cars returning from Le Mans - inc D Type Jag and Caterham
cars returning from Le Mans - inc D Type Jag and Caterham
Author
Discussion

zebedee

Original Poster:

4,595 posts

307 months

Wednesday 27th June 2007
quotequote all
possibly a BMW Z4 or something following them as well. Monday 18/6 in the evening (sunset). The Jag was beautiful, fading light meant impossible to tell if it was a replica or a real one, but a rare sight on the road whatever and a magnificent one. Was it anyone on here?

hollypop

810 posts

248 months

Wednesday 27th June 2007
quotequote all
Spotted stuck in the mud in Beausejour

Is this the one?
















v6ter

694 posts

246 months

Thursday 28th June 2007
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It was me!....... well in the Caterham anyway

Was it these cars?



Ignore the XK as that wasnt allowed this year!



You should have also seen this at the back!

What car were you driving, I saw an Elise?

zebedee

Original Poster:

4,595 posts

307 months

Monday 2nd July 2007
quotequote all
Ah, so I got the Aston mixed up with a Z4 - whoops! I never dropped behind that one, could just see something broad and xenony of headlights.

I was in the Elise, tagged on at some point on the North M40 before you guys split to go north on the M42 and I headed over to the M5.

So whose is the lovely D type then...?

melhook

199 posts

244 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
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The tractor could do with a wash, did it go on the ferry ok ?????????????????

v6ter

694 posts

246 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
quotequote all
The D-Type is owned and was built by a friend. It is a Replica, but I must say the ammount of hours spent on it clealry shows. All the interior is exact to the orignial car.

Car has a 4.2Ltr xj6 engine - approx 230bhp, car weighs circa 1000kgs so pretty quick!




The Tractor couldnt make it to Le Mans this year as it was having a turbo fitted.....

zebedee

Original Poster:

4,595 posts

307 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
quotequote all
Who manufactures the kit, his car was certainly a good advert for them!

I enjoyed the drive with you guys (as much as you can enjoy a motorway trawl), if only it had been a bit twistier eh?

v6ter

694 posts

246 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
quotequote all
The body was one of the original GRP shells made by Proteus and the chassis was I think Cobra derived....This caused problems for Pete who had to do extensive work to the chassis to get it to fit with the body.

All Proteus D Types now are aluminium (and considerably more ££££&#163wink, but as I have said I think the condition and look of the car is down to Pete and not the manufactuer - in my view.

I will pass on your praise to him.

v6ter

694 posts

246 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
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Yeah

I agree on the Twisties us Lotus/Caterham chaps would show them a real car wink

zebedee

Original Poster:

4,595 posts

307 months

Wednesday 4th July 2007
quotequote all
v6ter said:
Yeah

I agree on the Twisties us Lotus/Caterham chaps would show them a real car wink
All the best, cheers for getting back to me!

lowdrag

13,181 posts

242 months

Friday 6th July 2007
quotequote all
"All Proteus D Types now are aluminium"

Er, no they are not! Proteus has had quite a chequered history of late in the hands of Mr. J Gregson who now seems to live somewhere between England/Le Mans/Poland to escape from certain people and Cropredy Bridge Garage (the Jensen specialists) have the right to build fibre D types. Enduro Cars ended up with the right to build the C type under the Proteus name but they were in Coventry, then in Nuneaton and now it is XK Engineering who are building them it seems.

Proteus never built all alloy D types anyway, not even in the Jim Marland era. Brian Wingfield built around 25 and Lynx about 50 all in full alloy (I have two Lynx) but while the Lynx cars are more sought after the Wingfield are more exact since they all have a solid rear axle. The interior of them is a bit of a mish mash though whereas the Lynx cars are better specified inside.

Frankly, I think that Cropredy seem to have licked their burned fingers and walked away from the idea now since they don't advertise a D type any more, but I might enquire further to find out. Mr. Gregson and his son Richard, always litigious, are now bringing a court case against the father's ex girl friend in Le Mans for half her worldly possessions it seems too. The percentage might be wrong but there is certainly a lot of lawyers letters flying around.

v6ter

694 posts

246 months

Tuesday 10th July 2007
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I will not argue with your points regarding the D-type as I am no expert and I must have misheard. Nethertheless I think your comments regarding John Gregson, and his son 'Robert' not Richard should be removed as they are not appropriate on a public forum.

Without going in to detail we have stayed with Messrs Gregson in Le Mans in 06,05 and 04 and I dont think anyone but John, Robert and the 'ex' who I wont name out of respect no the real truth.

I remember seeing your goodself when we continued onto the Mulsanne on Friday lunchtime and you turned off. Hope you had a good Le Mans 07.