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Topic starter
24/01/2024 9:15 am
and the question of what might have been, will forever remain unanswered ...
24/01/2024 9:22 am
That was an expensive driving lesson. 🙀
Frank Reed
Chesapeake, VA
24/01/2024 10:15 am
Obviously before the gravel catchment concept was utilized.
John Kuvakas and Tony Perrone reacted
24/01/2024 3:18 pm
Looks like a country road ... What is the car? This is David's department.
I initially presumed it to be a Porsche. Is it not?
Topic starter
24/01/2024 3:20 pm
Looks like a country road ... What is the car? This is David's department.
I initially presumed it to be a Porsche. Is it not?
Very famous car, never raced, David's department ... can't give more clues.
Tony Perrone reacted
24/01/2024 4:25 pm
Yikes! The remains look a lot smaller. I hope the driver survived!
Tony Perrone reacted
24/01/2024 4:31 pm
1966 Jaguar XJ13
Built to bring Jaguar back to Le Mans, the XJ13 has the sad story of never competing in a race. It was initially prepared to take on Ford at la Sarthe, but Jaguar’s slow racing development caused the project finish too late to successfully race. By 1967, the regulations changed to only allow a three liter capacity and the XJ13 was rendered permanently redundant as the engine was far too large. The V12 engine did come back later in the XJR8 winning Le mans in 1988.
Built from the ground up as a Le Mans prototype, XJ13’s design used all the hallmarks of 1960’s successful race cars. This included a V12 engine in a mid-mounted position which was very new to Jaguar.
The body was sculpted by aerodynamist Malcom Sayer who was also responsible for the successful Le Mans winning D-Type and C-Type. It had the striking aesthetics that could sell cars and the functionality to win LeMans. In the hands of Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis, the car reached 161 mph down the straight at the MIRA test track and established a new lap record.
The XJ13 was built around a V12 5-litre engine engineered by Claude Baily. The design basically mated two DOHC six cylinder engines from the Jaguar Mk 10 to a common crankshaft and aluminum block. It used Lucas mechanical injection to produce 503 bhp and was directly attached as an integral part of the aluminum chassis. The block and trans axle acted as the only support structure behind the rear bulkhead which meant that the suspension mounted directly onto the sides of the unit.
The wreck that Chav showed us happened in 1971. When finally revealed to the public and press in 1971, the car was taken to the MIRA test track for some promotional filming. Unfortunately, while Norman Dewis was traveling 140 mph on some high banking, the Jag lost a wheel and flipped end over end in a devastating crash. Luckily both Dewis and car survived, as it was remarkably rebuilt two years later instead of going to scrap like so many other race cars of the era.
In his book ‘Developing the Legend’, Norman Dewis recalled the incident :ll went well at first, with a good number of laps put in at modest speeds for filming. ‘Then to conclude’, Norman relates, ‘I was asked if I could do four fast laps. I did three, and they were quite quick, although not as quick as I had gone in testing. Then on the third lap I came onto the banking, which was the one opposite the tunnel banking where the film crew were, at about 135, and gave it full throttle to hold it in as usual. About two thirds of the way round the banking, the car lurched to the right and almost instantly went into the safety fence …”
Since the XK13’s engine was a testbed for Jaguar’s V12 engine, it did not appear in a production car until the V12 was launched with Series III E-type in 1971. This meant that the XJ13 became the first car to use the V12 engine which would eventually power Jaguars from 1971 to 1996.
I have several models of this car in various scales. My favourite is in 1/18 by AutoArt.
- Thanks for setting me up (encouraging me) to post this interesting car Chav. To those who wondered, Norman Dewis lived on to test many more Jaguars.
Topic starter
24/01/2024 5:13 pm
Thanks for the history David, I am repairing my 1/24, hence the post. I also have the AutoArt 1/18 car that is a remarkable model.
24/01/2024 5:41 pm
hand-carved by testosterone and hundred mile-an-hour winds
Topic starter
24/01/2024 5:58 pm
hand-carved by testosterone and hundred mile-an-hour winds
And Mother Earth's supporting hands.
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