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Representatives – Past Events 2023

UK Surrey

General News: We have had a mixed response to the meetings this year. However the 2 meetings at The Black Swan at Ockham have been a big success and will be repeated this year. Other venues are being considered.

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UK Cheshire

From Mike Bielinski, “Cheshire held its annual Xmas Party at the Bulls head Mottram St Andrew 18th December. As per last year we had another great turnout of 9 couples and 2 solos . It was particularly good since we did not have a great season of decent weather and a few of us had decided to escape for the sun . Consequently our runs were sparsely populated or cancelled/postponed. So this Party gave us a great opportunity to catch up on each other's travels both near and far, four couples drove across to France including Le Mans and the Circuit des Remparts In fact Steve Ahsworth ( that's him in the Kilt) wrote a great article for the gazette - he is brave, some would say reckless, a man that enjoys doing things a little differently. Chris and I made a great trip through Italy,Switzerland and Alsace, sadly not in the XK but in our old Aston Rapide which ate up the high winding passes and the long quiet roads with the advantage of more space for wine and of course Chris's clothes! Here's to a a better season in 2024" Thank you very much Mike!

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USA Texas – 14 October

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“Then you flew your Learjet up to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun…” the object of Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” only had to travel to San Antonio this year to see the total eclipse and attend the Alamo City Jaguar Club’s 30th ‘Ring of Fire’ Concours d’Elegance. The event was held Saturday, October 14th at the spectacular new Cavender Jaguar / Land Rover dealership in Northwest San Antonio, nearly dead center in the “path of totality”. The dealership is 100% powered by solar panels, under which we were able to place most of the cars in the shade. A late clearing sky and a beautiful sunny day with mild temperatures allowed everyone to enjoy a great show, great fellowship and the experience of having achieved 90% “totality” during lunch while listening to Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”. A total of 17 cars were judged with six cars in Champion Division, one in Special Division and ten in Driven Division. Many thanks to club president Brian Blackwell, vice president for Concours Gabriel Renero, Activities Director Fran Curran and hard-working club members for planning a flawless event. A special thanks to Ms. Faylin Miller and staff of Cavender Jaguar Land Rover of San Antonio for organizing an event enjoyed by all. An awards banquet was held Saturday evening. Winner of the King of Class Trophy was Ben Davis of the Jaguar Owners Association of North Texas with his gorgeous 1957 XK140 FHC.

USA California North

Report from Tim Barnes The last group event of 2023 was sponsored by British Sports Cars and a local restaurant. There was a British theme to it and I brought my XK 120 race car. However, the race car was the only XK there as Club members live too far away for such a casual event. In terms of my own activities, I have been racing this summer and am about to finish the season with two very nice events, one a Laguna Seca this weekend, and the other at Sonoma Raceway in mid-November. I do not come close to the front but enjoy immensely the comradery of fellow competitors.

UK East Anglia – Annual XK Club Autumn Drive, Sunday 15 October

It was organised by Heather and Brian Monks and started at their home in Saxthorpe. Nine cars and their drivers and navigators met there and were treated to croissants, scones and coffee. It was good to welcome Morag and Roger King to their first meeting even if they were in a fastback Mustang GT. Roger assures me his newly finished XK 140 will be ready for the spring and we look forwards to seeing it, having avidly read his fascinating articles about the restoration in the Gazette. Brian gave out the route instructions and we set off to our mystery WW2 installation. We drove through pretty Norfolk villages, through Holt and ended up at the Langham Dome, just off the North Norfolk coast. This is one of 46 training domes built in 1943 to teach anti-aircraft gunners how to shoot down enemy planes. In essence a real film was projected onto the inside of the dome and a gun fitted with a laser was used to teach the gunners where to aim. After a talk and opportunity to have a go, we left the dome and continued on our drive, now heading South until we arrived at the Three Horseshoes Public House in Briston, for lunch. There we were met by new members, Alison and Paul Markillie who could not make the drive due to other commitments but had driven from the other side of Kings Lynn to join us for lunch. We had a great turnout; the weather was perfect and everybody enjoyed the day. Many thanks to Heather and Brian for their hospitality and impeccable organisation.

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France/Swiss Alps – 31st Swiss Classic British car meeting in St Prex, 7 October

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After 30 years, the annual Swiss Classic British car meeting moved to a new venue. From Morges near Lausanne to a nearby picturesque village of St Prex, still on the shores of Lake Geneva. It all started 30 years ago. Keith Wynn, a British car enthusiast living in Switzerland, had the original idea at that time to invite local British classic car owners for an informal gathering. This event has grown to become one of the most well attended on the continent. It attracts nearly 1500 British cars (some are even driven from the UK) and more than 20 000 visitors! Jaguar was the guest of honor this year, a good occasion for XK Club members to join members of other Jaguar clubs: French Jaguar (FJDC), Jaguar Exclusive XK and the Geneva Jaguar club. The organizers had reserved a specific area by the banks of the lake for the Jaguars. It was a great day out for all Classic car enthusiasts. "Vive l'année prochaine!" Many thanks to Club Representative Michel Crombe.

