75 years is a theme this year with Porsche and Lotus both making a 75th anniversary splash at this year’s event. And if you are going to make a splash, do it like this…
Here are some other things I saw.
Some people fit low profile tyres, but this is a new one on me…
The very small letters embossed on the sidewall indicate this tyre is a 275/25ZR26. Yup 25% profile and 26" rim diameter. I’ve seen cars with thicker paint!
If that wasn’t ridiculous…
I mean, just how low can you get?
Fanfare - E-Type content.
These two cars were being ‘displayed’ along with others, by being driven sedately up the hill. Here they are waiting to be sent to the start line. On the side of each one is a badge which states Project ZP. Hmmm!
I didn’t know this but Project ZP was Jaguar’s first try at putting E-Types on the race track. Seven cars were allocated to three established teams and one Gentleman Racer. The teams had two cars each, one to race, one for spares. We have all seen pictures of ECD400 (850005), one of these cars and the first one to win a race with Graham Hill at the pedals. Two were given to Peter Berry 3BXV (850010) and 4BXV (850013). The latter of these was the ‘spares’ car and was for some while owned and used by John Burton. Another of these cars was 4WPD (850006), again raced by Graham Hill. Later in 1961 it was re-bodied with a serious weight reduction of 230lbs. It was also given an aluminium bonnet. This same car, in 1963 was again re-bodied (and re-engined and re- quite-a-lot-of-things) as the first true lightweight.
However, the two cars pictured here are not the real Project ZP cars. They are facsimiles or pastiches. The roadster is a restored 1963 car, the coupe a similar early car restored. Both the roadster and coupe are fitted to a similar state these early steel bodied racing cars had - more powerful engine, competition wheels, etc. I spoke with one of the drivers. The cars are also fitted with five speed gearboxes, ‘blue teeth’ to eat your phone calls, SatNav DAB radio, electronic ignition and a polished stainless steel exhaust. I didn’t challenge him with the fact that the seven racing cars were all roadsters. And they are for sale as a pair. I didn’t ask, but it was obvious to the driver I needed to know, that they wanted £960k for the pair. I imagine they will be for sale for some while. These Project ZP recreations are the product of Jaguar itself - Jaguar Classic. Seven pairs of cars are to be produced. Good luck with that!
Lastly,
Colin Chapman designed the Lotus 7 to be the least metal required to turn an engine and gearbox into a functioning car. Lightness added to the extreme. The clowns at Caterham have only gone and added half a tonne of battery pack to one! No, just NO!
