Discussion
Cynicism and sarcasm noted. I find it a bit laborious to travel 300 miles to such an event at a cost of about £700 return including hotel costs, but then probably you can afford it whereas I can't. Anyway, I think your definition of my car is somewhat off the mark. It is not a moulded plastic shell and a ladder chassis but a hand-crafted alloy body with uprated suspension and modified engine which actually is more powerful than a real XKSS was in the day. I am not denigrating kit cars here, just pointing out that such cars are in the main built by the owner, not in a factory. A Lotus 7 was a kit car to avoid purchase tax I seem to recall, but still a great and mythical car which I would be happy to see at any event. Lynx did start out by selling kits but the vast majority of their cars were built in house, as was mine. Few kits were sold in fact. But I do not represent my car as being real, although when some sarcastic big-headed twit criticizes the car to my face and asks if it is a real one I do reply "yes, it is". But I do not carry on to say that it is a real Lynx either. And I do wonder why your posts are flagrantly aggressive and rude.
Lowdrag
I'm old enough to remember Lynx [and Sussex [Jag SS kits] etc] displaying at Stoneleigh Kit car show [will try and find the photo's of them doing so] - so In my definition they're certainly Kitcar's [engine power of yours compared to original XKSS is irrelevant] - but clearly most owners would prefer to lose the Kitcar tag - why??
Maybe it's a financial reason
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My Lotus 7 is a Kitcar as you mentioned [although all the parts in the Lotus7 kit were new] - however it's descendants - 'Caterhams' definitely DON'T like being called Kitcars again - WHY??
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Now't queerer than folk
I'm old enough to remember Lynx [and Sussex [Jag SS kits] etc] displaying at Stoneleigh Kit car show [will try and find the photo's of them doing so] - so In my definition they're certainly Kitcar's [engine power of yours compared to original XKSS is irrelevant] - but clearly most owners would prefer to lose the Kitcar tag - why??
Maybe it's a financial reason
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My Lotus 7 is a Kitcar as you mentioned [although all the parts in the Lotus7 kit were new] - however it's descendants - 'Caterhams' definitely DON'T like being called Kitcars again - WHY??
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Now't queerer than folk
lowdrag said:
We're slightly off piste but CKL track days are the stuff of legend.
I couldn't argue there. When I first went they were trackdays which CKL organised for the members of the XK & E-Type clubs. The first time they had sufficient interest to run separate days for each club. Later on I'd attend as many of their track days as possible. They also run test days but then you need a track/race license. 
That's the D, XKD-535 and behind it XKSS-701, the lady by the car is the one who gave me a life round the track, I'm sorry to say I can't remember her name, but Tony knows her.
lowdrag said:
I have driven both live and IRS D-types and it is horses for courses. Jaguar tried de Dion rear axles and one is shown here:-
Lynx built a few live axle cars on special order but the rest were IRS like mine. Overall I'd prefer the IRS for every day use. The rear digs in while the live axle patters and skips.
The Jaguar IRS was a huge step forward. The D-Type was limited in terms of the tracks it could really shine at because of the live axle. Lynx built a few live axle cars on special order but the rest were IRS like mine. Overall I'd prefer the IRS for every day use. The rear digs in while the live axle patters and skips.
Off Topic - in the late 90s I was lucky enough to drive the (Virage-based) Aston Vantage and DB7 back to back for road impressions. One of my try out roads has a clunky expansion joint on a bridge that is not perpendicular to the road, so each wheel hits it separately not in pairs. The Vantage hated it. It had a De Dion rear suspension derived from the old Aston V8. In the time it took me to realise it wasn't happy and I might have to do some heroic remedial work with steering and throttle to catch it the moment had passed. It was all over in an instant but it made my blood run cold - two tonnes of someone else's slightly out of control Aston. Jeez. At similar speed the DB7, with its Jaguar derived IRS, didn't notice.
I have a lot of respect for anyone who builds a kit car or rebuilds a classic. I would look carefully before buying their product, but, to be fair, that applies equally to cars from factories or 'leading restorers', who, too often, are neither leading nor restorers.
It's wrong to pass something for what it isn't, especially for financial profit. But, what's the originality of a car built around a chassis plate? And how does it compare with one made from historic spares?
When, if ever, are we allowed to modify old cars? Would you update a Rembrandt? But, it would be fine to make a copy and update that. Thankfully, unlike the world of art, we don't rely much on connoisseurship to discriminate the genuine and the 'looks like.' If you can't tell the genuine from the looks like, does it matter?
The most important thing is that we all enjoy our hobby. We should be free to do so without endangering others or destroying a piece of history. If you own a Le Mans winner, exercise it gently and accept the main pleasure is preserving it and looking at it. On the other hand, modify a Jaguar Mk2 as you wish, within the limits of safety and (my) good taste. If you see old cars mainly as an investment, buyer beware and don't expect sympathy from me.
It's wrong to pass something for what it isn't, especially for financial profit. But, what's the originality of a car built around a chassis plate? And how does it compare with one made from historic spares?
When, if ever, are we allowed to modify old cars? Would you update a Rembrandt? But, it would be fine to make a copy and update that. Thankfully, unlike the world of art, we don't rely much on connoisseurship to discriminate the genuine and the 'looks like.' If you can't tell the genuine from the looks like, does it matter?
The most important thing is that we all enjoy our hobby. We should be free to do so without endangering others or destroying a piece of history. If you own a Le Mans winner, exercise it gently and accept the main pleasure is preserving it and looking at it. On the other hand, modify a Jaguar Mk2 as you wish, within the limits of safety and (my) good taste. If you see old cars mainly as an investment, buyer beware and don't expect sympathy from me.
