The Special Breed Wisconsin Jaguar Ltd Newsletter

Volume XXXVIII No. 5 December 2019

HOLIDAY PARTY 2019

A special treat was served up

by Mike. Since his retirement he not only spends most of his

time working on car projects, he takes time to find more

projects! He would and does say that the projects find him.

The photo below is second in the series:

“Carrol drives a Junker”

The car is the third of three of

the Brook Stevens Excalibur J race cars. The car started its life Friday, December 6 th was an calendar can be set. in 1953 with a Willis six evening fill with good After dinner the group took a cylinder. From 1955 to 1958 it conversation and of course, short 3 mile drive to the ran a supercharged Jag XK food! Thirty members of the Korneli’s for dessert. engine. This is its final form club were in attendance and Homemade apple crisp and with a sleek new front end even Santa took time off to brownies topped off with ice powered by a 496 CI Lincoln prepare and carve the prime rib cream was enjoyed by all. engine. Watch for coming updates for our enjoyment.

The night started with drinks,

hors d’oeuvres and plenty of time to Christmas mingle. It’s always so much fun to catch up with friends we don’t get to see very often. A short recap of the events of the year and a treasurer’s report was given. Ideas for the 2020 calendar were discussed. The Potluck date was set for April 4 th at the Jensen’s.

A board meeting is being planned for January so the

muriatic acid solution. point in the system; usually Order your Jaguar club Fortunately we were in the wheel cylinders or Name Badges! disassembling the engine for calipers. Wisconsin Jaguars Ltd. will a complete inspection. This provide individual name badges subject was brought up to new and veteran members for a nominal fee of $15 per badge. when I had a discussion with

Please mail a check for $15 for an acquaintance that has an

each badge, payable to WJL extensive collection of Don Huebschen Ferrari’s and race cars. He 7730 Cannellwood Drive commented that he changes South Beloit , IL 61080 Email your request to antifreeze in every car on a [email protected] three year schedule. The fact caliper piston assembly from a 1967

Type your name as you wish it to that we both are of a E-Type that was in storage for fifteen appear on the name tag years. somewhat advanced age, brought to mind a long The result was all new forgotten solution. A small caliper pistons assemblies,

piece of sacrificial metal was new master cylinder and a

hung from the radiator cap new servo unit. Replacing that was called an anode. hoses, flushing all lines and Water heaters have such an refill with synthetic fluid The Jag Whisperer item in the tank. This metal which is less prone to

By: Jan Schlabowske works as a corrosion magnet. moisture absorption. Castrol Today’s anti-freeze solutions has reformulated and Notes From The Shop claim to have inhibitors for renamed their LMA fluid to They break standing still. this problem. Clearly they “Advanced Performance are ineffective during long Series Fluid.” As a When we discovered the term storage. Our convenience for future work; extensive corrosion in the suggestion is an antifreeze we installed remote bleeders water galleys of the 1950 XK change every three years, on the rear and speed 120, we were stimulated to being sure that the engine bleeders all around. A brake explore how much a car can block is also drained. system flush every three deteriorate even in years will lessen the On the subject of fluid conditioned storage. The potential for a large change, there is another area galleys were plugged solid. rebuilding expense. of concern, the brake If we had not decided to 2020 replace the cylinder head hydraulic system. CALENDAR OF EVENTS Conventional brake fluid Save the Dates gasket, we would never have absorbs moisture from the discovered it. Cleaning the Details to follow galleys was a difficult job by atmosphere. Because oil media blasting, scraping, floats on water the moisture APRIL 4 TH POT LUCK accumulates at the lowest and soaking with a mild AT THE JENSEN’S

