JAGUAR: A RACING HISTORY IN NEW ZEALAND. PART 12 1967-1968
1967 – Ford Coupe Jag, Stuart Jag, the Mk2 continues, as does the Silcock XK120, and the ‘Bag Jag’
Tahunanui Beach, Nelson 31 Dec 66 and 2 Jan 67 – at Tahunanui Beach, Nelson, on 2 Jan 67, Bill Harris, who had won the NZ Beach Racing Championship in 1960, 1962 and 1963 driving his Alfa Romeo Tipo B ‘P3’ fitted with a Jaguar engine, was now driving a Ford Jaguar Coupe, and he won the D. R. Filter Cup No 2 at Nelson for saloon cars over 1200cc.
At this meeting, Neil Stuart of Christchurch, driving his Stuart Jaguar Special in the 1967 NZ Beach Racing Championship, retired with overheating after he bent the nose cone of his car when he hit the rear of eventual race winner, Allan Rhodes in his 260M Zephyr Special. In 2nd place was Bill Harris in his Ford Jaguar Coupe, and 3rd was Peter Read in a Daimler SP 250 sports.
The race report in the 1996 book ‘The Tahunanui Beach Motor Racing Years of the Nelson Car Club 1949-1977’, page 97, recorded, ‘In spite of a suspension problem, Rhodes won the Beach Championship on the second day of racing. It was a duel between Rhodes and Stuart who had been sharing wins in the minor races. Stuart, holder of the title for the past three years, was well placed to win again. Rhodes, however, took the lead, with Stuart following only inches behind. After five laps Stuart shot past Rhodes, after appearing to ram the rear of the 260M in the Western bend, thereby damaging the radius rod of the 260M, and altering the nose cone of the Jaguar Special. Stuart’s lead was short lived, and he had to retire with overheating. Rhodes continued, closely followed by Peter Leversedge in his V8 Special, and Bill Harris [Ford Jaguar Coupe].’
Neil Stuart’s comments to Brian Watson in Brian’s book, at page 71, are interesting, ’In the New Zealand Beach Racing Championship that year [1967] yes there was a coming together as you put it between Rhodes’ 260M Zephyr quite a few times in fact he smacked me in this first corner, the second corner, the third corner, and so it went time and time again. This I put down to total lack of experience on this particularly quick car. In the end I put a wheel into him a couple of times to get rid of the trouble and get this – I was the one that was the bad man because officialdom explained to me later ‘I should have known better’ and two wrongs don’t make a right.’
Also on 2 Jan 67, Neil Stuart in his Stuart Jaguar had won the earlier Mabey Memorial Trophy race for NZ Built Specials, ahead of Peter Leversedge in his Ford V8 Special, and Alan Rhodes in the 260M Zephyr Special. Neil was also leading the Nelson Provincial Championship beach race on 31 Dec 66 when the race was flagged early and abandoned because the track conditions had become dangerous in heavy rain.
About the Stuart Jaguar – The Stuart Jaguar was Neil’s third ‘Special’ – the first, the V8 Special, was built in the late 1940s in conjunction with his friend John Jacobsen, for Jacobson; Jacobson sold it to Bill Harris, who won the Nelson Provincial Beach Racing Championship in the V8 Special in 1957, 1958 and 1959. Bill also owned the Alfa Romeo Tipo B ‘P3’ and when he blew the Alfa motor in this car, Neil Stuart helped him to fit a Jaguar engine to the car. Bill subsequently won the NZ Beach Racing Championship in 1960, 1962 and 1963 in the Alfa Jaguar.
The second, the Stuart Special, was built in 1954 by Neil with a Ford Mercury V8 engine in it, and after being raced extensively by Neil and winning over 100 races on speedway and track, it was sold Norm Smith who continued the car’s run of success, still fitted with the Mercury engine.
The third of Neil’s Specials was built in late 1963 as the Stuart Jaguar, and was first raced by Neil at Renwick in 12 Nov 66, as well as doing some racing at Ruapuna; soon after the beach races at Nelson over New Year 1967, Neil replaced the Jaguar engine with a Chevrolet Corvette V8 and raced the car successfully for the next two years. In 1989, after the car had been in the Yaldhurst Motor Museum since 1969, Stuart removed the Chev V8 engine and replaced it with the Jaguar motor so he could go historic racing.
