JAGUAR: A RACING HISTORY IN NEW ZEALAND. PART 9 1963-1964
1963 – Alfa Romeo P3 Jaguar, Jaguar D-Type, Jaguar Mk2 3.8, XK120, XK140, XK150, and Maserati 6CM-Jaguar
Tahunanui Beach, Nelson, New Year 1962/63 – The Nelson Car Club staged the annual beach racing championship at Tahunanui Beach, Nelson, from 29 Dec 62 to 1 Jan 63. Regular entrant, Cantabrian W. (Bill) Harris, entered his 1935 Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3, fitted with a Jaguar engine. In this car, Bill won the 1963 NZ Beach Racing Championship, ahead of Giff Tait of Nelson in a Chev Corvette Coupe, and Tony Shaw in a Cooper 500cc.
This success followed Bill’s win of the NZ Beach Racing Championship in the Alfa Jaguar on 4 Jan 60, and again on 2 Jan 62 (he withdrew with a broken axle in 1961, having fitted dual rear wheels in an attempt to set the lap record).
In 1963, A. Mackle of Kaikoura in his Jaguar XK120 finished 3rd in the ‘Anonymous Donor Cup’, to Peter Leversedge in his V8 Special in 1st place, and Don Stewart in the Ransley Riley single seater.
Pukekohe 5 Jan 63 – The 1963 NZIGP meeting on 5 Jan 63 was the first to be held on the new track at Pukekohe. Event 4 on the programme was a Saloon Car Scratch race for cars over 1600cc. In this race, Alistair McBeath took 1st place in the 8-lap event driving his #127 Jaguar Mk2 3.8, with a race time of 16min 8.5sec. In 2nd place was #128 Bruce McLaren in a Morris Mini-Cooper 1098cc, and Ernie Sprague in his #129 Ford Zephyr Mk3 2553cc was 3rd. It was a very close race as both McBeath and McLaren recorded a race time of 16min 8.5sec, while Sprague was only .01 sec behind in 3rd. Other Jaguars in the race were #34 Alister McLeod, and #36 Tim Beetham in their Mk2 3.8 cars.
Event 5 was the Auckland Star Sports Car Trophy race over 12 laps with a Le Mans start. Forest Cardon in the #22 Lycoming Special 5239cc was 1st with a time of 20min 31.5sec, from Barry Cottle in his #57 Lola Mk1 Climax 1220cc, with Geoff Richardson’s #131 Ferrari 250GT 2963cc 3rd, and Simon Taylor’s #71 Jaguar D-Type 3781cc in 4th. Another Jaguar entered was Ted Sweetman’s #58 XK140 3800cc.
The 1963 NZIGP was won by John Surtees in a ‘work’s #2 Lola T4 Climax 2.7, campaigned by Reg Parnell for the Bowmaker Racing Team. Angus Hyslop was 2nd in his #5 Cooper T53 Climax 2.5, and Jim Palmer 3rd in a #12 ‘Bowmaker’ Cooper T55 Climax 2.7.
After the NZIGP had finished, the final race of the day was Event 10, an event for ‘Sports Racing and Production Sports cars over 1600cc’ and held over 10 laps. Jim Boyd won in a time of 21min 7.2sec driving Ivan Cranch’s #26 Maserati 6CM-Jaguar 3442cc. Ted Sweetman’s #58 Jaguar XK140 3442cc was 2nd, and W. Reid in a Triumph TR3 1991cc was 3rd. Also entered was G. Osborne in his #127 Jaguar XK120 3542cc.
Levin 12 Jan 63 – Alistair McBeath’s #68 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 saloon was the sole Jaguar entry in the international 1963 Vic Hudson Memorial meeting held at Levin on 12 Jan 63. In Race 5 for Saloons over 6 laps, Bruce McLaren in his #67 Morris-Cooper S won ahead of Kerry Grant’s #64 Austin A40, and Alistair McBeath was 3rd in his #68 Jaguar Mk2. McLaren won again in Race 14 ‘Saloons Final’ from McBeath, Kerry Grant, and Dennis Marwood’s #59 Humber 80 1592cc.