UK Midlands – Lunch at Catherine Wheel at Bibury and trip to Classic Motor Hub, 26 July

From Martin Reynolds: “It was marvellous to see everyone and hear their news. I took some pictures at the Hub but was so engaged in discussions forgot to take one at the lunch… “I think we caused quite a stir at the pub with the crowds taking pictures etc. which was great to experience. “Thank you everyone for coming and hope you all made it home safely. Hope to see you all soon”.

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UK Surrey – Twyford Moors visit, 19 August

Having met beforehand at The Bat and Ball in Hambledon the group finally made their eagerly awaited visit to the new premises of Twyford Moors on Pinner Lane, Havant. Nick Rochez, owner, and his son Harry gave us a most friendly welcome to the impressive new workshop. Twyford Moors has a long and excellent relationship with both the XK and E-type Club and is always delighted to catch up with club members. “On the day the group visiting consisted of six XKs. Five of which were XK 150s and one XK 140 fixed head. As can be seen from the photos it was a delightful array of classic cars. For many of the visitors it was their first time at Twyford Moors so it was a particular pleasure to visit the new building. “On arrival, we enjoyed a cup of tea or coffee with a few biscuits and everyone had the opportunity to catch up. This was followed by a tour of the new facilities, stopping to discuss some of the highlights of the workshop. Harry was able to answer lots of questions on maintenance and showed us underneath all the relevant mechanical parts. “The new premises are a huge improvement on the premises at Clanfield. The ground floor is devoted to the mechanical and engine work with Harry of course specialising on electrics. Now there is space for some interesting new machinery to enable a more comprehensive service to customers. Total restoration to minor servicing are all available besides the many upgrades needed for these 70 year old cars. The total restoration on Nick’s XK150 is nearly finished. We saw a beautiful XK 120 OTS in light blue which when finished will be spectacular. Some interesting engine work was also shown. “There is a large elevator to take cars to the 1st floor where both storage and cars for sale can be secure. “Many thanks to Nick, Harry, Hazel and Charlotte for making us all so welcome.” And thank you Patrick for arranging the visit!

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UK Surrey – WinSpeed visit

Patrick Hanratty reports: “A big thank you to Peter Hugo who showed six of us round the workshop and sales room of Winspeed Motorsport situated near Guildford. “Chris who is Peter’s partner in the business gave us a most instructive talk on XKs and also E-Types. Questions were asked on engine care and management, upgrades, overheating prevention, exhaust systems, electronic ignition, carbs and we all learned a lot. Greg who is the engine expert explained aspects of the inside of the 3.4 litre engine. I now know what a lightened fly wheel looks like! “We took a look at Nigel Harman’s XK 150 3.8 OTS which was the subject of a full restoration by Winspeed. The car was recently driven by Nigel on the Liege Brescia rally run by Malcolm McKay and the car performed well notwithstanding some horrendous weather in the Alps! “Peter’s team are most important contributors to the XK community providing expert technical knowledge accumulated over many years. It’s good to see some traditional skills being maintained. “A big thank you to all at Winspeed from Margaret Douglas, John Ball, Simon Wakefield and Nigel Harman and Patrick Hanratty for a most instructive day.”

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UK East Anglia – July

From Mike Read: “On Sunday 23rd July I drove South to Dickleburgh near Diss to the old USAF 100th Bomber Group museum. Steve and Angela Sykes, who are E-Type, XK and Morgan Club members had organised a private tour for us. “There were four XK members, John and Sue Marsh, Jules and Cindy Greenway, Bob Ridley and myself. It was especially good to meet Bob in his immaculate, early XK150 DHC as this was the first time he had been to a meeting. In addition to the XK's there were five Morgans and three E-Types. “We were given an introductory talk and film and then left to look around the site. Much of the original airfield has been removed so the central part of the museum is the Control or Watch tower, which the trustees had restored. It was full of interesting photographs and individual stories about the B17's and their crews. In 1943 ten B17's flew to Regensburg to bomb the AC factory. Only one plane returned, and that was on two engines. “After everybody had looked around, we had a picnic and managed to avoid the occasional shower. It was a thoroughly interesting visit and many thanks to Angela and Steve for organising it.”