Pukekohe 7 Jan 67 – At the 1967 NZIGP international meeting at Pukekohe on 7 Jan 67, Event 1 was a 10 lap ‘Saloon Car Scratch race’ in three classes, and Colin Lumsden entered his Jaguar Mk2 3.4. Angus Hyslop won the race, with Hugh Kettlewell 2nd, H. Bagwell 3rd and Bob Hilditch 4th – all in Mini-Cooper S 1293cc cars, so there would have been no chance that Colin Lumsden in his big Jaguar could keep up with the nimble Mini-Coopers!
Event 7 at Pukekohe was a ‘Saloon Car Handicap’ race with Colin Lumsden in his Jaguar Mk2 3.4 listed as an entry, but this time he had some success: Richard Sisler took 1st place in his Mini-Cooper S 999c with a time of 15min 15.6sec, and some 10 seconds back in 2nd place was Colin Lumsden in his Jaguar Mk2 on 15min 25.3sec. In 3rd place was Barry Phillip’s in his Lotus-Cortina on 15min 31.9secs, and in 4th was Hamish Buchanan in his Mini- Cooper S 1293cc on 15min 34.0secs.
Event 8 was the ‘Ken Wharton Memorial Sports Car Race’ held over 10 laps, and Dave Silcock entered his #64 Jaguar XK120 3.8, as well as regular entrant Brian Watson his #67 Bagnall Jaguar 3442cc. Race winner was Andy Buchanan in the #28 Ferrari 250LM with a race time of 11m 5.7s, from Jim Boyd’s #22 Lycoming Special that was some 11 seconds back. In 3rd place was Barry Keen in the #53 Begg-Chev on 11min 25.2sec, with Geoff Mardon in the #153 Stanton-Corvette 4th on 11min 35.9sec. David Oxton in his #39 Lola Mk1 Ford was 5th, and Ian Horley 6th in the #147 Beowulf Ford. Brian Watson said in his book, at page 250, that he finished 12th. In the Production class of this race, Dave Silcock took 1st place in his Jaguar XK120, from Rodger Anderson’s #96 Austin Healey Sprite, and Ian Morrison’s #61 Morgan. Dave Silcock’s Jaguar XK120 (rego AR325) was the second of the two XK120s he built to race.
The 1967 NZIGP was won by Jackie Stewart in his ‘works’ BRM P261 2136cc V8, from Jim Clark in his ‘works’ Lotus 33 Climax 1987cc V8, and Richard Attwood in his ‘works’ BRM P261 2136cc V8.
Levin 14 Jan 1967 – Brian Watson made his regular entry with the ‘Bag-Jag’ 3.4 litre to race at Levin on 14 Jan 67. However, he said in his book that he broke the de-Dion tube [in the rear suspension] after 4 laps of practice, so he did not race.
The 1967 Levin International was won by Jim Clark in his ‘works’ Lotus 33 Climax, from Jackie Stewart and Richard Attwood in their ‘works’ BRM P261s.
Wigram 21 Jan 67 – At the 1967 Lady Wigram Trophy race meeting on 21 Jan 67, Event 4 was the MRC Championship over 11 laps. Jaguar-engined entries were from Brian Watson in his #58 Bagnall-Jaguar 3442cc, and Neil Stuart in his #114 Stuart-Jaguar 3442cc single seater. There is no mention of this race meeting in Brian Watson’s book, page 250, so apparently he withdrew. Motorman magazine of April 1967, page 23, reported, “Neil Stuart’s 3.4 Jaguar Special, from Christchurch, is built on the lines of the owner’s old V8 Special with straight axles and a rather out-dated design. However, Stuart says this has been done as he plans to take the car to the U.S.A. for speedway events. Full D-Type modifications are shortly to be carried out on the motor.” The race was won by Andy Buchanan in the #28 Ferrari 250LM 3285cc, from Barry Keen in his #153 Begg-Chev 4700cc, and John Riley‘s #17 Lotus 19B-Climax.
The 1967 Lady Wigram Trophy was won by Jim Clark in his ‘works’ Lotus 33 Climax 1987cc V8, from Richard Attwood in his ‘works’ BRM P261 2136cc V8, and Denny Hulme was 3rd in his Brabham BT23A Repco 2493cc V8.