In the final race of the day, Race 18 for Saloons All-Comers handicap, McBeath in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 won ahead of McLaren, Marwood, and Dr. R.B. ‘Doc’ Langley in his #60 Humber 80 1600cc.
Jack Brabham won the 1963 Levin International race in his own Brabham BT4 Climax. Tony Maggs was 2nd in a Bowmaker Lola T4 Climax, and Innes Ireland 3rd in the experimental Ferguson P99 Climax 4-wheel drive car.
Wigram 19 Jan 63 – The opening event on the programme at Wigram on 19 Jan 63 was the MRC Championship race over 15 laps ‘for open cars not entered or qualifying for the Trophy Race’. There were 27 cars entered but only one Jaguar; however, #5 Ted Sweetman’s Jaguar XK140 3442cc entry was withdrawn before the race, along with 10 other cars. The race was won by Morrie Stanton in the #17 Stanton-Corvette 4932cc in a time of 22m 40.6s, from Barry Cottle’s #57 Lola Mk1 Climax 1220cc, with Arthur Moffat’s #2 Lotus 15 Climax 1960cc in 3rd.
In the 10 lap Saloon Car handicap race, Ray Archibald in his #12 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 “carved his way through the field from the back of the grid with such determination that even his old adversary in A. McBeath in his 3.8 Jaguar could not keep with him.” The final placings were Archibald 1st, ‘Doc’ Langley in his #9 Humber 80 in 2nd, Alistair McBeath’s #66 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 3rd, and Ian Dow’s #22 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 in 4th.
The 17 lap Sports Car race, with a Le Mans start, attracted 17 entries and Doug Lawrence’s Lola Mk1 Ford 1500cc was a late entry – but five cars were subsequently scratched. Two Jaguars were listed: #5 Ted Sweetman from Dunedin in his Jaguar XK140, and #41 A.J. Mackle from Kaikoura in his Jaguar XK120 3442cc. Barry Cottle in his Lola Mk1 won, from Arthur Moffat’s Lotus 15, with Englishman G.N. (Geoff) Richardson’s Ferrari 250GT Berlinetta 2961cc in 3rd place.
After the Lady Wigram Trophy race, won by Bruce McLaren (Cooper T62 Climax) from Jack Brabham (Brabham BT4 Climax) and Tony Maggs (Lola T4 Climax), came the 10 lap ‘Allcomers Saloon Car Race’. There were 18 entries but five subsequently scratched. The race winner from ‘flag to flag’ was Geoff Richardson in his Ferrari 250GT Berlinetta [Saloon!!] from the Jaguar Mk 2 3.8s of Ray Archibald in 2nd, and Alistair McBeath in 3rd.
Teretonga 26 Jan 63 – The only Jaguars entered in the 1963 Teretonga International meeting held om 26 Jan 63 were the Mk2 3.8s of Ray Archibald and Alistair McBeath. In Event 6, a Saloon Car race over 6 laps, Ray Archibald took 1st place in his grey #10 Mk2 3.8, from #49 Ernie Sprague’s green Ford Zephyr MK3 2553cc, and #66 Alistair McBeath was 3rd in his dark green Jaguar Mk2 3.8. Event 11 was another Saloon car race over 6 laps, but this time from a handicap start. Race winner was #34 I. Wills in a Ford Zephyr, from #56 Kerry Grant, with Bruce McLaren in 3rd in his Mini-Cooper. Clearly the handicaps were too great for either of the Archibald or McBeath Jaguars to be in the major placings. McBeath set a Touring Car ‘over 30001cc’ lap record at this meeting with a time of 1m 20.8s for an average speed of 67.4 mph/108.47kph.
Bruce McLaren won the 1963 Teretonga International in a Cooper T62 Climax, from Tony Maggs in a Bowmaker Lola T4 Climax, and Innes Ireland was 3rd in the Ferguson P99 Climax 4WD.
