Indholdsfortegnelse for August - September 2021 i Classic Jaguar

Best start somewhere… Well, how did this happen? In the last issue I read with eager anticipation about the new dynamic editor, imagine my disappointment when I discovered it was me! Editing a much-loved publication was never something I aspired to, believing talent to be a pre-requisite! I had asked Paul Guinness if he could possibly produce a slightly sub-standard parting issue, but his professionalism stood in the way of that cunning plan. Without Paul’s guiding hand, the issue you see before you would be somewhat poorer and happily, veiled threats of mild violence have ensured that Paul is going to continue to entertain us and educate me. By way of introduction, those of you with long memories and strong stomachs may recall my previous journalistic forays in our excellent…

NEW PRODUCTS LATEST ARRIVALS PRODUCT NEWS We catch up with the latest must-have products and accessories aimed at today’s classic Jaguar owner XJ FLOORPANS The David Manners Group is perhaps historically best known as the largest supplier of parts for the Daimler SP250 ‘Dart’ and V8 saloon. But many years ago, they diversified into components for the whole Jaguar range, an early example being the production of floorpans for the ‘Series’ XJs and XJSs. This addressed the very common problem of floors rotting out, rendering these models uneconomic to repair. Some time later, Jaguar Classic Parts followed suit and also re-introduced the panels, but unfortunately this was short lived, and their run only lasted a few years. DMG have refreshed the tooling and now specify a thicker gauge steel, which…

TRACK TEST C-TYPE AT 70 ON TRACK AT GOODWOOD Our new editor relives his memorable experience behind the wheel of a storied C-type at this iconic racetrack WORDS: RAY INGMAN PHOTOGRAPHY: KELSEY ARCHIVE Owners of historic cars tend to fall into two factions: those who regard their possessions as museum-piece investments and individuals who consider that their tenure of ownership should advance the history of the car, providing maximum enjoyment along the way. Within a few moments of making Dr Hans-Martin Schneeberger’s acquaintance in a sunny Goodwood paddock, it is obvious that he falls heavily into the latter and (in my biased view) rather more enlightened group. The CKL Developments pre-pandemic track day we found ourselves attending marked Hans-Martin’s maiden flight in his latest acquisition, the C-type Jaguar better known…

FEATURE CAR JAGUAR Mk2 BRIEF ENCOUNTER Our man in Australia enjoys a chance meeting with a proud Mk2 owner, discussing the trials and tribulations of buying a ’60s saloon Down Under WORDS: RICHARD HOLDSWORTH PHOTOGRAPHY: RICHARD HOLDSWORTH, KEVIN TIPLADY For those who don’t have an intimate knowledge of Melbourne, I should explain that Wattle Glen is an attractive outer suburb that’s famous for cockatoos, koalas and the occasional kangaroo. It is, however, also home to a magnificent Jaguar Mk2, a model that’s indelibly associated in Australia with the British television drama series, Inspector Morse. And so, despite the obvious differences between Morse’s maroon car – with its distinctive black vinyl roof – and this eye-catchingly bright red example, I hope you’ll forgive the odd cross-reference over the next few pages.…

TECH TOPICS BLASTING TECH TOPICS SECRETS OF: BLASTING PROCESSES PART 1 The precursor to most restoration processes, we look at the art of blasting and discover the most suitable options for each application WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: RAY INGMAN Prior to employing the restoration methods of paintwork, chroming, powder coating and electro plating, the preparation usually required before these processes is generically known as Shot or Sand Blasting. A lot of ‘old wives tales’ persist around this black art (although why old wives care about blasting is anybody’s guess…) So to find out the facts, we visit RFI Screening Ltd. located in Braughing, near Ware in Hertfordshire (Where? An old joke I never tire of…) here owner Steve Noble embarks on a ‘show and tell’ for our benefit - Any form…

