Jaguar Lightweight E-Types: Investing in the future, now and then21 May
Are you a fan of history? Would you be happy surrounded by it day in and day out?
We love the stuff and right now are like the proverbial pigs in muck! One of our favourite cars is the Jaguar Lightweight E-Type and in particular the Briggs Cunningham cars.
Jim Tester Senior, in racing overalls, in discussion with McLaren
Cunningham, an American car collector, first entered the Le Mans race in 1950 in a special-bodied Cadillac and a year later embarked on a production run of cars in his own factory to qualify as a manufacturer with the FIA. Cunningham’s best finish was fourth in 1952, while the best year for the team was 1954 when cars finished third and fifth. The last year that Cunningham’s featured at Le Mans was 1956; this was also the year that Cunningham first ran a Jaguar at Le Sarthe.
In 1960 Cunningham made an unsuccessful return to Le Mans, this time with Corvettes and one Jaguar, the E2A prototype. It was in 1963, when the iconic blue stripes appeared on three Lightweights entered by Cunningham but sadly success was still out of reach.
These three cars (5114 WK, 5115 WK and 5116 WK) have helped to shape Jim Tester as they have been a part of his life since childhood and, to come full circle, are the “muck” us pigs are surrounded by today!
In the mid 1980’s Jim Senior (in the first incarnation of Tester Engineering) worked on 5114 WK from his Scottish base. The car, then owned by Campbell McLaren, was notoriously unreliable and was re-built and run at tracks like Knockhill and Nurburgring.
Here’s a seven year old Jim Jnr out in the workshop learning his craft!
Today’s Tester Engineering is now recreating these beauties for a valued customer and Jim’s experience with his father is helping to make sure every detail is taken into account. This particular car has re-built for the customer and modified to Leightweight specification with certain aluminium bodywork parts, racing suspension geometry and lightweight aluminium high efficiency water radiator and header tank .. to name but a few modifications!
Both Jim’s lost count a long time ago of all the cars they worked on and its this experience that can be yours if you bring your classic cars (be they road or race, Jim has seen them) to Tester Engineering.
Jim with 2009 recreation of the beautiful Jaguar Lightweight E-Type
The car we are currently building is but hours away from completion now and will then hit the track day scene to hone the ride and engine sounds.
