JAGUAR ISSUE 3
VOLUME 24
magazine
CONTENTS
QUOTE OF THE MONTH “We received a wonderful ovation and found that we were now back in favour with our wives” Duncan Hamilton after winning Le Mans in 1953.
2 Editor's Desk / Chaiman’s Chat 3 Quarterly Quirks 4 The Evolution of the Jaguar Mascot 8 A South African C-Type 12 Jaguar XJ40 – In Production 16 R M Sotheby’s at Monterey 18 Thundercat – Part 3 20 Jaguar E-Type ZP Collection 22 Mustangs Sally’s 23 Red Ivory Weekend 25 Formula E Update 29 The Challenges of Refurbishing a Mark 2 Tool Kit - Part 2 Formula E Update – p24
32 Your Committee and Contacts
The Jaguar Magazine Quarter 4 2023 is the official print publication of the Jaguar Club: Northern Regions, South Africa. www.jagclub.co.za
Volume 24 • Issue 3 1
CHAIRMANS CHAT
O
n behalf of the Jaguar Club, I would like to celebrate the life and memory of Jack Lewthwaite. I have known Jack since I joined the Club in 2001, he joined back in the late 1980s, however the exact date is not recorded.
Jack’s membership number is 235 and we have another member who joined in 1983 with number 293 so it must be over 40 years that Jack has belonged to the Club and hence I can say with confidence that he was a founding member and that the Club would not be where it is today without the hard work done by Jack and his generation. Both Jack and Stephanie were regulars at Club events as well as the monthly Natter and Noggins and could often be found recounting tales of car events past and sharing technical knowledge on Jaguar and many other British car marques. When my children came along and started to attend Club events both Stephanie and Jack were always interested in their lives and development and as my children grew older, they came to recognize and spend time with Grandad Jack and Grandma Steph at the Club house. Jack served many roles on the Club committee and took over as Chairman for a few years and ran a tight ship. He was a self-made business owner and his sharp business brain and a no-nonsense approach to life meant he was an anchor that we could depend on for practical ideas and value for money proposals to keep the Club in good financial health. In 2018 I had the opportunity to drive his white E-Type that he had kindly leant to the Club for a photo opportunity recognizing the F-TYPE and
E-Type as kindred spirits. I very nervously drove the car from Benoni to Sandton Jaguar on the highway and although I consider myself a good driver the lack of a seat belt and wing mirrors made it the most nerve wracking 35km of my life - albeit perhaps the most enjoyable 35km as well. Thankfully everything went well, and the car and its owner were recorded for posterity as part of Jaguar folklore, a good place to be. In summary, I knew and will remember Jack as a kind and generous man with strong principles and a steely grip on life, he was a caring and considerate person and gave of his time freely and for those that met him their lives were all the better for it, so on behalf of myself and the Jagaur Club - Rest in Peace Jack Lewthwaite
Bob
FROM THE EDITORS DESK
G
reetings from the dam
As you may know, the former six-person committee was re-elected at our Annual General Meeting in September. The responsibilities were discussed at our recent committee meeting, resulting in Bob Brown becoming your new Chairman. Paul Olivier is the Vice-Chaiman, whilst I continue with the responsibilities of the magazine and the website. Gerry Kramer maintains his role as secretary, along with Fiona Brittion looking after regalia and Gavin Standing taking care of the purse strings. I would lie to note that the JCNR has one of the best committees I have ever worked with. Normally with clubs, there are at least one or two folk who have not had a very successful business career and who try to make up for that by dominating the club and its functions. There are no undernourished egos on our committee and everyone is a pleasure to work with. Speaking of the JCNR, that also is one of the finer organizations around. I was reminded of that by Peter Herbst, who kindly sent me some event photos for this issue. His comment, along with the pictures, was “This
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weekend was one for the books.” Every month we have one, if not two, events for the members to enjoy – and they are all of the highest quality involving the use of our Jaguars, socializing with fellow “cat nuts” and exploring new venues around South Africa. The club dates back to 1973 when a group of XK enthusiasts – no, 120s and 140s not Rs and RSs – got together at the Balalaika Hotel – and later the Sunnyside in Parktownto discuss the use and maintenance of their Jaguars. And, I suspect, to admire the local scenery on the Sunnyside veranda. This group morphed into the Jaguar Club of South Africa, which was formed later in the 1970s, this being the basis for our current Northern Regions club. For this issue of Jaguar Magazine, thanks are due to many contributors. Ian Cooling for the second article on Jaguar mascots, Kobus van Wyk for his text editing and some pictures of his C-Type, Brian Martin for the Mark 2 toolbox discussion and Derek Sturgess for content on the Thundercat. Then there’s Eric and Mary Kaeflein, Fiona Brittion, Bob Brown, Ayn Brown and Peter Herbst for pictures and articles on our club runs. Stay safe and enjoy your feline motoring.
Brian
C-Type / Pic Kobus van Wyk
QUARTERLY
QUIRKS & QUOTES
With The Right Conditions Mass EV Adoption Will Ensue While electric vehicles (EVs) have been globally touted as the future of road travel – the replacement to the internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles that we have been driving for over 100 years – the very mention of the subject raises polarising opinions, especially in the South African market. Common responses are either for or against them, and many motorists are still of the opinion that mass local adoption is not viable and will not happen. Many naysayers cite our country’s electricity issues as a primary challenge, and then follow with arguments regarding the availability of public chargers, range anxiety, charging trauma and the relatively high cost of EVs in general. Allow me to address these and express some opinions of my own.
As for infrastructure, there are now over 300 public chargers in South Africa, thanks to investment from JLR, BMW, Audi and a number of private network developers such as GridCars and Rubicon. There is still a misconception, however, that public charging is a requirement for electric mobility when the reality is charging at home is cheaper and far more convenient.
For the sales of EVs to become commercially viable in South Africa we need a few reforms at government level, and this is, in part, hinging on the advancement of South Africa’s new energy vehicle policy. There are two main factors that need to be addressed: stimulating local manufacture of electric vehicles and stimulating demand for them by reducing import costs. Currently, EVs sourced from Europe are subject to import duties of 25 percent, while ICE vehicles only attain 18 percent tax. A reduction in EV tax to make prices comparable to ICE vehicles will go a long way in stimulating demand. Global case studies support this view. For instance, the mainstream adoption of EVs in Europe, or Norway in particular, has largely been driven by a reduction in taxation. In 2022, Norway reached a new record with EVs totalling over 80 percent of all new cars sold. The quick turnaround, from 2.9 percent of all cars sold a decade ago, was driven by government tax incentives. The significant change in demand based on duty adjustments in Norway (and also Mauritius) can obviously be applied to South Africa. Since the local market, via the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA), is only calling for a seven percent reduction in taxation, it might not be on the same scale as overseas, but it will certainly have a positive impact. Manufacturers could not only reduce current retail EV prices, but also be more compelled to bring new EVs to the local market. As soon as there is appetite for it, global manufacturers can import immediately, as electric vehicles are much easier to calibrate to marketspecific specifications than ICE vehicles. A more entry-level product with a cost closer to the average retail price of cars in South Africa will disrupt the market and significantly increase awareness and appetite for all EVs. From only a couple of EVs available five years ago, we now have access to 18 EV nameplates, with many derivatives within these nameplates. South Africa has seen a hefty 755 percent increase in EV sales over the past five years, though this figure still pales in comparison to total new vehicle sales.
It’s difficult to argue that South Africa’s electricity crisis does not pose an inconvenience. But think about it this way: Have you not washed your clothes for more than a decade because we’ve had loadshedding? Just as we run electricity heavy appliances and charge our devices when the power is on, we can schedule our EV top-ups when the lights are on. It’s as simple as that. Then there is the question of renewable energy. With a typical solar setup used to power your home and potentially recharge your EV, the payback period on a solar installation can be recouped up to a third quicker when the costs of diesel and petrol are factored into the household budget equations. Ultimately, it’s just a matter of time before EVs are our main mode of road transport. Mass EV adoption in South Africa is not optional, and as I’ve said before, by the end of the decade many, if not all, of the barriers to EV entry will have toppled. I still predict that by 2030 the South African new car parc will be largely electrified. Edited from Janico Dannhauser, the Product and Pricing Manager for JLR South Africa, who serves on the NAAMSA EV sub-committee.
