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Jaguar Returns to Le Mans!

The Jaguar RSR XKR GT2 has been confirmed for entry into the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2010

In 1951 the C-type won Le Mans at its first attempt, with a further victory in 1953. The D-type took Le Mans wins in 1955, 1956 and 1957, while this racing success was followed in 1988 with the Jaguar XJR-9LM, a V12-powered Group C car. Another outright victory would follow in 1990 with the Jaguar XJR-12.

The year 2010 marks 75 years of the Jaguar name on both road and race cars. As a continuation of this great heritage, Jaguar can confirm it will return to the famed Le Mans 24 hours. With a total of seven wins between 1951 and 1990, Jaguar is the single most successful British make in the race’s history. Jaguar will return to Le Mans this year lining up on the starting grid on 12th June 2010 with an XKR GT2 run by JaguarRSR.

RSR was formed in 2009 by Paul Gentilozzi and his sons, Tony and John, to build and race the Jaguar XKR in the American Le Mans Series GT2 category, as well as the most famous endurance sports car race in the world – the 24 hours of Le Mans! The GT2 category is the premier sports car racing classification in the world, with top flight competition and close racing, it has become the predominant venue for leading manufacturers and teams.

Paul Gentilozzi, Principal Partner of JaguarRSR commented: “We are delighted that the ACO has granted us entry into the prestigious 24 hours of Le Mans. It is a race that is held dearly in the hearts of motorsport fans across the world and for Jaguar to be racing again is something special.

“We are fortunate to bring an international line up of the world's finest driving talent including Scott Pruett and Marc Goossens as our drivers for this race.”

Gentilozzi, who will drive the JaguarRSR XKR GT2 in the 2010 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) added: “Spirits will be high around Jaguar’s return to Le Mans but we must remember the incredibly high level of competition - a podium place will not fall into our hands. That said, I can guarantee 100 per cent commitment from JaguarRSR and urge fans of Jaguar and Britain’s racing heritage to support the team whole heartedly.”

C.J. O'Donnell, Global Marketing Director of Jaguar Cars said: “Motorsport has always been important to the Jaguar brand. Our domination of Le Mans in the 1950s was a foundation on which the company was developed. It was twenty years ago that Jaguar last won Le Mans with a TWR JaguarSport entry driven by John Nielsen, Price Cobb and Martin Brundle. Returning to Le Mans will reignite excitement for the marque across the globe, all the more poignant in our 75th year.

"With the introduction of the new XK, XF and XJ, the Jaguar brand has advanced cutting-edge technology, stunning design and our ‘R’ performance driving experience. We now return to motorsport to demonstrate this achievement and the prowess of the Jaguar XKR.”

JAGUAR RSR XKR GT2 Specification Details
Chassis	Jaguar XKR bonded and riveted aluminium monocoque with RSR steel re-inforcements and safety structure.
Engine	Jaguar AJ133 5.0 Litre V8
Tyres	Yokohama racing slicks
Engine Management	Bosch
Spark Plugs	Bosch
Brakes	Brembo 6 piston front callipers on 380mm discs and 4 piston rear callipers on 350mm discs
Shock Absorbers	Ohlins DR4
Transmission	6 speed Hewland CST transverse sequential transaxle
Wheels	BBS 18” three piece rims
Weight	1245 kg (2744 lbs)
Length	4790 mm (188.5 inches)
Width	1996 mm (78.5 inches)
BHP	Approximately 550
RPM	7000
Maximum Speed	180 mph

 

 

New from XKZ

Jaguar Wheel Easy Rods

XKZ are now producing sets of “Wheel Easy Rods” which help in removal and refitting of large diameter heavy wheel and tyre assemblies. Accurately aligns the wheel and tyre with the hub and takes the weight of the assembly enabling it to slide in and out of the wheel arch area. No more struggling to lift, locate and position the wheel and tyre on the hub. No more back or shoulder strains!!! Solid steel construction with knurled grip and protective coating. Priced at £30 per pair plus postage.

Jaguar Wheel Adaptors

XKZ are also producing "Jaguar Wheel Adapters" which will enable you to fit the latest style Jaguar wheels to the earlier models. The stud for the current Jaguar model line-up is 12mm x 1.5 metric and the stud pattern is 5 x 108. This differs from the older pattern, dating back to the 1960’s, where the stud was ½ unf with a stud pattern of 5 x 4 ¾ inch (5 x 120.65 metric). The change dates from the introduction of each of the following models – S-type, X-type, X350, XK and XF.

Fitting wheels which are not compatible with the stud pattern of your Jaguar will affect its performance. The XKZ Jaguar Wheel Adaptors are designed to bolt onto your existing studs and provide studs to suit the new wheels.There are other variables to be taken into consideration, so proceed with caution, and seek expert advice before going ahead with any wheel-swap!

A set of 4 adapters (each 25mm wide) with 20 pressed in studs and 20 locking nuts are £350 plus postage.

Further Details

For future quick reference, the information above, will appear on our "Facts and Information" page, under the heading "Jaguar and Daimler Wheels".

 

 

The Jaguar XK120 in the Southern Hemisphere

Terry McGrath recently contacted Xclusively Jaguar, to tell me about his latest book, due out soon. The fore-runner of this book was mentioned last month, by Ian Cooling in his guide to building a good quality Jaguar library.

The Jaguar XK120 in the Southern Hemisphere
The aim of this book is to relate the histories of every Jaguar XK120 in the southern hemisphere. Fourteen years in the making, with a limited edition of 1000 copies. Almost 500 pages, in large format (24cm x 34cm/9½" x 13"), cover over 900 cars, and amount to 250,000 words, and 1090 photographs - only 25 of which appeared in the previous book! All original colour photos are reproduced as such, and no compromises were made in publication. It represents a follow-up to “The Jaguar XK in Australia” (published in 1985) and explores the XK120 beyond Australia. Being such a large subject, the XK140 and XK150 will follow in due course.