Waimate 2 Feb 63 – At the 1963 Waimate 50 meeting held on 2 Feb 63, the ‘Unlimited class’ of the 10 lap Saloon Car race saw Ernie Sprague win in his #50 Ford Zephyr Mk3 with a race time of 13m 53.1s, just 0.1sec ahead of #2 Ray Archibald’s Jaguar Mk2 3.8 in 2nd place, and #19 Ian Dow was 3rd in his Mk2 3.8, some 45 seconds behind.
Levin 23 Mar 63 – At the 1963 Levin Championship meeting held on 23 Mar 63, Alistair McBeath of Otaki entered his #66 Jaguar Mk2 3.8, as did Phillip Galpin of Marton his #67 Jaguar XK150 3.8. Early in the meeting McBeath experienced “persistent engine problems eliminating him from the day’s racing”. Galpin with his XK150 won the 6-lap Race 19 Sports Cars Handicap race, ahead of Russell Grace and G. Sands, both of whom drove MGAs.
1962/63 Summer Season Championship Results – In the 1962/63 NZ Saloon Car Championship, Ray Archibald took 1st place in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8, from Alistair McBeath in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8, with Ernie Sprague 3rd in his Ford Zephyr Mk3.
Pukekohe 26 Oct 63 – The first Wills 3-hour, and 6-Hour, endurance races were held on 26 Oct 63 on the new race track at Pukekohe. Motorman magazine for November 1963 reported that Tony Shelly and Ray Archibald in their #1 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 won the 1963 Will Six-Hour race at Pukekohe, having completed 172 laps. The ‘Overall Results’ show the winning Jaguar to be four laps ahead of the Ford Zodiac Mk3 of Robby Franicevic/Steve Borich on 168 laps, with the Ford Cortina of Kerry Grant/Frank Hamlin in 3rd place overall on 167 laps. In the ‘Over 3000cc Class’, the Archibald/Shelly Jaguar Mk2 was 1st from the Angus Hyslop/’Doc’ Langley’s Chrysler Valiant in 2nd, followed by the Jaguar Mk2 3.8 of John Ward/Jim Richards. In the Ray Stone book, at page 106, it states the Ward/Richards Jaguar lost 30 minutes in the Pits during the race for repairs to a broken rear leaf shackle.
Renwick 16 Nov 63 – The same track layout, as used in 1962, was used again in 1963 for the Renwick 50 Road Race meeting held on 16 Nov 63.
Race 2 over 6 laps was a ‘Sports Car & Specials Scratch Race’ and run in two classes. A late entry in Class B for cars over 1800cc was Gary Bremner from Patea in the ex-Gibbons/Hyslop/Taylor Jaguar D-Type. Overall race winner was Morrie Stanton in the Stanton-Corvette with a race time of 8m 35.6s, from Barry Porter’s Lotus 15 Climax, Charlie Bensemann’s Stanton Special, and Gary Bremner’s D-Type finished in 4th. The first four placings in Class B were as per the overall results.
The 6 lap Race 3 for Saloon Cars over 1300cc was again divided into two classes – Class A 1301-2000cc, and Class B for over 2000cc. There were two Jaguar Mk2 3.8s entered in Class B – #18 Ian Dow, and #28 Ray Archibald. Ray Archibald in his Mk2 took 1st place overall in the race time of 9m 29.5s, followed very closely by #35 Ernie Sprague in his Ford Zephyr Mk3, with Ian Dow 3rd in his Mk2 3.8. The same three drivers took the same placings in Class B.
Race 4 was a 6 lap ‘Kenny Grocers Specials race’, from a handicap start, and late entry #46 Gary Bremner took 6th place in his Jaguar D-Type, behind race winner Ron Rutherford in the 260M Zephyr (9m 52.5s), M.P Stephens in a Ford 10 Special, and Robert Stewart in his Sunbeam Alpine.
Race 5 over 6 laps was for ‘All-Comer Saloon Cars’ in two classes – Ernie Sprague won in his Ford Zephyr Mk3, from Ray Archibald‘s Jaguar Mk2 3.8, with Kerry Grant’s rapid Lesco entered Cortina GT (with a Willment-modified engine bored out to 1650cc) in 3rd place. In the Class B honours, Sprague was 1st from Archibald’s Mk2 3.8, with Tait’s Chev Coupe 3rd, and Ian Dow’s Mk2 3.8 was 4th.