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US Texas – Jaguar Owners Association of North Texas Concours D’Elegance, June 3

The weather chose to cooperate and bless us with mild temperatures and lots of Texas sunshine on Saturday, June 3rd, at the Frisco Jaguar Land Rover Dealership just north of Dallas for the 53rd annual Concours. This club did a great job organizing and hosting last year’s International Jaguar Festival, so they hardly had time to catch a break! The turnout this year was terrific, and some newly restored cars competed and were put on display. Congratulations to Ben Davis with his 1957 XK 140 as Best of Show. Great turnout of E-types, to include a racing E-type built by longtime vintage racer and restoration specialist Richard Wright. Dave MacDowell also displayed his newly restored ’70 E-type in British Racing Green. All cars were stunners. Of note was how very busy this dealership was with foot traffic in the showroom and the outdoor parking areas. Nice change of pace from years past, and we hope the Concours participants were part of the attraction. It was good to interact with curious families and customers who were fascinated by our cars. Kudos to Jaguar Land Rover of Frisco Texas for the great hospitality offered by their staff. The grey 140 was Best of Show. There was a second row of E-types, this just shows the first. Nice turnout of E-types. All photos were taken by Ron Wallis.

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UK East Midlands – HSCC Meeting Silverstone, 27-28 May

Half a dozen E-types made the trip to Silverstone for the Historic Sports Car Club International Trophy. With half-price tickets and VIP display parking for our cars, it was a great opportunity to watch the racing. Historic Formula Fords, Historic Formula 3 and a fantastic range of 1960s sports cars tackled the fast sweeps through Maggots and Becketts and the technical loop section of the Grand Prix Circuit. E-type and XK Club members were able to sit in the stands and enjoy the racing together. Thanks are due to Charles Gratton of Silverstone for taking us on an impromptu tour of Race Control on the Sunday.

UK West Sussex – May Meeting

At the end of May eight XK and E type members met for a very relaxed coffee and bacon bap at Sullington barn near Storrington. We were blessed with lovely weather and sat around for a couple of hours enjoying the chat.

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Channel Islands – Coronation Celebration

Members of the Jersey sections of the Jaguar Enthusiast Club, the XK Club and the XK Club recently combined to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Organized by Chris and Andrea Le Boutillier and Ralph and Judith Genee the day-long event began with coffee and pastries at the Windmill Pub and was followed by a leisurely drive through the quiet lanes of the northern parishes before settling into the beautiful courtyard and farm buildings of Ralph and Judith. Decorated out with lots of red, white and blue bunting and accompanied by a local Ukulele band the party was full of fun and laughter as well as lashings of local food and drink supplied by the club members. The cars were similarly adorned and sported special Coronation Rally plates. A collection was made, via the Jersey Ukulele Band, for the Healing Waves Charity and over £400 was raised for this worthwhile cause. It was a truly remarkable day and Chris, Andrea, Ralph and Judith would like to thank all those who helped with the food making, the layout and table decoration and all the lifters and shifters who got everything thing in place.

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UK East Anglia – Spring Drive, 23 April

On St Georges day, Sunday 23rd April, and "Drive it Day," we held our first meeting of the year. The forecast was for showers but the weather was fine when we left home in North Norfolk. Su and John Marsh had organised the drive, which started with coffee at the Bedford Lodge Hotel in Newmarket. Unfortunately one couple, John and Glyn Leonard, had to pull out earlier in the week due to a leg injury but we still had the best turnout yet with 25 members in 13 XK's and one E-type. It was great to see new members, Keith and Rosemary Holgate, Steve and Angela Sykes and David Simons, all in immaculate cars. After coffee we were given our driving notes and set off on a drive through some very pleasant Suffolk countryside to the South of Newmarket, including Lidgate, Gazely, Dalham, Chevely and Denham, emerging back on the main road into Newmarket at the "racehorse sculpture" roundabout. We then paraded in convoy down Newmarket High Street before heading onto the A11 for a ten-mile blast up to Elveden. A very nice lunch was served at the Elveden Inn and there was plenty of conversation in our private dining room. Thankfully those with hoods had put them up before lunch, and only one couple, Toby and Abigail, in their nicely patinated XK120 OTS braved the wet weather on the way home. Despite this, it was a very successful day and sincere thanks go to Su and John for organising it.

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UK Surrey April

Congratulations to those who attended the 1st Area Meeting for Surrey on Sunday at the Black Swan at Ockham. There were 14 of us which was very encouraging for all of us to get the group going with momentum. The weather held off and we had pride of place for parking where we spent nearly 3 hours talking round the cars with many interested looking on. Even though some of you were unable to bring your own cars, you still made the effort to join us so a big thanks to Margaret Douglas, (garage door) Roy and Annegret Palmer, (in storage), Nigel Ward (restoration) and Philip Champion (arrived in a terrific Fraser Nash. Those who brought their cars, Peter and Tina Reeves, Douglas Lawson, Mike Bruce, Robert Leishman (racing XK 120 with a 3.8 engine!), Richard Rea, Melvyn Spears, Lawrence Gordon and Nick Joubert, to all a big thank you for helping to get the show on the road. I feel there is significant demand for further meetings! It was very interesting that everyone seemed most happy to have a drink round the cars rather than enter the pub for a lunch which was booked anyway! I get the feeling that we can move forward with confidence and I would appreciate any ideas to meet at weekends or pubs during the week when the weather improves. Even my other half wants to come next time!

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Image: Laurence Gordon

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