Innehållsförteckning för February - March 2022 från Classic Jaguar

Addressing shortcomings The gratuitous image of a pair of Celebration XJSs above is there because feedback has revealed we are perceived to be lacking in the more modern end of the classic (small ‘c’) Jaguar spectrum. You may wish to skip forward to Backchat to learn how we intend to rectify this sorry state of affairs in the future. Back to the present, we hope you will find much to interest you in this copy: It is very gratifying to welcome Eric Dymock as a regular contributor to this organ – reading through Peter Wilson’s feature in last issue (p80) and reviewing his book on page 40, the unasked question as to why the Scottish racing team, Ecurie Ecosse didn’t continue its Jaguar association and race ‘Lightweights’ is answered in…

LANCASTER INSURANCE CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW The return of this event over the weekend of November 12–14th after it’s COVID related two year hiatus, was impressive in its scale, featuring much Jaguar related content. So much so that in a departure from its usual theme Wish You Were There? (p94) is a pictorial dedication to ‘what you missed’. Rather more than one day was needed to take it all in! When we unadvisedly chose to walk in towards the halls from a distant car park, the first thought was that we were woefully underdressed. Hordes of people impersonating comic book and movie characters were wandering the walkways of Birmingham’s NEC. We wondered just how different this year’s Classic Motor Show would be on its homecoming! It transpired that the MCN Comic…

FEATURE CAR 240 KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY We investigate the rebirth of a late-model member of the Mk2 family, a special survivor with just one surname in the logbook WORDS: RAY INGMAN PHOTOGRAPHY: GREG EVANS Matt Finch, current custodian of the Old English White 240 that will have caught your eye on the front cover, has something in common with XJ6 Series III owner, Ray Reed, who featured in our October/November 2021 issue: he has no great affection for the wider Jaguar marque and his car is the one and only example he’s ever likely to own… assuming you don’t include a childhood Dinky toy replica. Where the stories diverge, however, is that whilst Ray purchased his car a couple of years ago to fulfil a personal ambition, Matt’s ‘Mk2’…

FROM THE CLUBHOUSE JAGUAR DRIVERS’ CLUB LOOKING FORWARD…. The Jaguar Drivers’ Club anticipates a packed 2022 season WORDS: GAYNOR CAUTER PHOTOGRAPHY: JDC The Jaguar Drivers’ Club saw out a turbulent 2021 in style with two stands at the NEC, the main one hosting Champion of Champions – the most prestigious concours of them all for outstanding Jaguars. This year’s winner was Gareth Jones with a modern S-TYPE R – a car that is now classed as a classic in its own right. Next year’s calendar is already taking shape, beginning with the first of two annual Jaguar Spares Days at Stoneleigh on Sunday 13th March when all the major traders and independent parts people will be ready to help you get your car on the road. The following weekend, the…

FEATURE CAR 3.8 E-TYPE FAMILY TRADITION With a change of lifestyle, involving a move to a country small-holding that absorbs much of his time, Matthew has very sensibly concluded that his E-type does not get the attention it deserves. Narrow rural lanes, muddy so much of the year, prohibit much of the fast A road driving that was once so much of his life with the car. Now having to subscribe to the school of mere custodian, Matthew accepts that it should be sold on to a more suitable home. This represents a rare opportunity to buy an original, unmolested E-type, ready to give many years of service and endearing pleasure. Contact Matthew Whiteman on: kinomatto@gmail.com…

AUTOMOBILIA DAIMLER 125 Automobilia CAVEAT EMPTOR! “Buyer Beware!” warns Ian Cooling. As with the cars, there are dangers lurking for those buying Jaguar automobilia. WORDS & IMAGES: IAN COOLING Some are copies and declared as such. Others give no indication at all that they are anything other than genuine. While it is impossible to judge the motives of the originators of the ‘undeclared’ copies, there is certainly scope for shady business down the line. The sting in the tail can be when someone who has bought an item in good faith comes to sell it on only to discover it is a fake. The increase in on-line sales as a result of the lockdown means that there are fewer opportunities of examining items before the sale, opportunities that do not exist…

