1950 Jaguar Mark V Energized With Tesla Power
70 year-old Jaguar Mark V with a Tesla motor is a green machine that all kinds of gearheads should love.
Last month, we learned that Jaguar is aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, and as our friends at Motor Authority have reported, the company could be an all-electric brand in as little as four years. That news obviously kicked off a huge discussion at our own Jaguar Forums. This will mark the end of a spectacular run, during which Coventry managed to release some of the most beautiful machines to ever grace the roadways of the world.
We have covered a lot of builds and swaps on our sites. And while that term has traditionally implied the presence of a different internal combustion mill, there have been unforgettable EV/hybrid conversions. Cars such as the electric Jaguar XK120 from Lunaz Design, and the E-Type Zero concept truly stand out. Because it’s obvious (at least to me) that the world would be a far more beautiful place if the roads were filled retrofitted golden-era British iron instead of seemingly personality-free vehicles that inspire little enthusiasm.
YouTube auto vlogger SuperfastMatt (aka Matt Brown) picked up a 1950 Jaguar Mark V with the intention of swapping in a Tesla motor.
It’s an ambitious project to be sure. But with projects like a CBR 1000 RR-powered Honda S600 already under his belt, and what sounds to be engineering knowhow in spades, it seems Brown is more than up to the task. As a confirmed car dork who follows far too many builds on YouTube, I can’t wait to see how this progresses.
As you might be able to tell from the pictures, the car in question spent the better part of three decades sitting. Fortunately, it did a lot of that sitting in a metal building, and not out in the elements. Since it’s also a California car, there don’t appear to be any significant rust issues, which means that our hero shouldn’t have to spent to much time on structural repairs. That’s not to say there’s a shortage of work to be done, however, as most of the interior looks ready to disintegrate, even if the dash has held up fairly well.
If you’re as curious about this project, you’ll be pleased to learn that this is just the first video series that will document the transformation, and there are a few more episodes already in the can. I wouldn’t recommend skipping ahead, however, as it gives a good overview of the build, along with an interesting explanation of why 50/50 weight balance isn’t ideal for a vehicle.
Since that figure is something that many folks tend to regard as gospel truth, Matt’s sober, engineer’s take on it was pretty enlightening.
Check out the video below. This promises to be an exciting Jaguar EV conversion.
Photos: YouTube; Lunaz Design