 

The Authors

Terry McGrath
	Terry McGrath was born in South Australia and has for many years resided in Perth, Western Australia. He has owned many Jaguars, mostly XKs. In 1985 he co-wrote and published, with John Elmgreen, The Jaguar XK in Australia. In 2004 he published, with John Clucas of Melbourne, the massive and acclaimed volume Forerunners of Jaguar in Australasia and SE Asia covering, in the tradition of the XK book, the individual histories of hundreds of SS's, SS Jaguars, and pre-war Jaguars (and some immediately post war sedans). Terry continues to collect information on older and interesting Jaguars and has a collection of information on them of world significance. Apart from his interest in Jaguars he has an interest in general motoring history and has amassed a huge library of information, frequently assisting others with information and photographs for their motoring books. He also assists with XK restoration and has a deep knowledge of originality.
John Elmgreen
	John Elmgreen was born and grew up in Sydney and, after buying his first Jaguar XK, started collecting information on XKs throughout Australia. While he was living in London, he and Terry McGrath decided to turn their collective efforts into a book, and The Jaguar XK in Australia appeared in 1985. In 1996 he started the XK Lovers internet group and expanded his assembling of XK information to the histories of every XK ever made (all 30,000 of them) and a detailed study of XK originality (having taken and collected more than 10,000 photographs). These may become further books in due course. He has practised as a commercial lawyer in Sydney for many years in a boutique practice and his other interests include an active interest in music.

 

The Jaguar XK in Australia

Last month Ian Cooling made the following comment, which I think, best sums this book up: Another giant of a book, in several ways, comes from Australia: “The Jaguar XK in Australia” by John Elmgreen & Terry McGrath is a definitive book that has a place on any Jaguar book-collector’s shelf. The product of over 14 years of scholarly research in Australia and the Company records in UK, plus input from a huge range of XK owners and drivers from across the world, this book stands alone in the XK group.

 

The Forerunners of Jaguar in Australasia and SE Asia
	This is a large-format, high-quality book that tells the story of Swallow, SS and SS Jaguar products in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia (Hong Kong, India and Singapore). Compiled by Terry McGrath and John Clucas over a 25-year period, and published by the authors, it is a monumental work that is entirely unique in its size, scope and depth.

 

XK Histories and the Future

We have now for some time collected the histories of XK120, 140 and 150 Jaguars anywhere in the world – yes, all 30,000 of them. We are therefore interested in hearing from you about your XK – in fact any XK you have ever owned or even just know about. Particularly appreciated are the stories of the cars from the 1950s and 1960s as that information is just so hard to come by these days. We have a lot of information about XKs which we are unable to tie to an identity – usually a chassis number is what we are looking for (although other numbers will usually be enough to identify a car). Registration numbers are valuable, as it is these which show up on old photographs as the most likely source of identification of the car. We may in due course publish here details of cars from around the world which are unidentified, in case a visitor to this site might occasionally be able to give us some more information. Please email us with information about any XK120, 140 or 150, including photographs, copies of registration or licence logbooks or documents, and copies of Jaguar Heritage certificates. Please also advise the identity of your car, ideally from the numbers on the plate in the engine compartment if you can. We will then know for sure what car you are talking about.

Any information you are able to supply will be forwarded to Terry McGrath, along with your contact details.

 

The Jaguar XK120 in the Southern Hemisphere

Full details, and how to order

Sample pages

 

Xclusively Jaguar and the Future

Since the launch of Xclusively Jaguar, 18 months ago, we have seen the content of our website and the number of subscribers increase dramatically. Much of the content has come from external sources, and we are grateful for this input. Over the coming months we will be revamping much of this content to improve the quality and accuracy of the information, and to develop a consistent corporate style. As a result, you will notice some changes this month, as we start to remove and revamp the content. Please let us know what you think of the changes, as we move forward to try and make Xclusively Jaguar the premier independent Jaguar website.

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Latest News from SC Parts

For March 2010 ONLY

SC Parts are offering

10% discount on ALL tools!

From restoration tools to polishing machines,
A COMPLETE RANGE FOR JAGUAR OWNERS!

To claim this offer:
Please email Robin Moore at robin@scparts.co.uk or phone him on the “Jaguar” line (01293 847202)
remembering to quote Xclusively Jaguar

Check out SC Parts own website for details of other great offers!

View Details

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BUILDING A JAGUAR LIBRARY – PART 2

Ian Cooling looks at some specialised themes

Last month, I introduced some of the principal themes that might form the basis of a comprehensive library of Jaguar-related books. This time round, I look at some of the more specialised aspects of such a library.

Although they may be more difficult to find, the hunt for these books can be very worthwhile and they need not cost a great deal of money. Probably the most expensive books I mention here are those bearing Sir William Lyon’s signature. These have a strong following, especially the older books, and prices can run high, particularly if two keen bidders are head-to-head in the auction room.

 

Proof Copies

A selection of rare proof copies from the pre-digital era

These are a hang-over from the pre-digital days when books were set in type. They were produced after the type had been made up, but before the button was pressed to start the presses rolling. They were the final chance to make any corrections without generating serious cost. They were usually card-covered, not hard-back, and sometimes a proof of the dust-wrapper was included. Only a hand-full of proof copies were made and even fewer survive, which explains their attraction to book-collectors. All three books shown here are important Jaguar books. “British Racing Green” is perhaps less obviously so, but Jaguars feature inside more than any other marque.

 

“Jags in Books”

Every one of these fiction books features Jaguars in the story

This is a slightly more quirky theme about fiction books that feature Jaguars. James Leasor’s own SS 100 (registration JL 50) features on the cover of his book about dirty deeds and derring do in the classic car trade. The two children’s books by Mike Hawthorn are set in the 50s, with Jaguar featuring strongly. “The Faster They Go” by John Bentley, published in 1958, is about international sports car racing. If I tell you that one of the teams is the Panthers, you will get the picture. An added bonus is the cover picture by Gordon Horner. E Type literature collectors will know that some of his work featured on Series 3 publicity material.