Race 6 was the 20 lap ‘Renwick 50’ where Gary Bremner was a late entry with his Jaguar D-Type. Jim Palmer won in the ex-Angus Hyslop Cooper T53 Climax in a time of 27m 13.9s, from Tony Shelly’s Lotus 18/21 Climax, and Rex Flowers in his ex-Jim Palmer Lotus 20 Ford. Gary Bremner retired the Jaguar D-Type on lap 20 of 30 with ignition problems.
Race 7, the final race of the day, was an Allcomer Saloon Car Handicap race over 6 laps. Ian Dow had entered his #18 JaguarMk2 3.8, but he withdrew before the start in a race won by Norm Masters’ Ford Zephyr Mk2, from Ernie Sprague’s Ford Zephyr Mk3, and Ron Silvester’s Chev Coupe.
Levin 30 Nov 63 – Jaguar entries in the 1963 Fred Zambucka Memorial Meeting held at Levin on 30 Nov 63 showed Brian Watson was back with the #15 Bagnall Jaguar sports 3442cc, as were Phillip Galpin with his #34 Jaguar XK150, and Gary Bremner from Patea in the #88 Jaguar D-Type 3781cc. Brian Watson said in his book, at page 241, he managed to get past scrutineering but only did one race. Gary Bremner in his D-Type won Race 4 for Sports cars, ahead of John Riley’s Lola Mk1 Ford 1590cc, and Colin Ngan’s Cooper T39 ‘Bobtail’ Climax; Bremner won again in Race 12 over 6 laps ahead of G. Thomson’s Austin Healey and Bryan Harvie’s M.G.A.
Pukekohe 7 Dec 63 – Ivan Cranch raced his Maserati 6CM-Jaguar 3442cc single seater at the Auckland Car Club’s meeting held at Pukekohe on 7 Dec 63. Jim Palmer in his white and blue ex-Hyslop Cooper T53 Climax won the 10-lap Auckland Car Club Trophy over 10 laps, from Andy Buchanan’s Brabham BT6 Ford, with Roly Levis 3rd in his new Lotus 22 Ford.
Te Maire, Featherston, 7 Dec 63 – In a sprint held at Te Maire Road, near Featherston, on 7 Dec 63, Brian Watson recorded fastest time of the day in his Bagnall Jaguar for the standing ¼ mile (in 16.18 secs), and he was 2nd in the flying ¼ in 7.62 secs – at 118.5 mph/190.707kmh.
Mt Maunganui 28 Dec 63 – At the 1963 Bay of Plenty Premier Road race meeting held at Mt. Maunganui on 28 Dec 63, Gary Bremner in his Jaguar D-Type finished 3rd in a Sports car race, to Barry Porter’s Lotus 15 Climax in 1st, and John Riley’s Lola Mk1 Ford.
1964 – the Mark 2 3.8s, the D-Type, the Tojeiro Jag, the ‘Bag Jag’, enter the Silcock XK120, and a Ford Consul Mk1 Jag!!
Competition against the Jaguars now tended towards smaller, lighter and more agile cars in both sports and saloon classes.
Levin 4 Jan 64 – The 1964 Vic Hudson International meeting was held at Levin on 4 Jan 64. Brian Watson with his #34 Bagnall-Jaguar and A. F. (Alister) McLeod from Martinborough, who drove his #74 Mk2 3.8, were the only Jaguar, or Jaguar-powered, cars entered. [In his book, at page 199, Brian Watson records that Gary Bremner took a 4th place in his Jaguar D-Type in a 6-lap Sports car race, but unless he was a late entry, there is no record of Bremner in the entry list or results in the Levin book]. Neither Watson nor McLeod featured in the results – Brian Watson said in his book, ‘Two races but pulled out of one because of loss of brakes and burned out brake linings. The second race drove better and hardly used any brakes, had to pump pedals, Best lap time 1min 7.2 seconds.’
