Innholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2022 i Classic Jaguar

5th March saw the launch of the JECs new TrackSport initiative at the Somerset premises of Swallows Racing, the club’s partners in the program to make high performance driving experiences more accessible to the general membership This was followed by their 6th April inaugural trackday at Mallory Park (see page 50). Future events include: Harewood Hillclimb on 26th June, Anglesey track day with Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust on 6th September and the Autumn trackday at Castle Combe on 4th October. Further details of these events can be found at https://jec.org.uk/events…

PHOTOGRAPHY: With its markedly modern XJS on the cusp of being replaced by the retro-inspired XK8, Jaguar was determined to avoid a repeat of the E-type fade-out debacle that had seen the supposedly desirable final 50 roadsters, each with a commemorative plaque signed by Sir William Lyons, gathering showroom dust instead of road miles. Previously, when marketing was less of an art form, new models were introduced alongside the existing range, purporting to be ‘options’ and allowing the existing stock to be sold in an orderly fashion – notable examples being the Mk VII / VIII and compact ‘Mk1’ / Mk2. To avoid replicating the V12E fiasco, a two pronged marketing ploy was devised for the XJS exit strategy. To celebrate the 60th anniversary or the Jaguar name -the SS…

PHOTOGRAPHY: After a very successful Spares Day at Stoneleigh, with attendance well up on last year’s event, followed by a very busy three days at the NEC Restoration Show behind us, the Jaguar Drivers’ Club’s events team is concentrating on what should be the biggest event of the year – the centenary celebrations for 100 years of Swallow, SS and Jaguar. The JDC has booked Brooklands as the venue – one of the UK’s most historic motor and aviation museums – located in Weybridge, Surrey (KT13 0SL). Sunday May 15th is the diary date for what should prove to be one of the best shows of the year. Up to 1000 cars, ranging from the earliest Swallows and pre-war SSs to the latest modern Jaguars, will form a spectacular timeline…

Over the weekend of 16-17th August 1997, to celebrate their 75th anniversary, Jaguar took over the grounds of Town Thorns one of the care centres run by BEN, the Motor and Allied Trades Benevolent Fund near Rugby The XK8 had been launched the previous year and Jaguar’s design department mounted a special display that featured the creation of the XK8. Known internally by the codename ‘X100’. This was a rare and intriguing glimpse of the work of a department that usually operates discretely and often under the tightest security. The design lead for the XK8 was Fergus Pollock “...a rare and intriguing glimpse of the work of a department that usually operates discretely and often under the tightest security.” As well as displays of the interior and body colours, there…

Or send by post to: The Editor, Classic Jaguar, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL Jim Patten Letitia Mace My involvement with event organisation has granted me many precious memories, amongst them, these stand out-…

PHOTOGRAPHY: RICHARD HOLDSWORTH PETER WEAVER, JOHN LEMM While locally built Holdens – the Australian arm of General Motors – enjoyed feature racing – there was a wonderful contingent of desirable cars proudly carrying the Jaguar emblem. Mainly entered in the Regularity Class (competing against a predicted time), in a packed field of no less than 58 entries, there was no shortage of fierce competition on the track with friendly camaraderie in the pits. All featured Jaguars performed creditably for the marque that has a great following in Australasia and contributed to a wonderful three-day event. Race goers would be hard pressed to beat the location on an island with the Southern Ocean to one side and Bass Straight – named back in 1798 after George Bass one of Captain Cook’s…

PHOTOGRAPHY: From the moment it was unveiled at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show, the Jaguar E-type was one of THE cars to be seen in. Beautiful, exotic, fast and expensive, it was the perfect machine for people who were similarly beautiful, exotic, fast and expensive: the rich and famous of their day. Not that the E-type’s allure was limited to just the years when it was in production; unlike many other Jaguars, its image didn’t pass through the ‘banger phase’ that often affects other models of the marque on their way to becoming thoroughbred classics. Even after the E-type disappeared from Jaguar’s catalogues in 1975, it remained desirable and enticing, continuing to lure the affluent and important. And it does so right to this day -nothing quite says ‘I have…

