Early E Type… Ouch!
Discussion
Iwould take a bet that none of these cars exist now after shunts like that. The first car has an AJU registration plate which is Leicester and almost certainly supplied by Robin Sturgess. AJU was only issued up to February 1962. It is one of the first 91 RHD roadsters, as the OBL proves and looking at that picture I reckon the car was a complete write off. Remember that these cars were sold for under £2,000 and the shell looks to me to be twisted. I hope the broken screen wasn't where the driver or passenger hit it (no seat belts in those and nor still has mine) and suffered serious injuries or worse.
The bonnet on the second car has an RW plate so possibly a works supplied car and again is an early 1961 plate. Remember that 77RW is chassis no 3 built and 1600 was no 4, so this again could have been a works car.
The third photo would have given place to a fatal accident I am sure and it is interesting to note that the photo carries the title of the TT Garage where Mike Hawthorn worked with his father. That is not the car in which he met his death though; that was a MK 1. What is left of this car might have been a roadster or a coupé. Hard to tell which really. The curve of the seat back indicates a roadster not a FHC, but when short of stock Jaguar put in what was available.
The fourth is anyone's guess. but to me once again looks to be an early car going by the hood frame and door card but it is difficult to be certain from what I can see.
I tried to track down the 5600 RW plate (I used different combinations) but not on the DVLA register. Whatever, these are a gruesome sight. There is no more I can add from what I have listed above.
The bonnet on the second car has an RW plate so possibly a works supplied car and again is an early 1961 plate. Remember that 77RW is chassis no 3 built and 1600 was no 4, so this again could have been a works car.
The third photo would have given place to a fatal accident I am sure and it is interesting to note that the photo carries the title of the TT Garage where Mike Hawthorn worked with his father. That is not the car in which he met his death though; that was a MK 1. What is left of this car might have been a roadster or a coupé. Hard to tell which really. The curve of the seat back indicates a roadster not a FHC, but when short of stock Jaguar put in what was available.
The fourth is anyone's guess. but to me once again looks to be an early car going by the hood frame and door card but it is difficult to be certain from what I can see.
I tried to track down the 5600 RW plate (I used different combinations) but not on the DVLA register. Whatever, these are a gruesome sight. There is no more I can add from what I have listed above.
The bottom three photos all looked like the same car... a bit of research shows it apparently stolen... and the thief not only survived, but got away!
https://www.mike-hawthorn.org.uk/5600rw.php
https://www.mike-hawthorn.org.uk/5600rw.php
lowdrag said:
Iwould take a bet that none of these cars exist now after shunts like that. The first car has an AJU registration plate which is Leicester and almost certainly supplied by Robin Sturgess. AJU was only issued up to February 1962. It is one of the first 91 RHD roadsters, as the OBL proves and looking at that picture I reckon the car was a complete write off. Remember that these cars were sold for under £2,000 and the shell looks to me to be twisted. I hope the broken screen wasn't where the driver or passenger hit it (no seat belts in those and nor still has mine) and suffered serious injuries or worse.
The bonnet on the second car has an RW plate so possibly a works supplied car and again is an early 1961 plate. Remember that 77RW is chassis no 3 built and 1600 was no 4, so this again could have been a works car.
The third photo would have given place to a fatal accident I am sure and it is interesting to note that the photo carries the title of the TT Garage where Mike Hawthorn worked with his father. That is not the car in which he met his death though; that was a MK 1. What is left of this car might have been a roadster or a coupé. Hard to tell which really. The curve of the seat back indicates a roadster not a FHC, but when short of stock Jaguar put in what was available.
The fourth is anyone's guess. but to me once again looks to be an early car going by the hood frame and door card but it is difficult to be certain from what I can see.
I tried to track down the 5600 RW plate (I used different combinations) but not on the DVLA register. Whatever, these are a gruesome sight. There is no more I can add from what I have listed above.
I can’t read that as AJU. First letter looks like it could be a Y. Even so probably still a Leicester car The bonnet on the second car has an RW plate so possibly a works supplied car and again is an early 1961 plate. Remember that 77RW is chassis no 3 built and 1600 was no 4, so this again could have been a works car.
The third photo would have given place to a fatal accident I am sure and it is interesting to note that the photo carries the title of the TT Garage where Mike Hawthorn worked with his father. That is not the car in which he met his death though; that was a MK 1. What is left of this car might have been a roadster or a coupé. Hard to tell which really. The curve of the seat back indicates a roadster not a FHC, but when short of stock Jaguar put in what was available.
The fourth is anyone's guess. but to me once again looks to be an early car going by the hood frame and door card but it is difficult to be certain from what I can see.
I tried to track down the 5600 RW plate (I used different combinations) but not on the DVLA register. Whatever, these are a gruesome sight. There is no more I can add from what I have listed above.
No ideas for a name said:
The bottom three photos all looked like the same car... a bit of research shows it apparently stolen... and the thief not only survived, but got away!
https://www.mike-hawthorn.org.uk/5600rw.php
Ain’t that always the way when the scrote not only survives but runs away. https://www.mike-hawthorn.org.uk/5600rw.php
lowdrag said:
Iwould take a bet that none of these cars exist now after shunts like that. The first car has an AJU registration plate which is Leicester and almost certainly supplied by Robin Sturgess. AJU was only issued up to February 1962. It is one of the first 91 RHD roadsters, as the OBL proves and looking at that picture I reckon the car was a complete write off. Remember that these cars were sold for under £2,000 and the shell looks to me to be twisted. I hope the broken screen wasn't where the driver or passenger hit it (no seat belts in those and nor still has mine) and suffered serious injuries or worse.
The bonnet on the second car has an RW plate so possibly a works supplied car and again is an early 1961 plate. Remember that 77RW is chassis no 3 built and 1600 was no 4, so this again could have been a works car.