 

Manuscripts

A unique manuscript of part of Alf Francis’ book
telling of his time as Stirling Moss’ race mechanic

This material is about as close as you can get to the author’s own thoughts, before the editors, sub-editors and (occasionally) the lawyers and marketers get to work. Alf Francis was Stirling Moss’ racing mechanic from 1953-56. The Jaguar interest in this book lies more in the asides about life with Stirling’s Mark VII, which he used as a race tender.

The collector’s interest lies in the accompanying papers, which are the original manuscripts for two of the chapters. The red handwriting at the top is from Peter Lewis, the ghost writer, recording that the manuscript has been checked by Alf and Stirling. A unique item.

 

Signed Copies

This book shows two of the most desirable Jaguar signatures
Sir William and Duncan Hamilton

There is often a premium for signed copies of books. However, in the Jaguar world as elsewhere, there is a distinct pecking order for the signatures. At the peak is Sir William. He was not given to gratuitous signings and certainly signed no books in any quantity, rather in response to individual requests. This means that books signed by him will always be scarce, books he has dedicated to named individuals, even more so.

Next on the list would be “Lofty” England and then come the drivers, with their own pecking order decided by such factors as how long ago they were racing Jaguars and their success. The example I show here has two of the key signatures combined: Duncan Hamilton and Sir William.

And be careful if you are offered books published after 1985 and signed by Sir William. Why? Because he died in February that year! Yes, I have been offered such books. However incompetent, there will always be the frauds out there.

 

Jaguar Books from Abroad

The English and French editions of Georges Fraichard’s book on Le Mans.

There is a huge number of Jaguar books published abroad. Two of the largest contributors are the USA and Australia and their books have the advantage of accessibility to the English speaker. However, there is a particularly rich seam of Jaguar publishing in France. This is partly because Jaguars (and SS Cars before the war) were successfully marketed in France. A second reason is, of course, the strong French motoring tradition, which has always attracted Jaguars to the likes of Le Mans, Reims, the Alpine Rally, Monte Carlo and so on. One particular attraction of this is that Jaguar books in French often feature photographs that rarely, if ever, appear in books published elsewhere.

One bonus is that many of the better French books have been translated into English, thus combining the best of both worlds. An interesting theme for any Jaguar library would be copies of the French originals and the English translations. It is interesting to see the way the material is handled differently, especially the photos. The two I have chosen are Georges Fraichard’s “La Rond Impitoyable – les 24 heurs du Mans” and the excellent English translation by one of the best motorsport photographers of all time – Louis Klemantaski. The English edition is enhanced by the inclusion of many of Klemantaski’s own photos as well as up-dating the race reports to include 1953 and 1954.

 

Ian Cooling has produced a unique and informative book entitled "Jaguar Collectibles"
which can be ordered direct from his website.

Visit Ian's website

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Last month I left you with the promise of fixing KUHs aerial. And that promise was kept! I ordered the aerial mast from David Manners and it arrived within a couple of days, so when the weather was at its driest I attempted the change. Due to the original aerial being bent and sitting at half mast, I had to complete some risky manoeuvres to get the aerial through the grommet and into the boot area, but fortunately this was done without compromising the paintwork. Once the aerial had been pulled through, I was able to unplug the motor and take it into the warmer house for the mast change. I was informed that the aerial mast, if working properly, can be changed with the motor still intact and not having to remove any components, but because mine was not moving at all, the whole unit had to come out. The unit was undone and the old mast fed manually out of the motor. The new one was then fed back in, but not without some drama! The brass bolt at the grommet had sheared so with the help of some stud extractors I had to remove this before the final assembly could take place. However, work seems to go much more smoothly when you are in the warmth and comfort of your own home, and before long, the motor was back together and back in the boot. It was then wired up and there you have it - the long awaited aerial replacement was complete!

Also, this month was the MOT. Now this I was dreading. After a quick check over the whole of the car, the only real problem I could find was the handbrake. I figured the handbrake itself was fine and set about adjusting it. I personally have never adjusted a handbrake from the hubs before, and this is where my boyfriend came in particularly handy! He has worked on numerous new XJ’s and talked me through the procedure, then, armed with a sturdy flat head screw driver, I went to work. I have done a little write up on the handbrake adjustment which in time I will be adding to my “Fix It” pages, so hopefully it will help others. It’s very easy to adjust both the hubs and the centre section, so if you have a jack and axle stands I would recommend you try this before sending it to a dealer and risking a hefty bill!

Finally, after yet another check, I bit the bullet and took KUH to the MOT station.........Sixty minutes later I made that nerve racking call.............and it was another pass!!
As you can imagine, I was thrilled, so I treated her to a nice wax and polish..........and another 12 months tax too!
What a fabulous Jaguar - here’s to another 12 months of happy motoring!

Visit Esta-janes website for more XJ40 news, views and tips!

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The XJ-Saviour!

Andy Harvey continues the battle against rust!