PROJECT CAR E-TYPE FHC PROJECT CAR PROJECT E-TYPE Jim Patten shows us round his modified coupe, that rarest of beasts, a completed project car! In future issues we will be focusing in detail on some of the upgrades he has incorporated WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: JIM PATTEN Is it really necessary to justify why we have a hankering to do things in a certain way, or why we embark on a particular course? We’d been extremely content with our 1966 open E-type, a superb example and possibly one of the best driving cars to be found. With 50,000-miles under our belt, mainly holidaying in Europe, why on earth we would want another E-type? Thinking back in the mists of time, two memories surface; one was when my wife Karen, said that…

ARCHIVE WISH YOU WERE THERE? WISH YOU WERE THERE? This is the place where you can share mementos of your significant Jaguar event, personality or memory from the past. Photograph or scan them, add a brief description then email them to cj.ed@kelsey.co.uk Or send by post to: The Editor, Classic Jaguar, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL…

UP FRONT NEWS AND VIEWS DESIGN DIRECTOR, JULIAN THOMSON DEPARTS You may well question why we are reporting the loss of Jaguar’s latest design director in Classic Jaguar? It is our view is that each generation of designers from Sir William Lyons and Malcolm Sayer all the way through to Ian Callum have created iconic models which are either now regarded as classics or will be in the future. Prior to Julian Thomson’s 21-year stint at JLR where his credits included the R-coupe and RD-6 concept cars from the early 2000s, he worked at Lotus for 12 years during which time he penned the iconic Elise S1 in 1996. These achievements alone gave us every reason to believe there were exciting times ahead as his vision for Jaguar became a…

THE RETURN OF BREAKFAST CLUB After a pandemic enforced holiday, the immensely popular Breakfast Club returned to its usual Gaydon venue on May 22nd. This gloriously informal event, brilliantly organised by our very own regular contributor, Peter Simpson attracted a turnout of about 350 Jaguars of all eras. This despite Smartphones advising of inclement weather which never really materialised in the vicinity. This may have dissuaded some of the potential longer distance or classic (read: less weatherproof) attendees making the trip. The day was further enhanced by the British Motor Museum and JDHT Collection both throwing open their doors, having been able to reopen a few days before on the 17th. The BMM provided an excellent, socially distanced breakfast and it was the first chance most have had to inspect…

FEATURE CAR E-TYPE V12 FIT FOR PURPOSE Having been involved in the final specification of this usefully upgraded E-type V12, the new editor of Classic Jaguar finally gets to experience the fruits of his labour WORDS: RAY INGMAN PHOTOGRAPHY: MATT RICHARDSON It was back in 2018 that I was introduced to Anthony Cheng by a mutual friend. He needed assistance in sourcing an E-type to facilitate his long-held ambition to add the model to his collection. Having inspected some potential purchases on his behalf, however, it became apparent that despite appearances, all had shortcomings of one form or another when examined up close, as well as being too expensive to act as potential donor car for a restoration and major upgrade. I then came to hear of a possibility owned…

FROM THE CLUBHOUSE JAGUAR DRIVERS CLUB INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITY Whether at home or abroad, the easing of restrictions is allowing the Jaguar Drivers Club to once again offer a wide range of events to its members WORDS: GAYNOR CAUTER PHOTOGRAPHY: JDC With the end of lockdown in sight, thousands of Jaguar Drivers’ Club members all over the country are dusting down their cars and polishing them up for the return of some long-awaited events. And there are plenty of them on the calendar, ranging from a huge anniversary festival at Bicester Heritage on the 4th of July, to the Club’s national weekend on 24th and 25th July when hundreds of members bring their cars to a grand reunion. This year’s venue is Walton Hall Hotel in Warwickshire – a magnificent location…