Teretonga 28 Jan 67 – There were two Jaguar-engined ‘specials’ at the 1967 Teretonga International meeting held on 28 Jan 67. In the two races for ‘Sports Cars and Specials’, Brian Watson entered his #58 Bagnall–Jaguar, but as he did not mention the meeting in his book, it is assumed he withdrew from the meeting. In the first race, an 8 lap scratch race, Geoff Mardon won in the Stanton Corvette, from Andy Buchanan in the Ferrari 250LM, Barry Keen in the Begg-Chev, and John Riley in his Lotus 19B Climax. In the Sports Car Championship race, the first three places were the same as for the previous race.
The Single Seaters and Specials race, with Neil Stuart’s Stuart-Jaguar as an entry, was won by Colin Bunce in his Begg 1600, from W. Armstrong in a Cooper-Bristol, Arthur Smith in his 120EN Special, and Allan Rhodes in his 260M Zephyr Special.
The 1967 Teretonga International race was won by Jim Clark in his ‘works’ Lotus 33 Climax, from Richard Attwood in his ‘works’ BRM P261, with Jim Palmer 3rd in his Brabham BT22 Climax.
Tarawera 18 Feb 67 – The Rotorua Car Club held a Gold Star hillclimb on the sealed course at Tarawera on 18 Feb 67. Jim Boyd’s Lycoming Special set the fastest time of 58.74s. In the ‘Sports car class over 1600cc’, Jim Boyd was fastest, with P.J. Lawson’s Jaguar E-Type 2nd on 64.77s, and Jamie Aislabie 3rd in his Cooper Jaguar on 66.3s
Pukekohe 25 Feb 67 – Motorman magazine of April 1967 reported on the Rothman’s meeting held at Pukekohe on 25 Feb 67 where Graham Hitch raced the 1966 Wills Six-Hour winning Jaguar Mk 2 3.8 saloon, and Dave Silcock his Jaguar XK120.
In a Group 2 Saloon car race, Graham Hitch in his Jaguar Mk2 lay in 3rd place on the last lap. Quoting from Motorman, April 67, page 19, ‘The race developed into a cracker. While Bruce McClean [#86 Lotus-Cortina] had a comfortable lead, there was a tremendous dice for second between Trevor Pengelly [#76 Lotus-Cortina], Graham Hitch, [Jaguar Mk2 3.8] and Bryan Harvie [Mini Cooper 1293S], with a gap to John Dowling [Mini Cooper S 1275cc]. However, on the last lap Hitch’s Jaguar came to a sad end after attempts to keep with the better handling Lotus Cortina and Mini Cooper. The Jaguar left the track shortly before the Hairpin and demolished itself as it struck a solid marshal bunker sideways. Graham escaped injury (the seat belt did its job) but the car was badly tweaked.” McLean won in a time of 11min 17sec, some 17 seconds ahead of Harvie, with Pengelly 1.5 seconds back, and Dowling a further 7 seconds behind.
Motorman reported on the Sports Car race “The familiar Lycoming took the front at the start of the sports car eight-lap event, followed by John Riley’s Lotus 19 Climax, David Oxton (Lola Mk1 Ford) Norris Miles (Lotus Seven) and Dave Silcock’s Jaguar XK120. At the front Jim Boyd was hard pressed to keep ahead of Riley, lapping at 1m 13s, while battle developed between Oxton and Miles. At Champion on lap 4, Miles took Oxton, while Riley gained the lead for a brief time from Boyd. After six laps, Boyd and Riley lay 11 seconds ahead of Miles, Oxton and a 21-second margin to Silcock, Bob McLeod’s Lotus Seven and Ivy Stephenson’s Lola. The race ran out with Boyd almost four seconds in front of the Riley Lotus and the major placings remaining constant.”
Results in the first sports car handicap a race were: Jim Boyd (Lycoming) 9min 5.1sec 1st, N. Miles (Lotus Seven) 9m 10.2s 2nd, Dave Silcock (Jaguar XK120) 9m 13.7s 3rd, David Oxton (Lola Mk1) 9m 13.8s 4th. In the second handicap race, Dave Silcock did not feature in the results that were as follows: Ivy Stephenson (Lola Mk1) 8m 53.7s, Grant Bloore (Cooper T39 Ford) 9m 53.7s, Jim Boyd (Lycoming) 9m 1.8s, and, Rodger Anderson (Austin Healey Sprite) 9m 10.8s.