 

Part Five: Where The XJS Rusts and Why

Radius Arm Mounts and Rear Jacking Points

The area supporting the radius arm mount and jacking point should look like this......	The radius arm mounts and rear jacking points sit in front of the rear wheel arch just inboard of the sill. These mounts are an anchor for the radius arms, which in turn, play a very important role in stabilising the rear suspension unit. If these arms are compromised in any way the car will tend to drive in a very strange fashion.
............not like this !!!	The mount itself is quite complicated, consisting of a dome shaped locating lug welded to a horizontal plate. This plate is then secured to the inner sill, chassis leg and the back end of the floor pan. The rear jacking point also forms part of this assembly. Unfortunately, this whole set up sits in a low point of the car, and in close proximity to the spray pattern of the rear wheels. I’m sure you know what’s coming next? Same old story, I’m afraid!
Radius arms - old and new	The radius arm mount, chassis leg and sill usually rot in unison. There is a tremendous amount of force applied to the mount under hard acceleration and this is when the rotten mount generally breaks free of the car. Drivers experience one loud bang from the back followed by a continuous clunking noise as the liberated radius arm announces its new found freedom. The car will also attempt to steer itself from the back. The radius arms themselves are also prone to rot and their bushes perish. Happy days for all.

Rear Jacking Points

Jacking point internal strengthening plate

The rear jacking points are virtually integral with the radius arm mount. They sit on the same horizontal plate and adjacent to it. Ironically the mount itself is very sturdy and is manufactured from heavy gauge steel. It also has a strengthening plate which it screws into, on the inside of the box section, making it one robust piece of engineering. Its Achilles heel, is of course, the horizontal plate that it sits on. The rotten plate that liberates the radius arm will also allow the jacking point to be pushed upwards and inwards when put to the test of supporting a 1700kg car.

Rear Chassis Legs

Rear Chassis Leg

These meaty box sections start at the back of the sill and continue over the rear suspension unit, effectively terminating at the rear bumper support irons. They don’t usually give any trouble apart from where infection creeps across from the radius arm plate. Repairs here are pretty straight forward. If the rest of the chassis legs are suffering serious corrosion then I shudder to think what the rest of the car is like. Let the scrap man have a look at it - a swift decision and a couple of nights of guilt would save you a lot of time, money and heartache!

Rear Lower Quarters

N/S/R lower panel	Wish I had 3 dozen new ones, would be retired by Christmas! These sit at the back of the car underneath the rear bumpers on either side. Most of the corrosion on these panels comes from within. The internal sections are pretty much hidden away and then covered in boot upholstery. There is of course the obligatory low point which collects all the water necessary to start corrosion. This corrosion then advances upwards and rearwards in a 25mm wide swathe until, like a forest fire being halted by lack of fuel, the water escapes and ventilation commences, drying out the metal and preserving what’s left, to go happy flappy in the breeze. The water to rot the panels comes from various sources. People always blame the boot seal, but I’m not so sure - it’s more likely coming from the blocked drains and detached drain hoses which exit via drain holes in the quarters.
N/S/R lower panel - well rotted	There is also a theory about fumes from the battery. The breather from the battery connects to a small diameter rubber hose. This hose follows a torturous path down through the battery tray, then behind the fuel pump cover and eventually out through the bottom of the boot floor. First time the battery is disturbed or replaced this hose goes AWOL, leaving the black dragon to breathe its sulphurous fumes in and around the boot compartment. When these fumes meet with condensation a weak sulphuric acid is formed, which theoretically goes to work on the quarters with gusto. It may be only a theory, but its worth spending a couple of hours playing the contortionist in a car boot and making sure the breather hose is attached and correctly routed so that its venting outside of the car.
N/S/R lower panel - with drain	While you’re in there, emulating Houdini, check the previously mentioned quarter drains are unblocked and firmly attached. These drains sometimes have to cope with the majority of the water from the roof plus the boot lid area. This water finds its way into the gutter around the boot lid aperture then downwards to the lower quarters via small drain holes and rubber hoses. Any blockage or detachment in this drainage system results in water ending up just where you don’t want it. The top halves of these panels are covered by the rear bumper quarters. The bumpers themselves have a tendency to rot (see next section) and this rot is sometimes transferred to the rear quarters. The bumpers and quarters live cheek by jowl and sometimes a build up of detritus can harbour enough electrolytes to start the corrosion process, especially on the flange covered by the chrome work.

Rear Bumper Quarters

Children of the dammed, hmmm, one of the first things I look at when viewing a potential victim for dismantling, is the state of the rear bumpers. If they have good shiny chrome, then I will most certainly buy the car just on the strength of this, these things are rare and in great demand.

Rear bumpers

I suppose when Jaguar produced the XJS they didn’t expect the cars to be running after 20 years, that’s why the upper surface chrome wasn’t the best. If that chrome wasn’t the best, then the stuff on the underside was diabolical, and this is where the majority of the problems start. The undersides are tucked up out of the way and virtually invisible. Once the wafer thin protective coating yields, corrosion sets in and munches its way through the bumper until it emerges triumphantly through the shiny stuff at the top.

If your bumpers are reasonable it might be worth while taking them off and soaking the undersides with anything you think will extend their life. The complete set, near side, offside and centre will come off together quite easily once the retaining bolts have been removed from within the boot (rear quarters) and 2 nuts from underneath the centre. If you plan to remove the bumpers please, please soak the bolts, where they go through the captive nuts, in penetrating oil for at least 2 days before you attempt to undo them. Even if you manage to get the bolts to turn, continue to soak them whilst gently coaxing them out. Anything more than moderate force will cause the captive nuts to break free, and then you’re right in the deep and smelly.

One last comment on bumpers. I’ve noticed that the chrome directly above the exhausts always tends to go dull. I may be wrong, but I believe this is caused by all the corrosive gasses coming out of the pipes and turbulence causing these gasses to hang around the bumpers for longer than they are welcome. Keeping the bumpers clean and applying wax at regular intervals might just do the trick.

 

To receive this article (and others, including all previous parts of this series) as a pdf document with full-size pictures, please contact Xclusively Jaguar

Andy offers a used parts service for older Jaguars, as well as light restoration work, welding and advice.
I can personally recommend his used parts service.

Contact Andy via Xclusively Jaguar or direct, on: 07940 998199

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Latest news from Mitch Verheyen

The Broadspeed Cars......then and now !!!

