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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - What was THAT?

I was out driving around last night when I heard what sounded like another powerful car ahead of me, so I weaved through a little traffic to get a better look. What I saw was a car roughly the size of a late 60's corvette but had a HUGE fin, kinda like a shark fin, right behind the passenger seat, and the license plate said " D JAG ". Curious to see more, I followed him onto the highway, and we both opened it up. I gave up at 105 mph, and he was STILL 3 car lengths ahead of me! What the heck was that thing!!! Oh, and it cornered like it was on rails too! my tail end was fishing on the sharply curved entrance ramp, and he held like it was no big deal.... damn what a car!

Justin
Justin

The licence gives it away, as does the fin which would be behind the driver in the UK. It must have been a Jaguar D-Type. This was made in the fifties in small numbers for competition. It was run in the 24 hour race at Le Mans with considerable success. I don't know much about it, but there will be info on Jaguar websites if you go looking. It will have the famous 3.8 litre XK DOHC six cylinder engine, and will be quick even by todays standards. It developed in the early sixties into the E-type, sold in the US as the XK-E I believe.
Mike
Mike Howlett

A company called I think Lynx, build replicas in the UK, using Jaguar bits, I saw one at Le Mans this year, and they are quite a motor.

Mike
Michael barnfather

“...at 105 mph, and he was STILL 3 car lengths ahead of me” Lucky he didn’t brake, those would work well too. He was just playing with you.

Geoff
Geoff King

.. but reassuring to hear of someone in the States who puts his foot down. I hope your's is good for much more than 105.

(You don't have to answer that)
Roger

I'm sure it is, but I let off there because the steering started getting a little floaty. (and I was a bit scared hehe) There's only 1820 miles on the car, so I'm still not tearing its head off just quite yet.

After my front suspension rebuild next weekend I'll be a little more willing to go have some fun.... ;)

Justin

p.s. I looked around the web and yep, that D type is what ate me alive. I found one for sale too. Apparently bargain priced at $700,000.00......
Justin

Justin, There are also D type replicas about utilising mostly Jan XJ series components.
The look and performancs of the original with the reliability of the latest Jags.
Fewer insurance hassles as well.
Peter Thomas

At a big british car show today I saw that Jag that whipped me in that race, and I talked to him about it. He told me that *just* after I got off the highway and he kept going, he ran out of gas, and had to walk to a gas station to get a red can and fill his car up!

My ego was feeling much better after hearing that ;)

Justin

p.s. Had I kept going, I WOULD have given him a ride to a gas station. Jag, MG, we're all in the family together. =)
Justin

I was in Michigan a couple of weeks ago and must have seen the same car. My reaction was the same wow but I was in a Honda CRV and have a hard time getting out of my shadow's way. I told my wife "Look at that car" her reaction was less than enthusiastic but it made my day.
Porter
Richard Porter

Several years ago I had a pair of the replica D types in the shop I worked at. They were built on E-type chassis and all alluminum bodies. They were both BRG and numbered 5 and 6. Can't remember the maker
but test drives were something to remember!

Kelly
Kelly Combes

Justin - did you find out if that was an original one? Beautiful cars, but £600,000+ in mint condition here in the UK.

That 3.8 XK series six is truly one of the great engines. No offence, but you didn't stand a chance :-)
Resh

It was a replica from what the owner said, but damn it was cool! I had no clue what it was when I got on the highway with him, so I had no idea what I was in for. I'd never make that mistake again. ;) When I actually got close enough to the car to look at it, it was pretty rough (appeared to be hand formed aluminum) But it was still really cool. I couldn't seen an original out of only 67 cars being driven out on the streets like that.

Justin
Justin

This thread was discussed between 05/09/2002 and 17/09/2002

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