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS FOR THE CLUB? EVENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO? SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER FOR? INFORMATION YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE NEWSLETTER? STORIES YOU WOULD LIKE TO WRITE? PICTURES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT? CONTACT US AND LET US KNOW. [email protected] Auto Biography of be made. We also cross braced report. The Connolly Leather, An 81 year old Gearhead the body in the center to Wilton Carpets and high Gloss Chapter 11 compensate for any stress Cabinetry presented well. By: Jan Schlabowske changes after the cut was made. Upon making the cut we would Upon returning to Erie street The Stretch then roll the front half away we went into full production. Scott would get on a plan and The decision to contract from the rear, keeping return with beat up cars that Blackhawk to design a fixture everything in alignment. we bought at bargain prices. to allow us to cut a unitized From that point the building We were only concerned about body in half, separate the two required straight forward, body rust, so tended to acquire halves and reassemble them work, paint work, upholstery, southern cars. Any mechanical was made after Scott and I rewiring and interior cabinetry. defects were well within our visited a coach builder in Fort We were fortunate to have a abilities. Smith Arkansas. They few ex Excalibur employees, graciously hosted us and and Bill Leahy of Leahy Coach The period of my joint venture demonstrated their process. Works. Bill had a long history with the Sampson’s would be coming to a close soon, but Their method was to with Lehman Peterson Coach there is a chapter that it ends disassemble what needed to be Works. They built Presidential with regarding the only done, support the center of the Limos. He also was head coach Cadillac Limo embarked upon car on stands and roll the two builder for the Meister Brauser at Concept Coach Builders; an halves apart on the cars wheels. racing team, who raced Scarab interesting story about a very Then fill in the gap with new and Cobra race cars. Bill did the special car that I ultimately sheet metal. They did Cadillac body work for us on Jerry ended up finishing after and Lincoln Limo’s. The result Nell’s SS 100, and later on leaving. That will be Chapter seemed to us to be a bit hap another SS 100 that I restored 12. hazard since there were while in Arkansas. He also built Alloy Cobra bodies. He was variables that could affect the end alignment, such as tire one of the last of a breed of pressure, suspension sag etc. coach builders who gas welded Taking into consideration that and hand fabricated the body NEVER USED we were going to produce Rolls parts. His welds were so good Royce limos, we thought a that one could polish both sides Dayton wheels!!! better system needed to be of the Aluminum panels and D439 - 15x6 - 72 spoke applied. not find the seams. CHROME Blackhawk engineers worked We took some of our cars to a with us and designed a two Rolls Royce Owners Club meet bead lace - tube type part frame fixture. The engine in Cincinnati to see how they FITS: V12 XKE 1971-1974 and complete rear suspension were accepted. I had been a $800 for all four wheels needed to be removed. The member of the cub for many Pick up at years and knew that we would body shell was then secured at FOURINTUNE GARAGE the rear suspension mounts and receive constructive criticism. in Cedarburg, WI front suspension mounts as The regional Rolls Royce email: well as in the center adjacent to service representative, who I [email protected] the place where the cut would knew gave us a very good

PEEK INSIDE THE XK140 was. His boss had an E- PRIDE! Type and once offered Don the ultimate perk for a teenager; Don & Dave Huebschen the chance to drive it in Beloit Memorial High School’s Re- created from an interview homecoming parade. done by Fred Welk in a 2002

“Special Breed” The brothers went for a look This story is about two brothers but Don was not impressed. It

and their Jaguar that reminds was a scraggly Cat. “The car Reina International Auto us that love is more important was rough and ugly” he recalls. than what’s practical. “It had thick coats of crummy 12730 West Capitol Drive paint. Parts of the interior were Brookfield, WI 53005 Don Huebschen’s childhood missing and the rest was 262-781-3336 wasn’t filled with fast cars. His reinaintlauto.com/vehicle-inventory/ covered in synthetic black fur. father owned family sedans But he wanted to have it,” Don

and nothing too sporty. But his says, remembering his brother’s 1996 Jaguar XJS Convertible brother, Dave, older by four rashness. $13,995 years, sparked an interest in The car clearly had been in an British motors the day he drove accident. Body putty was home in an MGB. “It was applied thickly. The right pretty neat” Don, who was 13 wing, the right door and the years old, then remembers. right rear fender had been

Age 16 probably couldn’t come replaced. The cowling around

soon enough for the kid from the windshield was full of

Beloit. He found a Triumph putty. The doors either had

TR4 in the Milwaukee Journal gaps thick enough to put your

classified, got a ride to thumb in or were binding

2007 DB9 Volante Waukesha and bought it. against the body. There was

$56,995 College days came soon for the lots of damage. brothers. The TR4 was sold and Don went to Madison “This isn’t clean” Don told his without wheels. But he roomed brother. “But it’s only $800!” in his freshman year with Dave, Dave protested. It seemed to already at the university there. make little difference because That’s when Dave saw it---just Dave didn’t have $800. “Would a little ad in the Beloit you go halves with me?” Dave Shopping News but it caused asked his brother.

quite a bit of excitement in It may have been love for his Thank you Dave’s imagination because he older brother who gave him his Reina International Auto understood what a grand first ride in a British car, or the for your support of heritage a 1956 XK140 enjoyed. subtle pressure that older Wisconsin Jaguars Ltd . Don knew he liked Jaguars too, siblings seem to manage with but he had no idea what an ease, but Don agreed. ”That was 1972 and $1,100 could Dave was out of school now when his big brother, Dave, probably have bought a clean died of cancer at age 33.

XK140.“ Don remembers with amusement.

