Tag Archives: Jaguar

Coffee Croissant & Cars 11/14 – Avenue Drivers Club

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Around 8am on a sunny Sunday morning I rolled down the hill for the monthly, second Sunday of the month, Avenue Drivers Club meeting at Queen Square in Bristol.

Talbot, Avenue Drivers Club,

Among the hundreds of details I captured this horn from a 1921 Talbot.

Sunbeam, Avenue Drivers Club,

I’m not entirely sure what the story, behind this Lands End mascot sitting atop the radiator of a 1925 Sunbeam, is but he seemed to be enjoying the sun.

Ford, Avenue Drivers Club,

Ford branding circa 1953 on a Ford Anglia.

Jaguar XK120, Avenue Drivers Club,

This superb upgraded 1953 Jaguar was restored by Bristol Classic and Sports Cars Ltd is for sale or they will build you one like it from their stock, usual disclaimers apply.

Land Rover SWB, Avenue Drivers Club,

Another vehicle from 1953 was this 88″ short wheel base (SWB) Land Rover with a Station Wagon body.

Reliant Scimitar GT Coupé, Avenue Drivers Club,

Fast forwarding 13 years this is the fuel cap on a 1968 Reliant Scimitar GT Coupé of which just 118 were built.

MG B GT, Avenue Drivers Club,

Above a teddy bears picnic was being held in the back of a 1970 MG B GT.

Morris Mini Cooper S, Avenue Drivers Club,

Rarest of the Mini Cooper S models are the Mark III, internal door hinges, versions, like the the 1971 example above of which 1,570 were built between 1969 and 1976.

Austin Maxi, Avenue Drivers Club,

The humble Austin Maxi hatchback was the first all new product launched by the newly created British Leyland in 1969. John Lennon was probably the most famous owner of a Maxi, which he subsequently crashed into a tree. The power transverse Maxi power train was used to build a prototype AC and a prototype Ginetta.

Triumph TR6, Avenue Drivers Club,

Another car for sale was this attractive TR6, if you are interested in buying one message me and I’ll put you in touch with the owner, usual disclaimers apply.

Hillman Avenger, Avenue Drivers Club,

In 1976 the Hillman name was dropped in favour of Chrysler and the Avenger model was given a minor face lift while production was moved from Ryton on Dunsmore near Coventry to the former Imp / Chamoise manufacturing plant at Linwood Scotland. All of which must make this Hillman badged face lifted Avenger a bit of a rarity.

Bentley Brooklands R Mulliner, Avenue Drivers Club,

Before the introduction of the Bentley Arnage Bentley built a series of 100 long wheel base Brooklands R Mulliner models in 1998. All of them were RHD and all numbered. Not sure which won was in Queen Square on Sunday but it was a most impressive motor car.

Caterham Roadsport, Avenue Drivers Club,

Looking timeless above a Caterham Super Seven.

TVR Tuscan, Avenue Drivers Club,

Finally from 2001 this TVR Tuscan was one of numerous examples of the marque to turn up on Sunday.

Thanks for joining me on this “Coffee Croissants & Cars 11/14” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a homage to Richard Petty’s 1959 rookie season. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Teen Designed Body – Jaguar XK120 Special

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Phil Hill’s brother in law, Los Angles based Architect Don Parkinson is known to have raced a Fraser Nash at least once in 1949 before buying an Jaguar XK120 for the 1950 season.

Don is known to have raced the XK120 on at least four occasions, winning at Carrell Speedway in February 1951 before hitting a tree and rolling the car during practice for an event at Pebble Beach in May 1951.

Jaguar XK120 Special, Sonoma Historics

Unharmed and undeterred by the mishap Don had the car rebuilt as a special enlisting International Motors Hollywood mechanic Jim Thrall to move the motor back 12 inches in the chassis and offset it by 4 inches.

Teenager Robert Cumberford is credited for the design of the specials body which was crafted from aluminium by Marvin Faw, under supervision of Phil Hill.

In October 1951 Don drove his Special to a class win at Reno first time out and then recorded an outright win at Palm Springs the following week.

