Description
H&H Classic Auction @ The Imperial War Museum, Duxford
15th Mar, 2023 13:00
1967/ 2003 Revival Motorsport Jaguar D-Type Evocation
Estimate
£65, 000 - £75, 000
Registration No: 56 XKD
Chassis No: G1D54489BW
MOT: Exempt
Understood to be the sixth car built (from a planned run of twenty seven)
Raced in the 'Powered by Jaguar' series by motorsport commentator Tony Jardine
Subsequently converted to road going specification
Finished in Ecurie Ecosse Blue and allocated the highly appropriate registration number '56 XKD'
Jaguar's D-Type was not only one of the best-looking cars ever to grace a race circuit but also one of the most successful, winning arguably the toughest race of them all, the Le Mans 24 Hours, three years running between 1955 and 1957. Just 71 D-Types were built in period along with 16 XKSS models - the disastrous factory fire of February 1957 helping put an end to further conversion of racing Ds into the road-going XKSS. Original examples seldom come to market these days and, when they do, their multi-million-pound values are way beyond the pockets of ordinary mortals. Nevertheless, there has for some time been a thriving market in evocations catering for a variety of budgets and we are pleased to offer one such example here.
Founded by John Arnold and Justin Wilson in 2002, Revival Motorsport Ltd aimed to stage a ‘one make’, sixteen-round race series the following year populated with D-Type Evocations of its own design. The original idea was to construct twenty-seven cars (twenty-five racers and two spares) but in the end only a dozen or so are thought to have been completed with some of those running in the ‘Powered by Jaguar’ championship. A respected race preparation specialist with a particular love for the Coventry marque, Arnold based the Revival Motorsport D-Type around a tubular spaceframe chassis with aluminium panelling for the centre section and Kevlar reinforced fibreglass bodywork. Equipped with rose-jointed, independent suspension all-round, four-wheel disc brakes and rack and pinion steering, the two-seater sports racers were powered by Rob Beere-tuned 4. 2 litre XK DOHC straight-six engines allied to Tremec five-speed manual transmission. A Salisbury limited slip differential aided traction but there were no electronic driver aids. With a quoted 300bhp on tap, the cars were reputedly capable of 0-60mph in less than 5 seconds and over 170mph!
Sporting body number ‘006RMS’ and thus thought to be the sixth Revival Motorsport D-Type Evocation made, this particular example is understood to have been campaigned by the motorsport commentator Tony Jardine during 2003 and indeed still carries his name to its flanks. A ‘fintail’ car (customers could also opt for a ‘bobtail’ silhouette), it is finished in Ecurie Ecosse colours and thus apes the Scottish Team’s 1956 Le Mans 24-hours winner. Reconfigured for road use, it is still registered with the DVLA under its donor identity of a 1967 Jaguar 420G. Classified as a ‘Historic Vehicle’ with a ‘Sports’ body type, it wears the highly appropriate registration number ’56 XKD’ which is included in the sale. Thought to have covered less than 2, 200 miles since completion, it is described by the vendor as being in ‘excellent overall’ condition with regards to its engine, gearbox, electrical equipment, interior trim and bodywork (while, he rates the paintwork as ‘very good’). Starting readily upon inspection and running nicely, the two-seater benefits from a new alternator and freshly overhauled triple carburettors (the latter being entrusted to a Weber specialist for set-up). As well as a spare wheel, ’56 XKD’ is accompanied by a tonneau cover, second wrap-around windscreen for passenger usage and differing thickness seat squab cushions. It also boasts an adjustable pedal box and multi-point race harnesses. Attracting admiring looks wherever it goes, this handsome D-Type Evocation is offered for sale with V5C Registration Document, Revival Motorsport brochures, previous MOT certificates and history file.
