Jaguar Drivers Club of Natal

Transcription

1 Jaguar Drivers Club of Natal Chairman Jack Clough Tel / Fax: Cell: swanfield@telkomsa.net Secretary Lynette Clough Tel / Fax: Cell: swanfield@telkomsa.net Events Co-ordinators Stephen Nell Tel (a/h): Cell: nellfamily@telkomsa.net Patron Peter Fielding Tel Fax: jagmg@telkomsa.net NEWSLETTER: January 2011 Chairman s Comment Hi everyone Well, another year past and what s changed with my cars; I sold my SP 250 Dart, and now have just 2 classics if you discount my 1968 Sunbeam Rapier! The load off my mind by now having enough resources to properly "cheque book" restore my 1938 AC drophead is immeasurable. I waited 25 years for this restoration. My abilities are limited and I know that. SO, pay Jeff to repair the bodywork and Trench to paint it. A Trimmer will do the upholstery. I will wire it and the electrics but the difficulty is the unique design of the engine. However now I source the new engine spares required from the UK and fettle it together in Pinetown. With guys like Doug Wallace and Anthony at crankshaft Engineering it doesn t seem insurmountable any more. I realise that it is better to have two good running classics then any amount of "I'm going to restore it" cars. Have you ever heard that? I oversaw a restoration of an MG TC from bare chassis to complete "concours" car; IN NINE WEEKS! What a group of true artisans, however some aren t with us anymore! It s not getting easier or cheaper to restore now! However my AC will take the normal 9 months period! Come on guys; get motivated, use your cars, restore or sell them but do something this year. Jack Clough Notes from the editor Welcome to We here at the editor s desk hope that this year will be filled with fun Jaguar activities. We apologise for the delay with the newsletters, but I have been having problems with my Telkom internet. I could receive s, but my outgoing server did not want to comply with my wishes. Page 1 of 8

2 To carry on with the theme from the chairman, Jack, I heard a very interesting story about an old gentleman the other day. This old gentleman had about 7 or 8 classic cars and bikes that he was going to restore. However, some very impertinent person inquired of him how many years he thought he was going to need to restore these cars, considering the fact that he was 73 years old. Reality kicked in and this old man took an instant decision to get rid of all his cars and bikes that had been standing in his garage, unseen by other people. He sold them all and with the money, he and his wife went on an overseas holiday. The cars and bikes that he sold are now in the process of being restored by other people and within a year or two, they should be on the road to be enjoyed by many others. This brings me to the heart-wrenching thought: how many other cars and bikes are gathering dust in the garages and carports of some people awaiting the chance of one day being restored? There are a lot of reasons why there are so many people being on the road with old cars it is for the joy of being on the road with these old magnificent beasts. Do you think that there is any joy in these cars being under tarpaulin covers? Consider this fact: if the cars are restored, will it not take you back to the old days where life was easier and better in some cases? On Tuesday, I took the MGB and went with the MG club on their monthly RAF run to Salt Rock. We made quite a sight, driving on the Old Coast Road considering the fact that there were 16 MGs from MG Magnets through MGBs to the latest MG ZR. What really hit home to me was the fact that we were bringing so much pleasure to the members of the public who would hoot, flash their lights and wave as we went past. What brought me sadness was the fact that they were MGs and not Jaguars. - Steve Page 2 of 8

3 Member s contribution This was sent to Peter Culling, Who forwarded it to Jack. If this guy can restore this, surely there is hope for the rest of us! Hi Peter, I hope this finds you all well. Here are some photos of the latest e-type I found. It is a 3.8 just like yours but is around Dec 1962/Jan 63. The same colour as yours, gunmetal/red. Not quite the same condition as yours! I just can't believe that such a car can end up like this. Originally I wanted it to make a race car instead of using the 2 plus 2 shell but now I have the urge to make it back into a car again! Anyway we will see. Page 3 of 8