Volume 24 • Issue 3 3
JAGUAR MASCOTS – EVOLUTION IAN COOLING CONTINUES THE JAGUAR MASCOT STORY. PHOTOS BY TONY BAILEY
I
n my last article, I discussed the gestation and birth of Version 1 of the Gordon Crosby (GC) mascot - designed for the radiator cap - and Version 2 - designed for the bonnet. This time, I trace its evolution through Version 3 up to Version 8, when the story virtually ended.
spray. This test was also passed and thus was born V 4, the first of a line that ran through to V 8. The full range is shown in Tony Bailey’s superb composite photo
Version 4 Version 3 Version 3 Mark X saloon when it was launched in 1961. Factory papers confirm that it is a scaled-down copy of Version 2. I’ve never been able to track down the original drawings for the Version 3. However, one dated 1966 states that this mascot is “of identical form to BD 10954 (Version 2) and is scaled down at 1.538:1”. Overall, it is 5 inches nose to tail, compared with 7.75 for Version 1 and 2. Like V 2, they were made by Wilmot Breeden, whose project numbers appear on the beast’s “chest” between the front legs. So far, I’ve recorded - 7'24265, 7'24265’2, 7'24265’3 and 7’24265’4. One interesting snippet about V 3, is that after V 2 was discontinued in the early 1970s, Jaguar gave instructions on how to fit the smaller Version 3 mascot to the bonnets of Mark 1, Mark 2 and S Type Saloons. This was notified in Jaguar Service Bulletin N84 (Body) of November 1971. The 240, 340 and 420 saloons were not specified, but the same procedure would presumably work for them too. The V 3 story came to an end in 1968 with the arrival of the XJ saloons, which superseded 240, 340, 420 and 420G in one hit. 25 long years then elapsed before the X300 saloon started to ship out of Browns Lane in 1994 with mascots on proud display once more – but not for UK buyers
Safety This delay was mainly due to the emerging safety legislation on the dangers posed to the likes of pedestrians and cyclists by fixed mascots. Subsequent legislation emerged for North America and the EU, which included UK at that stage. Other markets duly followed. Two themes that were common to all, were - first, that mascots should retract, bend, or break off when subject to an impact of a certain force. Secondly, that they should not aggravate any injury sustained by any person hit by a vehicle or otherwise coming into contact with the mascot. In the States during this period, a steady demand emerged for mascots and in the absence of any from the company, car owners were turning to the replica makers. Their products were not all of a high standard, nor was the workmanship involved in mounting the mascots on bonnets that were not designed for this. These unauthorised fittings were an increasing source of problems and eventually Jaguar Cars Inc commissioned the small Rhode Island company Kennedy Inc, to come up with a suitable design that met the EU standards. By 1992, a Jaguar mascot has been designed and developed that passed the EU test. A further test required by Jaguar Cars was that the mascot should be resistant to chemical attack from salt
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This mascot Is of similar size to V 3 and as can be seen from the two photos, has a squared-off base unique amongst the safety mascots. So far as I have been able to ascertain, this was released in 1994, but was never a factory fitment only an approved aftermarket accessory for sale in the US only (and presumably Canada). The basic safety mechanism fitted to this mascot continues in its essentials through the full range. It consists of a single sprung wire retained by a metal loop. The wire fails at a loading of precisely 10 decanewtons (24 lbs).
Version 5 This Version appeared in 1994 and was the first factory-fitted safety mascot. It is the largest of the safety mascots and was also the first to be fitted with the “tear-drop” base that became standard for all subsequent safety mascots, albeit with individual variations. Larger than Version 4, this was made in die cast alloy by the company of Norfran based in the north of England and fitted to X300 saloons, but only for the export market, including the EU. Jaguar have not fitted these to cars destined for the home market and I understand that franchised dealers were forbidden to do so. As UK was then a member of the EU, this was clearly a Jaguar decision driven by reasons other than safety.
Version 6 This was available from January 1995 and is distinguished from Version 5 by its length – 22 mm shorter at 122 mm compared with 150 mm for Version 5 - and its location further towards the front of the base mounting. It was manufactured in the US for the US market
Version 7 This mascot was designed for the S-TYPE saloon and introduced with the car in 1999. Manufactured by Norfran once more, it was available on export models from the launch. Pre-launch literature for the UK market showed a car fitted with a mascot. However, the decision was clearly once more taken not to offer a mascot for the UK market.
Version 8 Like Version 7, this was designed with a specific car in mind - the X-TYPE saloon, launched in 2001. The different bonnet profile compared with the S-TYPE, needed a more upright stance for the mascot. It’s not immediately obvious, but a close comparison between V 7 and V 8 does show the differences and they were also given different part numbers. After V 8, the story weakens with fewer and fewer mascots being fitted to Jaguars across the world. Some owners found their own way around the problem. For example, a steady flow of cars being driven from England to France to have export mascots fitted to their UK cars!
For my part, I’d be very interested indeed to hear about the situation in South Africa. For example, were mascots fitted to Jaguars assembled at the Blackheath plant? If so, did the mascots arrive with the cars, or were they made locally? Or were mascots fitted to cars heading for South Africa fitted at Browns Lane? Also, how/when were the safety issues dealt with in South Africa? Looking forward, the third and final part of this series will review the main Jaguar mascots sold by commercial mascot-makers, rather than by Jaguar – quite a selection!
This photo uses three V 3 mascots to illustrate the three stages of plating mascots. The first stage is in the centre with the alloy mascot as cast, cleaned and ready for plating. The second stage is at the back, with the mascot now copper-plated to give a better key for the chrome. At front is the final stage with the mascot now in its full chrome-plated glory!
Text Ian Cooling / Pics Tony Bailey
A US-made V 4 mascot, showing its unique squared-off base. This was the first of the safety mascots with its spring-loaded mechanism, which is essentially the same across all the safety mascots.
Tony Bailey’s superb composite photo of Versions 4 to 8. Note the unique rectangular base to V 1 and the different angles of V 7 and V 7, designed for fitting on bonnets with different profiles.
A comparison between V 2 at the back and V 3. Note the small filet of metal below the tail on V 3. Earlier version lacked this.
V 4 again, showing the way the mascot swivelled on its mount. A safety requirement to lessen any side impact
Volume 24 • Issue 3 5
Left: This is the bonnet of an X300, pre-drilled to take a V 5 mascot. The tube with the sprung wire goes through the large central hole and is firmly secured to the bonnet by the large plastic nut. Small spigots slot into the two smaller holes to make sure the mascot is correctly aligned on the bonnet Right: And here it is in place!
A close-up of the way the safety wire is fitted to a V 4 mascot. This was the same across all the safety mascots
This V 5 mascot shows the two basic elements of these mascots. On the right is the base, which is firmly secured to the bonnet by the large plastic nut. The mascot on the left is the part that breaks away on impact.
This shows the complete V 5 mascot with both parts together and the sprung wire passing through the threaded tube with the break-off in the metal piece at the end of the wire.
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Another superb creation by Tony Bailey. This one is scaled and shows the different profiles of Versions 4 to 8. Details include – dates of introduction, lengths and part numbers. Note that both the US mascots retain their tails. Disgracefully, the others have been chopped off!
Sylvan Garage t/a
Reg. No: 2019/588779/07
Jeff’s Jags
Geoff Connor has been a Jaguar fanatic for over half a century and bought his first cat in 1979. Upon retirement, Geoff decided to start a small business specialising in the service, repair and restoration of Jaguar cars of all ages. We’re closely associated with the Jaguar Club Northern Regions and many of its members are regular clients. In our fully equipped workshop in Wadeville, we have the latest Jaguar-specific diagnostic equipment, electro-hydraulic lifts, special tools and five highly experienced mechanics. A panel beating area and a professional state-of-the-art paint spray booth have recently been completed, we’re installing wheel/tyre changing and balancing equipment enabling us to rebuild wire wheels, we now stock and fit “StrutMasters” coil-over conversion kits for air suspension models and we carry a large stock of used spare parts. In addition, there is "The Jaguar Exchange", where you can find a selection of classic used Jaguars for sale. These range from 1960s classics to XKs and saloons from the 2010s.