Ruapuna Park Mar 67 – Motorman magazine of May 1967, page 16, reported the Canterbury Car Club held a meeting at Ruapuna in March 1967. Dave Silcock in his Jaguar XK120 took 3rd place in an open racing and sports car event, behind B. Scott in a Ford Special, and Lindsay Tosh in a Zephyr Special.
The feature race for ‘NZ-built sports cars and single seaters’ was held over 15 laps of the 1 mile/1.6km circuit; the race was won by Geoff Mardon in the Stanton Corvette sports racing car, from Robert Stewart in his Robat Mantis sports racing car, and Neil Stuart in his Stuart-Jaguar single seater. In the ‘Sports car class’ of the race, Mardon was 1st in a time of 12m 19s, from Stewart’s Robat Mantis, with N. Cooke 3rd in a U2, and Brent Hawes 4th in an ailing Begg-Chevrolet; in the ‘Single Seater class’, Neil Stuart was 1st in his Stuart-Jaguar, from Lindsay Tosh in a Zephyr Special, N. Smith in a Stuart-Ford, and Arthur Smith in his 120EN Special.
Levin 18 Mar 1967 – Brian Watson made his regular entry with the ‘Bag-Jag’ 3.8 litre at Levin on 18 Mar 67. In his book, at page 250, Brian said he was holding 8th place in a race, with a best lap of 1min 2.3 sec, and he broke a rear axle in the differential; Brian said at home, the car was ‘stripped right down to weld and strengthen all joints etc’.
Ruapuna Park 15 Apr 67 – Motorman magazine of June 1967, page 30, reported on the
Rothmans Half-Hour Production Saloon event held at Ruapuna Park on Sunday 15 Apr 67. “A large crowd saw the leaders complete 29 laps in the time, and the performance of the big Velox, which harried the Jaguar continually, was most noteworthy. There was a small field for the event, but the competition was good. At the start Alan Rhodes in a 4.7 litre Studebaker V8 fractionally beat the gun and out accelerated McPhail [Vauxhall Velox] and the Jaguars of Ernie Sprague and Ian Dow. Amazingly the PB Velox led the Jaguars, and for the first eight laps Rhodes and McPhail turned on a tremendous display of driving as they worked together to keep ahead of the Coventry cars. The leading four cars soon pulled a gap on a Fiat 1500 driven by Leo Leonard, and Elwyn Latta’s Triumph 2000, followed by a lengthy margin to Warner Collins in a Cortina 1200. “
Ernie Sprague in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 passed McPhail’s Velox on the 16th lap, and led until taking the flag on lap 29, with Leo Leonard 3rd in a Fiat 1500. It is not known where Ian Dow’s Jaguar Mk 2 3.8 finished.
Levin 25 Nov 67 – Brian Watson was once again entered in the #58 Bag Jag 3781cc at the Levin meeting held on 25 Nov 67. However, once gain there was no mention of the meeting in his book, at page 250, so it is assumed he withdrew his entry. Motorman magazine of Jan 68 reported Andy Buchanan in his first race in the new #28 Elfin 400 Chev was an easy winner from Clive Bush in his modified Lotus 18 FJ, now converted to a sports car with a 1200cc Ford engine.
1968 – The ‘Bag Jag’, plus the Scott Wiseman E-Type
Pukekohe 6 Jan 68 – At the 1968 NZIGP meeting at Pukekohe on 6 Jan 68, Brian Watson entered in his #58 Bagnall Jaguar 3781cc in Event 7, the Ken Wharton Memorial Sports Car race over 12 laps. However, in his book, at page 251, Brian said, ‘I could not get past scrutineering as they said, “The car was old and unreliable. Which of course was correct, but at that time I did not think so.” Race winner was Andy Buchanan in his #28 Elfin 400-Chev 6500cc, from Geoff Mardon in the #53 Stanton-Corvette 5360cc, and John Riley was 3rd in his #117 Lotus 19B-Oldsmobile 4400cc.
