Active Veteran

[lambroving]

Martyn Astley's D-Type. Amusing story here: RAFMSA - RAFMSA Speed Challenge Results Round 6 - Royal Air Force Motor Sports Association

MP .58, 35/2 ASPH, f5.6@250th, 100 UC.

[andybarton]

What's the background behind you?

[elansprint72]

Not a real one William, good story though.

Cheers,
Pete.

[biglouis]

Lovely photograph. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder but that is truly one of the most beautiful cars in the world.

LouisB

[abrewer]

Nice shot of one of my personal favorites also, William!

As a ten-year old I had a red D-type slot car that I literally wore out playing with it. The stunning design and unique, exaggerated "roll-cage" headrest behind the driver have left a marked and lasting impression here.

I must add, as one who often photographs car in settings like this, that your use of the handrails in the background (and in the admin building itself) is remarkably well-done. Photos "in the wild" of these beasts require all the compositional talent one can summon, and this one shows how nicely it can be done.

Thanks.

Allan

[stuny]

William -

I couldn't agree more. D Types are among my all-time favorites, and as Allan notes, the play of the handrails and roll-over bars works wonderfully. Of course I prefer the look of the car without the add-on bars.

[lambroving]

The add on bars are required in today's racing, even in the loosest vintage classes. Picture really captures not only the moment but some of the design characteristics which carried over from the D to the E type Jag.

Chip
WGLIII's son

[andybarton]

But, as Pete has said, this one is carrying a 1974 number plate. Were they still made then?

According to wikipedia, production ceased in 1957.

Nice car though.

[elansprint72]

"The add on bars are required in today's racing, even in the loosest vintage classes."

Chip,
You are mistaken; many cars still don't use them; at this year's Le Mans Classic I don't think there was a D type racing with even a small roll-over hoop (unless incorporated in the head fairing).
I'm not aware of any Jaguar-built D type fitted with the scaffolding pole arrangement shown, that would be a crime. This car is one of the many replicas built from about 1970 onwards. Some of these are exact replicas and cost a fortune (although still a fraction of the real thing) Lynx and Proteus make the best versions. This one looks like an alloy tub fitted with Glass-fibre panels, there is a whole industry in the UK churning these out.

Cheers,
Pete.

[lambroving]

Andy,

Probably Chip will not respond as he has my login but has no time for the Forum. Chip has rebuilt and has helped others rebuild numerous Jags and currently pits for and sells parts to several vintage racers. He DOES use my Digilux 1 for car snaps and eBay auctions though.

In 1997 when Chip and I paid a visit to the MD of the BMIHT, Chip spotted three lone cars at one end of the car park, sitting out in the rain; a LeMans C-Type, D-Type and the XJ-13. Keen eye. They had been dropped off for Supercar Sunday by the Jaguar Trust. I have snaps of that somewhere...

I'd expect that most real D-Types are in collections and museums, given their current value. I had a chance to drive one of Briggs Cunningham's examples back in the 60's. It was very loud and the understeer made it a handful on Connecticut backroads.

As Allan correctly surmised, this is the control tower and admin block at Mallory. Maybe I ought to have titled it "Day at the Office" as Martyn is one of the Mallory instructors and this was taken on "Track Day". Martyn was probably busy preventing owners from converting their Morgans to splinters...

Louis,

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed.

Pete,

You know the deal...

Allan,

Thanks, you got THAT right. Took several minutes to frame this one after I spotted it. Ron probably thinks I'm nuts. Only shot one frame. This is uncropped. Who says an M viewfinder isn't accurate?!

Stuart,

As Chip mentioned, I'm happy if the shot captures the mood of the place on the day. I believe it does. Maybe you had to be there...

[lambroving]

Originally Posted by elansprint72

"The add on bars are required in today's racing, even in the loosest vintage classes."

Chip,
You are mistaken; many cars still don't use them; at this year's Le Mans Classic I don't think there was a D type racing with even a small roll-over hoop (unless incorporated in the head fairing).
I'm not aware of any Jaguar-built D type fitted with the scaffolding pole arrangement shown, that would be a crime. This car is one of the many replicas built from about 1970 onwards. Some of these are exact replicas and cost a fortune (although still a fraction of the real thing) Lynx and Proteus make the best versions. This one looks like an alloy tub fitted with Glass-fibre panels, there is a whole industry in the UK churning these out.

Cheers,
Pete.

Pete,

Obviously the French have fewer lawyers than either you or we do...

[cboudier]

Taken at Le Mans Classic, first edition in 2004 (with a Canon EOS 300...)
Album-Photo de Christophe Boudier - Le Mans Classic/lmc 18
Album-Photo de Christophe Boudier - Le Mans Classic/lmc 16
Album-Photo de Christophe Boudier - Le Mans Classic/lmc 5

[elansprint72]

William,
There would be room in my garage for even the most plastikky of these kit cars!!

The XJ 13 was at LMC, I'll see if I can find it amongst the 827 shots that I took.

Hope you enjoyed the UK but looks like you didn't take good care of the weather! I left you with 34 degrees. Any decent beer?

Pete.

[earleygallery]

The D type is one of my all time favourite cars, just purely on looks. All this before the days of CAD and wind tunnels...

[lambroving]

Pete,

Bit warm when I arrived but better toward the end of the week. LOTS of ale. You would be proud of Ron. Not once did he ask for a lager. Found and was shown by friends some truly excellent pubs. Ron now has a very distorted view of England...

[uulrich]

Hi William. You're right. Jags are terrific and this is one of the peaks from the good old days. A great car definitely.

A pity the background is not appetizing.

[lambroving]

Originally Posted by uulrich

A pity the background is not appetizing.

Uwe,

To you I expect. More than a few appear to feel that the background MAKES this shot. Personally I find most of your observations bizarre...

[uulrich]

Originally Posted by lambroving

Personally I find most of your observations bizarre...

...bizarre? It's your photograph, which allows me to make an observation.

[stunsworth]

I'm with Uwe on the background, detracts rather than adds to the shot IMHO.

[andybarton]

William

I have lots of shots of industrial units. They are unbelievably dull.

How can this "make this shot"? It's a snap of a replica car outside a "shed".

Sorry. I just don't get this at all.