Please call Geoff Connor on 072 934 6966 any time to discuss how we can help you!!
Jeff's Jags, Unit 4C Charron Business Park, 105 Nagington Road Wadeville, Johannesburg 1422 072 934 6966
geoffconnor@rocketmail.com
Sylvan Garage
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JOHN LEWTHWAITE (011) 914 3730 lewtheng@iafrica.com P O Box 1341, Boksburg 1460
A South African C-Type THIS STORY REALLY BEGINS 70 YEARS AGO AT 24 HOURS OF LE MANS IN FRANCE – WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, IS THE HOME OF ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS MOTOR RACES. JAGUAR HAD WON THE RACE IN 1951, BUT IN 1952 ALL THREE CARS HAD RETIRED BEFORE NIGHTFALL.
T
hey needed to prove their capabilities in ’53, competing against Cunninghams., Ferraris Porsches and Alfa Romeos. Jaguar entered three C-Types that would be driven by its familiar and experienced roster of drivers that included: No.17 Stirling Moss and Peter Walker (XKC053) No. 18 Duncan Hamilton and Tony Rolt (XKC051) No. 19 Ian Stewart and Peter Whitehead (XKC052) The company also took a spare car (XKC012 and, despite the debacle from the previous year, Jaguar still felt confident leading up to the race. This confidence was justified when the works C-Types were immediately quick in practice, Hamilton's especially. "From the beginning, the cars went wonderfully well, no. 18 quite a bit faster than the other,” he said in his 1960 autobiography Touch Wood. But there was a major issue on the Friday morning caused when Jaguar's reserve driver, Norman Dewis, took the spare car that had also been given the number 18 for eight practice laps. Following Ferrari's protest that there had been two cars with the same number on the track at the same time, Hamilton and Rolt were disqualified. “Tony and I were bitterly disappointed,” Hamilton ruefully admitted in Touch Wood. “We didn’t believe we has one chance in a thousand of being allowed to race. Accordingly, we decided to drown our sorrows in the usual way."
Following an inquest into the matter, on the Saturday morning Jaguar's chairman, (Sir) William Lyons, was able to pay a 25 000 franc fine which settled the issue, Lyons then quickly drove into Le Mans in a Mk VII and found a hungover Rolt and Hamilton sitting in a restaurant drinking coffee. “I looked at my watch; it was 10am. In six hours’ time the starters' flag would fall” noted the driver. "Neither of us had had sleep and 24 hours of racing lay ahead. We went to our chateau and had hot baths; we drank more black coffee." But by 2pm the pair still felt dreadful. "l knew I could not race feeling as I did; there was only thing [to do] and that was a little of the hair of the dog. I ordered a double brandy; immediately I felt better. Tony tried the same medicine with equally happy results; by four o'clock we both felt fine." Different times, methinks. Following the traditional 4pm start, Moss in the no. 17 car quickly took the lead with Ascari's Ferrari close behind and Rolt's C-Type in third. To cut a long story short, our intrepid pair overtook Ascari’s Ferrari for the lead of the race at 8pm and took the chequered flag in first place 20 hours later. The win, apart from being Jaguar’s second at La Sarthe, was notable for two other factors. It was the first Le Mans won by a car equipped with disc brakes and the first one won at an average speed of over 100 mph. Fast forward to 2015 to Monterey, California, where on auction at R M Sotheby’s was a 1953 Jaguar works C-Type. The car that came on the block finished was number 19, which finished fourth overall at Le Mans that year. It was the second of the three works cars , which were the last three C-Types built by Jaguar. The hammer price for XKC052 was 13 200 000 US dollars. Now imagine you would like to acquire the car that actually won the race. XKC051 is tucked away in a private collection in Virginia in the United States – and is not for sale. But suppose you are a keen, long-term member of the JCNR and you have excellent Jaguar restoration skill and, furthermore, a son who is a bodywork craftsman. Maybe, just maybe you could create a “toolroom copy” of a 1953 C-Type. Some three years ago Kobus van Wyk was visiting a fellow enthusiast: “I noticed this inlet manifold on his workshop shelf, and I realised it was an absolute rarity, one of the few existing in the world. It was configured to take a set of three Weber 40 mm DCO3 carburettors, and at that time, only the three 1953 factory racing C-Types used Webers. The other 50 genuine C-Types were fitted with large SU carburettors“ he noted. ““That’s how the whole project started. It’s been a fascinating journey for myself and my son Conrad.”
XKC051 in the pits at Le Mans June 1953. Hamilton is on the pit wall, Lofty England to his right, with Rolt at the wheel. A young Stirling Moss runs by the bonnet.
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To build a C-Type from an inlet manifold rings a whole new meaning to “n boer maak n plan’!
Stuart Johnson, reporting for Automotive Refinisher notes that Kobus and Conrad went to extreme lengths to ensure the car they were building was true in every detail to the ’53 Le Mans winner. Initially Kobus had ordered a chassis from England, but, sadly, the company he was dealing with went out of business. The aluminium body was sourced from an English specialist firm, Shapecraft, run by Clive Smart, but with no chassis available, Conrad was given the task of designing and building the extremely complex tubular-steel chassis at his home workshop on the East Rand.
Conrad and Kobus van Wyk “I work with computer aided design programmes,” says Conrad, “ but initially I had to work only from dimensions that we acquired, and later a whole series of invaluable photographs that we were lucky to source through our Jaguar contacts in England. So, I drew each and every part on the computer and then translated that into the finished steel product. I did all the welding on the chassis myself, and many of the other components, including the air-box for the carburettors were fabricated here in South Africa.”
Jaguar C-Types were built in total, between 1951 and 153. Countless hours of research led him to sourcing the correct Salisbury differential for the car, while the beautiful silver-painted wheels came from a company in India, built to the exact same specs as the 1953 C-Type. Johnson reports that the six-cylinder twin cam Jaguar engine features the correct 3.4-litre configuration with high compression pistons, as used by the factory-entered racers in 1953 with a type C cylinder head. The sump is also a special hammerhead design for the C-Type, as the chassis design would not accept the standard XK120 sump. A snag came about when it was realised that commonly-available Weber side-draught carbs would not fit on the original manifold that started the whole project! The bolt pattern on the manifold to mount the carbs was unique to that 1953 C-Type, and so special remanufactured carburettors had to be sourced from Jerry Booyen of D-Type Developments in the UK. Kobus built the engine himself, and also obtained the correct close-ratio Moss four-speed gearbox for the car. The C-Type also uses the very rare steering rack as fitted to the original, and this had to be re-manufactured. The disc brakes on all four wheels are also dimensionally true to the original specification. Conrad recreated the fuel tank in aluminium, again to the original specifications, and used a unique annealing method to achieve the correct pressings in the tank to give it rigidity. He also made up the radiator himself using aluminium. Cosmetically the dashboard was designed to replicate the 1953 Le Mans winner, and Kobus explained that the speedometer is unique to the C-Type as it is marked up to 160 mph. The rev-counter, which is redlined at 6 500 rpm, also operates in a counter-clockwise direction. “Luckily Conrad’s wife Carmina is a graphic designer and she reproduced the dial graphics from photographs. We then had these silkscreened onto a brass base, and they look totally authentic” noted Kobus.
“As we had nothing of the specific C-Type suspension parts, we had to source all of them from the UK. They were very difficult to find and very costly. The car runs a torsion bar set-up with trailing arms, Panhard rod and splined front bottom wishbone arms. It uses the XK 120 top front suspension arms and stub axles” he added. As Kobus only restores cars to 100% originality, he will not tolerate any aftermarket modifications on his cars. This is not an easy task, as only 55
Volume 24 • Issue 3 9
Conrad also upholstered the seats, which sit on a tubular steel frame, with specially imported smooth Nappa leather in British racing green. “We managed to source the C-Type-specific aero windscreens for the car, and they are beautiful. The headlights are original items, and interestingly they incorporate a production indicator bulb as used in the XK120 road car. The steering wheel was made for me by Conrad, and although it has a wood rim, rather than Bakelite, I am using the wheel, as this was essentially a father-and-son project, very special to me.”