New Zealand’s Chris Amon won the 1968 NZIGP driving a ‘works’ Ferrari 246T 2417cc V6, from Australian Frank Gardner in a Brabham BT23D Alfa Romeo 2472cc V8, and Englishman Piers Courage in his McLaren M4A Cosworth 1860cc.
Levin 13 Jan 68 – Brian Watson in his #58 Bagnall-Jaguar 3781cc entered to race in the international meeting at Levin on 13 Jan 68 – and once again, there was no mention of the meeting in his book, at page 251, so it is assumed he withdrew the entry. Andy Buchanan in his #28 Elfin 400 Chev 6500cc won the 6-lap Sports car race in a time of 5m 38s, some 10 seconds ahead of Brent Hawes in the #111 Begg Corvette 4960cc in a time of 5m 47.5s, with late entry John Armstrong 3rd in his Lotus 15 Climax 1960cc (6m 16.9s), and Peter Slocombe 4th in his #47 PMS Climax 1963cc (6m 21.8s). Andy Buchanan in his Elfin 400 set the fastest lap time of 53.4 s.
In Race 14, a Sports car handicap race over 6 laps, John Mines won in his #43 JRM Ford 1650cc with a time of 7m 1.3s, from Ian Horley in the #147 Beowulf Ford Mk2 1498cc (7m 2.1s), with Charlie Bensemann 3rd in the #116 Honda S800 800cc (7m 8.2s) and I. S. Morrison in a #44 U2 Ford 1475cc on 7m 9.0s. Fastest lap in this race was set by Andy Buchannan in his Elfin 400 in a lap time of 54.7s.
Chris Amon won the Levin International in his ‘works’ Ferrari 246T, from Piers Courage and Jim Palmer, both of whom drove McLaren M4A Cosworths.
Wigram 20 Jan 68 – At the Lady Wigram Trophy meeting on 20 Jan 68, Brian Watson entered his Bagnall Jaguar 3.8 litre in Event 4 over 11 laps for Sports Cars over 1500cc. As there is no mention of the meeting in his book, at page 251, it is assumed Brian withdrew the entry. Andy Buchanan won in his Elfin 400 6500cc, from Geoff Mardon Stanton-Corvette 5360cc and 3rd was Brent Hawes in the Begg-Chev.
Jim Clark in his ‘works’ Lotus 49T Cosworth won the 1968 Lady Wigram Trophy race, from Chris Amon in the ‘works’ Ferrari 246T, and Denny Hulme in a Brabham BT23 Cosworth.
Teretonga 27 Jan 68 – The annual international meeting was held at Teretonga on 27 Jan 68 and #58 Brian Watson entered his green Bag-Jag 3781cc in Event 3 for Racing & Sports Cars over 10 laps; he also entered Event 7 the Southland Sports Car Club Championship over 12 laps. However, as there is no mention of the meeting in his book, at page 251, it is assumed he withdrew from the meeting. Ron Rutherford won Event 3 over 10-laps in his Lotus 23B Ford 1.5, from Andy Buchanan in the 6.5 litre Elfin 400, and John Armstrong in his Lotus 15 Climax 2.0. Brent Hawes won the 12-lap Event 7 SSCC race in his Begg Corvette, from Barry Keen in a Begg Ford 1.6, and Lindsay Tosh in a Begg Daimler 2.5 V8.
Bruce McLaren won the Teretonga International driving a ‘works’ BRM P126 V12, from Jim Clark in his ‘works’ Lotus 49T Cosworth, and Frank Gardner in his Brabham BT23D Alfa Romeo. Sadly, this was the last time the very popular and talented Jim Clark was to be seen in New Zealand as he was killed driving a F2 Lotus at Hockenheimring, Germany on 7th April 1968.
Houghton Bay 10 Feb 68 – In the Houghton Bay hillclimb at Wellington on 10 Feb 68, Brian Watson entered his Bagnall Jaguar 3.8. He had quite an eventful day! He said in his book, at page 251, the car went really well on the first run in 47.42 seconds – but he hit a bump at the finish line, the car went sideways and he thumped the bank with his right rear wheel and cracked the de Dion tube. After pulling the bodywork away from the wheel, he drove to Jack Oakley’s workshop where he welded up the de-Dion tube. Later in the afternoon, Brian ‘had another go up the hill’, hit another bump and hit another bank, this time with the bonnet. In the next week he worked on panel and painting – he found the Bagnall very powerful but the chassis flexed very badly over bumps.