ARCHIVE BOND JAGUARS THE JAGUARS OF JAMES BOND Aston Martin is the marque most strongly associated with the Bond franchise, dig deeper and you’ll find many Jaguars lurking in both film and print – we send Agent 008 Gunn undercover to do the research for you… WORDS: RICHARD GUNN PHOTOGRAPHY: KELSEY ARCHIVE There may not be much that can get the better of James Bond, but COVID-19 seems to have challenged even Her Majesty’s Secret Service’s finest. No Time To Die, the 25th 007 movie, was initially due in April 2020, but then Coronavirus, the pandemic equivalent of Ernst Stavro Blofeld on an especially nefarious day, plunged the world into chaos. The film was delayed several times and is now due for release in October. Will it make it this…

SPARES DAY AT STONELEIGH After the inevitable COVID induced sabbatical, International Jaguar Spares Day returns to the Stoneleigh Park exhibition centre on October 24th. The ultimate indoor Jaguar car boot sale has long been as much of a social event as it is a retail opportunity, a chance to catch up with old acquaintances and generally talk Jaguar. Sadly, it is feared that the international element will be largely absent this year as the usual considerable foreign contingent will be highly likely still be dissuaded from travel. The last event was held on March 15th 2020 and was pervaded by a strange atmosphere, foretelling unnecessary travel being banned the next day. Only 400 souls ventured through the doors, less than a third of the usual attendance. Organised since 2017 by…

ON TRACK JEC ON TRACK In this new regular section we pictorially share the world of Jaguars in competition, kicking off with a selection from the JEC PHOTOGRAPHY: ROGER, CHRIS & NICK GAGE After a sporadic 2020 season, the JEC returned to the track in April and May, holding four events at Snetterton, Silverstone and Donington Park. JEC Racing caters for a wide range of eras courtesy of its three series: XK, Hawthorn and Saloon & GT. Spectators were excluded, so here you can enjoy some images from those races. For full race reports, calendars and regulations, go to: www.jec.org.uk/racing For in-depth results and timing, visit: www.tsl-timing.com…

OWNER’S EXPLOITS Anthony grew up in Hong Kong, his affinity for the Jaguar marque going back to his father owning a succession of ‘Mk1’, Mk2 and XJ models. His recollection was that they were all somewhat unreliable and had a propensity to overheat, but nevertheless he developed an affection for their charms. Moving to London for work, in 1984 he decided to treat himself to a secondhand sports car. Despite “drooling” over E-types, he couldn’t shake off his childhood distrust and opted for the safe option of a Porsche 911SC Cabrio. The years passed and he gradually added to his stable of both modern and classic cars, all of which he enjoyed driving to the full. Then in 2018, Anthony finally decided to put past doubts behind him and purchase…

FEATURE CAR C-TYPE AT 70 REPLICA RACER Rob Hawkins test-drives a C-type replica that’s for sale at almost £90,000 – and questions whether it’s a bargain compared to priceless genuine examples WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: ROB HAWKINS The Jaguar C-type has surely got to be one car where the rule book for replicas can be reasonably vague, partly due to the rarity of genuine cars and because no two were identical, or if they were, most had been chopped and changed by the time they became collectible. With genuine C-types selling for millions of pounds (in 2016, a 1954 C-type sold for £5.7m), there’s not much chance of the majority of people affording one, or for that matter, finding one. Production only began in 1951 and finished some three years later…

TWIN TEST XJS vs LINCOLN HEAD TO HEAD COUPES IN NORTH AMERICA In the mid ‘90s, would a Canadian buyer spend the cost of a small house on an XJS coupe, or go for a cheaper home market alternative? Craig Talbot investigates the choice WORDS: CRAIG TALBOT PHOTOGRAPHY: RAY INGMAN Today the hottest segment of the automotive market is the SUV, or Sports/Utility vehicle. In the 1970s cars represented by another 3-letter acronym were the hot sellers: the PLC or Personal Luxury Coupes. By the 1990s the PLC market had shrunk to a shadow of its former self, as the rise of the minivan and SUV stole sales from the PLC. However, two companies firmly ignored both those markets in the early ‘90s and here we'll look at two choices…