As I have written before, there were a few cars built by Ralph Broad that could be considered as Broadspeed cars, although some people may think, or say, differently. There were three cars that actually raced, plus other cars that did not race. Then there was a fourth car that was built in the early eighties, out of spare parts, and several other cars that have a big mystery hanging around them!

Broadspeed Number One as it was in 1976

In 1976 Leyland and Broadspeed started it all off with chassis number 1. This was the car for the first season, and promotional purposes, but due to some development problems it only raced once in the TT at Silverstone, driven by Derek Bell and David Hobbs. Due to a puncture of the rear tyre, and a mechanical failure it did not finish. After that the car was put aside, and the focus was on two new cars for the 1977 season. When it reappeared at the Coventry museum in the eighties, it was painted in the 1977 colours, and it was fitted with the front and rear spoiler of the 1977 car.

Broadspeed Number One as it is today

At this point the car did not have an engine, and was used only for display purposes. The car, together with a lot of parts was sold in 2001, and for years not a lot had been done to the car, although the owner was planning to have it restored, and use it for race events. Several parts were made to upgrade the car. In 2008, it was sold again, to someone who had it restored and made race ready again. Some concessions where made though, to the mechanics and the look of the car.

25th of October 2009 was it's first outing after 33 years, and the car did what Bell and Hobbs failed to do, it won it's first race! In the second race, one of the 1976 gremlins got the best of the car, and again it showed that this car has a mind of it's own! I, among others, hope to see more of this car in 2010 !!!

In 1977 Broadspeed started the season with 2 new cars. The 1976 car was totally different compared to the 1977 car. First of all, the outside of the cars were stripped of anything that said Jaguar and the colours where changed to Leyland colours ( red , white, and blue ) with big Leyland decals all over the car. The wheels of the 1976 car where 16 inch, in a style that resembled the Kent wheels on the production XJ's. The 1977 wheels where 19 inch Speedline wheels. The front spoiler changed, and the car got a rear spoiler.

Aside from appearance, there were many other changes. First, the body's where put into an acid bath, to strip them of all sealant and bodycoating, to make them lighter. The rear axle was mounted solid to the body, and the front axle was changed, to keep the weight down. Mechanically, these XJ Coupe’s now had very little resemblance to their road going counterparts! The engine was tuned for more power, and during the 1977 season they tried a dry sump system, but none of this was enough for the Leyland management to let them proceed into the 1978 season, and after the 1977 season, the cars returned to Coventry where they were displayed in a museum for a while.

Broadspeed Number Three at Jaguar Heritage	Broadspeed Number Four

A few years back Jaguar Heritage had the cars checked over, to see what car was the best to keep, and decided to keep number 3, selling number 4 car to someone in Australia. The number 3 car is still owned by the Trust, and is displayed at events occasionally. The number 4 car was the car that was used to test the dry sump system, and has been displayed at events in Australia. Neither cars have seen a lot of the race tracks since 1977!

Broadspeed Number Two racing at Goodwood

Then there is the car they call the number 2 car, also known as the “Bob Kerr car”. In 1981 Bob Kerr (Scottish Area Chairman) got his hands on a bare shell of what was claimed to be a Broadspeed race car. Over the next few months he gathered all sorts of parts for the car that came from the closing down sale at Broadspeed, and as he had the choice of parts, he built the car to look like the 1977 cars. The engine modifications did not go so far as those on the 3 race cars, because he wanted to use the car, but not have to rebuild the engine everytime he raced it.

When the car was finished, it was used for hillclimbs and other small events. Later on Bob sold the car, and it has been passed on several times over the years. It has been driven at Goodwood a few times, and last year it was sold at the Goodwood Revival for £80,700.

Aside from these 4 cars there have been stories of other cars..........

The New Avengers

TV viewers of the 1970’s will probably remember the car they used for "The New Avengers " - this was a pre-production coupe provided by Leyland for the TV show, and modified by Broadspeed, with the big wheelarches, and 1976 Kent style racing wheels. The body was painted in British Racing Green, with a gold pinstripe on the side. This car was offered for sale in the 1980's, to the Avengers fan club, but no one wanted it! It went on display at the NEC, and eventually it was sold. After the sale, it was stored in a warehouse, as the owner did not collect it.

Finally, when the owner of the warehouse needed the space, the car was picked up by someone, and never seen again, although it is still registered at the DVLA, and I understand that it is still around, albeit in a bad state of repair.

There was a car at the Malvern museum in the UK, that looked like the racers, but it had an automatic gearbox. There is a car in the south of France, that is claimed to be a proper racer "by the owner" , but not confirmed by anyone. Then there are stories of a car that Leyland used for promotional purposes, to display at dealerships around the country, but none of these cars are proven to be real Broadspeed cars, and I guess that only the people who worked for Broadspeed, or who have built these cars can say what they are.

In the years after, there were several replica's built in 2 and 4 door versions, but due to the rust problems of the coupe not a lot of these cars survived. On the subject of the real Broadspeed cars, I can say that all of them have been accounted for, although I do not know exactly who owns the number 2 car at this point (information is always welcome though!)

 

Broadspeed Memories

Reading the last two instalments of the Broadspeed Story brought back some happy memories for Rob Jenner, and he was encouraged to share them!

I thought it was only me who remembered this? Silverstone was my second home in those days! My next door neighbour was one of the commentators, usually based at Stowe in the old wooden tower, so we were there for every meeting! I used to do the pit running and occasional bit of marshalling, I even dragged my girlfriend (now wife) along in all weathers, and 40 years on I am still dragging her round the country to wet and windy fields for various events! Never once has she complained, or maybe I have selective deafness in old age?