STORYLINE WILLIAM HEYNES WILLIAM HEYNES’ SUNBEAM CONNECTION 1935; the year the SS Jaguar madeits first appearance and the assets of the world-renowned Sunbeam Motor Car Company came up for sale. While Will Heynes eulogised le ingenieur automobile francais, William Lyons saw it as a made-to-measure business opportunity. But unbeknown, the forces of darkness were gathering… WORDS: LINDSAY ROSS LINE DRAWINGS: ENAR SAYATOVA It was a cold, gloomy February evening at Foleshill. The factory and yard were quiet, the angle-poise was on over the boss’s desk, and Will Heynes was in for his 5th SS Cars interview for the Chief Engineer’s position. William Lyons sat back; fingers arched together. ‘So, you’ve told me all about your double overhead camshaft 4-cylinder motorcycle engine, your independent front suspension and 4-speed gearbox for the Hillman,…

UP FRONT NEWS AND VIEWS UP FRONT NEWS AND VIEWS DEMISE OF JEC RACING In a subject close to the editor’s heart, after 22 years in existence, the JEC board has decided to cease JEC Racing operations. This event was triggered by disaffection amongst Saloon and GT championship competitors, leading to some joining the Classic Touring Car Racing Club (CTCRC) who have set up a rival Jaguar Challenge series and others returning to the safe haven of the Classic Sports Car Club (CSCC). With whom the JEC previously spent 18 years in partnership with. You can read about the JECs new TrackSport initiative on p26. Which understandably intends to cater for a far broader percentage of its membership then pure racing ever could. It is sad that there is an element of…

ON TRACK JEC ON TRACK A pictorial view of Jaguars in competition, this time summing up the conclusions of the JEC and JDC seasons PHOTOGRAPHY: ROGER, CHRIS & NICK GAGE, JDC The JDC Four Hills Championship wrapped up at Anglesey, whilst the JEC’s Saloon & GT and Mike Hawthorn series concluded at Cadwell Park, Mallory Park and the Castle Combe Classic respectively. Many of these events took place in challenging conditions. If this montage leaves you wanting more, visit: www.rogergage.myportfolio.com where these images and many more can be viewed. Results and timing: www.tsl-timing.com Full reports, calendars and regulations: www.jec.org.uk www.jaguardriver.co.uk…

HAVE YOUR SAY READERS’ LETTERS HAVE YOUR SAY Got something to say about anything Jaguar-related? Then we want to hear it! Send an email to cj.ed@kelsey.co.uk or write to: The Editor, Classic Jaguar, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL VALUABLE MEMORABILIA? I have a Jaguar V-12 Lemans picture (see attached). Do you have any information on this, is it rare and do you have any idea of its value? Many thanks for any information you can provide! I am a subscriber and huge fan of Jaguar World Magazine! Marcus Kingsbury Showing our magnanimity, we will forgive your last comment mentioning our sister publication! We refer any such queries to our Automobilia expert, Ian Cooling, he tells us: “This is a print, commemorating the…

MARQUE HISTORY XJ-S ROCKY ROAD The XJ-S went on to be a major success for Jaguar, but its gestation was troubled and its early career blighted by poor sales. We take a look at those early problematic days of the 1970s… WORDS: PAUL GUINNESS PHOTOGRAPHY: KELSEY ARCHIVE The fact that the E-type was a huge success for Jaguar meant a major dilemma when it came to eventually replacing such an iconic design. The problem with success is… what comes next? In much the same way that a best-selling debut author might have trouble writing their second book, or a successful singer might dread the prospect of their second album being panned by critics, whichever car came along to replace the E-type faced one of the biggest challenges in the motor…

READING MATTER BOOK REVIEWS READING MATTER Paul Skilleter Books publish a major new book on the ‘Lightweight’ E-types and distribute a brilliant handbook from a renowned motoring journalist. STRICTLY NO ADMITTANCE! THE INSIDE STORY OF THE LIGHTWEIGHT E-TYPE PETER WILSON In the last issue we were privileged to have a sneak preview of this book courtesy of Peter’s feature on page 80. The finished product was well worth the wait! I will confess a personal interest in the ‘Lightweight’ as I am attempting to create a homage for myself (see p98). So much detail, both written and illustrated, is provided that it makes such a project all the more possible. This book follows on from Peter’s previous ‘inside story’ works: ‘Cat Out of the Bag’ and ‘XJ13’, both first-hand accounts…

OWNERS STORY 3.4 Mk2 MURPHY’S LAW You may have read about Peter’s adventurous outings with his Mk2 many times within the pages of Classic Jaguar, but behind the scenes everything hasn’t all gone to plan. This time he relates the story of his ownership - and it’s not for the squeamish! WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER SIMPSON I bought my 1963 Mk2 3.4 four years ago, preparing a justification in advance running along the lines of “classics don’t really lose money as long as they are well-maintained, so what I borrow from my pension pot today I can put back when I sell it”. The idea was to employ the car extensively on tours, something which has certainly happened, but the capricious phenomenon of fate has rather messed about with the…

