Jaguarthe Cat Whose Claws Were Xj220 Prematurely Clipped
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www.motoringclassics.co.uk | www.bmh-ltd.com SPRING 2020 THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILING WE VISIT TWO VERY DIFFERENT CAR CARE ESTABLISHMENTS JAGUARTHE CAT WHOSE CLAWS WERE XJ220 PREMATURELY CLIPPED PRINTS OF PASSION WE ENJOY A GUIDED TOUR OF THE SWIFT GALLERY Classic Character 3 Jaguar XJ220 – 4-8 The Cat Whose Claws Were Prematurely Clipped Missing Moniker 9 Prints Of Passion 10-12 Above: what might have been - one of only two backbone chassis BB100 BMH News 13 Bucklers ever made, seen here mounting Precott hillclimb in the hands of Derek Buckler’s grandson, Simon Ambrose. Photo courtesy of Peter McFadyen The Devil’s In The Detailing 14-18 Classic Motorsport 19 This issue’s cover story concerns the assume that if you enjoy watching controversial Jaguar XJ220. Once motor racing then you gain pleasure Motoring Classics reproduction the world’s fastest production car, from studying images of the pastime. in whole or any part of any text, its value over the years has gone In which case you need to know about 2 photograph or illustration without from c.£470,000 to £80,000 and the Swift Gallery, whose 1,200-plus written permission of the publisher back again, and at the height of its professional shots from the hands of is strictly prohibited. The publish- much chronicled problems caused top photographers chronicle Grand er makes every effort to ensure JaguarSport to issue writs against Prix and sports car racing from the era the magazine’s contents are correct some 140 of its own customers. of the stuttering pioneers right through but can accept no responsibility Thanks to Don Law Racing, who to the current day. Read our report on for any effects from errors acquired all the tooling and spares this truly unique collection. back in 2007, the model remains fully or omissions. Our Missing Moniker on this occasion catered for and all c.280 examples is Buckler, a marque that opened its NB Motoring Classics is the printed made are thought to exist to this doors in 1947 and gave many post-war and online publication of British Motor day. We look beneath the fur at this enthusiasts a very cost-effective entrée Heritage and its retail trading arm. extraordinary cat, which is finally into the world of club motorsport, getting the recognition it arguably while our Classic Character is Antony Publisher: deserved nearly 30 years ago. British Motor Heritage Limited, Noghès, the Monégasque who made Range Road, Cotswold Business Washing and polishing one’s not one but three lasting contributions Park, Witney OX29 OYB, UK automotive pride and joy is one of to global racing and rallying. Last, Tel: +44 (0)1993 707200 the basic pleasures of ownership, but but certainly not least, we bring you Email: [email protected] these days the science of car care has the latest news from British Motor progressed way beyond the scope of Heritage and a preview of the Managing Editorial: the average private owner, increasing Director’s upcoming racing season. numbers of whom are entrusting the Gordon Bruce Associates embellishment and protection of their Email: [email protected] steeds to the rapidly growing army of Web: www.gordonbruce.com professional ‘detailers’. We visited two very different such establishments to Design and production: ascertain what’s involved and precisely Lead Designer: Emma Green what you get for your money. Flipside Group www.flipsidegroup.com Motorsport photography is a highly Gordon Bruce skilled art that’s grown in tandem Editor with the sport itself. It seems fair to Follow us on: @MotoringClassic Motoring Classics …………………by the way, continuing the motorsport theme, if you haven’t on the ramp, one of many XJ220s to be found in Don Law’s incredible incredible on the ramp, one of many XJ220s to be found in Don Law’s already, then I heartily recommend you acquire yourself a copy of the recently published Jim Clark, The Best of The Best by David Tremayne - surely one of the finest motor racing biographies ever written. Cover photo: a Jaguar V12 engine, version of which was fitted to the workshop. In the foreground, Bruce cars. Photo courtesy of Gordon concept XJ220, but not the production www.motoringclassics.co.uk www.bmh-ltd.com Classic Character ANTONY NOGHÈS Devotees of Formula One will be familiar with the name, but may not realise why, in 1979, the last corner on the Monaco Grand Prix circuit previously known as the Gasometer Turn was rechristened ‘Virage Antony Noghès’, so here we go It was in 1909 that Antony’s father, and, now its president, wealthy cigarette road rally of 1906, when the ‘checkers’ the respected Monégasque Alexandre manufacturer Noghès decided to float the appointed to time