I've done a bit more research on the gearbox swap since, and I think the ZF 4hp22 would be an easier swap in the end having found some info on the DLOC forum from a guy who's done the swap.
By using a fairly simple adapter plate he was able to bolt the ZF gearbox up to the BW35 bell housing. The ZF torque convertor needs the nose diameter turning down a little and some new holes drilled into the flex plate. The ZF gearbox is actually a couple of inches shorter than the BW35, and the Jaguar ZF box has the same output flange size as the BW35 so this guy just ran a short spacer on the end of the gearbox and used the standard prop. By mixing and matching bits of the Jaguar sprung gearbox mount, that problem is also easily overcome.
From what I read up, the Volvo box is longer than the BW35 and so a custom prop is needed. Also you need to adapt the bell housing to the Daimler block, which means things like sorting a start motor mount. It's far from impossible, but doesn't sound as simple as the ZF swap would be.
That said I don't see me going down the gearbox swap route any time soon. I've done nearly 800 miles now since getting the car on the road, and lots of them have been very enjoyable, but I still don't feel like I've properly 'clicked' with the car. I've had some wonderful drives, especially out in the countryside on those warm evenings we had earlier in September, the sound of that v8 burbling sway in the background while relaxing on that sofa style front seat, but there's something missing for me still I think.
I'll make the most of the rest of the autumn with it, finish off a few odds and ends, but I suspect I'll be ready for a change when the spring comes round. I'll just take it one day at a time and nothing is set in stone, but equally with that in the back of my mind I wont be starting a supercharger/EFI install or a gearbox swap or any other major jobs!
So as I mentioned, almost 800 miles done now, so that means I've done my 500 miles of running in! And that also means that I've done the first oil change taking out the running in oil. I'm pleased to report it looked pretty good, no sign of sparkles, not too dirty.
Opening up the oil filer element I could see a bit of crud in there, but upon closer inspection it all turned out to be little bits of the gasket sealant I'd used on the sump. Nothing hard, gritty or metallic in there, so I'm happy
Celebration drive, where I could stretch it's legs a bit more were in order!
Revving it out, it doesn't seem to really go any faster, it just makes more noise, till about 4.5k when it wakes up noticeably! To get to 4.5k in anything but top gear means using the 1st and 2nd hold positions on the gearbox, as even under kickdown it upshifts at about 4k otherwise. I did it once or twice just to see what it can do, but honestly it hasn't really crossed my mind since, it just seems kinda out of character with the relaxed nature of driving it otherwise.
I received my part throttle downshift cam from @logicakuk, the top one is my original, the bottom one the new one. This should raise the line pressure in the gearbox earlier, allowing it to downshift from 3-2 without having to activate the kickdown
Alas it doesn't seemed to have worked. I'd say the gearbox likes it, because the shift quality has improved generally, and its holding gears a bit longer before shifting up which is better, but it will still only downshift out of 3rd when it gets to walking pace or when lockdown is activated.
As far as I knew the only 2 things necessary for part throttle downshift are this style of cam and the larger style 2-3 shift vale, which I've got. Oh well I'm getting much more used to driving around the issue now, using the 2nd hold gear position and the kickdown, and it's just one of the quirks of the car!
Now autumn is properly with us, I've also enjoyed some nice quiet evenings tinkering with the car.
I think my friends think I'm mad, but I was quite enjoying that quiet and stillness you get on a dark dank evening. Nice warm drink, some quiet music and just whiling the evening away under the carport. Anyway, I had the back of the car up as I'd spotted this odd puddle of oil on the passengers rear wheel.
To begin with I wasn't sure if it might be brake fluid but looking closer, it was definitely oil. It seems that its somehow leaking between the axle and the hub which is weird. If an axle seal had gone I'd expect it to leak from end of the axle and drip on the brake disc, but this was only weeping from behind the hub nut.
Anyway, I cleaned it all up and I'm keeping an eye on it. I've done the best part of 100 miles since, and no sign of any more oil, so there's always the option that I spilt oil on the wheel and worried myself or something
Finally, having finally fixed the switch in the driver door hinge for the interior light, I was happy that I wouldn't need to go under the dash in the near future and so I recovered and fitted the under dash trim. I'd left it off till now as it's a pain having to keep removing stuff like that when you're chasing niggles.
My radio seems to have fallen through it's cage, and I'm not happy with how the centre console is sitting, so I think that's possibly next on the list for a little investigation.
Finally, for those that have got this far... I put together a couple of video clips from the night I took the photos. I wasn't sure whether to post it, because the car had got a bit heat soaked sitting while I took the photos, so was stumbling/surging a bit on the external shots, but as the weather's turning now and I wont get much chance to re-record any with nice weather like that, I figured it doesn't matter, you can still get a feel for the sound of the car