Denny Hulme won the Levin International race in a Brabham BT4 Climax, from Timmy Mayer and Bruce McLaren in their ‘works’ Cooper T70 Climaxes.
Pukekohe 11 Jan 64 – The 1964 NZIGP meeting was held for the second time at Pukekohe, this time on 11 Jan 64. Brian Watson entered his Bagnall Jaguar in the 10-lap Sports Car Trophy Race, but he was unable to reach the qualifying time of 1min 55 sec, recording his best time of 2min 5 sec. The race was won by Australian Frank Matich in his Lotus 19B in a race time of 16 min 15 sec. However as Frank was ineligible for Championship points, the second placed car in Barry Porter took the 10 points for winning in his Lotus 15 Climax 1960cc, from John Riley’s Lola Mk1-Ford 1500cc, with Gary Bremner taking 3rd place points in the Jaguar D-Type.
There was no NZRDC Championship race for Saloon cars, but in a 6-lap Open Saloon Car Scratch race for cars over 1600cc, Kerry Grant in his Lotus-Cortina Mk1 won in a race time of 11 min 15.3 sec, with Ernie Sprague’s Ford-Zephyr Mk3 in 2nd place. Paul Fahey in his Lotus-Cortina Mk1 was 3rd, and although he set a saloon car lap record of 1min 48sec on the fifth lap, Ray Archibald in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 could only finish in 4th place – and as the Peter Greenslade said in the Shell Book 1964, “It was this meeting that demonstrated that the 3.8 Jaguar had at last been eclipsed in saloon car racing.”
In the 10-lap race for Sports/Racing and Production Sports Cars over 1600cc, Ted Sweetman in his Jaguar XK140 took 6th place. Ahead of him were Gordon Thomas in a Buckler 1494cc in 1st place, Peter McLoughlin in his Austin Healy in 2nd, R. Wilkin in his Daimler SP250 in 3rd, D. Cullin in his Buckler in 4th, Ivy Stephenson in her Buckler in 5th, with Russell Grace in his MGA in 7th.
Bruce McLaren won the 75-lap 1964 NZIGP in the ‘works’ Cooper T70 Climax, from Denny Hulme (Brabham BT4 Climax), and Timmy Mayer was 3rd in the second ‘works’ Cooper T70 Climax.
Wigram 18 Jan 64 – At Wigram on 18Jan 64 there was no NZRDC Championship race for Sports cars, and the big Jaguar-engined sports cars were no longer fast enough to qualify on the grid and compete in the Lady Wigram Trophy Race alongside the swift and agile single seaters. Bruce McLaren won again in the Cooper T70 Climax, from Jack Brabham (Brabham BT7A Repco Climax), and Denny Hulme was 3rd in a Brabham Climax.
In Event 4, the 9-lap ‘Second Heat for the I.G.A. Saloon Cars’ over 1301cc, there were 20 entries including the three Jaguar Mk2 3.8s of #8 Ray Archibald, #9 Tim Beecham and #10 Ian Dow. Ray Archibald won the race in 16m 35.4sec, from Dennis Simmons in his #38 ex-Ivan Segedin Anglia Super 1350cc, and #88 Morrie Hogan was 3rd in his Anglia Allardette 1498cc, with Ian Dow 4th in his #10 Jaguar Mk2 3.8.
In Event 10 the 7 lap ‘I.G.A. Saloon Car Final’, Ray Archibald in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 was 2nd to Kerry Grant’s Lotus-Cortina, with Ernie Sprague’s Ford Zephyr Mk3 in 3rd place, and Ian Dow’s Jaguar Mk 2 3.8 in 4th.