Don raced the car on at least eight occasions until May 1953 never finishing below 5th place before apparently retiring from the sport.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photograph of the car seen at the Sonoma Historics meeting earlier this year.

Thanks for joining me on this “Teen Designed Body” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Shadow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Neville’s e-bay Find – DOHC Jaguar V12

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A couple of years after retiring the works Jaguar Racing Team, from front line competition in 1955, Sir William Lyons and Chief Enginner William Heynes discussed building a team of 3 mid engined “G-type” models and returning to Le Mans the scene of five Jaguar victories with their XK 120 C, C-Type and D-Type models.

Jaguar DOHC V12,

In 1963, according to Jaguar records, the board of directors agreed to progress the first Jaguar V12 motor with a view to returning to Le Mans in 1965.

Jaguar DOHC V12

The first of two 5 litre / 302 cui double overhead cam (DOHC) V12’s, essentially 2 x 6 cylinder XK blocks sharing a common crank, ran for the first time in July 1964, it was started by the same Jim Eastwick that is seen at the control panel in today’s blog.

Jaguar DOHC V12

A number of factor’s including the planning for the production of the XJ6, launched in 1968, and a shortage of cash which led to the merger of Jaguar into British Motor Corporation which became British Motor Holdings in December 1966 meant the XJ13 project saw just one prototype completed in May 1966, but nothing was done with it until the following year.

Jaguar DOHC V12

At some point the second DOHC V12, today’s featured motor, was run in a prototype Mk 10 Jaguar and by 1969 it was run for the last time by the works for comparison emissions tests with a single overhead cam (SOHC) V12 that would go into production for the V12 E-type, XJ12 Saloon / Sedan, XJ 12C, Daimler Sovereign equivalents and XJ-S Coupé.

Jaguar DOHC V12

Today’s featured motor was then tidied up for a career on Jaguars exhibition stands at motor show’s in the UK and abroad, complete with chrome flywheel, it would appear that in the early to mid 1970’s it got left behind by the Jaguar works, by now part of the British Leyland empire in Germany.

http://youtu.be/TVLp-I9M8ss

Four years ago Jaguar enthusiast and racer Neville Swale was thinking about building a replica Jaguar XJ13 when a fellow racer who had similar idea’s but insufficient funds Richard Woods from the Avro Shacketon Preservation Trust told Neville about today’s featured motor which appeared on the German e-bay sight.

Jaguar DOHC V12

Neville knew he had to have it and as he boarded a train a few hours before the end of the auction he put in a bid by mobile phone and promptly lost reception.

Some hours later still on the train Nevilles reception returned and he was surprised to learn he won the auction and one of the rarest Jaguar motors ever built.

When he got the motor home from Stuttgart Neville determined not just to build a replica but a tool room replica XJ13 as close to the original 1966 version, sans big wheels and flared arches, as humanly possible.

I’ll cover the build of the car in future edition, but over the last 4 years Neville has converted the motor back to dry sump lubrication and built up a new fuel injection to replace that which was missing when he bought the motor.

Last week I was lucky enough to attend the first start of this motor in 45 years and the video shows the start and shut down.

At the end of the film Jonathan Heynes a former Jaguar apprentice who worked on the XJ 13 and son of the late Chief Enginner William Heynes who oversaw the development and build of DOHC V12 is seen shaking the hand of Jim Eastwick. Apologies for bad sound on the film.

My thanks to Neville and his wife Lizzie for making me feel so welcome during the start up proceedings. You can see more of Nevilles work on the project on his Building the Legend website linked here.

Thanks for joining me on this “Neville’s e-bay Find” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be taking a look at what is believed to be the oldest surviving stock car to take part in a NASCAR event. Don’t forget to come back now !

5/11/14 Correction this text originally stated Peter Crespin alerted Neville to the presence of the motor on e-bay it was in fact Richard Woods from the Avro Shacketon Preservation Trust who informed Neville. Apologies for any confusion.

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Hansgen History For Sale – Hansgen Jaguar Special

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Walt Hansgen was working at the family F.G. Hansgen body repair shop in Westfield, New Jersey when he was bitten by the racing bug aged 32.