Mt Ngongoataha, Rotorua 17 Feb 68 – Brian Watson entered his Bagnall Jaguar 3.8 in the Gold Star hillclimb at Mt Ngongoataha, Rotorua, on 17 Feb 68, as did Jamie Aislabie of Rotorua in his Cooper Jaguar. Brian’s report on the event at page 251 to his book reads, “First run broke diff brackets had them welded up, did one run in the afternoon, loose metal surface could not use all the power, car all over the place. Time 1 minute 15 seconds. Fourth in class.” Jim Boyd recorded FTD of 64.895s in the Lycoming Special, and Jamie Aislabie in his Cooper Jaguar was 2nd in the Sports car class on 70.395s.
About the Cooper Jaguar – Graham Vercoe’s book ‘Historic Racing Cars of NZ’, at page 101, records details of a car that he lists as a ‘Cooperati’: A Cooper [T20] single seater chassis [as used in the Cooper T20 Bristol Mk1] was purchased by Syd Greene, of Gilby Engineering UK, and a 2.0 litre Maserati A6GCS engine fitted, as was a Maurice Gomm designed and built lightweight aluminium sports car body. Brian Watson in his book, at page 55, said the car was made in 1952 and built as a two seater sports cars, not a single seater widened.
The car was driven in UK in 1955 by Syd Greene’s driver, Roy Salvadori; in his 1985 book ‘Roy Salvadori Racing Driver’ by Roy Salvadori and Anthony Pritchard, Roy said, “The Cooper-Maserati was a complete disaster and with the benefit of hindsight I should have abandoned it immediately. It had the most appalling understeer, it was not competitive and we had no opportunity to carry out any development work.”
The Maserati engine was removed and the car was eventually sold to Englishman Horace Gould who brought it to New Zealand in late 1956, with a spare Bristol engine in the car, together with his own Maserati 250F to race in the 1957 NZIGP. In 1960/61 Ken Smith and his father, Morrie, fitted a Holden 2300cc engine to the ‘Cooperati’, and thereafter, both Morrie and Ken raced it as a Cooper Holden. [See Ardmore 6 Jan 62 where Ken drove it in the Ultimate Ekco Race race]. Brian Aislabie then owned and raced it without success, even when a Jaguar 2.4 motor was fitted.
In 2021, Jamie Aislabie said, “The Cooper Jag was the Cooper Holden that Kenny Smith ran. My Brother Brian bought it. After repeated engine problems we fitted a 2.4 Jaguar and gearbox. My brother retired and got married. I moved down to Rotorua with the two cars, then I sold the Cooper T39 Bobtail to Bernie Hinds, and took over the Cooper Jag. After a season we replaced the 2.4 engine with a Jaguar 3.8. In 1969 [1970] Lyn Neilson bought the car less motor and gearbox. The motor then went into SID Mk 1.”
Vercoe’s book tells that in addition to fitting a Jaguar 3.8 engine, “Jamie altered considerably the original Cooperati body, fitting wider steel wheels in place of the original alloy Cooper ones ….. In Jamie’s hands it probably had more success (and racing) than at any other time of its life. Over the 1967 and 1968 seasons Aislabie was a consistent hillclimb winner at Mt Ngongataha, Whakatane, Taupo, and Tauranga, as well as winning the Waipa Sprints. He was even successful on grass tracks such as Tuakau“. Jamie said he sold the car to Lyn Neilsen, who started a restoration project on it using a Jaguar motor, new Wakefield-style body work, and refitting the original Cooper wheels. Roddy MacPherson acquired the car from Neilsen’s estate in 1986 and took it back to Scotland, intending to replace the body with one to the original Gomm design, and fitting a Bristol engine. A 2017 YouTube clip ‘1955 Cooper Maserati sport Cooperati’ shows a car with a Maserati engine.
Whakatane 24 Feb 68 – Brian Watson entered the #21 Bagnall Jaguar in a hillclimb at Whakatane on 24 Feb 68 – he recorded 4th fastest time in his class in a time of 45.9 seconds and reported the “car going well and no troubles.”