Teretonga 25 Jan 64 – at the 1964 Teretonga International meeting on 25 Jan 64 there were Jaguars entered but in only the Touring Car races. Event 5 was for saloon cars under 1300cc, while Event 7 comprised of three classes – 1301 to 2000cc, 2001 to 3000cc, and over 3001 cc. The overall race winner of Event 7 was #43 Kerry Grant in his Lotus Cortina 1650cc, from #24 Dennis Simmons in the ex-Ivan Segedin Lotus–Anglia in 2nd place, with #10 Ernie Sprague’s Ford Zephyr Mk3 in 3rd – but neither #20 Ian Dow’s maroon Jaguar Mk2 3.8, nor #52 Alister McLeod’s green Mk2 3.8 were placed. However, Dow and McLeod must have been well placed in the over 3001cc class with the only other car in the class being #58 Doug Algie’s white and blue Chevrolet 3528cc. The Dow and McLeod Jaguars were entered in Event 12 an All-Comers Touring Car race over 6 laps from a handicap start, but no results are to hand.
Bruce McLaren won the Teretonga International race from Timmy Mayer, both in works Cooper T70 Climaxes, with Jim Palmer 3rd in his older ex-Hyslop Cooper T53 Climax.
Waimate 1 Feb 64 – Racing again at Waimate on 1 Feb 64, the ‘up to 2000cc class’ of the 10 lap race Final for Saloon cars was won by Paul Fahey in his #108 Lotus-Cortina 1558cc, from Kerry Grant’s #43 Lotus Cortina 1558cc in 2nd, with Dennis Simmons #38 Anglia Super 1350cc in 3rd, and Arthur Moffat’s #21 Lotus-Cortina 1558cc in 4th. In an earlier race Ian Dow in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 was 1st overall, and 1st in the over 3001cc class. Norm Masters’ Ford Zephyr Mk2 was 2nd, and Peter Gillum in his Chevrolet Coupe was 3rd. Also in the race, but unplaced, was N. Ord of Greymouth in his Jaguar 2.4.
Pukekohe 22 Feb 64 – At the Northern Sports Car Club’s meeting held at Pukekohe on 22 Feb 64, Ivan Cranch entered his Maserati 6CM Jaguar 3442cc. Bill Thomasen in his Cooper T53-Climax won the main race from Roly Levis in his Lotus 22 Ford; Peter Slocombe was 3rd in his ex-Palmer/Greenville Lotus 18 Ford, and Ken Smith 4th in the ex-Histed Lola T2-Ford.
Palmer Head, Wellington 7 Mar 64 – In the Wellington Car Club’s Hillclimb at Palmer Head on 7 Mar 64, Brian Watson in his Bagnall Jaguar was placed 2nd in the Sports Cars over 1500cc class – in 1st place was L. Crawford in his ex-McRae Masarrari in a time of 45.02s, from Brian Watson on 47.8s, and in 3rd place, Graham McRae in a M.G.A. on 51.66s.
Levin 21 Mar 64 – At the 1964 Levin Championship meeting on 21 Mar 64, Brian Watson was back again with the #28 Bagnall-Jaguar 3442cc sports car, but he did not feature in the results. He said in his book he took part in three races and finished well back in each of them.
Ahuriri, Napier 28 Mar 64 – There were two Jaguar, or Jaguar powered, cars entered in the Ahuriri Road races held at Napier on 28 Mar 64. Napier’s Chris Keehan entered his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 in Saloon car races and he finished 7th in Race 3, won by Lotus Cortina drivers Paul Fahey from Kerry Grant, with Ian (Red) Dawson 3rd in his Willys Corvette Coupe.
Brian Watson entered his Bagnall Jaguar in two races for Sports cars and in his book (at page 243) he said he came 7th in both but said ‘brakes faded badly and would not pullup very well even when cold.’ In Race 6, the Sports Cars feature race over 8 laps of the 1.28 mile/2.06km circuit, John Riley was 1st in his Lola Mk1 Ford 1.6 in a time of 8mins, just 1 second ahead of Red Dawson in his Lola Climax, with Colin Ngan 3rd on his Cooper T39 ‘Bobtail’ Climax. In Race 11, a Sports car handicap over 8 laps, Michael Langley of Napier was 1st in his Daimler SP250 Dart in 9min 24 secs, just 6 seconds ahead of H. Crawford in the Masarrari, with Red Dawson just one second behind in 3rd place in his Lola Climax, and Russell Grace 4th in his M.G.A. on 9min 42 sec.