In 1951 he managed to scrimp, save and borrow enough to buy a brand new Jaguar XK120 but despite ever improving results soon found it was not fast enough to keep pace with the competition and the new C-type Jaguar first seen in September 1952 in particular.

After racing in borrowed vehicles most of the way through 1952 Walt and Emil Hoffman built the chrome molly steel frame for today’s featured Hansgen Jaguar Special and transferred the running gear from his XK120 to save around 700 lbs in weight.

Hansgen Jaguar Special, Lime Rock, Ed Hyman,

Photo Copyright Ed Hyman 2007

Walt is known to have raced the car on at least 9 occasions through 1953 winning the SCCA Regional Cumberland Cup third time out and culminated by winning the 6th Annual Grand Prix of Watkins Glen.

Walt sold the car to Paul Timmins for the 1954 season and continued racing with a C-Type he bought from Marsten Gregory until he was eventually picked up by Briggs Cunningham to race as a professional.

Paul scored at least four second place finishes from at least eight known starts in the Hansgen Special.

Hansgen Jaguar Special, Lime Rock, Richard Rowley

Photo Copyright Richard Rowley 2014

Today the Hansgen Special is owned by Bob Millstein who bought her in 1983 and set about a six year restoration which was rewarded with a Jaguar Club of North America’s National Concours Champion award in 1989.

Since then Bob has continued to race the Hansgen Special which is seen in these photographs at Lime Rock. Ryan ‘Racer 187’ Smith, seen in the Daimler in the top photo, tells me the Hansgen Special is up for sale. If you would like to know more about this piece of Hansgen History, I will gladly put you in contact with the vendor, usual disclaimers apply.

My thanks to Ryan Smith for arranging permission for me to use the first photo by Ed Hyman and the second by Richard Rowley.

Thanks for joining me on this “Hansgen History For Sale” edition of “Gettin a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I shall be looking at an unusual Japanese Formula One Car. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Under The Hood Details – Niello Concours at Serrano

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On October 5th Geoffrey Horton took his Jaguar XK 140 to Niello Concours at Serrano where it was shown in the special display class.

Jaguar XK140, Niello Concours at Serrano

Any one interested in what is under the hood of Geffrey’s Jaguar can see it by following this link.

National, Niello Concours at Serrano

Today’s post will focus on what was lurking under the hood of some of the other vehicles on display, above the 1911 National Indy 500 car only had 4 cylinders but with a displacement of 7.5 litres / 460 cui they still packed a 100 hp punch.

Allard K2, Niello Concours at Serrano

I beleive this is the third appearance of this particular 1951 Allard K2 on this blog, but the first appearance of it’s 5.4 litre / 331 cui Cadillac overhead valve motor with three original Stromberg carburetors that produce around 160 hp.

Plymouth Fury, Niello Concours at Serrano

The 281st, off the production line, 1956 Plymouth Fury above boasts a 5 litre / 303 cui polyspherical head V8 with optional twin 4 barrel carburetors which combined to produce 270hp.

Chrysler 300F, Niello Concours at Serrano

For 1960 Chrysler introduced the 6.8 litre / 413 cui wedge motor for the 300F seen above. To maximise power in low to mid rpm range the motor was fitted with tuned 30 inch intake pipes which were fed by the carburetors from opposite sides.
The air resonances inside the air intake pipes helped to force air into the cylinders at low to mid range rpm and thus increase the power which topped out at 375hp.

Lotus 27, Niello Concours at Serrano

Not completely off topic I was reading some information about the early days of racing recently and discovered that while Voiturettes were generally restricted to 1.5 litre / 91.5 cui motors there was a smaller class known as Cycle Cars which were restricted to 1.1 litres / 67.1 cui which would make the much later 1963 Formula Junior Lotus 27 above the equivalent of a cycle car in Veteran times. The motor for this Lotus is clearly a Ford production block with a Cosworth head. Power for these motors has risen from 36hp in original side valve production form to 115 hp quoted by some tuners for a competitive Formula Junior with the Cosworth head.

