Spotted: Jaguar XJ-13

Spotted: Jaguar XJ-13

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JonRB

Original Poster:

74,395 posts

271 months

Saturday 15th February 2003
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Well, obviously not the original Jaguar XJ-13 since it was a one-off prototype, so it must have been one of the handful of replicas that are in existence. Even they are extremely rare and noteworthy though.

Sounded awesome. We were travelling on the dual carriageway towards Farnham (Surrey) early afternoon today, and it was heading in the opposite direction so I only caught a glimpse, but I can't see what else it could have been.



I'm guessing it may have been the Charles Motors Ltd replica from a quick Google search, but I'm happy to be corrected.

Correction: Further searching on Google has shown that it could just have easily been a Proteus Sportscars Ltd. replica, especially since they are based in Romsey, Hants.



>>> Edited by JonRB on Saturday 15th February 22:26

gnomesmith

2,458 posts

275 months

Saturday 15th February 2003
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Mike Abbas has a BRG example and Racing Green Cars an example finished in lighter metallic green. Both have websites with pretty pictures.

Both Proteus Cars, reputedly they only made two but that might be incorrect.

There are other replicas about.

JonRB

Original Poster:

74,395 posts

271 months

Saturday 15th February 2003
quotequote all
Thanks Gnomesmith.

Just done a web search, and sure enough Mike has one for sale at £85k. A tad outside my price range, but achingly desirable and beautiful. (The car, that is. )

From: www.mikeabbasclassiccars.co.uk/Carsforsale.htm


JAGUAR XJ13 PROTEUS REPLICA

With a 6083cc and MAX POWER of 510 BHP at 6.500 rpm, this is an extremely EXCITING Racing car (RACING DJB MANAGEMENT SYSTEM) !!!!!! ZF5DS 25/2 Transmission.



The Chassis & Body is fabricated steel semi-monocoque with stressed skin aluminium floors, bulkheads and cills. Body panels in GRP composites. Louvred bonnet and access panels in aluminium.



The Front Suspension is an ' E ' Type Jaguar top & bottom wishbones as Original. Brakes are AP vented Racing Discs & Calliper front and rear. Wheels are Cast Aluminium (Peg driven with three eared spinners, also Dunlop racing Tyres!!!!



The Fuel tank is Fabricated aluminium tanks mounted in cills. Cooling system consists of forward mounted water and oil radiators for engine. Gearbox oil cooler rear mounted, ducted air to brakes. 4 Tail pipes exiting through ' tunnels' in rear bodywork as Original.


Mmmmmmm.

srider

709 posts

281 months

Sunday 16th February 2003
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Didn't Jag restore the original? Sure I saw it at a historic show couple of years ago.

JonRB

Original Poster:

74,395 posts

271 months

Sunday 16th February 2003
quotequote all

srider said: Didn't Jag restore the original? Sure I saw it at a historic show couple of years ago.
Yes, but there is only the one and it is kept very safely at Jaguar for a majority of its time. The odds of it driving down a dual carriageway in Surrey on a Saturday afternoon are infinitessimal.

grahambell

2,718 posts

274 months

Sunday 16th February 2003
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srider said: Didn't Jag restore the original? Sure I saw it at a historic show couple of years ago.


Yes they did. It's part of their collection at Browns Lane and has to be one of the best looking cars ever.

srider

709 posts

281 months

Sunday 16th February 2003
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JonRB said:

srider said: Didn't Jag restore the original? Sure I saw it at a historic show couple of years ago.
Yes, but there is only the one and it is kept very safely at Jaguar for a majority of its time. The odds of it driving down a dual carriageway in Surrey on a Saturday afternoon are infinitessimal.




I wasn't implying it was that one, but you never know, the security guards might have got bored .....

Bodo

12,368 posts

265 months

Sunday 16th February 2003
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grahambell said:

srider said: Didn't Jag restore the original? Sure I saw it at a historic show couple of years ago.


Yes they did. It's part of their collection at Browns Lane and has to be one of the best looking cars ever.