WORKSHOP PROJECT E WORKSHOP MANAGING THE SITUATION Jim Patten returns to the workshop, showing us how to apply modern engine management to a classic WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: JIM PATTEN If you believe that fuel injection for classic Jaguars is an idea spawned in the 21st century, then forget it. Jaguar had been experimenting back in the fifties and had the technology been available, carburettors would have been ditched faster than a Tory MP found with his britches down. Various specialists struggled with aftermarket solutions, usually through troublesome cold start and cold running. But using our E-type fixed head as an experimental mule, Emerald (renowned for their fuel injection systems), along with a specially manufactured Mangoletsi inlet manifold (made at our behest), developed a completely workable system, every bit as good as…

NEW PRODUCTS LATEST ARRIVALS PRODUCT NEWS We catch up with the latest must-have products and accessories aimed at today’s classic Jaguar owner JAGUAR DESIGN PRINTS Cliff Ruddell, artist and former Jaguar designer, whose story was featured in the April/May 2018 issue of CJ, has created a new retrospective gallery of canvas prints celebrating his time working in the Jaguar design studios. The prints include the Bertone Jaguar XJ40, which is a reproduction of the drawing Cliff did in 1974 of Marcello Gandini’s XJ40 proposal, rendered on the original 1970s drawing film and formatted into a period correct Drawing Office sheet. There are several interpretations achieved in the visualisation style of the 70s and 80s: magic marker, pastel and high quality coloured pencils, which produce very sharp highlights. They include the…

MARQUE HISTORY XJ-S BERTONE PIRANA Created with assistance from Jaguar and sponsorship from the Daily Telegraph was Bertone’s Pirana, based around E-type 2+2 underpinnings and making its debut at the 1967 Earl’s Court Motor Show. Bodied in steel (albeit with an aluminium bonnet) and styled by Gandini, the resultant creation wasn’t exactly pretty but it was exotic looking. The car was transported to Earl’s Court in time for its big reveal and soon became a magazine cover star the world over. The Pirana cost a rumoured £20,000 to build (around £370,000 adjusted for inflation), although it was only ever going to be a show car. The Pirana’s outline proved influential, however, proving influential in the development of the Lamborghini Espada.…

FEATURE CAR 3.8 E-TYPE NATIONAL TREASURES What is an early E-type like to use on a regular basis and can the flaws of the day be seen as charms today? Jim Patten swaps his 4.2 roadster for a 3.8 with a roof for a road trip. WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: JIM PATTEN Frost covered the links of the Oxfordshire Spa hotel as an early sun picked out the glistening beauty of the land. Winter was approaching, not the ideal time to be touring in an E-type. And yet it could prove to be the best time of all with stunning landscapes and little used roads to enjoy. There’s an incredible arrogance directed to classic cars as devices of irregular performance and doubtful reliability, safe only on the shortest of distances. Judging…

TECH TOPICS ETHANOL TECH TOPICS ETHANOL IN FUEL – SHOCK, HORROR PROBE… Will it make a pigs ear out of our fuel systems? WORDS: RAY INGMAN PICTURES: TOM LENTHALL Don’t panic! CJ has not transformed into a tabloid publication dealing in scare stories, in the past ‘problems’ such as lead removal and sulphur in petrol have been overstated and their effects both potential and actual, misreported. Prompted partly out of the number of reader questions received and a degree of disquiet around the clubs, we have decided to investigate the addition of ethanol to petrol and the ensuing effect it is likely to have on our Jaguars. The acquisition of facts, however, proves to be a little problematic. Some manufactures of vehicles, components and fuels playing their cards close to their…

TECH TOPICS CHROMING TECH TOPICS SECRETS OF: CHROMING PROCESSES The finishing touch for most restoration projects, we look at all aspects of the procedure WORDS: RAY INGMAN PHOTOGRAPHY: JIM PATTEN & RAY INGMAN HISTORY Having gone through a period of being is considered passé, chrome plating is returning, body colour and black having been de rigueur in the marketplace for some considerable time. Whilst considered a modern concept, in Jaguar terms ‘body colour’ actually dates back to the wire wheels often fitted to XKs and ‘Mk 1s’ in the ‘40s and ‘50s! Jaguars chrome ‘sea change’ was heralded by the introduction of the XJ-S in 1975 – for the first time, conventional heavy chromed steel bumpers were dropped in favour of their rubber covered, impact absorbing brethren, additionally, chromed plastic made its…