Kobus told Johnson that he is extremely proud of the work that Conrad did on the chassis construction, as the body was imported un-seen from England and yet fitted perfectly, simply bolting straight on without any modifications . “Our car is totally correct in all respects, as to the exact car that won the 1953 Le Mans 24-Hour. It is painted the exact same Jaguar British Racing Green as the original, the wheels are identical to the original, and the tyres are the correct size.” Kobus also ensured that he added the winning Number 18 from 1953 to the rear of his faithful recreation a world-famous racing car. Text Ed, quoting from Automotive Refinisher and proofread by Kobus van Wyk / Pics Kobus van Wyk
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Volume 24 • Issue 3 11
The XJ40 in Production LAST ISSUE WE LOOKED AT THE GENESIS (AND POLITICS) BEHIND THE EVOLUTION OF JAGUAR’S THEN NEW SALOON – CODENAMED THE XJ40. THE XJ40 WAS OFFICIALLY UNVEILED ON OCTOBER 8TH 1986 AS AN ALL-NEW, SECOND GENERATION OF THE XJ TO REPLACE THE XJ6 SERIES III.
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he XJ40 used the Jaguar independent rear suspension arrangement, and featured a number of technological enhancements, such as electronic instrument cluster. The 1993 XJ6 earned the title of "Safest Car in Britain" as the result of a government survey.
Mechanicals Initially, only two engines were offered across the XJ40 models: a 2.9 L and a 3.6 L version of the Jaguar AJ6 inline-six engine. In 1990, the 3.6 L was replaced by a 4.0 L model, and in 1991 the 2.9 L was replaced by a 3.2 L model. As described previously, the XJ40 bodyshell was allegedly engineered to prevent fitting V-configuration engines, in particular the Rover V8, which British Leyland management had desired. This delayed the introduction of the V12-powered XJ12 until 1993 as the front structure of the XJ40 had to be extensively redesigned. As a consequence, the preceding Series III XJ was kept in production in V12 form to cater for this market need until 1992.
Exterior The curvaceous lines of the outgoing Series XJ were replaced by the more angular, geometric shape of the XJ40. For the first production run, all headlamps fitted were a set of two round lamps inside a chrome housing with painted bezels or a set of form-fitting composite rectangular headlamps with power-wash sprayers. The latter were fitted to the higher trim levels: Sovereign and Daimler. During the 1990 model year refresh, the United States-specified XJ40 received the composite headlamps for all trim levels.
The bumper is a visually distinct black-rubber-covered bar that runs the full width of the car, and incorporates the sidelights and indicator lights. The bonnet is hinged at the front. Window frames are either chromed or black, depending on model. Rain gutters, door mirrors, and door handles are also finished in chrome. All XJ40s have a chrome surround for the windshield and a single wide-sweeping wiper. Early low-specification cars were fitted with metric-sized steel wheels and plastic wheel covers. (A pain in the tail to source. Ed.) From 1991, the wheels were changed to imperial sizing. The automatic gearbox used in the 2.9 L, 3.2 L, and 3.6 L six-cylinder cars was the four-speed ZF 4HP22. On the 4.0 L, the four-speed ZF 4HP24 was used. A stronger automatic gearbox was required for the V12 engineequipped cars, and the four-speed GM 4L80-E was selected. The manual gearbox fitted to early cars was the five-speed Getrag 265, while later cars received the Getrag 290. The automatic transmission selector was redesigned to allow the manual selection of forward gears without accidentally selecting neutral or reverse. This new feature was dubbed the J-Gate and remained a staple of all Jaguar models up until the 2008 Jaguar XF, when shift by wire technology rendered it redundant; all subsequent Jaguar models now use a rotary knob for transmission mode selection. (As Jim Randle – Jaguar’s Engineering Director at the time – was involved in the design, the gear shift was nicknamed “the Randle Handle.” Ed.)
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Interior The interior of the XJ40 was trimmed with either walnut or rosewood, and either cloth or leather upholstery depending on model. Until 1990, cars were fitted with an instrument binnacle that used digital readouts for the ancillary gauges. Instrumentation included a vacuum fluorescent display named the Vehicle Condition Monitor (VCM), which contained a 32x32 dot-matrix screen capable of 34 functions. The VCM was able to alert the driver of bulb failure, brake pad wear, unlatched doors/boot, and low coolant level. The binnacle was notoriously unreliable, and from 1990 on the binnacle was redesigned to use analogue gauges. Early cars used a two-spoke steering wheel that was later changed for a four-spoke airbag-equipped wheel. The glovebox was removed on later cars because of the space occupied when the passenger-side airbag was introduced.
A rare long-wheelbase model named the Majestic was produced in 1993 and 1994. These vehicles started life as a SWB body that was then taken away from the standard production line and stretched by Project Aerospace in Coventry, before being returned to Castle Bromwich plant for paint before being finally assembled on the production line at Browns Lane under the direction of Jaguar Special Vehicle Operations. This meant the Majestic carried a significant price premium over the standard models. There was a Short Wheel Base (SWB) version on the regular wheelbase for the United States market only from 1989-1992, called the Vanden Plas Majestic but badged as Majestic. These cars were mostly finished in Regency Red (with Red Lattice alloys), apart from the 1992 cars which were finished in Black Cherry (with Oyster Roulette alloys).
Gold 1994 The Gold model was introduced in 1994 with a limited set of features and options, and for a modest price. It was available in fewer exterior colours than other models, and was identified by a gold-plated badge on the boot and gold growler badge at the top of the radiator grille. Gold cars were fitted with the Kiwi-style wheels and painted with twin coachlines.
Insignia
Models XJ6, 1986–1994 The base XJ6 of the model range was modestly equipped. Extra-cost options included alloy wheels, anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, leather upholstery, and an automatic transmission. The exterior featured two pairs of circular headlamps and black powder-coated window frames. The Sovereign model came equipped with significantly more features than the base XJ6. Included was air conditioning, headlamp washers, a six-speaker sound system, rear self-levelling suspension (SLS), anti-lock braking system, and inlaid burl walnut wood trim (pre-MY1991).
In 1992, when Jaguar closed the DS420 Limo shop, all the craftsmen were left standing idle. Jaguar devised Insignia: a bespoke service for the XJ40/ XJ81 and XJS, where prospective owners could specify special paint, trim, wood, and wheels at additional cost in any given combination. 318 XJ40 Insignias were produced, most of them can be identified by the oblong gold-on-black Insignia badges on the front wings, and by their abovestandard interiors. All of the interior trim was done in leather. Special paint colours were introduced for the Insignia.
XJR 1993 Jaguar XJR The XJR, introduced in 1988, was a high-performance model that was finished by the Oxfordshire-based JaguarSport company, a dual venture by Jaguar and Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) team, at TWRs Kidlingtonbased factory alongside the XJ220. Based upon a Sovereign model, it was fitted with uprated suspension with unique Bilstein dampers, a revised power steering valve to increase the steering weight by 40% and special exterior paint and exterior styling touches. Early examples were fitted with a 3.6 L AJ6 engine in standard tune but later models had a TWR tuned version of the 4.0 AJ6, with new inlet manifolds, uprated cams, and a tweaked ECU. Some examples are also fitted with a larger bore JaguarSport exhaust system.
Sport, 1993-1994 Late in the XJ40 run 3.2S and 4.0S in 1993-1994, Jaguar introduced the Sport model. It was available only with the six-cylinder engine and featured rosewood interior trim. Both the door mirrors and radiator grill vanes were colour-keyed to the body, which was decorated with twin coachlines. Wider-profile tires were fitted, mounted on five-spoke alloy wheels.
Volume 24 • Issue 3 13
The XJR differed cosmetically from other XJ40 models with its bodycoloured body kit, consisting of new front and rear valances and side skirts, all from fiberglass, a black grill with a JaguarSport badge in it and unique Speedline alloy wheels with wider tyres. Later models had ducting fitted to the front valance to feed cool air directly to the brake discs. The interior featured a leather MOMO steering wheel, JaguarSport logos on the dial faces, leather shift knob, and seat headrests embossed with the JaguarSport logo. The XJR model was introduced in 1988 and ceased production in 1994. In 1991, the appearance of the XJR changed when it switched to the square headlights of the Sovereign model and was fitted with a different design of body kit. Only a few hundred of each variation were produced, making the cars rare today.