I've seen it, when they introduced the AM DB7 in Germany first at Jaguar Deutschland. It's a hell of a car, and a very good design for a midengined sportscar

It's one of these cars, I wouldn't have problems with owning a replica from, especially the Proteus one, which is available with alloy body IIRC.

oh, and here's a brochure: www.jag-lovers.org/brochures/proteus_xj13.html

Bodo

12,368 posts

265 months

Sunday 16th February 2003
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... and here are some anecdotes from the rebuilt story: www.loadesplc.co.uk/eloades/eloades4.htm

JonRB

Original Poster:

74,395 posts

271 months

Sunday 16th February 2003
quotequote all

srider said:I wasn't implying it was that one, but you never know, the security guards might have got bored .....
Oops, sorry.

littlegearl

3,139 posts

256 months

Sunday 16th February 2003
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srider said: Didn't Jag restore the original? Sure I saw it at a historic show couple of years ago.


it was at the classic car motorshow last year (2 weeks after the normal motorshow, worth a visit)... they also had its price tag on show...

a cool, £8,000,000!!!!

456mgt

2,504 posts

265 months

Sunday 16th February 2003
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One of the most beautiful (automotive) designs I've ever seen. If someone was offering a kit for this it'd be enough to tempt me into the home build market.

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Monday 17th February 2003
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grahambell said:

srider said: Didn't Jag restore the original? Sure I saw it at a historic show couple of years ago.


Yes they did. It's part of their collection at Browns Lane and has to be one of the best looking cars ever.


It also held the lap record around the MIRA banked tri-oval for a LONG time... has been known to make appearances at some events (IIRC it made one GFoS)...

grahambell

2,718 posts

274 months

Monday 17th February 2003
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456mgt said: One of the most beautiful (automotive) designs I've ever seen. If someone was offering a kit for this it'd be enough to tempt me into the home build market.


Proteus used to offer their XJ13 replica for kit build (as with their C and D types) with either GRP or aluminium body, though don't know whether they still do. You could always contact them at the URL quoted earlier on this thread and ask.

andymadmak

14,482 posts

269 months

Monday 17th February 2003
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I heard a story about the first of the XJ13 replicas that was built.
Apparently it was for a business man who went to someone like Proteus or Vicarage with an old magazine photo and said - "Build me one of them!"
Jaguar let the company take critical measurements off the "rebuilt" original, and "Voila!" one new XJ13.
The best bit comes with the engine story though. The original XJ13 had a 5.0lite, 500hp quad cam V12. It was this engine that was detuned into the 272bhp 5.3 litre SOHC/bank V12 that we saw in the V12 E type and the Xj12/S etc.
The obvious thing was to fit the road engine to the replica, but apparently somebody at the builders phoned up Jaguar and said "I don't suppose you've got a spare Quad Cam engine lying about?"
The answer was Yes they did! Brand new and still in the crate. The deal was done and Mr Business man got the car of his dreams, complete with Le Mans engine.
Dunno if its true, but I'd like to believe it anyway.

Andy 400se

PetrolTed

34,424 posts

302 months

Tuesday 18th February 2003
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MEMSDesign

1,100 posts

269 months

Tuesday 18th February 2003
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Cor! It is pretty isn't it!

Phugo

2 posts

253 months

Tuesday 18th February 2003
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Oh well - the cat`s out of the bag! It was me, Peter Hugo - head of the Jaguar sales side of Racing Green Cars here in Ash Vale. I was actually expecting a visit from the boys in blue before a pistonhead report ....er, I wonder why!
Yes, it is our replica (all ally) of the fabled XJ13. and WHAT a car! Standard 5.3 V12 engine with ZF `box; 0-60 c. 4.5 and 170 tops.
So guys, now you know. Why not pop in and see the car in the flesh...it`s in our showroom.

456mgt

2,504 posts

265 months

Tuesday 18th February 2003
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Thanks for the info Graham. This from Proteus website:
XJ 13

is the unique sports endurance car which never ran and so we will never know what could have been achieved. We produce this car using the XJ12 carburettor engine mounted to the ZF Trans axle and you can have either the aluminium front and rear end or use glass fibre. The car can be purchased in kit form but only the serious retired engineers should take this on otherwise it comes all finished and ready for your trip to Le Mans along with the rest of the Jaguar contingent.

Kit price - £25,000.
Fully built - Guild price only -£100,000.


Note serious retired engineers bit. 100k for a replica seems pretty stiff to me. Guaranteed exclusivity mind.

JonRB

Original Poster:

74,395 posts

271 months

Tuesday 18th February 2003
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Phugo said: Oh well - the cat`s out of the bag! It was me, Peter Hugo - head of the Jaguar sales side of Racing Green Cars here in Ash Vale.
{snip}
Why not pop in and see the car in the flesh...it`s in our showroom.

Lovely. Well, I know where I'm visiting this weekend. It will have to be in the Corrado though as the family will probably be with me. Will that have enough cred or will I need to get the TVR out?