The third photo would have given place to a fatal accident I am sure and it is interesting to note that the photo carries the title of the TT Garage where Mike Hawthorn worked with his father. That is not the car in which he met his death though; that was a MK 1. What is left of this car might have been a roadster or a coupé. Hard to tell which really. The curve of the seat back indicates a roadster not a FHC, but when short of stock Jaguar put in what was available.
The fourth is anyone's guess. but to me once again looks to be an early car going by the hood frame and door card but it is difficult to be certain from what I can see.
I tried to track down the 5600 RW plate (I used different combinations) but not on the DVLA register. Whatever, these are a gruesome sight. There is no more I can add from what I have listed above.
I can’t read that as AJU. First letter looks like it could be a Y. Even so probably still a Leicester car The bonnet on the second car has an RW plate so possibly a works supplied car and again is an early 1961 plate. Remember that 77RW is chassis no 3 built and 1600 was no 4, so this again could have been a works car.
The third photo would have given place to a fatal accident I am sure and it is interesting to note that the photo carries the title of the TT Garage where Mike Hawthorn worked with his father. That is not the car in which he met his death though; that was a MK 1. What is left of this car might have been a roadster or a coupé. Hard to tell which really. The curve of the seat back indicates a roadster not a FHC, but when short of stock Jaguar put in what was available.
The fourth is anyone's guess. but to me once again looks to be an early car going by the hood frame and door card but it is difficult to be certain from what I can see.
I tried to track down the 5600 RW plate (I used different combinations) but not on the DVLA register. Whatever, these are a gruesome sight. There is no more I can add from what I have listed above.
Whilst I respect Lowdrag's Jaguar knowledge, I don't think the first one is regd AJU. From what little is visible of the first letter, I think it's either an X, or a Y. According to my list, XJU was issued March - June 1961 (most likely for the bonnet lock), Y from July 61 - Jan 1962. AJU was issued from Feb 1962.
Both 6162RW and 9699RW were road test cars (both on system, former regd Oct '61; latter Motorsport car 1962). As already said, quite possible 5600RW was a factory car.
Were the early roadster and coupe seats different? - Autocar March '61 said they were the same but I don't know.
Both 6162RW and 9699RW were road test cars (both on system, former regd Oct '61; latter Motorsport car 1962). As already said, quite possible 5600RW was a factory car.
Were the early roadster and coupe seats different? - Autocar March '61 said they were the same but I don't know.
TarquinMX5 said:
Whilst I respect Lowdrag's Jaguar knowledge, I don't think the first one is regd AJU. From what little is visible of the first letter, I think it's either an X, or a Y. According to my list, XJU was issued March - June 1961 (most likely for the bonnet lock), Y from July 61 - Jan 1962. AJU was issued from Feb 1962.
Both 6162RW and 9699RW were road test cars (both on system, former regd Oct '61; latter Motorsport car 1962). As already said, quite possible 5600RW was a factory car.
Were the early roadster and coupe seats different? - Autocar March '61 said they were the same but I don't know.
Seats were the same Both 6162RW and 9699RW were road test cars (both on system, former regd Oct '61; latter Motorsport car 1962). As already said, quite possible 5600RW was a factory car.
Were the early roadster and coupe seats different? - Autocar March '61 said they were the same but I don't know.
vpr said:
No ideas for a name said:
The bottom three photos all looked like the same car... a bit of research shows it apparently stolen... and the thief not only survived, but got away!
https://www.mike-hawthorn.org.uk/5600rw.php
Ain’t that always the way when the scrote not only survives but runs away. https://www.mike-hawthorn.org.uk/5600rw.php
lowdrag said:
vpr said:
Seats were the same
After the rush of sales in 1961 Jaguar modified the E-type coupé seats which were squared off at the top and a tad wider. The roadster seats remained the same. I copied this from the Aldridge siteI’ve had a few 3.8’s and every one of them had buckets.
Those seats look like 4.2 seats. Which I have in mine.
No ideas for a name said:
The bottom three photos all looked like the same car... a bit of research shows it apparently stolen... and the thief not only survived, but got away!
https://www.mike-hawthorn.org.uk/5600rw.php
Thanks for that Noideafora https://www.mike-hawthorn.org.uk/5600rw.php
The photo I posted was an S2 seat but I was trying to give the impression of an early S1 coupé seat. There wasn't one on the Aldridges site though.I suggest you look here to see the real thing
https://www.monocoque-metalworks.com/main/2016/01/...
https://www.monocoque-metalworks.com/main/2016/01/...
Edited by lowdrag on Monday 15th July 12:27
TarquinMX5 said:
Thanks Lowdrag, very interesting.
Thanks for that. In the day I lived between Leicester and Coventry and if in the area often bought things in the shop like squash bags and clothing for the E-type Register shop (I also have an SS100 grille decanter and Jaguar carriage clock too) and then had a pie and a pint in the Jaguar Social Club. That is where I picked up a lot of knowledge from many of the retired workers just chatting together. For example, the non-stop argument over which way round the tell-tale prisms in the sidelights of XK and Mk2 should be fitted. Some say they slanted forward and others backwards. And this argument has just gone on and on. But, if you get hold of an early XK catalogue, you'll see the roadster is one way and the coupé the other. But the true answer came from these old gentlemen who worked on the production line. They roared with laughter at me when I posed the question and replied "we didn't have the time to think about it. Whichever way they came to hand" was the true answer. It didn't matter. So there is another myth laid to rest, just like the S1 seats. They were different as you can see. Just like the prisms, whatever was in stock and came to hand was fitted. But I have never seen a coupé seat fitted in a roadster, just the other way round.Edited by lowdrag on Wednesday 17th July 08:09
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