Pukekohe 4 Apr 64 – Ivan Cranch raced his 1936 Maserati 6CM Jaguar 3442cc at the Auckland Car Club’s race meeting at Pukekohe on 4 Apr 64. The Rothmans Invitational race was won by Bill Thomasen in his Cooper T53 Climax 2.5, from Roly Levis in his Lotus 22 Ford 1.5, and John Riley in his Lola Mk1 Ford 1590cc sports.
Houghton Bay, Wellington 4 Apr 64 – At the Wellington Car Club’s Gold Star Hillclimb at Houghton Bay on 4 Apr 64, Brian Watson in his Bagnall Jaguar was placed 5th overall; in 1st place was R. (Dick) Butters in his Cooper Norton 498cc on 45.68s, from L. Crawford (Masarrari 1620cc sports) on 47.7s, A.R. (Tony) Gilbertson’s Mini-Cooper 1150cc on 48.57s, Dr. G.B (Doc) Cowie Mini Cooper 1122cc on 49.3s, and Brian Watson on 49.36s. With his time of 49.36s, Brian was a clear winner of the Sports Cars over 2000cc class, from N.S. Cheatham’s Austin Healey 2917cc on 53.3s, and Simon Taylor’s Jaguar XK120 3442cc on 53.94s. Brian said in his book after the event he took the ‘Bag Jag’ off the road to replace the drum brakes with disc brakes – 11 inch Sunbeam Rapier on the front, and 10 inch Zephyr Mk2 on the rear
Matamata 23 May 64 – Ivan Cranch entered his 1936 Maserati 6CM-Jaguar 3442cc engine in the Hamilton Car Club’s motor races held on a street circuit in the township of Matamata on 23 May 64. Winner of the main race was Andy Buchanan in his Brabham BT6 Ford 1.5, from Bill Thomasen’s Cooper T53 Climax 2.5, and Jim Boyd in the New Zealand built Valour Ford 1.5 was 3rd. Napier taxi driver, Chris Keehan, led from start to finish in the 5-lap Production saloon car race driving the #55 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 that had been raced by John Ward/Jim Richards in the 1963 Wills Six-Hour race at Pukekohe.
1963/64 Summer Season Championship Results – Having completed only at Renwick in late 1963 and in the 1964 North Island races, and thus missing the sports car championship races at Teretonga and Waimate, Gary Bremner in his Jaguar D-Type was third on 18 points in the 1963/64 NZRDC Sports Car Championship. In equal 1st place were Barry Porter in his Lotus 15 Climax and John Riley’s Lola Mk1-Ford, both on 44 points. Brian Watson in his book at page 200 records on 12 May 1964 Gary Bremner sold the D-Type to Noel Foster of Auckland for 1450 pounds ($2900).
In the 1963/64 NZRDC Saloon Car Championship, Ray Archibald in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8, having competed at only two of the six rounds, finished in 4th place on 14 points for the two second places he secured at both Renwick and Wigram. Kerry Grant, initially in a Cortina GT and then a Lotus-Cortina, was the Champion on 42 points, from Ernie Sprague’s Ford Zephyr Mk3 on 37 points, and Paul Fahey in his Lotus-Cortina was 3rd on 20 points.
Palmer Head, Wellington 25 Jul 64 – In light rain, the Wellington Car Club held a Hillclimb at Palmer Head, Wellington, on 25 Jul 64. Fastest times were set by Peter Slocombe in his Lotus 18 Ford 1340cc (42.89s), from Dick Butters in his Cooper MkIX Norton (44.84s). In the class for Saloons over 1500cc, N. Hawker in his Ford Cortina set 46.7s and took 1st place from Alister McLeod in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 on 49.99s, and Tim Beetham in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 on 50.26s.
