LYS 818, our Jaguar XK120, is our showpiece. It is a stunningly beautiful car that has Jim’s blood, sweat and tears welded into every inch.
The car was re-built from the wheels up, using knowledge passed down from Jim’s father (Jim Tester Senior) and with a few of Jim’s own ideas utilising techniques and technology available today. The car is ever changing though to fit in with regulation changes when they are brought in by the organisers of the racing series, the JEC XK Challenge/Master Series, or when entering different race series.

One of Jim’s top tips when preparing a racing car is to think about weight and its distribution throughout the car. The first simple step is to remove any unnecessary weight you may be carrying around. Take out your spare wheel, any interior trim, bumpers.

Then you can think about replacing heavier metal items on the car with like for like components made of aluminium. LYS 818 is an aluminium bodied car built on an original steel chassis with several of her (yes, the car is a she, named Louise!) major organs replaced, like the brass radiator now a shining star in aluminium.

You may find now that your car complies with weight regulations for your particular series, but if you find you are underweight it’s no bad thing. Now you can add a bit of ballast just where you want it. In an ideal world you are after 50/50 weight distribution; 50/50 front to back and left to right. This makes the car easier to drive, nicely balanced and predictable. Always make sure your ballast is totally secure though ~ scrutineers will check!

Good Luck!

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If you really want to lower your lap time, a quick and easy fix is to tune up the driver.

No matter what your reason for getting behind the wheel at the racetrack, there’s no disputing that the fitter and healthier the driver the better they will perform. If you can hold your concentration for longer and have the stamina to work those muscles to get you round the bends lap after lap, chances are your lap times will improve (and you could even have the energy to leap up onto the winner’s podium after!).

Preparing yourself for competing doesn’t have to mean expensive gym memberships and rigorous diet plans. Some simple life choices could help.

Jim and Iain are already training for the 2009 season with the help of health professional and motorsport physio guru Liz Linford of Body Technology. You can follow the guys and their progress in our Fitness feature – look out for Liz’s Top Tips for Drivers each month.

Sign up to our free newsletter to get these tips delivered by email and chart the guys progress.

Tester Engineering took on a huge project to restore not just one, but three Ferrari 250 LM chassis. This extensive task includes the manufacture of a complete bespoke chassis jig and the fabrication and machining of unobtainable chassis and suspension parts.

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The Silverstone Classic kicks of its build up on 6th May with a special press day.

The Tester XK has been tuned to within an inch of its life ready to transport journalists around the track at scary speeds.

The 24th, 25th and 26th July are the dates for the 2009 Silverstone Classic –3 days of Music and Racing. The Classic is a perfect blend of rare cars, tasty food, great people, international music acts and world class motor racing with classic cars from the last 90 years.

Im not sure about the Pussycat Dolls, Blue and Santana being on the same bill for the music side, but im sure the cars will be awesome.

So you’re furiously crossing off days on your calendar until your next race and the car is sitting in the garage waiting. What should you do to make sure it’s ready? In an ideal world we would strip down the car, re-build it, dyno the engine and go testing before the next race but for those of us without McLaren size budgets or the army of people working on the car, here’s a good checklist to get you ready for the track.

• Change the oil and filter – check the oil for any shrapnel, which may indicate signs of heavy engine wear or potential problems
• Check and service gaps in your ignition system, whether it is points or an electric system. Re-adjust them following your manufacturer’s guidelines
• Check coolant levels and check the radiator for stone chips or damage, which could cause a leak or overheating
• Check brake pads and discs for wear and check brake fluid levels. A cursory bleed of the system is a good idea to check no air has got in
• Put the fuel pumps on to make sure there are no leaks
• Check tyres for damage, slow leaks or wear
• Grease any available bearings, grease nipples and steering joints
• Check your fire extinguisher is fully charged and up to date
• Lastly a full spanner check to make sure all your nuts and bolts are good

These are the basic checks that we carry out. What’s on your checklist?

Oh, and don’t forget to come and find us at the Silverstone Classic! If you’ve not got your tickets yet why not subscribe to our newsletters and put yourself in with a chance of winning tickets and being our VIP guests for the weekend?

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Pictures of the days event will be posted here later.