The young men spent warm Wisconsin summer evenings and long weekends together working on their car. They stripped off the poorly applied coats and painted the Cat a cream color. They replaced interior parts and worked on the wiring the best they knew how. The result was a fun roadster that they drove periodically for the next two years. Dave Huebschen posing with the

stripped 1956 XK140 Graduation day arrived for

Don in 1975 and he needed money for a real car to go to work. He urged Dave to sell the vehicle so they could free their investment. “You’ll never restore this car,” Don complained to his brother. “Why don’t you put an ad in the paper?” Dave was torn. He knew what an ugly, rough, jalopy it had been and how much hard work he had put into it, and, no doubt, what a work of art it could be, if properly restored. Dave wrote Don Huebschen 21years old out the ad but never placed it. Steve Karstaedt painting in his suit The hand written copy surfaced and working. He bought an “I knew what his dreams were in recent years as a reminder of older home in Madison with a for this car,” Don says. “And I the incident. Instead, he single car garage. There was always did like it.” So he asked offered to buy Don’s share. enough room at the back for the Dave’s widow if he could Brothers don’t always see eye 140 turned sideways and his purchase the 140. to eye. But they agreed VW still fit too. As Don improved condition of the car Immediately Don started predicted, the Jaguar sat there rated a $1,500 valuation, so Don disassembling the car to sadly for seven years. That’s got $750. prepare for the proper restoration that it always needed and Dave had always Jaguar was part of their Long Beach, Calif., who Don wanted to do. Don’s father, courtship. hopes to track down some day. Herb, helped work the car over.“Dave taught me all of my mechanical skills,” Don reflects. “He would have finished the car if he could.”

Don came across a Wisconsin

Jaguars Ltd. car show including beautiful XK150 dropheads. It provided inspiration. Then an ad in Hemmings Motor News led him to a Jaguar Drivers Trish would help clean wire Club Area 51 concours in Engine and chassis numbers wheels. Don says because of match. The car has a C-Type Louisville, KY., with more her small hands, they never lost head with large valves that beautiful 120’s, 140’s and 150’s. a point in judging. And he fell offer an extra 20 hp. About 10 He spent time conversing with in love with her as a result, he percent were built that way, the owners and was referred to jokes. Don says. And it has factory The XK140 carried Don and Jim Kakuska, a restorer from overdrive that is handy for the Trish away on their wedding Oswego, IL. 3,000 miles Don adds each year day in 1992 from the Church by to the 64,000 miles now on the “He graciously came up,” Don the Side of the Road in Rockton, clock. This is a Jaguar that has says. “Jim had a three-year IL. It was a small family affair to be driven to fulfill its waiting list but that worked out but Don couldn’t resist tying purpose. because it gave me time get the small wedding bells on the boot “It’s a rolling memorial to my mechanicals in shape. About handle---nothing likely to brother,” Don says. The car has scratch the car, of course. that time I was finished. The car been in the family 31 years went down to Illinois for the now.” Colin, Don’s eight year- Today, the car has its own stall old son, likes the car. Father cosmetic to be done.” in the Huebschen garage in and son go to the drive-in The car went to the restoration South Beloit, IL. “It is a thing of together and to airport fly-ins. shop in 1989, about seven years beauty on wheels,” Don says Colin helps clean and polish the after Dave’s death. with pride. I love driving it and Cat. I love just polishing it and It was ready in spring 1990, a “Colin asked me if I could pick looking at it. If it weren’t for year Don remembers well him up from school next week Dave I wouldn’t have it.” because he met Trish Riley. in the Jag,” Don reports. “Seems he would like to She loved cars too. They drove The car is painted Imperial impress his new second grade the Jaguar to door County Maroon which was an available girlfriend! I can see that there together and to concours events color selection when new. Over will be new uses for the Jag in in nearby states. Don and Trish the years the Cat has also been coming years. white, grey, red and black. enjoyed the shows including Jaguar’s archives said the Updates: the concours awards banquets original color was Dove Grey The car has been in the family and the friendships they built, with black interior and red for 47 years. It gets driven 600 to say nothing of their own piping. The first owner of miles a year and Colin enjoys record was a Navy officer in growing relationship. The driving it whenever he visits.

WEDGEWOOD MOTOR WORKS, LLC Jan & Dean Schlabowske

New Name Same High Quality Service Thank you Wisconsin Jaguar Club for your support as we re-start our business. Our shop has been busy with many vintage Jags over the past year.

We have decided to expand into late model service in addition to XK’s, E types and XJ’s. We invite owners of later model such as XK8, XKR, F-Type, or any of the more current models to try us.

Our labor rate is friendly, and parts markup modest. We have technical information and specs readily available.

Over my years in the trade the list of cars that have passed through my shop includes SS 100 (2), most vintage Jaguar sports cars, Packard, Mercedes 540K, 300SL, Austin Healy, MG (most models) Rolls Royce (from 1920 -1989)Ferrari, Lotus, Maserati, Range , , Bizzarrini, as well as many American classics.

We don’t especially enjoy “boring” cars, but will attend to whatever your daily driver is too.

Visit us on Saturday mornings for coffee, and car talk. 7401 West Warnimont Av. Milwaukee, WI 53220 (501)-625-5031