Levin 2 Mar 68 – Brian Watson entered the Bagnall Jaguar 3.8 in the ‘sprint’ at Levin on 2 Mar 68. In his book, at page 252, he wrote, “The last time I drive the Bagnall at any event. Could only do 1 min 4.2 sec. No power missing badly…..” At page 253 to his book, Brian said, “….I decided to build another car using the Jaguar engine and gearbox. I tried to sell the [Bagnall] rolling chassis, but no takers, so in 1970 I cut it up and took it to the tip.”
Bombay Apr (?) 68 – at the Auckland Car Club’s hillclimb at Chamberlain Road, Bombay, Jamie Aislabie in his Cooper Jaguar recorded 2nd fastest time of 41.88s in the Sports car class to Jim Boyd in the Lycoming Special on 38.065s (also FTD).
Pukekohe 20 Apr 68 – Jamie Aislabie took 5th place driving his Cooper Jaguar 2.4 in an 8-lap scratch race for Sports cars at Pukekohe on 20 Apr 68. In wet conditions, John Riley won in his Lotus 19B Olds 4.5, from Jim Boyd in the Lycoming Special 5.5. Ron McDonald was 3rd in his Lotus 23B Ford 1.5, from Ross West in his Lotus Super 7. Following Jamie in 5th place was Miss Ivy Stephenson in her Lola Mk1 1.5.
Hamilton May (?) 68 – Motorman magazine of June 68, page 36, reports on a ‘recent’ Hamilton Speed Weekend – there was a Hillclimb at Heads Road, and a flying ¼ mile sprint. In the hillclimb, Jim Boyd driving a Cooper Climax 1.5 broke the record at 31.4 s; and in the ‘over 1500cc class’, J Martin driving a Jaguar set fastest time 34.1s, with Jamie Aislabie in his Cooper Jaguar 2.4 2nd on 34.1s, and Ron Duirs 3rd in a Bentley on 44.0s. Jamie did not feature in the results for the Sprint.
Pukekohe 9 Nov 68 – Motorman magazine of December 1968 reported on the first of the 1968/69 NZ Gold Star races, held at Pukekohe on 9 Nov 68. Scott Wiseman entered his Jaguar E-Type in the 12 lap sports car championship race. Fastest in qualifying was Brent Hawes in the Begg-Chevrolet with a time of 1m 8.1sec, and Grahame Harvey was 2nd in his ex-Andy Buchanan Elfin 400 Chev with a time of 1m 8.7s. Jim Boyd was 3rd in the Stanton Corvette on 1m 11.2s, with Ross West 4th in his Lotus 23B Ford 1.5 in 1 m 17.0 s. “Fifth fastest sports car was Scott Wiseman’s rapid Jaguar E-Type. Scott has recently returned from a lengthy stay in Britain where he raced the Jaguar, and showed how rapid the machine was by returning a 1m 18.1s practice time.”
After the start of the race, Hawes led from Boyd, Morely (U2), Wiseman and Ivy Stephenson (Lola Mk1 1.5). After three laps, Harvey led from Boyd and Hawes, with a 25 sec gap back to Wiseman, and a further 7 secs to West, Morely and Stephenson. With a race time of 14m 7s, Harvey won from Boyd, with Hawes 3rd, West 4th on 11 laps, and Wiseman was 5th in the E-Type. Scott Wiseman in Brian Watson’s book, at page 216, records he finished 2nd in the Sports car handicap race that day.
Ruapuna Park Nov 68 – Motorman magazine of Jan 69, page 24, reported on a race meeting at Ruapuna in Nov 68. In the two races for Vintage cars, Ray Archibald in his Jaguar C-Type finished in 1st place in both races: in a Scratch race Ray Archibald Jaguar C-Type was 1st, I. McKellar Maserati 4CLT 2nd, Warner Mauger Stanton Special 3rd; and in a Handicap race, Archibald was 1st, McKellar 2nd, E. Ransley Brooklands Riley 3rd.