4 Patron s contribution Life with an XK140 by Peter Fielding No son, out of the question! This was not what I wanted to hear from my father when I asked him if he would help finance the purchase of a Suede Green XK140 FHC. It was parked on the pavement beneath a huge oak tree in our village in the UK with a large For Sale 250 Pounds sign in the window. I suppose he thought that an upgrade from a 1250cc MGTC to a 3,4 litre Jaguar was a bit too adventurous for a nineteen year old. I settled for a new Mini to ensure that I actually arrived at my job punctually. I had to wait another 23 years, on another continent, until I acquired my 140 but this time it was a DHC, albeit in a thousand pieces. I spotted an advertisement in the Johannesburg Star in 1984 but to my dismay, someone had beaten me to it by a couple of days. I was still scanning the Star s classifieds in 1986 and by an amazing coincidence; the same car was advertised yet again. This time I responded shortly after the paper hit the streets and I drove out to a plot north of Johannesburg immediately. I was the first to view the dismantled car and I bought it but only just, as several others were after it too. The owner reluctantly decided that the totally dismantled XK which he bought in 84, was too much of an ordeal to complete. So, by the time I got it, all the running gear, the complete engine bay, hood, seats, nuts and bolts and even the registration papers were missing. But I didn t worry and in fact I didn t even think about it at the time. At last I had my 140 with those beautifully shaped heavy bumpers and tall over-riders together with the chrome strips down the entire length of the car simply gorgeous! This is one of the 249 RHD 140DHC know to have survived out of the total of 479 manufactured. Page 4 of 8

5 I then set about finding or making all the missing parts whilst stripping the few bits that remained on the chassis. During the following ten years that it took to build the car, I leant much about XKs but even more about myself. I discovered that if you really want something badly enough, you ll go to any lengths to achieve it without any negative thoughts about the hardships involved. With hands bleeding from the sharp metal and burns from the gas welder, there was never a thought that this might be too big a task despite what some of my friends were telling me. During those years I met a host of people and travelled extensively, not only in South Africa but in the UK and on the west coast of the US while procuring parts and getting advice. It was during this time that I discovered the tremendous bond that exists between the owners of these great cars. The first time I drove my 140 was hardly an ideal test as I was on the chassis only without the body, seated on a cut down kitchen chair. I drove about 50 miles around Johannesburg, to the Jaguar Annual Concours and even into the old Jhb Licensing Dept and Testing grounds but all that s a story for another time. In 1996, it was payback time for all those lonely nights, weekends in the garage and missed car events. My XK turned out better than I ever imagined and this was reflected in the accolades wherever I went. I could stop nowhere without someone approaching the car to talk about it or to tell me their particular story of a Jaguar. The drop-dead gorgeous looks turned heads at every car show we attended. On the road, folk either smiled and waved with approval or dropped their jaw in amazement. It has become a ticket to meeting folk and opening doors. The stunning beauty of the 140 with its massive wings climbing high in front, and then plunging down dramatically to the rear, embellished with huge amounts of sparkling chrome no wonder people find it irresistible. It looks perfectly proportioned from any angle. Even with the slightly larger cockpit than the 120, it s still cramped for my long legs. But the steering is positive and the XK feels stable on the road at any speed. The drum brakes are adequate for normal road use but I have grown accustomed to driving with a long view of what lies ahead. Neither the slab seats nor leaf-spring rear suspension are the most comfortable for a 600km journey. However, all this is forgotten when I m on the road with the torquey XK engine burbling away. The performance is slow by today s standards but it must have been awesome way back in To date we have driven miles and so the car is beginning to show signs of wear and patina. It is so enjoyable to drive that I cannot resist taking it out on the road on every possible occasion. XKs are a rare sight on our roads today and so I drive it and show it as much as possible. However, I must admit that I don t drive it as much as I used to. Val and I have driven to places throughout South Africa that we would never have dreamt of going unless we had the 140. We ve driven eight Durban Dashes and to Mpumalanga and Cape Town several times. Perhaps one of our most memorable local trips was to Namaqualand with another XK140 on a two week tour to see the flowers. In 1998 we shipped it to the UK to participate in the XK 50 th Anniversary celebrations which comprised a week-long tour of the southern counties of Britain followed by an international gathering of 526 XKs a Donington. We also drove it home to Jaguar s factory at Browns Lane, Coventry, where it was assembled way back in But above all, I have met other XK enthusiasts around the world whose lasting friendships will be enjoyed for years to come as a result of proudly owning this great classic Jaguar. Page 5 of 8

