Ask a car enthusiast what’s his or her favorite classic car in terms of exterior design, and the Jaguar E-Type is certain to pop up pretty often. Even Enzo Ferrari admired the beautiful lines of the British sports car, and despite the reliability record of Lucas electrical systems, the XKE is a blue-chip collectible these days.
Not this 1964 model, though. Instead of a 3.8- or 4.2-liter six, the engine bay has eight cylinders of American origin. As the headline implies, a 302 crate engine from the Blue Oval. The 5.0-liter motor “features a high-performance camshaft and electronic fuel injection” from Edelbrock, a wiring harness from Painless, custom exhaust headers, and an Interstate 12-volt battery “added one month ago.”
Currently going for $95,000 on Bring a Trailer with one day left to bid on this Anglo-American restomod, the E-Type V8 with “Bond 007” on the rear license plate combines a Tremec five-speed manual transmission with a limited-slip differential for the rear axle. Comprehensively refurbished before the engine swap, the Jag also happens to feature a different interior over the factory spec.
Customized with Carpathian burl elm, English worsted wool carpeting, and black lamb leather, the cabin has also been treated to a Nardi steering wheel, a wooden shift knob, and “a hidden firearm compartment to the left of the steering wheel” in addition to a Pioneer DVD player with a retractable screen. Double Oh Seven influences can also be seen on the keyring and the “Fire Missiles” button.
Fitted with a 160-mph speedometer (258 km/h) and a 7,000-rpm tachometer, the tastefully modified E-Type shows 4,700 miles (7,564 kilometers) on the odometer. Mods further include “a kill switch adapted from the choke control,” an adjustable proximity alarm, and satellite tracking for additional peace of mind.
Though the straight-six engine and original spec are more desirable, there’s no denying this V8-swapped XKE is a restomod that needs to be cherished as much as it wants to be driven hard.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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