From memory it was the RAC Tourist Trophy 1976, or similar, when the Big Cats were wheeled out, two from memory. I would need to dig out all the old programmes that I kept, to check. We stood at Copse (proper Copse, not the sanitised version we now have) a flat 90 degree right, small run off area, straight over the grass, and into railway sleepers, if you got it wrong! We stood on the sleepers, close to the action. No wire fencing or protection in those days! I remember Jackie Stewart going straight on here (in a Tyrell) during practice for the 1971 BRDC International Trophy race. A well known bit of old F1 Footage, the camera was beside me, and I helped him up over the barriers! That September, I had persuaded Dad (a then disillusioned BL employee) to go and see what the Big Cats could do. They led from the get go into Copse, and on lap two into Copse they were SO far ahead we thought there had been an accident in the pack on lap one, but no, the rest followed later, but as Mitch says, reliability killed that race and subsequent others, but a great day fondly remembered! Sadly the failures didn't help Ralph in Southam, although the drivers went onto great things; Andy Rouse becoming BTCC champion on a number of occasions, with Sierras and Mondeos.

Happy days, fondly remembered. Thank you!!

Les Hughes in Australia, recognised one of the pictures he had taken of a Broadspeed Racer back in the Seventies, and contacted us, so if you recognise any of these as being one of your pictures, we would love to hear from you, and have your contribution to the story of Broadspeed.

Next time, more on the replica's........

View Broadspeed Website

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Latest News from Xclusively Jaguar Registers

Another New Register?

The Avon-Stevens XJC Convertibles

by David Jobson-Scott

David Jobson-Scott owns a very rare Avon-Stevens XJC Convertible. For some time now, he has been compiling a list of known cars, and says that my interest, of late, has spurred him on. David was introduced to me as the owner of a Daimler which would be a suitable carriage for a bride, when I put out a request for a Wedding Car for my web-master, Carl Molyneux.

David has supplied an interesting variety of information on these cars, but hopes that a mention in the newsletter will bring forth more information on these rare conversions, and the possibility of a register for known examples.

As there appears to be a lot of interest in the XJ Coupes, and a register for the Avon-Stevens conversions would be very small, I am considering the introduction of a Register for the XJ Coupes as a whole, since there were only 10,426 produced (figures and other information can be seen on XJ Restorations website, or by referring to Keith Parrington, XJ model Forum co-ordinator for JEC).

David Jobson-Scott will be looking out for the Avon-Stevens cars, in particular, but owners of any XJ Coupes are encouraged to contact Xclusively Jaguar with details of their cars. David introduces the register with an account of his own car, below.

1976 Daimler Double Six Avon-Stevens Convertible

Special Coachwork by Avon-Stevens of Warwick.

Chassis number	2F 1047 BW
Colour	Signal Red with Black hide trim and Black hood
Location	UK
Registration	KBE 999P

This beautiful car is based on the very attractive 2 door Daimler Coupé, the short wheelbase version of the Jaguar XJ12 Series 2 range. The Coupés were only made from 1975 to 1978 and this one was converted, after it left the factory, by Avon-Stevens Coachworks of Warwick (conversion cost was over £5,000!). Total Daimler Double Six Coupé production was about 397 and this is number 47.

Avon-Stevens kept no records of these conversions and research has suggested that about twelve Coupés were converted, plus possibly six kits assembled at specialist garages. Most of the cars were 4.2 litre versions, with several Jaguar V12s as well. It is believed that only three Daimler Double Six versions were made: all still survive, one black, one white and this red one (was Greensand).

The car is fitted with the wonderful Jaguar 5.3 litre fuel-injected V12 engine, with 3 speed Borg Warner automatic gearbox. It also has Power Steering, Servo Disc Brakes and Electric Windows. The Daimlers were originally fitted with chrome disc wheels, but this car now sports bolt-on chrome wires. A stainless steel exhaust system is also fitted.

Purchased new by a Director of Deborah Services Ltd., the car was converted fairly promptly by Avon-Stevens to a full convertible. The Director kept the car for the first six years and then sold it on to his Works Manager, who kept the car little used until May 1994. It was stored unused for many years with the next owner. I am the fourth registered owner and purchased it in June 2007.

Since re-activation, it has undergone considerable refurbishment, with new panels and repairs as necessary, complete respray in Signal Red and new hood. It only did 1,500 miles between March 1995 and July 2007! The engine now runs very well (after lots of injector clogging problems!!!!) and the car is a delight to drive. Both fuel tanks have been replaced with new ones, including fuel level sensors, etc. The interior has been cleaned, and the leather treated many, many times with hide food (an ongoing task, trying to get it supple again!) and new carpets fitted. All the chrome has been replaced, with the exception of the rear boot plinth (just unobtainable). The front overriders and chrome side trims were the most difficult to source. eBay has been a real boon!!!! Dave Baskerville at Bickington, North Devon (refer to links page) has also been a tower of strength in sorting out some of the problems and doing most of the work.

As this is one of only three Daimler Double Six convertibles made, it is an extremely rare and exotic machine. We completed a wonderful trip in it to Northern Spain in September 2007. Heads turn wherever we go and it is a joy to drive such a wonderful car: just as potent as an E-type, but far more comfortable. We are taking the car to Croatia in September 2010 with a group from the JEC. I ran a 1976 Daimler Vanden Plas 4.2 saloon as my everyday car until it was sixteen years old, and I always hankered after a convertible version of the Coupé, so now I have my dream car!

David Jobson-Scott continues his story on the Avon-Stevens conversions next month

 

Several new Jaguars have been added to the various registers over the last month, so please check them out, via the links below, if you are one of the people who has submitted details and pictures. If you are looking to buy a specific model, some of the cars on the registers are currently for sale, and these are indicated. If you own one of the models featured in our registers and would like to see your car added, please contact Xclusively Jaguar

View Register	View Register	View Register
View Register	View Register	View Register

 

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Palmersport - an Experience!

by Keith Thomas

The suggestion was made thus; “when entertaining customers, we tend to gravitate towards what we like doing. Football, rugby and horse racing seem to be the norm. Is this what your customer is really interested in?”