Admiral Road, near Masterton 4 Oct 64 – The Wairarapa Car Club held a Gold Star hillclimb at Admiral Road, near Masterton on 4 Oct 64. Hillclimb champion Roy Lyme of Rotorua set a new record time in his Cooper MkVII Porsche with a time of 42.15s. In the over 1500cc Saloon car class A.F. (Alister) McLeod in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 was fastest on 49.1s, from Andy’s brother Hamish Buchanan in his Mk2 3.8 on 49.34s, with A.O. (Tim) Beetham 3rd in his Mk2 3.8 on 50.6s, and J. Shirer’s Ford Zodiac on 53.9s.
Pukekohe 7 Nov 64 – At the Northern Sports Car Club’s ‘Coppertone ’64’ national meeting held at Pukekohe on 7 Nov 64, Ian Green in the Tojeiro Jaguar took 2nd place in the over 1500cc Sports Car scratch race to Jim Boyd in the Lycoming Special. Boyd’s winning time was 6m 55.2s, compared to Green’s 7m 21.3s, with Don MacDonald 3rd in his Lola Mk1 Climax (7m 44.2s), and John Donnelly 4th in his HWM Thunderbird on 7m 45.9s. In the Invitation Sports car race, Boyd was 1st in 7m 9s, some 7 secs ahead of MacDonald (7m 16.7s) who was only just 0.10s ahead of Green’s Tojeiro in 3rd place on 7m 16.8s, and Donnelly 4th some 30 secs back on 7m 46.7s.
Renwick 14 Nov 64 – The only Jaguar saloon car entered at Renwick in 1964 was Ian Dow in his #3 Jaguar Mk2 3.8. In the 6 lap Race 2 for ‘Modified Production Saloon Cars’, run in three classes, Ian was placed 3rd overall to Paul Fahey in his #37 Lotus Cortina 1595cc (with a race time 9m 33.8s), and Dennis Marwood in a Morris-Cooper S 1275c. Ian was 2nd in the over 1300cc class to Paul Fahey, with former Jaguar driver A.D. Bell now in his Morris Cooper S 1275cc in 3rd place. In Race 7 ‘All-Comer Saloon Cars’ handicap over 6 laps, Ian Dow was unplaced in his Jaguar in an event won by #7 Warner Collins’ Ford Anglia 1498cc, from #88 Morrie Hogan’s Ford Anglia Allardette, and Rod Coppins’ Zephyr Corvette.
In the 10 lap Race 3 for Modified Production Sports Cars, run in two classes, Dave Silcock was 1st overall in his #36 Jaguar XK120 (chassis 660534), from #56 D.O. Evans in a Daimler SP250, and #21 G. Smith in a Morgan Plus 4. With a race time of 16m 24.6s, Dave Silcock also took 1st place in Class B for cars over 1800cc. This was the first of the two XK120s that Dave modified for racing – this first one (reg. plate AL6246) was modified by him in 1964, and he used it until mid-1965 before modifying the second XK120 (chassis 660060) for use in 1965-1967.
Levin 28 Nov 64 – At the 1964 Fred Zambucka Memorial meeting at Levin on 28 Nov 64, Brian Watson’s #25 Bagnall Jaguar was entered for the sports car races – but as he made no reference to the event in his book, it could be assumed he did not arrive at the meeting. Gary Bremner had sold the D-Type and was now driving a #84 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 in Production Saloon car races. The #89 Tojeiro-Jaguar 3.4, with an ‘unnamed Auckland driver’ [perhaps Ian Green?], was also entered. Bremner was 2nd in Race 1 for Series Production Saloons over 6 laps, behind winner Alistair McBeath, who had sold his Jaguar Mk2 and was now driving #79 Austin-Cooper S.
Pukekohe 12 Dec 64 – Motorman Magazine of February 1965 reported that at the Auckland Car Club’s Rothman’s meeting at Pukekohe on 12 Dec 64, Ian Green drove the Tojeiro Jaguar to 2nd place behind Jim Boyd’s Lycoming Special in the 4-lap ‘1501cc and above Sports Car’ race. Jack Nazer won the Open Capacity Handicap event for Saloon cars over 4 laps in his Lotus Anglia twin-cam, from Brian Innes in his 1265 cc Mini Cooper S, and Ivan Cranch in a Ford Consul Mk1 fitted with a Jaguar 3.4 engine (!!)
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