each section, were Noghès, was appointed president of seemingly slightly crazy idea of a Grand identified by chequered flags. One 3 SAVM (Sport Automobile et Vélocipédique Prix around the narrow, twisting confines was then used to signify the end of de Monaco), giving him the opportunity of the Principality. Despite necessitating the Vanderbilt Cup race in Long Island to make public his son’s dream of the removal of a flight of stone steps next that same year, but it is Noghès who is a motoring competition that would to the Bureau de Tabac, the proposed credited with internationalising its use commence in a variety of European circuit was approved by Prince Louis II from c.1931. He died in 1978, but his cities and terminate in Monaco. This and local racing hero Louis Chiron, who legacies survive, and in 2016 he was chimed with Prince Albert I of Monaco’s declared it ‘prodigieux’. The inaugural race posthumously bestowed with a World desire to centre a rally on the Principality occurred in 1929 and was won by William Sport Legends award. and, as such an event could clearly Grover-Williams aboard a works Bugatti swell its coffers, the idea received the Type 35B. Half English / half French, Above: Antony Noghès sandwiched thumbs up, and the first Monte Carlo Williams (later executed by the Nazis) between Giuseppe Farina (left) and Louis Rally duly took place in January 1911. reportedly had the blue Bugatti over- Chiron, following the 1948 Monaco Grand It attracted 23 contestants starting painted in what we now know as British Prix. Below, L to R: Henri Rougier and the 25hp Turcat-Méry aboard which he from 11 locations and was won by Henri Racing Green. Like the Monte Carlo Rally, won the inaugural Monte Carlo Rally, Rogier aboard a 25hp Turcat-Méry. The the Monaco Grand Prix remains alive and 1911; the 1990 Antony Noghès memorial event remains a prominent fixture of the well and stands as another tribute to the stamp; one of the more memorable motorsport calendar to this day and foresight of Antony Noghès. incidents at Virages Antony Noghès - was the first of three feathers in Antony Michael Schumacher passing Fernando His other fundamental contribution to Alonso on the last lap of the 2010 race. Noghès’ automotive cap – or perhaps motorsport was the global adoption of As the manoeuvre was deemed to have that should be beret! been executed under safety car rules, he the chequered flag to signify the end received a 20 second penalty, and was By May 1925 the club had changed its of a motor race. The origin of such demoted from 6th to 12th place name to the Automobile Club de Monaco flags dates back to the Glidden Tours www.motoringclassics.co.uk www.bmh-ltd.com THE CAT WHOSE JAGUARCLAWS WERE PREMATURELY XJ220 CLIPPED 4 As Jaguar fights for survival in the world of automotive electrification, it is easy to forget its years of internal combustion- engined glory on the race tracks of the world. For example, its total of seven Le Mans victories is still only bettered by Ferrari (9), Audi (13) and Porsche (19). The first five were achieved with the company’s C-Type (1951, 1953) and D-Type (1955, 1956, 1957) models, which were direct developments of its road cars of the day. By contrast, the latter two were scored with the XJR-8/9 (1988) and XJR- 12 (1990) respectively; uncompromising mid-engined competition cars constructed for Jaguar by Tom Walkinshaw Racing. Much as the company’s then Director of Engineering Jim Randle rejoiced at the XJR successes, he had long since felt such cars were now too far removed from those in the Jaguar showrooms, and had sowed the first seeds of a solution over the Christmas of 1987. With the help of his young son Steve and a liberal supply of cardboard and foam, he duly constructed the ¼ scale concept of a new road-going FIA Group B racecar on the floor of the family’s sitting room. PHOTOS COURTESY OF JEFF BLOXHAM, GORDON BRUCE AND OTHER SOURCES www.motoringclassics.co.uk www.bmh-ltd.com JAGUAR XJ220 Opposite page and below: the XJ220 is mighty impressive from any angle. The group shot is of Jim Randle with the 12 members of the so-called ‘Saturday Club’. Above, clockwise from top left: XJ220 bodies being assembled at Abbey Panels; the production line at JaguarSport, Bloxham; the lightweight XJ220C was launched at the 1993 Autosport International Show; the supercar’s heartbeat, the TWR designed and built JV6 engine This led to the production of two mock- Jaguar has a history of underestimating The first customer car was delivered as 5 ups by Jaguar’s styling studio, with the the effect of its new cars (the XK120 and planned in June 1992, but to say much XJ13-inspired design of Keith Helfet E-Type to name but two) and, despite had changed in the intervening c.four being chosen for further development.