6 If I had known what lay ahead of me way back in 1986 when I was so fortunate to secure the XK, I would never in my wildest imagination have believed it. The most frequently asked question when people approach the car is How much is it worth? I ask you how can you possibly put a value on all the places I ve visited, the friendships I ve made and the experiences I ve had It s impossible. And there s more to come in the years ahead. So the XK140 is priceless. 08/04 - Modified 08/08 & 01/11 For Sale This was received by Jack. Please contact him for the contact details of the owner. We have decided to sell the XJ6 that we purchased the engine for. I was wondering if you could give me an idea on its worth now that it is running. It still needs a bit of TLC i.e. brakes need re-doing and some body work and stuff, but it runs like a bomb since the new engine and fuel pump has been installed XJ6 4.2L Maroon with cream leather and wood interior Would we be able to advertise the vehicle to the JAG Club directly? I am also going to put it on gumtree as I believe many street race enthusiasts use these engines. Please let me know. Regards Mark Steel Page 6 of 8

7 DVDs for sale Peter Fielding is trying to raise funds for the Scottburgh SPCA. Up for offer is a 10 DVD special of Inspector Morse. It is for sale for R500! What a bargain! Please contact him if you want to purchase it! His contact details are on the top of the page. Events When Jack visited Goodwood towards the end of last year, he obtained a DVD of the Goodwood experience, which is a very fascinating account of all the events leading up to and including the Goodwood days. He wants to have a Goodwood evening where he can show this DVD to all enthusiasts. In an effort to assess how many members are interested, could you please reply to Jack or me so that we can set a date and acquire a venue? Jack is looking at a Friday night for the viewing. The following is the NMDJA event for January. Please confirm attendance with Mark Pistorius by 25 January for catering purposes. Visit to the Guimaraens home to view James Jaguars. These cars have recently arrived from Gauteng and include his Mk5, Mk4 and S Type. James will provide Boerewors rolls to mark the occasion. Drinks and anything ells you want, you should bring along. Date: Sunday 30 January 2011 Time: 11:00 Venue: 4 St Michaels Rd, Winterskloof, Hilton Directions: From Howick: Take Cedara off ramp; turn right over highway towards Hilton. At traffic lights (Crossways Pub on corner) turn RIGHT into Dennis Shepstone Drive Pass police station on right, and then after 100m turn LEFT into Walters, then immediately RIGHT into St Michaels Rd. 2 nd house on right hand side. From PMB: The house is close to Sweetwaters, so you may wish to come up from PMB to Hilton via the Sweetwaters rd, in which case: After passing Cowan House School on right hand side, over hill, turn right into Walters Rd, immediately right into St Michaels Rd, 2 nd house on right. Page 7 of 8

8 From PMB Old Howick Rd: Come up old Howick rd to Hilton. At Traffic lights (Crossways) turn left into Dennis Shepstone Drive Pass police station on right, and then after 100m turn LEFT into Walters, then immediately RIGHT into St Michaels Rd. 2 nd house on right hand side. NOTES: The driveway is a very steep uphill, which becomes even steeper as you come up the driveway. Old classics, especially jags, happily lope up there without noticing the hill. Modern cars with manual gearboxes ALWAYS stall halfway up, so please take a run-up from the street of in doubt!!! Bring swimming costumes if a hot day and you feel like a swim. BOEREWORS ROLLS AND WORS will be supplied, based on confirmed numbers from Mark. No confirmation, no food; Bring your own drinks and snacks. Please come along to our first event of the year as it promises to be most interesting. Cheers, Mark Pistorius Mark.Pistorius@Kzntransport.gov.za p.s. Do not forget VCC Bonnets up on Sunday 30 January 2011! See you There! PLEASE continue to send in your contributions, comments, tips, opinions, any vehicles for sale, whatever, and remember to diarise the Events! We look forward to hearing from you. Kind Regards Steve Nell Page 8 of 8