XJ12 and Daimler Double Six (XJ81) Daimler Double Six (XJ81) Given the model code XJ81, the XJ40-based XJ12 and Daimler Double Six were introduced at the Amsterdam Auto Show in February 1993 and powered by a 6.0-litre version of the Jaguar V12 engine.[5] This was mated to a GM 4L80E 4-speed automatic gearbox. It could be identified by the XJ12 or Double Six badge on the rear and a V12 emblem on the glovebox. The XJ12 used the two twin-headlamp pairs, black radiator grille vanes, and a gold growler badge on the radiator grille top, while the Daimler received the rectangular headlamps.
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Daimler/Vanden Plas The Daimler Company-branded cars represented the highest trim level, and were sold as their Vanden Plas model by Jaguar dealers in the United States. Like the Sovereign, it was fitted with the single rectangular headlamps. Cosmetically, it differed from other models with its fluted radiator grille surround, boot-lid plinth and detail finishes. A Daimler interior features fold-out picnic tables for the rear passengers and a twopassenger rear seat versus the flat, three-passenger item on the Jaguars.
Wikipedia Comments Keith Adams at ArOnline: “When the XJ40 was finally revealed to the world, there was palpable relief – most notably from Jaguar executives and salesmen who had something new to sell. The fact its design so clearly harked back to the XJ Series 3 was met with some puzzlement in the press – but customers loved it. You see, the old girl had survived middle-age and arrived into its pensionable status with the maximum of grace – no doubt an advantage bestowed upon it through elegant design. But. And this the big but – the XJ40’s arrival following its lengthy gestation did set forth a period of design retro at Jaguar that the company only managed to shake off with the arrival of the new XJ back in 2009. But what of the XJ40? Clearly it was good, as it needed to improve on the strengths of the original car. So, it rode even more smoothly and quietly for a start. It might not have been too roomy compared with the German briefcases it fought against, but there was definitely more stowage space for golf clubs in its drooping boot, and rear passengers didn’t need to feel quite so snug together as they did before. The new AJ6 slant-six twin-cam was clearly a step forward after the old XK in terms of efficiency. The 3.6 was had a sporting growl to it (no doubt after being perfected in the XJ-S 3.6), but just like back in 1968, the entry level engine (a 2.9 single cam) wasn’t quite up to the job. But what it did do, was offer
executive buyers the opportunity to buy a new Jaguar for less money than a top of the range Rover. The XJ40’s launch passed off well. And sales saw an immediate uplift, which was nothing but good news for an independent Jaguar. It was good, too, as contemporary (UK) road tests saw it come top in group test after group test. And that success probably helped encourage both Ford and General Motors consider buying the company. While the politics went on the foreground, Jaguar engineers were already working hard to improve the XJ40. They worked on bigger AJ6s, and a more traditional instrument display to replace the ‘Tokyo by Night’ digital set up in the original car. And in 1989, around the time it became clear that Ford was going to become Jaguar’s new owner (after a £1.6bn offer was accepted by Jaguar’s management), the fruits of that labour was announced. The XJ40 was getting better with each passing year.” Keith Adams / AROnline The original 1986 car gave way to the heavily revised Jaguar XJ (X300) in 1994, followed by the Jaguar XJ (X308) in 1997. The XJ40 and its later derivatives is to date the second longest running XJ platform, with a total production run of 17 years. More of this in our next issue. Ed.
Volume 24 • Issue 3 15
Jaguars Sold by
R M SOTHEBY’S at Monterey in August 2023
1957 XKSS - $13,205,000
1952 C-TYPE – POR
1949 XK120 ALLOY - $190 400 16 Volume 24 • Issue 3
1964 E-TYPE DHC - $285 500
1955 D-TYPE – POR
1994 XJ200 - $687 000
1962 E-TYPE FHC - $184 800
1991 XJR-15 – POR Volume 24 • Issue 3 17
THUNDERCAT – Part 3
M
y apologies to our readers – and to Clinton Laurens in particular – the tail end of last issue's article got truncated between the editor, layout and printing.
We have also developed a fantastic relationship with the guys at Motul South Africa which was a match made in heaven. Motul launched their performance lubricant alongside the Tom Walkinshaw XJ-S in the 1980s making this the ideal relationship.
Picking up from the manifold description:
Laude Motors The intake manifolds are being refabricated to a design that we put together which we will be calling the “Thundercat Racing Intake Manifold” along with a trick fuel injection system. A hell of a lot of the changes made were strongly influenced by the guys from the original Tom Walkinshaw Racing team. Guys like Donald Miles, from Melvin Hooker in the UK, as well as assistance from David Becvar (DBRC), who races a Thundercat (Jaguar XJS V12) very successfully in the Histo Cup in the Czech Republic. This is a Pan European racing series, which runs at the Automotodrom Slovakia Ring, Hungaroring, Brno Circuit, Le Mans, Monza and other big race circuits, where they compete against the likes of Porsche, Alfa and BMW. . The Thundercat of David Becvar goes extremely well and is subsequently running the LAUDE ceramic coated bearings which, according to David Becvar, are in a class of their own. We proudly see our LAUDE branding now featured on his Thundercat in Europe at the Histo Cup. We have also had some assistance from Mike Roddy who owns the original Tom Walkinshaw race car in Australia and the list of names could truly go on of who has influenced the decisions we have made. Some of the decisions have been made by our financial capabilities. Some guys are easily spending in excess of a hundred thousand dollars on a racing engine, well…we don’t have that kind of money available to us and we are obviously doing things within our budget. In saying that though we have had a lot of the technical guidance from our guys to assist us in making technical decisions from people like David, Donald, Melvin, etc who have provided us with the basic specifications and we have then has to configure these specifications and fabricate things locally here in South Africa instead of sourcing them abroad.
Since this article was posted Thundercat has been prowling the hill and tracks of South Africa. Piloted by Clinton, she has raced at Killarney in the Western Cape – and has finished in the points. Clinton was competing in the pre-1990s category in the Western Cape Historic Racing.
She has also competed in the 2023 Simola Hill Climb where she achieved a time of 1:00:13 running on Classic Car Friday. Clinton was competing against the likes of Porsche 911 RSRs and Ferrari F348s.
To take a step back, one of the problems we have internationally is that there is a huge amount of expertise out there on these V12 motors and racing them but nobody is sharing this information or making kits available for people to make their XJS’s faster. Let’s put it this way, there are people out there that are doing this incredibly successfully but with the Rand to Pound or Rand to Euro exchange rate, it is completely out of reach for the majority of people, especially for those based in South Africa. So, our objective here is to create a bit of market where we export these at Rand value into Europe as well as a cost-effective solution available to South African enthusiasts where they can buy a “Thundercat Kit” from us. The kit will include a set of prepared cylinder heads with camshafts, different valves, pistons, block, crankshafts, etc. We are also currently working on a set of cylinder heads which we have had completely reported and have three angle-cut valves inside the cylinder head, racing profile cam shafts, the exhaust and intake ports have been cleaned up and cleared out (gas-flowed) as well as modern injectors.
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So, what next, you may ask – glad you did. Thundercat is back in Laude Motor’s workshop pursuing a quest for more power and less weight – the two Holy Grails of motorsport. Currently the engine is out and the bodyshell awaiting attention. Clinton plans 100kg mass loss including a plastic back window and fibreglass panels, There will be more engine mods and a new six-speed gearbox, as well as an increased diff ratio.