Lotus 19, Niello Concours at Serrano

In late 1963 Lotus built the last Lotus 19 B chassis #966 uniquely powered with a 4 carburetor 4.7 litre / 289 Ford V8 motor for Dan Gurney. The car was quick, but unreliable and Dan never recorded a win with it although it’s next owner Steve Diulo managed a win at the SCCA Willow springs race in December 1965. The cars last appearance was at Texas International Speedway in November 1969 where Bruce Campbell was running but unclassified in chassis #966 by now rebranded as a BVC Mk 1 and with a Chevrolet motor installed.

Ford Mustang GT 350, Niello Concours at Serrano

Finally, for this week, above is another Ford V8 this time a 306hp 4.7 litre Shelby tuned Ford HiPo 289 inside one of the 252 “carry over” 1965 Shelby Mustang 350 GT’s which feature ’65 Ford VIN numbers and ’66 Shelby VIN numbers.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton once again for sharing his photographs from the California Concours d’Elegance scene through the year.

Thanks for joining me on this “Under The Hood Details” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psychoontyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a 3 ton pickup that gets up to 60mph from rest in just 5 seconds. Don’t forget to come back now !

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8 Race Card – Autumn Classic Castle Combe

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A couple of weeks ago Castle Combe’s 2014 racing season came to an end with the third Autumn Classic meeting and it has without question grown and flourished in the 36 months since the first one.

Anthony Binnington Cooper T67, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

Today I’ll focus on last weekend’s racing and return to some of the other stunning attractions at a future date. First race of the day was for Formula Junior cars which was won by Jonathon Milicevic in his 1962 Cooper T59. During the grid walk about before the start I became acquainted with Anthony Binnington who qualified his ex Peter Revson 1963 Cooper T67 6th, fell to 19th on the opening lap and climbed up to 7th in the remaining 15 laps. Anthony tells me his car originally belonged to Peter Revson, first US born Can Am Champion in 1971, who set an all time lap record for the Formula Junior class at any track of 130 mph at Enna Pergusa, Italy on his way to a second place finish behind Frenchman Jo Schlesser in August 1963.

David Smithies, Bruce Montgomery, Austin Healey Challenge, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

The John Gott Memorial Trophy race for Austin Healey’s last year saw an attempt by the leading 5 cars to go into the Bobbies chicane simultaneously, this year the action was not quite so wild, but the race for the lead twixt winner David Smithies, driving the #50, who got the jump on pole man Bruce Montgomery, driving the #177, at the start was entertaining until Bruce was forced to give up his second place to David Grace who finished just over .2 of a second behind Smithies.

David Reed, Chris Jolly Historic Aston Martins, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

Simon Hadfield driving an Aston Martin DB3S drove a text book race to win the Historic Aston Martin race by nearly a minute. The second place challengers David Reed, driving the #53 Aston Martin DB2, and Chris Jolly, driving the #16 DB2 were rarely more than spitting distance apart until the final 2 laps when the invited Jaguar XK 150 of Paul de Havilland passed Chris and made it stick to the finish.

Andy Wallace, Les Ely Jaguar Enthusiasts Club, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

One of the high lights of the Autumn Classic was seeing 1988 Jaguar Le Mans winner Andy Wallace, driving the #61 Jaguar D type seen above after lapping the #31 Jaguar 3.4 litre Saloon of Les Ely, on his first visit to the circuit in 30 years. Andy recorded a dead heat in a Formula Ford (Pinto) 2000 race on his last visit to the circuit, this time he was in third place in the D-type when the safety car came out and trapped him out of position in traffic from which he could only salvage a 5th behind 4 E-type Jaguars driven by Martin Hunt, Mark Russell, Brian Stevens and Grahame Bull.

Patrick Blakeney Edwards, Fraser Nash Owlet, VSCC Pre War Sports Cars, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

I am quite sure if the only competitor in the VSCC Pre War Sports Car Race had been Patrick Blakeney Edwards the crowd would have gone home convinced they had got their money’s worth. Patrick driving the chain driven Fraser Nash Owlet as entertainingly as ever only finished 6th behind winner Frederick Wakeman who was driving a roadster bodied Fraser Nash Super Sports.