I needed no further prompting. With a newly renegotiated supply agreement that was significant enough to warrant celebration, 3 petrol head customers and compliant line manager, a Supercar day it was then!

Now then, over the course of my career I’ve been lucky enough to attend a number of track days, Supercar experiences and the like. Every one has been a roaring success, every one has been memorable and every one has been thoroughly enjoyed by all the participants. Highlights include catching a Ferrari 348’s tail when it stepped out under (very!) heavy braking, driving a Porsche 911 for the first time (still love them) and finding out that a Dodge Viper can still accelerate at a rapid rate of knots even when you pull away from standstill in 5th gear. The absolute topper though has to be winning the “team prize” at an event held at Silverstone where we finished in first place, competing against 9 or so other companies. The trophy still proudly resides in my office, years after the event!

This 2009 crew though, was pretty special when it came to Petrol Head credentials. Rob drives a 911, Richard races Caterhams very seriously, Andy drives an M5 and Con is just terrified!
Me?........... company BMW by day - XJS by night.
Sorry, I meant weekends. Dry weekends that is!

So on a dry September day we met up at the Palmer Motorsport Autodrome at Bedford. Now, I’m not going to apologise for sounding as if I am attempting to sell the Palmersport experience. I’m not. Simply put, this day was the best of the best. If ever you get the chance to attend one, don’t think, don’t hesitate, just go. Just do it, as the advertising slogan goes!

The day was faultlessly and professionally run by Palmersport from the moment we arrived and were served a hearty and good quality breakfast (is this sounding like “An Inspector calls” for the Daily Mail readers?) then following the initial briefing you are ferried around the complex in minibuses to each of the bases dedicated to the assorted driving experiences. At every step the hosts were charming, friendly, attentive and informative (this is the Inspector isn’t it?).

I fact, if I were to level any criticism, it would be unjustified, but by heavens you do end up suffering from an information overload! There is at times, just too much to take in. You are driving unfamiliar cars, trying to learn a different circuit (you drive on 4 different ones!), changing your driving style to the “cross arms” style, and all this, while suffering from crippling G-forces, and an instructor either “speaking strongly” or just plain yelling instructions at you. I think I actually gave up trying to do everything I was told somewhere around the Caterhams. At each station you were given a comprehensive brief and this was doubly, no, triply so when we reached the Jaguar single seaters.

The Jaguar single seaters!

Now perhaps I should explain at this point that the Jaguar connections were what motivated this entire day. I had been brought up with the marque, learnt to drive in a S1 XJ6, have always been an enthusiast, and now own an XJS. Meanwhile, Rob’s father had just compounded the (late) mid life crisis myth by investing a large percentage of the family wealth in a new XKR with which his wife was apparently not impressed. Is it not a shame when our partners have neither a sense of perspective, nor a sense of humour?!

Henceforth, when we found a day which included XKR’s, Palmer Jaguar JP1’s and Formula Jaguar single seaters, the deal was done! The other cars we drove on the day included the Porsche 911 (did I tell you the instructor said I was a “natural Porsche driver?” Just thought I’d mention it!), Renault Clio Cup, Caterham Superlight, BMW M3 JTP and the Land Rover Defender. The Jaguar experiences though, were naturally the main attractions. What can I tell you about these in a few words?

Well, the XKR is pretty much standard inside, with the obvious exception of the roll cage. The howling of that supercharger though, is simply electrifying. We had ample opportunity to stand, watch and take photographs prior to taking our turns at the wheel, and we were all transfixed when standing listening to them literally howl down the straight towards us before the anchors, and assorted heavy furniture were thrown overboard, as the corners approached. Simply phenomenal!

The Palmer Jaguar JP1s are two seater, mid-engined sports prototype racers using slick tyres, full body aerodynamics as well as near-instantaneous paddle shift gearboxes and believe me when I tell you these are brutal! The power is terrifyingly delivered from a 3 litre V6 engine supplied by Jaguar. These are two seaters and the instructor accompanies you on all your runs. Their job, as described in the brochure, is “to take you into a world beyond the capabilities of conventional road cars, where G-forces pound your body and speeds startle your senses”. Words simply do not do it justice. I left my drive feeling as if I had been run over, beaten up and then dropped over a cliff. It was simply amazing, stretching, not just due to the physical demands, but mentally as well. You might recall I mentioned “information overload” early in this piece? It was never more apparent than during this section. The sweet joy to follow though was that when it is was all over, we were handed the film footage of our runs, a permanent record of our state of fear and wonderment. My personal digital record is very pleasing, as you can see my speeds building and building until the digital speedometer breaks the magical 100mph barrier for the first time. Amazing! Then 10 seconds later, the same digital footage captures me spinning out off the circuit “having somewhat overcooked it!” Damn, damn, damn!

Palmersport Jaguar Prototype Racer

Everything though, the entire day, the whole experience, is building up to the Formula Jaguar. Now I’ve driven single seaters previously, but those were so archaic, and frankly, crude in comparison to the world into which we were now thrust. I use the word “thrust” advisably, as this was another G-force and sensory overload festival. The Formula Jaguar is a purpose built slicks and wings single seater, featuring a race developed Jaguar engine that produces 250 bhp at 6500 rpm. 0-60mph takes just 3.1 seconds and these beauties top out at 170mph. Not in these hands though! You drive on slick tyres and use a gearbox that shares the same paddle shift principle used by today's Formula One cars.

If you were approaching this one with any sense of apprehension, the most comprehensive and in depth driver briefing ever, will compound this for you.
Information overload? By now I needed mentally and physically rebooting!