Some of the extra power may be garnered from attention to exquisitely fabricated inlet manifolding. We will bring you an update of Thundercat’s progress in a future issue. Text Ed / Pics Derek Sturgess
Volume 24 • Issue 3 19
Jaguar E-Type ZP COLLECTION Dateline Coventry - June 6th 2023: Jaguar Classic is celebrating the race winning pedigree of the iconic E-Type by producing seven exclusive pairs of E-Type ZP Collection vehicles. (Don’t ask – you can’t afford one. Ed.) These new luxury collectibles honour the first E-Types in competition, which were produced under the project name “ZP”. Only months after the E-Type’s introduction in 1961, these lightly modified racing E-Types designed by Jaguar celebrated their first victories. Each pair of E-Type ZP Collection vehicles includes a drophead coupe and a fixed head coupe finished in liveries inspired by those original race winning cars and comprehensively restored by the experts at Jaguar Classic Works in Coventry. The two inspiration cars are typically referred to by their registration numbers, ‘ECD 400’ and ‘BUY 1’, and were driven by Graham Hill and Roy Salvadori respectively in the 1960s. The E-Type ZP Collection feature engineering upgrades and enhancements to make them more usable for customers. Claude Baily, Chief Designer at Jaguar at the time, detailed the specification of these seven Project ZP vehicles only the day after the E-Type was launched to huge fanfare at Geneva. Each received engine modifications and enhancements for components such as the cylinder block and cylinder head and the inclusion of a close ratio gearbox. Just one month later ‘ECD400’ and ‘BUY1’ took first and third positions in the Oulton Park Trophy for GT cars on 15th April 1961. The victorious Indigo Blue E-Type ‘ECD 400’ at Oulton Park was driven by Graham Hill, while ‘BUY 1’, a Pearl Grey example, was driven by Roy Salvadori and placed third. Salvadori then went on to win at Crystal Palace on 21st May 1961. In total, between 1961 and 1964, the E-Types were a standout success and achieved 24 podium finishes. The first of the pair honours Hill’s drophead coupe., and features a black hood and a range of exterior details that pays homage to Hill’s race-winning vehicle. The roundels on the bonnet and door are finished in white, with matching front ‘lipstick’ round the inside of the front air intake. The interior features a uniquely authentic specification, finished in red leather by Bridge of Weir and in-period Hardura trim.
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The second vehicle in each pair honours the E-Type driven by Salvadori. While all of the original Project ZP cars were based on drophead coupes, this one is reimagined as a fixedhead coupe, giving clients and collectors examples of both body designs. Both cars are fitted with an engraving from artist Johnny “King Nerd” Dowell. The drophead design features engravings of the car’s silhouette, the Oulton Park track layout with a start/finish flag, honouring the first race win by Graham Hill – and Hill’s famous quote: “In a race my car becomes part of me, and I become part of it” and one half of a laurel wreath, again, signifying the original vehicle’s race win. The fixed-head coupe design includes the other half of the laurel wreath engraved on the console of the Oulton Blue car. The track outline is of Crystal Palace and text spells out Roy Salvadori’s nickname “King of the Airfields” alongside a silhouette of the vehicle. As a final touch, each vehicle comes with a period helmet to match those worn by Hill and Salvadori in the period. Later in 2023, Jaguar’s SV Bespoke personalisation team will unveil a limited-edition production run of matching F-TYPE ZP Editions inspired by the E-Type ZP Collection. Fourteen of these final 5.0-litre supercharged V8 Jaguar sports cars will be reserved for E-Type ZP Collection clients, creating an unrepeatable celebratory quartet. JLR
Volume 24 • Issue 3 21
Mustang Sally Run
O
n a sunny morning of Sunday August 20th, the Jaguar Club met with the Cobra club at Shell Ultracity, Samrand on the N1North for a meet and greet at 08h00. Bob Brown, our vice-chairman and Heinrich Du Preez President of the Cobra Club of South Africa, exchanged thanks and gifts before our departure at 08h30 to our venue in Pretoria namely Mustang Sally’s. There were approximately 22 Cobras and 22 Jaguars. The silence was broken by the thunder of V8s as we departed. It was thrilling to drive in convoy with the Cobras escorted by Metro Police. The N1 was cleared by them and we made our way to Montana where Mustang Sally’s staff greeted us warmly. The cars were parked in all their glory particularly the colours of the Cobras which shone in the sunshine. Cobras have an interesting history. Carroll Shelby developed the Cobra along with AC of England, and this great looking automobile was also “Powered by Ford”. The Cobra models were built by Shelby-American in Los Angeles with small block engines during the years 1961-1965, and big block engines were used from 1965-1967.The AC Cobra was sold in the United States as the Shelby Cobra. It is a sports car manufactured by British company AC Cars, with a Ford V8 engine. It was produced intermittently in both the United Kingdom and later the United States since 1962.
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The venue Mustang Sally’s resembles a typical American diner filled with nostalgia. Posters of greats such as Elvis and Marilyn Monroe adorn the walls. It was established in 2016 named after the song Mustang Sally. The name Mustang Sally originates from singer and songwriter Mack Rice after visiting a friend and fellow singer Della Reese. He was inspired by the Ford Mustang. The song Mustang Sally was released in 1965 as a single. We embarked on a colourful lunch with main course of varieties of giant burgers such as New Orleans, Jail house Rock and JF Kennedy Hotties, among others. This was followed by decadent desserts such as chocolate waffles and milkshakes of every variety. Lunch was enjoyed by all and many guests lingered to enjoy the ambience. It was an exciting day out with both Cobra members and Jaguar members experiencing great camaraderie. Text Eric and Mary Kaeflein / Pics Fiona Brittion and Bob Brown
Red Ivory Weekend “LIFE IS NOT MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF BREATHS WE TAKE, BUT BY THE MOMENTS THAT TAKE OUR BREATH AWAY.” – ANON 1971. THIS IS THE HEADING FOR THE RED IVORY WEBSITE. ON THE SECOND WEEKEND IN OCTOBER THE JCNR HAD THEIR ANNUAL LADIES EVENT AT JAMES GIBSON’S VENUE – A STONE’S THROW FROM HARTBEESPOORT DAM. HENCE, ANNE AND I SET OFF ON THE SATURDAY MORNING WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS. WE WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED.
A
fter taking a slow drive out to Red Ivory, we checked in to a luxurious room, complete with en-suite bathroom and veranda. There was an optional “booze cruise” on the dam late afternoon, which Anne elected to take. She noted that it started a bit late and the music was somewhat loud, otherwise a nice experience. There were a group of folks on board all wearing captain’s hats as part of a marketing promotion. After some negotiation by his wife, Ayn, Bob Brown returned proudly wearing one of said hats for the evening events. More peacefully, I spent the afternoon admiring the view and conversing with other club members. The evening commenced with a few drinks (surprise, surprise) on the balcony overlooking the Magaliesbergs – quaintly described in Wikipedia as a modest but well-defined mountain range. The scenery was anything but modest! A plated dinner followed, which again lived up to all of our expectations. After the starters there was a short JCNR happening. First, Bob Brown gave a eulogy to Jach Lewthwaite, remembering all he has done over many years for our club. Next was a brief overview celebrating ten years of the Jaguar F-TYPE given by yours truly. This was followed by the announcement of “long-service” awards, given to the members of the JCNR of over twenty years standing. Last, but not least, Bob interviewed Andie Palmer on her experiences owning and driving an F-TYPE. Despite his attempts to emulate Jeremy Clarkson, Andie gave back as good as she got, noting that, of all the cars she has owned, the F-Type is up there at the top. That gave us the appetite for main course and dessert, which rounded off the evening. However, it is possible that some folk stayed on for another wee dram or two. Next morning - as Samuel Pepys would say - I was up betimes and, as the distaff side was still snoozing, I sat on the balcony and enjoyed a cup of tea and a book for an hour. Apart from the distant growl of a Harley-Davidson morning run and the gentle sound of birds chirping, the silence and solitude was magic. And so to breakfast, an excellent buffet, with bacon, eggs and all the fixings. And, of course, chats to fellow members, some of whom seemed a little quieter than usual. “Depart at your own leisure after breakfast on Sunday morning” said Gerry Kramer’s invitation – so we did. As Leonard Bouman noted: “This weekend was one for the books. Thanks to all.” So, James, Gerry, Bob and all those involved – our thanks. Text Ed / Pics Ayn Brown / Peter Herbst Volume 24 • Issue 3 23
Specialising in rebuilding classic JAGUARS and other British cars. British Sports Cars have moved to 58 road no.4, Brentwood Park, Benoni and we are now working on modern Jaguars as well. Our contact details for new owner Piet Bateman are: Workshop: 011 421 0531 Cell: 079 873 4029 Email: piet.bateman@gmail.com
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Another Blonde Story Carolyn, a rich blonde, buys a new automatic Jaguar XKR Sport. She drives the car perfectly well during the day, but at night, it just won't move at all. After trying to drive at night for a week, with no luck, she furiously calls the dealers and they send out a technician to help... He examines the car and finds nothing wrong with it, so he asks, "Ma'am, are you sure you are using the right gears?" Full of anger, she growls, "How on earth you could ask such a question!? I'm not stupid, you know! Of course, I am using the right gears; I use D during the day and N at night."