CanAm said:
a8hex said:
The Jaguar IRS was a huge step forward. The D-Type was limited in terms of the tracks it could really shine at because of the live axle.
And that was of course the one that really mattered!You have it in one Ken. Because the Le Mans circuit has but two sharp bends and a 2.5 mile straight (without chicanes in the day) the live axle worked better, but elsewhere the D-type wasn't up to scratch. Reims was another example of being virtually a triangle and the live axle suited there too.
Slightly OT but as the picture was posted.
I love that Keith and Claire uses their XK for everything from the weekly shop, a European Tour then the next day battling on the race circuit. It really is a fabulously developed car and they are lovely people.
Their son doesn't pedal too badly either as the entrants at the Members Meeting were shown this year.
Looking forward to catching up with them at Silverstone this weekend.
I love that Keith and Claire uses their XK for everything from the weekly shop, a European Tour then the next day battling on the race circuit. It really is a fabulously developed car and they are lovely people.
Their son doesn't pedal too badly either as the entrants at the Members Meeting were shown this year.
Looking forward to catching up with them at Silverstone this weekend.
Mikeeb said:
Slightly OT but as the picture was posted.
I love that Keith and Claire uses their XK for everything from the weekly shop, a European Tour then the next day battling on the race circuit. It really is a fabulously developed car and they are lovely people.
Their son doesn't pedal too badly either as the entrants at the Members Meeting were shown this year.
Looking forward to catching up with them at Silverstone this weekend.
A decent car not used is an ornament and to be honest I lose interest at that point.I love that Keith and Claire uses their XK for everything from the weekly shop, a European Tour then the next day battling on the race circuit. It really is a fabulously developed car and they are lovely people.
Their son doesn't pedal too badly either as the entrants at the Members Meeting were shown this year.
Looking forward to catching up with them at Silverstone this weekend.
Saddest thing is to see a pristine car in a museum.
Jukian64
Great point - cars need to be used as intended not just put in a museum or storage whilst the cash value goes up,
I love kit cars though i couldn't afford a Jag Xkss or d type copy at current prices I have owned kits since early 70's -
Here's a few old articles/Ads - will post up the lynx pics/articles when i find 'em.
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Great point - cars need to be used as intended not just put in a museum or storage whilst the cash value goes up,
I love kit cars though i couldn't afford a Jag Xkss or d type copy at current prices I have owned kits since early 70's -
Here's a few old articles/Ads - will post up the lynx pics/articles when i find 'em.
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Mikeeb said:
Slightly OT but as the picture was posted.
I love that Keith and Claire uses their XK for everything from the weekly shop, a European Tour then the next day battling on the race circuit. It really is a fabulously developed car and they are lovely people.
Their son doesn't pedal too badly either as the entrants at the Members Meeting were shown this year.
Looking forward to catching up with them at Silverstone this weekend.
Andy in their other XK, a few years back this one.I love that Keith and Claire uses their XK for everything from the weekly shop, a European Tour then the next day battling on the race circuit. It really is a fabulously developed car and they are lovely people.
Their son doesn't pedal too badly either as the entrants at the Members Meeting were shown this year.
Looking forward to catching up with them at Silverstone this weekend.
As a simple rule I knew that if I were catching either car then it wasn't one of them driving
Say hi to Chris or Andy from me if you could please.
a8hex said:
Andy in their other XK, a few years back this one.
As a simple rule I knew that if I were catching either car then it wasn't one of them driving
Say hi to Chris or Andy from me if you could please.
Ha, ha! I'll show him that snap!As a simple rule I knew that if I were catching either car then it wasn't one of them driving
Say hi to Chris or Andy from me if you could please.
Certainly will pass on your best wishes - if I know who they're from.......
Cheers
Mike
Mikeeb said:
Ha, ha! I'll show him that snap!
Certainly will pass on your best wishes - if I know who they're from.......
Cheers
Mike
Chris knows that I'm A8HEX on here, but I'm Ken who used to have a pearl grey XK150FHC with a fairly breathed on 4.2 lump which they installed for me and I attended many a track day with them down at Goodwood.Certainly will pass on your best wishes - if I know who they're from.......
Cheers
Mike
Cor Blimey, this is an old thread revived! Talking of the Keith-Lucas family, here are a few racing shots:-
The first, Andrew's first race at Castle Coombe:-
The second (I love this) Claire on a CKL track day. That's Ludovic dodging the tyres in 49 FXN):-
And Chris at the Le Mans Classic 2018:-
All three driving the same car. A wonderful racing family, and one day Chris should write a book about his life, from lynx and then CKL
The first, Andrew's first race at Castle Coombe:-
The second (I love this) Claire on a CKL track day. That's Ludovic dodging the tyres in 49 FXN):-
And Chris at the Le Mans Classic 2018:-
All three driving the same car. A wonderful racing family, and one day Chris should write a book about his life, from lynx and then CKL
lowdrag said:
Talking of the Keith-Lucas family, ...
All three driving the same car. A wonderful racing family, and one day Chris should write a book about his life, from lynx and then CKL
Ouch! for one of those picturesAll three driving the same car. A wonderful racing family, and one day Chris should write a book about his life, from lynx and then CKL
Chris and Claire's daughter, Sarah, is very pleasant too, I had the good fortune to meet her at a talk she was giving a few years back.
A book about life at Lynx and CKL would be very interesting.
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