77 RW Early E Type ?

[rswift]

So I am sitting here minding my own business on ST James ST, in
London.. When a green E Type, 77 RW crawls past in-between the black cabs & rickshaws, and it is bucketing it down with rain !

Anyone any ideas where it might have been, as far as I know it't owned by Jaguar, chassis no. 3 and the earliest surviving E Type roadster.

I'm both amazed and happy that it was being driven, and not in a covered trailer !

[Gizmo!]

Brundle's isn't it?

[TAHodgson]

Gizmo! said:

Brundle's isn't it?

Brundle's is 99 MB IIRC, as far as i'm aware, 77 RW is the earliest surviving roadster, yes. Someone with a bigger e-type beard than me will be along shortly...

[Garlick]

77 RW is owned and run by Jag UK and is often wheeled out for events and press. Could have been heading to an event, or just being enjoyed!

It was also involved in the runaway Honda incident at Goodwood 2010. Cracking car.

[Auburn852]

77RW is well known and documented as one of the cars shown at Geneva in 1961 - and was apparently driven overnight from the UK to make the show, according to legend:
http://www.classicsmonthly.com/2011/02/15/e-type-a...
I'll go and trim my e-type beard now...

[rswift]

The RAC club Is just down the road .. ? They often have interesting cars on display, maybe a connection But I just loved the way it was being driven as an 'ordinary' car through central London on a busy Saturday evening. (Roof up though)...

[aberdeeneuan]

Clarkson drove it in top gear the other week and said it was the first roadster and that it was the one driven out to the motorshow overnight in geneva.

Lovely looking thing.

[jacksdad2001]

77 RW is owned by Mike Kilgannon. He bought her many years ago from a used car dealer not knowing the full significance of the car, and used her as daily transport before parking her in his place in Rossett, near Chester. My Dad was a good friend of his, and told me about the car maybe 30 years ago while it still garaged and made me swear to secrecy. The story goes that when Jaguar found out he had it (all prototypes were supposed to have been destroyed) they demanded it's return. Mike, being the smart man that he is, instead had them restore it - at their expense - with the understanding that it remains in his possession, but Jaguar get to borrow it for their museum part of the time. Outstanding bit of negotiating. This is a pic of my Dad, Jim Cornock, back in 2003, sitting in the car at Mike's place with Norman Dewis looking on.

Edited by jacksdad2001 on Tuesday 25th October 18:39

[pwrc]

jacksdad2001 said:

77 RW is owned by Mike Kilgannon. He bought her many years ago from a used car dealer not knowing the full significance of the car, and used her as daily transport before parking her in his place in Rossett, near Chester. My Dad was a good friend of his, and told me about the car maybe 30 years ago while it still garaged and made me swear to secrecy. The story goes that when Jaguar found out he had it (all prototypes were supposed to have been destroyed) they demanded it's return. Mike, being the smart man that he is, instead had them restore it - at their expense - with the understanding that it remains in his possession, but Jaguar get to borrow it for their museum part of the time. Outstanding bit of negotiating. This is a pic of my Dad back in 2003, sitting in the car at Mike's place with Norman Dewis looking on. http://thumbsnap.com/sc/YuscDOtG.jpg[/img]

great stuff!!

[shirt]

jacksdad2001 said:

77 RW is owned by Mike Kilgannon. He bought her many years ago from a used car dealer not knowing the full significance of the car, and used her as daily transport before parking her in his place in Rossett, near Chester. My Dad was a good friend of his, and told me about the car maybe 30 years ago while it still garaged and made me swear to secrecy. The story goes that when Jaguar found out he had it (all prototypes were supposed to have been destroyed) they demanded it's return. Mike, being the smart man that he is, instead had them restore it - at their expense - with the understanding that it remains in his possession, but Jaguar get to borrow it for their museum part of the time. Outstanding bit of negotiating. This is a pic of my Dad back in 2003, sitting in the car at Mike's place with Norman Dewis looking on.

shut it noob

seriously, as first posts go, this should win a prize.

[jacksdad2001]

What do I win? Seriously - try keeping that one secret when you're in your teens.

[joe58]

Seeing as this is a E-Type page, can someone tell me why they went way from the covered headlights. It ruins it slightly, was it safety regs?

[Ecurie Ecosse]

I think 77RW was on its way to Coutt 's then for a display for the Revival.

As for the headlights, they were very poor with the covers, which was a shame as they look great.

[joe58]

Ecurie Ecosse said:

As for the headlights, they were very poor with the covers, which was a shame as they look great.

That is a shame.

[spudgun GB]

A bit o a thread revival here,but I have just seen it parked up on Caernarfon today. Talking to the owner it seems like it is still in private hands but is kept at Gaydon most of the time. I didn't expect to see a motoring legend today but that's how it goes some times.

[droopsnoot]

spudgun GB said:

A bit o a thread revival here,but I have just seen it parked up on Caernarfon today. Talking to the owner it seems like it is still in private hands but is kept at Gaydon most of the time. I didn't expect to see a motoring legend today but that's how it goes some times.

I was quite surprised when it turned up at Oulton Park a few years back. I recognised the registration but didn't really know where from as I'm not that "up" on E-types, but do read through a lot of classic magazines. Reading the above it seems it lives (or lived) quite close, so perhaps that's why.

[Krikkit]

I'd love to know the insurance estimate for this, £2m?

[thegreenhell]

Coincidentally, channel Dave just showed the episode of TG where J. Clarkson drove this very car.

[spudgun GB]

Pics from last Sunday.

[Wacky Racer]

Why have Jaguar, in over 50 years, and despite many attempts, never come close to releasing anything as beautiful as this?

People from Enzo to Clarkson think it is the world's most beautiful car....