NEW MEMBERS 2023 The JCNR would like to welcome the following new members who have joined us recently:
Mike Abramson from Khyber Rock. Mike has a three Jaguars - an E-Type, a Suffolk SS100 and an XK 140.
Dee Legg from Smithfield. Dee has a 1968 Jaguar 420.
Arther Zulu of Saxonwold, who runs a 2006 X-TYPE.
Frank Brand of Highlands North, who drive a 2003 XJ8.
Anthony Haldenby of Edenvale. Anthony enjoys his 5-litre F-TYPE.
24 Volume 24 • Issue 3
FORMULA E UPDATE Dateline Rome – July 15th 2023: Formula E: Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) became the first polesitter to stride to victory in Rome in Round 13, besting the rest in a race of two halves, split by a massive multi-car shunt on lap 9. Only fourteen cars made the restart, with Sacha Fenestraz (Nissan) heading the pack away with Evans in tow. The Jaguar driver put in the fastest lap of the race twice in a row and regained the lead, running there to the flag, as he headed home Nick Cassidy (Envision) and Maximilian Guenther (Maserati MSG Racing). JTCSR: Mitch Evans stood on the top step of the podium in the eternal city for the fourth time, while the team took their second ever front row lock-out. In the opening laps of the race, Mitch and Sam rotated for the lead. Sam was having a strong race until he lost control in turn 6., resulting in his retirement and a red flag. At the restart, Mitch continued from second, fighting for the lead with Sacha Fenestraz and Jake Dennis, who both had to drop back giving Mitch the opportunity to pass and pull clear, creating a gap to the rest of the field. Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy came through to finish in second place, resulting in a Jaguar powertrain 1-2.
Dateline Rome – July 16th 2023: Formula E: Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti) took full advantage of his rivals' misfortune to hammer his authority home in Round 14 with the first Grand Slam of the GEN3 era: pole position, fastest lap and the race win - leading every lap of the race. Dennis led away from pole and just
about kept himself out of the absolute disaster that struck his closest title rivals Nick Cassidy (Envision Racing) and Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing). As the former took a look at Dennis for the lead, Evans lost the rear of his Jaguar, clipped the leader's car and spectacularly launched over the top of Cassidy's Envision Jaguar. From there, Dennis scampered away to the tune of three seconds at the chequered flag - helped by Nissan's Norman Nato managing to hold off Sam Bird (Jaguar TCS Racing). JTCSR: Sam Bird secured a third-place podium finish in Round 14. In the first lap of the race, Mitch overtook the Nissan of Norman Nato, moving up into third. He was battling for second place with Nick Cassidy, when he had a rear-wheel lock-up resulting in a crash with Cassidy that brought him back into the pits. The team attempted to repair his car, but unfortunately had to retire due to safety concerns. Sam moved up to third following the accident and throughout the rest of the 24-lap race was battling with Norman Nato and Sébastien Buemi for a podium finish. Volume 24 • Issue 3 25
Dateline London – July 29th 2023:
Dateline London – July 30th 2023:
Formula E: Jake Dennis navigated a crazy Round 15 to come home second; enough to make sure of sealing the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Drivers' Championship, as Mitch Evans took the chequered flag first for Jaguar TCS Racing. Sebastien Buemi (Envision Racing) rounded out the podium.
Formula E: Nick Cassidy led the charge from the front for Envision Racing amid ultra-tricky, wet conditions in a delay-hit Round 16 - leading lightsto-flag for a fourth win of the season. After wet weather delays, Cassidy strode to a comfortable race win - heading home Mitch Evans and new champion Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti) to deliver the Teams' crown to Jaguar customers Envision Racing, ahead of the factory Jaguar TCS Racing squad.
JTCSR: The British team took the teams’ championship battle right up to the wire, securing an almighty 40 points. Mitch started the race in sixth place after a five-place grid penalty, with Sam Bird in ninth. Throughout the race, action-packed from start to finish, Mitch climbed an impressive five places to lead the pack from lap 9. During lap 15, a safety car was deployed, while Lap 29 saw another safety car, before a red flag and race stoppage. At the rolling restart Mitch led Sébastien Buemi, António Félix da Costa and Jake Dennis before a second red flag was flown just minutes later when the track was blocked due to an incident at turn 19. The second race restart saw Mitch hold his lead, pull clear and take the chequered flag, securing his fourth win of the season. In the midst of an aggressive pack, Sam navigated his way into fourth after a penalty was applied to Da Costa.
26 Volume 24 • Issue 3
JTCSR: Coming into the final race, Jaguar TCS Racing were equal on points with Envision Racing. Mitch Evans lined up on the front row of the grid with Sam Bird in sixth. The opening five laps of the rain-affected race were led by the safety car before the E-Prix was red flagged due to safety concerns. The race was red flagged once more before the green flag was waved, an hour and a half after the race was due to start. After the rolling restart, Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans pulled clear of the field and, between them, were fighting to define the teams’ title. After 30 laps of incredibly difficult racing conditions, the Envision of Nick Cassidy managed to achieve the win ahead of Mitch by just 4.9 seconds. Meanwhile, Sam Bird, drove an efficient and clean race to bring the car home in seventh position around the ExCeL circuit.
Formula E Season 9 Wrap-Up Dateline London – July 31st 2023 After 16 races across 11 cities and five continents, Jaguar TCS Racing finished runners-up in the 2023 Formula E World Championship with 292 points – the team’s biggest points haul in Formula E. With 11 podiums, four wins, three Pole positions, the team have seen great success. Mitch Evans finished third in the Drivers’ World Championship with 197 points, his biggest points haul in Formula E, and only two points behind secondplace Nick Cassidy.
Sam Bird finished the season in eighth. Having joined Jaguar in 2020, Sam has been a fundamental part of the team, achieving seven podiums and two wins., As a veteran within the paddock, this year Sam competed in his 100th Formula E race. James Barclay, JTCSR Team Principal commented “I would like to extend a huge thank you to Sam. It’s been an amazing three years together and he has contributed to the success we’ve seen as a team” Despite the plaudits, NEOM McLaren has announced that Sam will line up for their team in the 2023/24 season. The 29 and 7 points scored by Nick Cassidy and Sébastien Buemi respectively, meant Envision Racing, Jaguar’s customer team, clinched the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship title with 304 championship points.
“What an incredible season of racing in the new Gen3 era of Formula E. To decide the Championship in the final race against our customer team is a true testament to the performance of the Jaguar I-TYPE 6. Whilst it’s disappointing not to have taken the Teams’ World Championship title, I’m incredibly proud of all that we have achieved as a manufacturer and team this year. A Jaguar 1-2 in the Teams’ Championship with Envision Racing winning is an exceptional result,” said James Barclay.
Dateline Grove – Augst 7th 2023 Jaguar TCS Racing have today announced its full driver line-up for the 2024 season, New Zealander, Nick Cassidy, will join the team from next year, following his most successful Formula E season to date. He was instrumental in winning the Teams’ World Championship with Envision Racing, driving a Jaguar I-TYPE 6. Nick joins Mitch Evans in the British team, who has been confirmed to remain with Jaguar TCS Racing for season 10 and beyond. The two Kiwis will be one of the strongest driver line-ups on the grid, with 15 wins, 37 podiums, 11 pole positions and 1076 championship points between them.