Robin Ellis, Simon Hadfield, John Ure, FiSCar 50's Inter Marque, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

The FiSCar 50’s Inter Marque challenge lived up to it’s name with the lead contested by a pair of Lotus Elites, the #6 Cooper Bristol driven by John Ure and Nick Wrigley, and the #10 Elva Courier by Simon and Amanda Hadfield, seen above with Simon going into a brief lead ahead of the eventual winning #75 Lotus Elite shared by Robin Ellis and Richard Fores. The Hadfields finished 10th and the Cooper Bristol 3rd behind the Lotus Elite driven solo by Brian Arculus.

Steve Jones, George Shackleton, Cooper, 500 Formula 3, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe,

I reported on the activities of the 500 Association on Saturday, above 500 Formula 3 winner of the BAC MSC Challenge Trophy Steve Jones thanks the track marshals with a wave with second place finisher George Shackleton riding shot gun, driving the #74 Cooper Mk X and #23 Cooper Mk XI respectively.

08 Austin Healey Challenge_2072sc

Light levels were falling as the final race of the day, for the ever entertaining Austin Healey’s, got under way.
David Grace, seen leading on the opening lap into Quarry above, made the best start and kept it to the end from pole sitter David Smithies.

I’ll be revisiting Castle Combe in the coming weeks with further blogs on this great day out.

Thanks for joining me on this “8 Race Card” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow to continue the Dodge centenary celebrations. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Danville Detailing – Danville Concours d’Elegance

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Last month Geoffrey Horton took his trusty Jaguar XK140 to the 10th anniversary Danville Concours d’Elegance, an event designed to raise funds for Parkinsons research and patient care.

Jaguar XK140 FHC, Danville Concours d'Elegance,

Above Geoffrey’s nephew’s Luke and Jack help out with a bit of detailing as the show get’s underway.

Bentley Mk VI, Danville Concours d'Elegance,

As we saw earlier this year most of the 4000 odd post war Bentley Mk VI’s fell victim to inferior steel supplied for their bodies by government edict. Above is the interior of the only Bentley Mk VI, a 1948 example, fitted with an opulent Sautchick body in France.

Maserati 250F, Danville Concours d'Elegance,

I believe Juan Manuel Fangio drove the Maserati 250F above to two race victories on home soil in Argentina in the space of two weeks in January 1957, his fifth and final World Championship winning season.

Aston Martin DB 2/4 Mk III, Danville Concours d'Elegance,

Between 1957 and 1959 Aston Martin produced 84 DB 2/4 Mark III Convertibles powered by a six cylinder motor, it is believed only 10 of these vehicles were fitted with optional triple carburetors, as seen above, which boosted the output from the standard twin carb 162hp to 195hp.

Land Rover 88, Danville Concours d'Elegance,

The 1963 88″ short wheel base Land Rover at our school was an oft over abused vehicle that used to carry the sailing kit for upto seven dinghies plus up to fourteen school boys plus a member of staff. It might have been a considerably faster vehicle if, like the one above it had been fitted with a a post 1989 200Tdi motor like the one above. The high turbo installation indicates this motor was originally sourced from a Defender rather than the SUV Discovery, in which the iron block aluminium head 200Tdi first appeared with the turbo mounted much lower down in the engine compartment.

RS Design Corsa Spyder, Danville Concours d'Elegance,

Most difficult to identify was this gorgeous red vehicle, from the front it looks a tad like a Maserati and from the rear not unlike a Ferrari P4/P412, but the pushrod motor, possibly a Ford, going on the depth of the rocker covers, gives the game away that this vehicle was unlikely to have been built in Italy. In fact the car is a one off special, made to exceptionally high standards and is known as an RS Design Corsa Spyder. Unfortunately all links to further info on RS Design and the Corsa Spyder built in 2009 have expired so if you know more, please do not hesitate to chip in below.

Geoffrey tells me he had the good fortune to enjoy spending a considerable amount of time with Alma Hill widow of 1961 World Champion Phil Hill who also drove for Geoffrey’s Uncle George Tilp. My thanks to Geoffrey for sharing his photographs, more of which will appear on Friday.

Thanks for joining me on this “Danville Detailing” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me tomorrow when I’ll be looking at what the Dodge Boys cooked up for the . Don’t forget to come back now !

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