PHOTOGRAPHY: Martin Haese is that ex-mayor, and now the CEO of Business South Australia. We enjoyed his wonderful car on the banks of the River Torrens with the Adelaide city skyline as a backdrop. It was an afternoon to remember for me, a young man who landed in Adelaide some 50 years before with a consignment of stud cattle for enthusiastic Aussie stud owners. Now I’m with my Aussie wife, Heather, and not only enjoying the Jaguar but the company of a man who is passionate about this city where he was Lord Mayor from 2014 to 2018 and Englishness in general, from his first car, a Morris Minor, to the Beatles! If you are going to be an advocate of any Australian city in these days of COVID pandemic…

Since we are seeking the truth, it is time to put some blatant fibs to bed. Jaguar’s E-type engine did not produce 265bhp. Perhaps in a test cell with everything stripped away, power might have increased. But there would still be some wishful thinking to get to the heady heights of 265bhp. Until perhaps the start of the seventies, manufacturers presented their power outputs as Gross BHP. The standard was US based and displayed as Gross Power SAE (Society of American Engineers) and would lead to outputs way in excess of reality. Basic power was measured with an engine stripped of absolutely everything that might absorb even half a brake horsepower. Take that to mean no dynamo, alternator, water pump and even the oil pump if the oil could be…

BCC CALIPERS BCC isn’t the most well know name in the world of Jaguar components, instead flying under the radar and suppling many of the major specialists including SNG Barratt. BCC is a division of the WES Engineering group, servicing OE manufacturers the UK, including JLR, Nissan, BMW and Vauxhall. Brake calipers feature heavily in their range: the ‘7075’ aluminium ‘Goodwood’ classic brake calipers are designed, tested, and manufactured to ISO standards at their factory in Cornwall and sold worldwide. Features include: stainless steel pistons; modern OEM fluid and dust seals; are available with a variety of pad makes and compounds and can be supplied in a wide range of anodised colours. All the calipers are lug mounted specific to the model and are designed to fit directly to the…

PHOTOGRAPHY: We are often asked “why should I bother to join a car club?” and the answer really depends on what you are looking to get out of your Jaguar experience. Some join the JEC simply for the people, the camaraderie that comes from joining a group with similar interests. But there are also many who need technical information, help on sourcing parts or perhaps are looking for ways to get those parts more cheaply. There are many more reasons, tailored insurance schemes, media content, tours and events or motorsport, but fundamentally, the most compelling reason to join is because it opens the door to experiences with your Jaguar that you would not have ordinarily had been able to gain access to. One such example, was the first event hosted…

IMAGES: Tweed jackets and duffle coats can barely contain the excitement, while photographer’s equipment light the scene as flash bulbs pop, the cacophony drowned by the screams of support from an enthusiastic crowd. For Jack Harrop though it might as well be silent. His mind is focused on a good start and as soon as the flag fell, he was into his stride. LEAVING ATHENS JANUARY 17TH 1939 Currie writes: “The road through Athens was lined with thousands of people who only moved from our path when our radiator was almost touching them.” The smooth metalled roads of the city soon deteriorated and after about 30 kilometres they were on the rough leading to the mountains. This worsened into what Currie describes as being more like a cart track. Harrop…

PHOTOGRAPHY: An intrinsic element of car design is to get all four wheels pointed in the right direction, at a glance it would be fair to assume this simply means that they should all be parallel to each other and upright, and in the ideal world that none of us inhabit this would be true. But in fact, reality intrudes, and many other factors come into play. Obviously, it is slightly beyond the scope of this feature to delve deeply into the nuances of suspension design theory, but instead we will look at the systems that Jaguar have provided for us, and the ‘real world’ effects of faults and adjustments thereupon. SO, WHAT HAVE JAGUAR DONE FOR US? In common with their other inbuilt virtues, across the range, Jaguar have…

‘Tommy and Bill?’ William Lyons looked up from his desk and pursed his lips at Bill Rankin. ‘I’ve met Tommy a few times at Motor Shows. He raced MG’s. Is Bill his brother?’ ‘They’re husband and wife.’ Lyons continued to look at his marketing manager. ‘Are you sure this is the image we want to be putting across to our customers?’ ‘Oh! I assumed you knew.’ Rankin said, stifling a laugh. ‘Her real name is Elsie. She’s as pretty as they come.’ ‘Ah.’ Lyons nodded, half looking at the production costings in front of him. ‘Well you know these Fleet Street types. Wouldn’t be surprised at anything they get up to. Still a queer name for a girl though.’ ‘She’s a great driver according to Tommy. Knows her way around…