The 2024 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will begin on 13 January 2024 in Mexico City, for the first of 17 rounds of exciting wheelto-wheel racing on street circuits in the heart of the world’s cities. Formula E / Jaguar TCS Racing
Volume 24 • Issue 3 27
The Challenges of Refurbishing a Mark 2 Tool Kit – Part Two Refurbishing the tools After making enquiries about metal blackening for the tools it was suggested that I contact a firearms dealer who might be the best person to undertake such a task. I eventually found a gun smith who was willing to undertake the task, but he was in Vereeniging, rather far away and the quotation provided seemed rather high, so I decided to look at other possibilities first. After some searching, I came across a process known as Cerakote which was a relatively new electrostatically applied thin coating developed in the US in 1984, akin to powder coating, which was being used extensively in the aerospace industry as well as on firearms. The coating is a heat-cure polymer-ceramic composite using ceramic technologies. It was originally conceived as a protective coat for powder coatings on high performance parts, but soon developed into a highly durable rust proof firearm coating. It is highly versatile and can be applied to a wide variety of materials including metals, plastics, and wood. It offers resistance against abrasion, wear, corrosion, and chemicals. The C series Cerakote can also be used as an extreme high temp polymer-ceramic air cure coating for exhaust systems and engine parts that are exposed to high temperatures. The coating is also available in a wide range of colours and finishes for many different applications and seemed to be perfect finish for the tools. Upon contacting Cerakote I was directed to a Mr Zaak Kriel in Kempton Park who was able to apply Cerakote coating to other applications besides firearms, including automotive parts. I contacted Zaak and he happily agreed to assist saying that he had Graphite Black and some Armor Black material available which would be suitable for the tools. The Cerakote finishes were all matt in appearance and not glossy, which seemed perfect. He suggested that the grease guns be coated in Satin Aluminium. This sounded like a great idea and the tools from both kits were promptly packed up and sent off by courier to him.
The tools being stripped prior to recoating it took a while to get the tools back, but the Christmas period had intervened and Zaak had a few other urgent jobs to attend to. As there was no real urgency in this, I left it to Zaak to work his magic. He kept in regular touch with me and reported that the grease guns had been the most challenging, as this required first removing all traces of the old, encrusted grease. However, it was not long before he sent me photos of the finished tools, which looked magnificent in a beautiful satin finish. I observed thar the coating had been applied to the jaws of the shifting spanners which was not quite correct. No problem, He soon removed this leaving the jaws in bright shining metal. Soon thereafter the tools arrived back and the ones that had been coated looked like new. The tools from the black based tool kit before refurbishment
Volume 24 • Issue 3 29
The inside of the lid and Tecalemit Label The inside lid of the toolkit case was originally lined with thin foam. Over time this had faded and become stained, so I decide to replace it. I discovered a foam factory in Pretoria West kindly who gave me some offcuts of very thin white foam and at the same time I bought some 10 mm foam in the hope that this thicker material might suitable. Unfortunately, it was not. The toolkits on the Mark 2 were supplied with a Tecalemit GC 3020 Grease gun. Tecalemit was originally a French lubrication equipment company established in May 1922 that later set up a factory in London, UK and became a supplier or grease guns and grease nipples to SS Jaguar. Today the company still makes garage equipment. Wrapped around the grease gun supplied with the Mark 2 tool kit was a white label with red lettering containing filling instructions. Another copy of the filling instructions was stuck to the foam lining on the inside lid of the toolkit. These filling instructions are often missing from toolkits but are an important element of the kit. Some research revealed that reproductions of the filling instructions were on sale on eBay, but they did not look like they were of particularly good quality and were also very expensive at around $15.00, so I decided that I would have a go at producing an authentic copy.
The tools being Cerakoted
The Screws Now it would be a case of getting everything back together. When I came to reassemble the first box, I noticed that quite a lot of the original doomed black screws were either missing or were in poor shape. I then set about trying to find replacements. Trying to match small black sixtyyear-old self-tapping screws proved to be an impossible mission, even in the UK, and in most instances my enquiries were met with a mixture of disbelief and amusement. I came across a firm in the UK that claimed to specialise in fasteners and screws for classic cars who even claimed that they could remanufacture obsolete items. I approached them with great hopes, but they were absolutely useless and a dead loss. After searching on the internet and eBay without success, I decided that the best option would be to use new chrome screws which were similar in appearance. If anything, this produced a superior appearance.
The black slotted screws securing metal trim
30 Volume 24 • Issue 3
The Tecalemit label I carefully removed the original label from the lid of the toolbox, which was now rather faded and dirty looking, but still intact and clearly legible. I then took this to a local print shop. They said they could reproduce this if I paid for the artwork charges. I agreed to this and duly paid the charges. Shortly thereafter I received a rather cryptic message about the font saying that this would be Ariel. I replied that I need an authentic copy of the label and shortly thereafter to my shock, received a proof which simply contained the text typed out on a computer! The artwork on the Tecalamit name was completely missing! I replied with a rocket pointing out I could have done what they supplied myself, that they were in effect committing fraud and demanded my money back. The next day I was contacted by the Manager who could be apologetic enough and acknowledged that what they had done was completely wrong. She
insisted that they would put it right and I agreed to give them another chance. A while later another version was received. Better but not perfect with some details missing and with no spacing between certain words. Like s schoolteacher I corrected the text and sent it back. More revision work was done, with a better result, but the Tecalemit logo was still not quite correct. I discussed the matter with my eldest daughter who was confident that she could produce a better result. However, as she was very busy this would take some time to do. I then decided to go ahead with their attempt in the meantime and got them to print some labels on normal paper and some a thicker self-adhesive backing to use on the inside of the tool lid.
The Outcome I now have two completely refurbished tool kits that look as close as possible to when they were first placed in the boot well of a brand-new Mark 2. These tool kits are really a thing of beauty to behold although their practical use today is very limited. If anyone is looking for a fully refurbished tool kit, contact me. I may be persuaded to part with one. And if your toolkit is missing the Tecalemit filling instructions please contact me. I am sure I can provide you with a replacement.
The shifting spanner with Cerakote removed from the jaws
The black and green base tool kits as completed
The exterior of the refurbished toolboxes Brian Martin The tools after coating with Cerakote Volume 24 • Issue 3 31
JAGUAR CLUB
Contacts in South Africa About This Publication This magazine, together with our website – www.jagclub.co.za – comprise the official voice of the Jaguar Club: Northern Regions.
NORTHERN REGIONS
Name
Cell
Chairman
Bob Brown
082 452 9308
bobbrown9989@gmail.com
Vice-Chairman
Paul Olivier
082 578 5961
olivierp@jgafrika.com
Secretary / Membership
Gerry Kramer
062 971 8750
kramer.gerry@gmail.com
Treasurer
Gavin Standing
082 856 5228
standingfam@mweb.co.za
Editor/Webmaster
Brian Askew
082 601 3021
brian@quaestior.com
Regalia /
Fiona Brittion
082 492 0472
regalia@jagclub.co.za
Local and Away Events
Committee
Advertising If you wish to advertise in the Jaguar Magazine or need any information about rates or circulation, please contact the Editor.
Limpopo Representative
John Kriel
082 449 7290
johnkriel@mweb.co.za
Elizabeth Quigley
TBA
elisabeth@shuter.co.za
Contributions We welcome all contributions of any kind whether news, views or general information from both members and non-members. Wherever possible, please send any photographs or illustrations with your contribution by email to the Editor – brian@quaestior.com.
Membership Secretary
Roger Manton
083 415 3184
mantons@afrihost.co.za
Social Secretary
Annamarie Barnard
083 775 4502
anna@woodbridge.co.za
NATAL MIDLANDS Administrator WESTERN CAPE
Disclaimers The views expressed herein, unless specifically originating from the committee as a whole, do not necessarily reflect those of the Club. The printing of any advertisements does not necessarily imply approval or recommendations by the Club, and no responsibility can be accepted for the quality of service supplied from our advertisers.
Contact us: Web: www.jagclub.co.za; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jaguar-Club-NorthernRegions-JCNR-1628968814008477/; email: info@jagclub. co.za; snail mail: P O Box 68305, Bryanston 2021.
The Jaguar Club Northern Regions is an independent organisation of enthusiasts who own Jaguar vehicles ranging from the classics of the early Thirties to the modern Jaguars of the current day. The club originated in 1977 from informal gatherings of a small band of dedicated Jaguar owners in the Johannesburg area to an organisation now comprising many hundreds of individuals from all over Southern Africa. Our purpose is to further your enjoyment of all Jaguar and Daimler automobiles both by driving them and sharing information in our website, on Facebook and in this magazine.
JCNR: PO BOX 68305, BRYANSTON 2021 • WWW.JAGCLUB.CO.ZA • CJC: PO BOX 183, SEA POINT 8060
32 Volume 24 • Issue 3
Layout and Design: natalia.holtshausen@gmail.com
Afterword – John Thaw as Inspector Morse with his famed 2.4 litre Mark 2
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