Details:

Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale a Jaguar D-Type Long Nose recreation by Proteus.

In the 1980s Jim Marland founded a company in the UK with the name Copycats and started building recreations of the Jaguar C-Type, D-Type and XJ13. Unlike some other companies he did not build complete cars, just bodies and chassis which the customer could then finish himself. In the mid 1980s Copycats was renamed Proteus. In the 1980s and 1990s Proteus recreations are generally considered one of the better, more accurate recreations, of the original Jaguar D-Type.

The car on offer here was built by Dick Sorenson in South Africa. He purchased a chassis and fibreglass body (with some aluminium components) from Proteus in the UK with a vision to build a recreation of the 1957 Le Mans winning car driven by Ron Flockhart and Ivor Bueb for the Ecurie Ecosse team.

The original Le Mans winning car used a 3.8 litre engine, which Sorenson wanted to replicate for his car. He chose to use a 3.8 litre XK engine from a Jaguar MK2, which he rebuilt. From day one the plan was to build a genuine race car and as a result the engine rebuild was not done using like for like parts. Rather, Cosworth pistons and conrods were sourced from Arrow Racing Components, custom made camshafts were sourced from Kent Cams, triple Webers and a light weight steel alloy flywheel were installed. The compression ratio was increased from the standard 8:1 to 10.5:1. The engine was mated to a 4 speed Moss gearbox with a Sachs racing clutch.

The end result was a race car with an engine capable of producing around 300 hp. Documentation on file states the car was clocked doing over 150 mph at the Zwartkops circuit in South Africa.

Whilst living in South Africa Sorenson regularly used and enjoyed this car on various race tracks around the country.

Sorenson immigrated to Australia and in 2016 brought the car out. There is an import approval on file dated 9 December 2015. Importantly, the car was imported under the vehicle manufactured before 1 January 1989 scheme.

The car was then used occasionally at various historic racing events around Australia.

After almost 40 years of continuous ownership by Sorenson the car was sold to its current Brisbane based owner in early to mid 2023. He had the ownership of a D-Type on his bucket list and chose to modify the car for road use. This primarily involved having lights, indicators and instruments installed in the car. All that work was completed and the car was registered in Queensland in September 2023.

Make no mistake, this car is still quite raw and it is for all intentional purposes a race car. It most certainly presents like one and there are a few battle scars here and there. The paint presents well from say a meter away but upon closer inspection there some chips and other imperfections visible. The wear and tear is consistent with a car that has been cared for but at the same time used and enjoyed.

Sorenson deliberately choose a fibreglass body and not an aluminium one for his D-Type. His reasoning was that a fibreglass body was better suited for racing. The body has stood the test of time and still presents well with no cracks evident in the fibreglass.

The period correct Dunlop style wheels are a real feature and complete the look of this car. They are shod with Dunlop Racing tyres, size 6.00L-15. Like the rest of the car the wheels do show some wear and tear, as you would expect from a race car. Whilst the tyres still present well, they should probably be replaced based on age if the next owner wants to do some serious driving in this car.

As one would expect in a car like this, the interior is very minimalistic. The bucket seats are fixed in place and are covered with thin leather cushioning. The upholstery is in good condition and the seat is surprisingly comfortable. The passengers side of the cockpit is covered for better aero dynamics, however, the panel (held in place by two screws) can easily be removed. The instrument cluster is basic but functional and al the instruments appear to be in working order, with the exception of the fuel gauge.

From the moment this car arrived in our showroom we were curious to find out what it was like to drive.

Getting into the car is somewhat of an exercise. Once seated, the first thing you notice is the offset pedal position. At first this feels a bit strange but you get used to it quickly.

Starting the car is easy. It is equipped with a battery isolator which you need to turn off first. You then insert the key into the ignition, turn the key and once you have power you immediately hear both fuel pumps starting to do their job. After patiently waiting for the carburettors to prime with fuel it is time to press the starter button. The engine fires up easily and it immediately becomes clear that this engine means business. What a noise!

On a cold Brisbane morning we get our chance for a test drive. You need to feather the accelerator to warm up the engine. Once everything starts to warm up it is time to hit the track . . . err, well at least the open road! That is where we quickly discover that this car has somewhat of a Jekyll and Hyde personality. On the one hand the car is quite happy to just chuck along in traffic but at the same time there is something about the car that immediately reminds you not to be complacent. Yes the car has been modified for road use, but underneath it is still a race car and its only too keen to show you what it can do given half a chance. With a firm prod of the right foot, the car squats back and takes off like a scalded cat!

