Description
This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, The Iconic Sale at Race Retro 2025 - Competition Cars on Saturday the 22nd of February, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh Rd, Coventry, CV8 2LG. The Jaguar Motor Company's racing reputation was born in the 1950s and honed on the Le Mans circuit, which was where 'Lofty' England practised his craft as competitions manager. An engineer by training, he was a commanding figure in every sense, and his 6' 5" frame spelt authority, ruthless efficiency and to his drivers, orders that had to be interpreted to the letter. England's iron resolve, applied to Jaguar's teams of competitive C and D-Type sports racers, brought a string of British victories that equalled those of Bentley in the 1920s including winning Le Mans five times. Officially described by British Leyland as 'One of the industry’s most colourful personalities', he retired in 1974 at which point he was Chairman of the Jaguar Division of British Leyland.
Owned by our late vendor, Jim Graham, for over 50 years, his purchase in 1972 was not the first time he was involved with the car. In a previously published article, Jim recalled 'I have driven the car from new in 1964 when it was the Earls Court Show car and I was on the stand as a Jaguar Apprentice. Although it was the new 4. 2-litre, I think it had a 3. 8-litre engine, with the proper engine fitted post-event and Lofty England had it as his personal transport'. Some time later he mentions that 'Along with Peter Taylor, we used to set up the carbs and test from time to time for Lofty'.
Subsequently, it was sent to 'Jaguar's Experimental Department' for Trevor Crisp, the first Emissions Chief Engineer to use for final development of the modified induction and carburation system, required for the new 1966 Californian Emission regulations. The car was taken to the Californian Government Testing Facility and on passing, Jaguar could continue to sell E-Types in California with Twin Strombergs and an additional water rail in the induction manifold. It then became an experimental hack with 'odds and sods' fitted and in 1972, Jim bought the car directly from Lofty. In Jim’s words 'Inevitably it has a mix of fixtures and fittings, but that is the car’s history and what makes it special'.
The car was then prepared for competition and Jim and AKV 20B were well known and much respected around UK circuits. It was extensively raced, sprinted and hill climbed at Silverstone, Prescott and Barbon in the early 1970s and was rebuilt in 1995, followed by outings at Oulton Park, Mallory, Donington, Shelsley Walsh, Copenhagen and the Isle of Man. We understand that its last day out was in 2019 at Classic Nostalgia at Shelsley Walsh.
Although not used recently, it started and ran at the time of photography and naturally we encourage interested parties to inspect the venerable racer and make up their own mind in which direction they would like to take the car, to fully restore it and pop it into a Browns Lane Collection or hopefully give it a wash and brush-up, a mechanical refresh and get it back on the competition circuit.
This is a wonderful Classic Jaguar with many a story to tell, an important part of Jaguar development history and was owned by two of motor racings great characters.
A number of spares accompany the car, to return it to road specification.