Levin 30 Nov 68 – for the Rothmans National meeting held at Levin on 30 Nov 68, Brian Watson had entered his new #106 Phoenix Jaguar 3781cc – but as stated in his book, at page 257, the car was not ready to race until 24 Oct 70. Scott Wiseman entered his #21 Jaguar E-Type and recorded second best time of 57.8s in practice to Grahame Harvey in his Elfin 400 Chev on 56.2s. Race 3 for Sports cars over 6-laps was reported in Motorman magazine of January 1969, page 4, “As expected, Harvey led from start to finish, but the E-Type put on a great display, sitting not far behind the Elfin for the entire race.” Harvey’s race time was 5m 48.2s, with Wiseman just behind on 5m 50s, and Peter Slocombe 3rd in his PMS Sports on 5m 50.5s. Brian Watson’s book, at page 217, records Scott finished 4th in the 6-lap Sports car handicap race.
Pukekohe 8 Dec 68 – At the Rothmans National meeting at Pukekohe on 8 Dec 68, Scott Wiseman entered his Jaguar E-Type, now fitted with a high rear wing, in the sports car races. Motorman magazine of January 1969 reported, “Most impressive sports car was the light-weight E-Type Jaguar of Scott Wiseman which turned out in 7 inch front magnesium wheels, and 8 inch rears. Added to this was a specially designed aerofoil mounted at an angle of 10 degrees; the combination gave a satisfactory practice lap time of 1m 15.5s, with more to come”
The first race in the sports car category was an ‘Unlimited Scratch race’ over 10 laps, won by Grahame Harvey in the Elfin 400-Chev 4.9 litre in a race time of 11m 49.6s, from Jim Boyd in the Lexington Stanton Corvette (11m 56.4 s), John Riley in his Lotus 19B-Oldsmobile (12m 45.7s), and Scott Wiseman who was just 0.04s behind in 4th with a time of 12m 46.1s. Motorman reported, “…but the crowd had been cheering a race-long battle for third between the [John Riley] Lotus and the E-Type. Lap after lap the two changed positions, with Wiseman sneaking through at Champion and in any places where corners might count, while Riley’s Lotus zotted back in front down the back straight. It was a great battle which went to the Lotus by a narrow margin. In the process, Wiseman set a new Production sports car record of 1m 14.2s compared to Dave Silcock’s best of 1m 16.9 s in the modded XK140 Jaguar of a few seasons ago.”
The second race over 5 laps was from a handicap start and Motorman reported, “The handicap sports event attracted only four cars, with Boyd winning by a car’s length from Wiseman, and Riley just sneaking third from Ivy Stephenson’s 1220cc Lola-Climax on the last lap.”
At the same meeting, T. Rolley in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 took 3rd place in a 5-lap handicap race for saloon cars over 1000cc – race winner was Rodger Anderson (Mini-Cooper S 1293cc), from Jim Richards (Ford Escort Mk1) in 2nd place, with Jim Palmer in 4th place driving a Holden Monaro.
Baypark 29 Dec 68 – Scott Wiseman in his #25 Jaguar E-Type 4.0 litre entered the Bay Park International meeting on 29 Dec 68.
In the 14 lap ‘Allcomers Feature’ race for Saloon cars, Red Dawson won in his 4.7 litre Ford Mustang in 15m 16.4s, from Australian Norm Beechey in a 5.3 litre Chevy-Nova (15m 28.4s), and Rodger Anderson’s Mini-Cooper S 1293cc was 3rd. Motorman Magazine of February 1969 reported, ‘…..Beechey made the best of the start to lead Fahey, Dawson, Black and Scott Wiseman‘s Jaguar E–Type (what kind of saloon is that?) into turn one… At the five lap mark, Beechey and Dawson were only a whisker apart, with a 19 second delay to Wiseman….Lap 11 saw the E-Type going off at the end of the main straight, and backwards through the fence with minor damage.” In Brian Watson’s book, at page 217, it is reported that Scott retired with failing brakes.
In the 12 lap Sports Car Championship race, Grahame Harvey won in his Elfin 400, from John Armstrong’s Lotus 15 Climax, and John Riley’s Lotus 19B-Olds was 3rd. As he had crashed in an earlier Saloon car race ‘with failing brakes’, it is doubtful if Scott Wiseman competed in his E-Type in this race for sports cars.
John Grieve
Posted at 07:58h, 27 FebruaryFabulous amount of detail………..