This section though, is heavily controlled and monitored by the Palmersport team, and quite rightly so. A slow introductory lap following a lead car is the starter, followed by a faster lap, before you are let free. We were warned though, during the briefing, of a strict “2 spins and you are off” rule and unfortunately we were pitted way too early as a member of another group not only spun off, but beached the car into a gravel trap redistributing the pebbly material not just over the track but, it seemed, over most of Bedfordshire as well.

I was lucky as well to enjoy (?) two laps in the lead car, a Seat Leon. Well that’s what it said on the badges, but please believe me when I say it went and stopped like no Leon I’ve ever seen before! “Boggo standard car mate” declared the driver. I still don’t believe him. Brutal? Vicious? Violent? None of those words do justice to how he drove that car. Quite possibly the most amazing demonstration of driving I’ve ever witnessed at first hand. He simply didn’t use the brakes. I suspect, as an alternative, he had a portable brick wall which he deployed when he felt the need to loose speed and just ran into it. I genuinely left the car feeling nauseous, for pities sake! Just imagine, that very car could be on the forecourt of your local Seat dealer right now…..”ex-driving school car sir”.

At the end of the day modesty forbids me sharing my personal timed performances with you, but only because though they were so bad! The highlight for me was attaining 13th place from 40 on the XKR run. Rob though, won two prizes on the day, thus compounding the perception amongst us his group, as being of almost “semi-professional” status!. Pleasingly, he did take home the gold on the XKR section.

All in all, a highly memorable day!
Boys and their toys? Undoubtedly!
Recommended? Without hesitation!
As I said previously, if you get the chance, just do it!.

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XJ (Series 3) Cigar Lighter Replacement

Steve Wood owns a Series 3 XJ6 and noticed that failure of the cigar lighters is a common problem, so he has offered this advice to other owners.

No-one lights cigars in my Daimler; it might discolour the doeskin! However, I reckon if anything is fitted, it has to work. Apart from that, the sockets are a useful source of power for phone and sat-nav.

My S3 Daimler Sovereign has two sockets, one on the centre dash panel (picture) and one on the rear end of the centre console with the rear passengers' window switches. It is very common for the rear socket to blow the 20A fuse which protects both lighters. The (inline) fuse on RHD cars is behind the driver's side footwell trim panel, easily removed after taking out the two screws in the footwell heater vent.

In this case though, the socket itself had failed, and I acquired a used socket, complete with insert, from jagbreakers.co.uk for £10 plus postage. New ones are listed at £30.50 plus VAT.

Fitting:
Disconnect the battery. Check electrical continuity between the socket centre pin and ground. If it's there, you have a shorted-out socket. NOTE: If there's a short circuit in EITHER lighter, continuity will show in both units!

The rear lighter socket is removed by undoing two screws (low down) one each side of the transmission tunnel. Lift the released section upwards to disengage two plastic pins at the top front of the unit. Then it's best to get everything else out of the way, like the ashtray and the window switches. The tray unscrews from above; the switches push out and you can pull off the multipin connectors.

There's a knack to releasing the lighter socket. Get two fingers firmly behind the unit and push hard against the bucket which is held by a strong spring. Rotate the bucket against the actual socket (you can also get a bit of twist by jamming a thumb in it) then after about 90 degrees, it all drops apart. (Three tangs on the socket fit through slots in the bucket, then rotate to click into position in smaller slots).

Access to the front socket is more complex, so check the rear one first! Aircon knobs off, unscrew their nuts (no flats - I made up a tool from an old socket), release radio escutcheon, pull radio forward. Do not damage the fibre-optic cable, which should have just enough slack to allow you to pull the centre panel clear after releasing the two large Phillips screws at the bottom. Then you can get at the dashboard lighter socket without further dismantling.

Remove unit as previously described. I did all this before finding the short was in the rear socket - we live and learn!

I understand the position of the dash socket varies from model to model, so some of the above may not apply. Here on my S3 it is to the left of the square clock.

For future quick reference, the information above, will appear on our "XJ Series 1-3" page, which can be found in the Index on the lhs of every page of the website.

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Important Notices and Disclaimers

Please contact Letitia at Xclusively Jaguar, if you:-
1. Have anything advertised in this newsletter or the accompanying website and wish to make any amendments.
2. Require further details of anything listed above (please quote the reference number at the top left hand side of the advert)
3. Wish to place an advertisement for anything associated with the Jaguar marque.
4. Would like to have your website details listed in this newsletter.
5. Have any other relevant contribution suitable for this newsletter.
4. No-longer wish to be included on the mailing list for this newsletter.
5. Have any thoughts or comments on any aspect of this newsletter which you would like to share. All new ideas welcome.
6. Had this newsletter forwarded to you, and would like to receive regular copies sent directly to you.

IMPORTANT NOTICES
All inclusions on this newsletter and accompanying website are free of charge.
Remember, it is exclusively JAGUAR, but this is taken to mean SS and Daimler.

All items listed on this newsletter are described by their owners.
All facts and details quoted must be checked before buying.
No liability can be accepted for any vehicles, parts or goods listed.
Items marked as sold, are for the information of readers – it is not implied that they were necessarily sold via our newsletter or website.

Please note that Jaguar Cars Limited have very kindly allowed us the privilege of using the JAGUAR brand name in our title, however, this website is owned entirely by Xclusively Jaguar who are solely responsible for all the content therein.
The website is not connected with Jaguar Cars Limited of Abbey Road, Whitley, Coventry, CV3 4LF, and it is not authorised by them. The contents, in whatever format; views, opinions, and expressions, set out on the website are not those of Jaguar Cars Limited, nor are they, nor should they be, associated with Jaguar Cars Limited.
For the avoidance of doubt they are, and remain, solely and exclusively those of Xclusively Jaguar.

Thankyou for taking the time to read my newsletter.

Kindest Regards

Letitia Mace

www.xclusively-jaguar.co.uk

www.xclusively-jaguar.com

Copyright © 2009 2010 Xclusively Jaguar

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