Re: A genuine Darrin restored with a Viper engine?
Posted by Joe Santana On 2012/11/2 11:54:22
After finishing The Duchess I started working on my son's 61 Jaguar MK2 sedan and signed up for a forum on Jaguars similar to packardinfo.
I guess most people found the 3.8 L6 engine tempermental, difficult, short on power, whatever. Replacing the engine with a more powerful Detroit engine is commonplace. It used to be Chevy V-8s. Now it's aluminum GM Ls.
I personally love the sound of the original engine, so distinctive and unique. You've heard them warm up at shows on the way to the winner's circle I'm sure. This is a 3.8 sedan, original engine, I like:youtube.com/watch?v=CONzPuZZWVs
But the modification doesn't stop there. I made a comment or two on the Jaguar section explicitly for sedans, respectful, but just saying that "resto-moding" is not "restoring." They are two different visions. Unfortunately, restomoders categorize most restored cars as not driven, that is, trailered everywhere and almost never driven on the open road, whereas restomoding makes the car drivable, safer, faster, reliable.
They have their point. It's just different. It leads to modifying frames and fenders to accommodate wider tires, for instance. They also defend making subjective modifications to beautify the design saying it makes it more unique, lovable, closer to what their heart desires. Well and good, if that's your vision. In my comments I suggested that, as we have here, there should be a separate section on the site for modifications for safety, design, engine exchange, lowering, raking, chopping or anything else. As mentioned, John Slaughter is respected for what he does and people like it. It's just a different objective.
I personally like the feel of powerless steering and brakes. And I believe that there is context, for example for me, a cultural context of 1940 where the whole of the design, the original colors of exteriors and interiors, lines, height, spring supported upholstery etc all contribute to an authentic experience of that time, a connection to the pre-war years that a Viper engine, power steering, power brakes and foam rubber upholstery can't deliver, except sort of, from a distance. It's like the original VW and the new ones. Similar in shape and simplicity, but a different context.
My comments were deleted from the thread as divisive, that's how accepted restomoding is in the Jaguar world. Since Jaguar is still alive, there is a bit more acceptance for replacing 60-year-old Jaguar parts with their modern Jaguar equivalent, branded things like FM radios, mirrors, seats. But again it's a change in context.
The recommendation from the site master, after removing my comments, was to simply avoid threads that documented and advocated cutting up cars to restomod them. And so I do. But I must say this, there is much more interest in terms of hits to engine exchange and restormod blogs than straight all-original restoration.
Attach file:
(30.48 KB)
I guess most people found the 3.8 L6 engine tempermental, difficult, short on power, whatever. Replacing the engine with a more powerful Detroit engine is commonplace. It used to be Chevy V-8s. Now it's aluminum GM Ls.
I personally love the sound of the original engine, so distinctive and unique. You've heard them warm up at shows on the way to the winner's circle I'm sure. This is a 3.8 sedan, original engine, I like:youtube.com/watch?v=CONzPuZZWVs
But the modification doesn't stop there. I made a comment or two on the Jaguar section explicitly for sedans, respectful, but just saying that "resto-moding" is not "restoring." They are two different visions. Unfortunately, restomoders categorize most restored cars as not driven, that is, trailered everywhere and almost never driven on the open road, whereas restomoding makes the car drivable, safer, faster, reliable.
They have their point. It's just different. It leads to modifying frames and fenders to accommodate wider tires, for instance. They also defend making subjective modifications to beautify the design saying it makes it more unique, lovable, closer to what their heart desires. Well and good, if that's your vision. In my comments I suggested that, as we have here, there should be a separate section on the site for modifications for safety, design, engine exchange, lowering, raking, chopping or anything else. As mentioned, John Slaughter is respected for what he does and people like it. It's just a different objective.
I personally like the feel of powerless steering and brakes. And I believe that there is context, for example for me, a cultural context of 1940 where the whole of the design, the original colors of exteriors and interiors, lines, height, spring supported upholstery etc all contribute to an authentic experience of that time, a connection to the pre-war years that a Viper engine, power steering, power brakes and foam rubber upholstery can't deliver, except sort of, from a distance. It's like the original VW and the new ones. Similar in shape and simplicity, but a different context.
My comments were deleted from the thread as divisive, that's how accepted restomoding is in the Jaguar world. Since Jaguar is still alive, there is a bit more acceptance for replacing 60-year-old Jaguar parts with their modern Jaguar equivalent, branded things like FM radios, mirrors, seats. But again it's a change in context.
The recommendation from the site master, after removing my comments, was to simply avoid threads that documented and advocated cutting up cars to restomod them. And so I do. But I must say this, there is much more interest in terms of hits to engine exchange and restormod blogs than straight all-original restoration.
Attach file:
(30.48 KB)
This Post was from: https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=112340