Early in the process of looking for an series 3 2+2, I realized that most of the cars I came across were automatic. Out of 10 or 15, only one had a 4 speed but the owner had the carbs off and seemed in no hurry to put them back in or to send me pictures.

As I was searching for a car, I visited a few sites on the net, and came across the Classic Jaguar 5 speed upgrade page which also had a link to the manufacturer, Medatronics. They are the company that adapts and upgrade the standard T 5 box ( used on Camaros and Mustangs ) for use on Jaguars, not only E-types but other models as well. The information and Dan Mooney's quick answers were very helpful and I soon realized that, while costly, this major modification could be done in a professional and reliable way.

There are other options available, Supra boxes have been used, Getrags, and others, most of them mentioned in the E-type section of the Jag Lovers web site. It seems that the JT5 solution provides the best fit and performance for the money with no modification to the car and a shifter that ends up exactly where it on the stock 4 speed.

The option to buy an automatic and then convert it made finding a car much easier. It is an expensive upgrade but there seem to be so few non automatic series 3 that it should somewhat increases the value of the car anyway.

I drove my 72 for a couple of month while the parts were ordered. Even with that slushbox, it is a fun car to drive but at highway speed, the RPM levels are high you really feel like upshifting, especially since the V12 has a lot power and doesn't have to be revved up anyway.

One of the key ingredient in the upgrade is too find a good shop, with experience and a good reputation. Converting from the automatic to the 5 speed is major surgery. While the J-T5 fits in the car without alteration to the structure, the amount of work involved means that whoever does the job better know what they are doing. Being in South Florida, I was lucky that I could have the installation done by a reputable shop right next to Medatronics, the company which adapts the T5 for the Jaguars; it turned out that the owner of Jaguar Doctor, Thierry, is also a member of the South Florida Jaguar club, and from France like me.

Early June ( 99 ) the car went in for almost a month. The job could probably have been done in about 3 weeks but other things had to be done to the car, including a complete overhaul of rear suspension. During that month I went up to the shop a few times to take pictures and look at how things were going.

Altogether things went very smoothly and there were no surprises. The shop's experience with E-types and the fact that they work with the manufacturer certainly played a role in the success to ensure a perfect fit. This is especially important because it is a tight fit, even in the longer wheelbase of the series 3 and you don't want to alter the car itself. Little things have to be adjusted such as the handbrake to insure proper clearance and very important for comfort, lot of insulation has to be used otherwise heat will leak thru the top of the tunnel and the shifter opening.

Early july I got the car back and what a difference ! It is a different car, different feeling, different personality. The differences are of course enhanced by the other things that we did (new tubeless Daytons, low restriction exhaust, lightweight flywheel, etc... ) but the basic improvement from the box itself is unbelievable. It's now a real sports car that you Drive (with a capital D) ! The shifter is exactly were it should be and feels right, gear selection is precise with a very solid feel.

After a little over a month and 1000 miles, I really do not regret the decision. Around town, it is easy to drive, even in stop and go traffic. Sure you quickly realize that there are things you can't do anymore such as ... using a cell phone while driving... which you shouldn't be doing any way ! You can stay in 2nd at low speed such as when going over speed bumps and yet accelerates smoothly.

But it is on the highways that the 5 speed really shines. My car has the 3.54 rear differential which I believe is the stock differential installed on automatics, and with the 0.73 ratio 5th speed, once around 50 mph, there is no need to downshift into 4th during normal highway driving, unless you need to pass quickly on a two way road. The lower RPM provides a smoother and quieter ride, which is really great on long trips : 2000 rpm will give about 60 MPH, 2500 rpm about 85 mph, and there is a lot of power and torque in the V12 to provide a quick acceleration even from 60 mph without even pushing the engine,

A few important things :

- Make sure the installation is done professionally by somebody with experience : while this is true for any E-type maintenance, when it involves that much money and such an essential item it's even more important. It could be worth driving the car to good shop and possibly paying for a round trip ticket to get back home while the work is being done, I would have considered doing this, maybe even at Classic Jaguar or another specialist.

- Carefully insulate the tunnel, it does get hot down there especially during long high speed drives. I am thinking of fitting a air duct to cool the top as it seems like there is a pocket of very hot air that gets trapped there.

- The footrest that's mounted on the side to the left of the newly added clutch pedal should be removed as it gets in the way and can prevent your foot of depressing the clutch all the way.

Of course, time will tell how reliable the set up is but so far so good. With a good box to start with, a professional adaptation and installation should yield good results and a lot of fun !

Pascal Gademer

Contacts :

Classic Jaguar : www.classicjaguar.com   or  1 877 PART JAG
Medatronics, Boca Raton FL :  www.gearzone.net   or 561 447 9594
Jaguar Doctors, Boca Raton FL :  561 362 7464