The Moss gearbox takes getting used to before you can change gears smoothly, but it does work well. The Sachs racing clutch is noisy at idle, which is understood to be normal.

This car feels solid on the road, though the suspension and subsequent ride is firm. This is expected given the car is set up for the track. The steering is direct and precise, giving the driver excellent feedback. The car has disc brakes all around, which work well and pull the car up a straight line.

We really like the rawness of this car, which actually makes you focus you on driving, which is a very rewarding experience!

This is not your average D-Type recreation, it is a beast, built to do what the original cars did best at Le Mans, and that is race. It would be a perfect car for someone who likes to participate in some historic racing or other events like hill climbs. Alternatively, if cars and coffee is your thing, just dont get up and leave too early in the morning as you will be sure to wake the neighbours!

Accompanying the car are some period photos, a write up of its history, the import approval and some registration documents.

The car is currently on Club registration here in Queensland.

Highlights:

- Authentic D-Type recreation by Proteus.
- Powered by a fabulous, custom built 3.8 litre XK engine.
- One owner most of its life.
- Ready to use and enjoy.

Price $159,950


Background:

The Swallow Sidecar Company was founded in 1922 by William Lyons and William Walmsley. Originally the business focussed on making motorcycle sidecars before the business evolved into coachbuilding. In 1927 Swallow advertised they would make 2-seater bodies on Austin and Morris chassis and running gear. In 1929 Lyons teamed up with Standard Motor Company to produce a sleek boat tail two seater open sports car. The first SS. In October 1931 Swallow introduced their first car, the SS 1 at the London Motor Show. In 1932 both the SS1 with its 2 or 2½ litre six cylinder engine and the SS2 with its four cylinder 1 litre engine became available to the public.

In 1934 Walmsley elected to sell out and Lyons formed SS Cars Limited.

The first open two seater was introduced in March 1935, the SS90. Only 23 were made. The SS brand was quite successful, though their cars had a reputation for having more show than go. To counter act this statement Lyons engaged the services of William Heynes as chief engineer and Harry Westlake for engine tuning. The result of the partnership was engine which produced 102hp and it was first introduced in the SS 2½ Litre Sports Saloon which was launched on 21st September 1935. This was also the first car to use the name Jaguar.

In 1936 Lyons introduced the SS100. A car which today is regarded as one of the great pre-war sports cars. The now famous Jaguar leaper was first displayed on an SS100. Only 198 2½ litre and 116 3½ litre cars were produced until production seized when World War II started.

After the War had ended, during a general shareholder meeting on 23rd March 1945 it was decided to change the company name to Jaguar Cars Limited. William Lyons stated: Unlike S.S. the name Jaguar is distinctive and cannot be connected or confused with any similar foreign name.

Jaguar restarted production with the 1½-litre, 2½-litre and 3½-litre saloon cars. They were superseded by the MK V, which then lead to the earlier cars being renamed as MK IV.

However, it was the launch of the legendary Jaguar XK120 at the London Motor Show in 1948 that really put Jaguar back on the map. The car caused a sensation, which persuaded Jaguar founder and design boss William Lyons to put it into production. The 120 in the name referred to its top speed, 120mph, which made it the fastest production car at the time of its launch. To prove the car could do that speed a test was conducted on 30th May 1949, on the empty Ostend-Jabbeke motorway in Belgium. A prototype XK120 achieved an average of runs in opposing directions of 132.6 mph with the windscreen replaced by just one small aero screen and a catalogued alternative top gear ratio, and 135 mph with a passenger-side tonneau cover in place.

In 1951 Jaguar decided to enter a car based on the XK120 into the 24 hour of Le Mans race. The car was officially named the XK120-C but became known as the C-Type. The car won the race at its first attempt. It achieved great success on race tracks all over the world and again won Le Mans in 1953.

The C-Type was superseded by the D-type in 1954. Unlike the C-Type, its replacement was not based on an existing road car. It was specifically designed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The D-Type ended up winning the 1955 edition of the race. 1956 was another successful year as a D-Type entered by the small Edinburgh based team Ecurie Ecosse won the race. 1957 was the most successful year for the D-type at Le Mans when they occupied five of the six top spots and the Ecurie Ecosse team finished first and second.

It is understood that Jaguar built 71.

When Jaguar temporarily retired from racing in 1956 it used its remaining unfinished D-Type chassis to produce a road going version of the car, the XKSS. Only 16 were produced.