Blog posts tagged with 'reimagined'

Harry Advic of ABODE2 magazine takes a spin in a re-imagined V12 Jaguar E-Type created by Building The Legend CEO & Founder, Neville Swales

Building The Legend is proud to offer our skills and experience to project-manage and complete your dream project – from concept to completion – from design to a beautiful finished, unique, type-approved and road-legal car. Whether that is a single car or one of many. Our skill-set and local access to a range of world-class automotive design, assembly and technology experts gives us the ability to turn your dreams to reality.

50 years (almost to the month) after similar events took place in Jaguar's Competition Department, work was continuing apace on my exact recreation of Jaguar's 1966 XJ13 Le Mans Prototype.

There’s only one company who recreate the Jaguar XJ13 as it first saw the light of day in 1966 in the world and you’re on their website!

As my quest to recreate an exact copy of the 1966 XJ13 continued, I came across the story of the man largely responsible for making the original body - Bob Blake. What follows is the story of a man able to translate the designs of people, such as the legendary Malcolm Sayer, into metal. Contemporaries of Bob Blake described him as "An Artist in Metal".

"We need some rivets" said Paul. "OK" I replied, "What kind do we need?". Paul scratched his head and answered, "Dunno - I suppose we need to find out what Jaguar used in 1966".

Where did Jaguar source components in period? Although Jaguar were able to raid their “parts bin” for some components of their XJ13 Le Mans Prototype, most of the car’s major items were custom-made. “Off-the-Shelf” components used in period included things such as Lightweight E-Type (LWE) front suspension & steering rack (albeit modified), instruments, lighting and front wheels (as also used on the rears of LWE racers). However, major components used for the car’s rear wheels, drivetrain, power-unit, braking systems and rear suspension had to be custom made in period.

Hang on - I thought the late Norman Dewis was the XJ13's test driver? Noooo .... a common misconception but, in truth, the legendary Mr Dewis did not participate in all the tests. Contrary to popular belief, there were no "unofficial" tests and the car was driven at all of its outings during active development by David Hobbs.

In 2015 my first car was approaching its "rolling chassis" stage - mirroring events of 50 years earlier in Jaguar's Competition Department. It was then 1965 and William Heynes, Jaguar's Engineering Director still had hopes of seeing the car on track to contest that year's Le Mans endurance race. Time was short but the skilled team working behind closed doors were used to working to such tight deadlines ...

21st May 2016 marked the Centenary of the birth of one of this country's greatest design geniuses - Malcolm Sayer