package is pretty good. I ordered a manual S-Type many years ago and still prefer it to an automatic.

I expect that the "negativity" comes from the complexity of doing the conversion in a modern, computer-controlled car. It will be a major project and financially not the most sensible, but you could end up with a near-unique car. Mustangs can still be had with a manual, so basically suitable components must be out there.

Personally, if I was going to have to spend 10s of thousands in customising an X150 to have a manual, I would just buy a manual Aston instead. It will hold its value better and has more street cred. Whether it would be a better car overall, maybe not but it is an Aston!

 

Yes. I see where you are coming from and for a while I had settle on a V8 Vantage. Pretty much the only semi-modern Aston you can buy with a manual and is not too heavy. But as much as I try, despite really liking the Vantage, I don't really love it. I'm not enamored of it from every angle. I much prefer the looks of the original Vanquish. But that is neither manual or that affordable.

So I started looking at the F-Type V6. I love the design of the F-type. I don't think there is a bad angle in it. But I would rather have a V8 with more power. I know it's even harder to swap a V8 into a V6 F-type or a manual into a V8 F-type that it would be with the X150. Because the newer the car the harder. And the price of entry with the F-type is already higher too.

With the XK, it is absolutely beautiful as well. IMO just as beautiful as the F-type. They are different design approaches but equally beautiful.

The only real sticking point for me is the auto trans. So between swapping a F-type, living with the Vantage which I don't truly love, unless I could afford of the Zagato Astons, and swapping the XK, the XK seems to be the easiest, even if it's still hard?

But I have considered a few things. Maserati and others. The Granturismo is another car which I have thought about a manual swap. But it would be even harder than the XK. Because it's newer. I also like the XK looks better.

Even thought of just buy a new Mustang GT and be done. But I want to buy something to keep. Never sell. RWD, manual, internal combustion sports cars are an endangered species. I want to save something special to keep till my older days. But it needs to be right, and special. A Mustang isn't.

 

The mechanical conversion shouldn't be a big issue. There is enough room to fit a modern 6 speed and it's just a matter of making the various adapters. The big issue is the present software and how it relates to the ECU. I don't think Jaguar would provide you with it so the only way would be to hack it. As the electronics have evolved the talking between various computers makes this the difficult part.

 

Ok. Considering that one could make the mechanics work, meaning the engine would run, the car would shift and drive, what could be lost or left out from the electronics if not able to work it out, that wouldn't affect driving the car?

 

You would most likely need a new aftermarket ECU. As jagtoes said, the PCM (ECU/TCU) as well as various other parts of the car all work together. So while physically possible and not that difficult, the electronic side of it would be a bit of an expense.

I have seen a few of them done, so it can be done, just how much you want to spend?

 

I'd sell the Jaguar and spend that money on an Aston Martin with a manual transmission. Life is short; enjoy the drive instead of getting bogged down in the time, money and aggravation involving the unknowns of a transmission swap.

 

I don't really have a set budget.

But how much or what ballpark are we talking about ?

I think the aftermarket ECU would be an easy task? Would it solve a lot of the problems?

 

Like I explained above.

Only Aston option would be 2005 generation V8 Vantage. Any other Aston as old or newer seems to be automatic only. I don't fancy something older like a DB7.

Problem with the Vantage is, despite being a good looking car, I'm not in love with it. I like the X150 better from every angle but the front. I like the DB9 design even less than the Vantage for some reason.

 

As mentioned you would need to understand how the ECU talks to the TCU and how you can fool the system. They are inter related so that would be the area of concern. You would need to understand what signals talk back and forth to allow the car to run. Once you know that you should be able to build a "black box" to interface with the ECU. I have done several conversions/transplants in Jags both pre and post ECU cars. Because the transmission was did not talk to the ECU on my TPI conversions I didn't have a problem. Also there are several off the shelf stand alone ECU's for GM FI engines. I don't know if you can get a stand alone ECU for a 4.2 or 5.0 X150 but I doubt it. So I would gather all of the info and check with Jaguar racing teams to see how they did it. Go for it and have fun .

 

Total Cost Involved for such a swap would probably tickle the $20,000 barrier.

 

Well, if no aftermarket ECU is available, then it would probably complicate things more I would think. Doesn't the engine share a lot with Ford engines? Maybe an open door there?

 

Is this including the gearbox, parts and labor? All in?