The Jaguar Enthusiast Podcast
Keeping the worldwide Jaguar community in touch
The JEC Team’s 2023 review
The Jaguar Enthusiast Podcast has created a tradition of gathering the team together at the end of each year and reviewing the highlights of the past 12 months of Jaguar activities together. This year is no different so, on this special episode, we will be sharing some personal memories and looking forward to the amazing calendar of events yet to come in the New Year.
Join James Blackwell, Richard West, Colin Porter and Ray Ingman - hosted by Wayne Scott for our fun review of 2023.
Episode 98: A Tour of Swallows Jaguar
The Jaguar Enthusiast Magazine Podcast visits a well-known Jaguar business in Somerset for a behind-the-scenes tour of their workshops and facilities. Swallows Racing has built up over four decades and three generations of the same family to the position they are in now with huge facilities for car servicing, major repairs race preparation, full restoration and even bespoke parts and engineering. Tom Robinson takes us for a tour round and explains how they are growing to meet the increasing demands of their customers.
Episode 97: PART 2: The story of Rolt and Hamilton - two Jaguar racing icons.
The JEC Podcast continues with part two of an exciting interview that investigates the background and lives of the two drivers who took Jaguar to victory at Le Mans in 1953, Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton. Find out why Duncan Hamilton carried satsuma in every race car, how the 1953 race unfolded and how Tony Rolt’s legacy is long-lasting to this day with all-wheel drive.
Wayne Scott talks to Stuart Rolt (Major Tony Rolt's son), Caroline Lee (Duncan Hamilton's daughter) and Dominic Hamilton (Duncan Hamilton's grandson).
This interview was reproduced on the JEC Podcast with the kind permission of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust and was originally filmed as a video for their archives.
Episode 96: The Duncan Hamilton & Tony Rolt Story
At last, the JEC Podcast returns and we are back in fine style with part one of an exciting interview that investigates the background and lives of the two drivers who took Jaguar to victory at Le Mans in 1953, Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton. We investigate the fascinating and heroic lives of these Jaguar icons with their descendants, as Wayne talks to Stuart Rolt (Major Tony Rolt's son), Caroline Lee (Duncan Hamilton's daughter) and Dominic Hamilton (Duncan Hamilton's grandson). We also take the opportunity to explore the myths surrounding the lead-up to the 1953 Le Mans. Did Rolt and Hamilton really head down to a bar to drown their sorrows and end up having to sober up and jump straight in the cars? Or was it all just an elaborate story to sell more copies of Duncan Hamilton's Biography, Touch Wood? The answer is within this podcast! This interview was reproduced on the JEC Podcast with the kind permission of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust and was originally filmed as a video for their archives.
Episode 95: The truth about sustainable fuel for classics
Pioneering renewable fuel specialist, Coryton, recently launched the UK's first publicly available sustainable fuel. It is a fuel that could secure the future of the classic vehicle movement and historic motorsport.
The SUSTAIN Classic range allows regular combustion engines in our Jaguars to be fuelled by environmentally friendly, plant-based petrol without the need for any engine modifications. Now available from launch partner, Motor Spirit at Bicester Heritage, with more stockists to follow, there are already classic cars on our roads using the fuel and a number of rallies and motorsport events have also utilised the fuel.
In this podcast, we speak to Andrew Willson, CEO of Coryton and Business Development Director David Richardson about their vision of the future, the details behind how the fuel is made and how it might be scaled up for future use. There is a lot of optimism, realism and innovation in this podcast - so we hope you enjoy the insights it offers!
Episode 94: Building a Jaguar Business – plus how to drive Blyton Park
On this bumper episode, we meet Josh Tyler from the north-east of England who decided during lockdown to leave his job in a Jaguar main dealer to educate himself as a specialist diagnostics for modern classic Jaguars. Having started up on his own as a new business he has quickly grown to a business that is helping keep Jaguars from the 90s and 2000s on the road.
Plus, we get tips from Ray Ingman, our ARDS instructor on the perfect lap of Blyton Park in the club’s Jaguar XF Sportbrake as we embark upon another awesome TrackSport fixture.
Episode 93: An S-Type at Harewood Hillclimb
In the latest Jaguar Enthusiast Podcast, Wayne is at the JEC TrackSport event at Harewood Hillclimb being thrown (quite literally) up the hill in the racing S-Type of Andrew Harper.
Episode 92: Living with a Jaguar XJR15
In the latest Jaguar Enthusiast Podcast, Wayne catches up with Andrew Maynard, owner of the very first Jaguar XJR15 known at the time as R9R. He talks us through how he came to buy the car and also what it is like to live with an XJR15.
Episode 91: Sir William Lyons digital exhibition experience.
In the latest podcast from the Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club, we meet Andrew Nahum, curator and historian, Peter Grimsdale, author and TV producer and Painting the Cave (a specialist in creative digital technologies) to learn about how the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust has devised a new and original virtual journey through the life and work of one of Britain’s greatest carmakers and designers, Sir William Lyons.
Episode 90: Season update with Tom Robinson from Swallows Racing
In this podcast, we catch up with Tom Robinson from Swallows Racing on how the 2023 CTRC season is going for the Swallows Racing team, plus some exciting news on a new car he is building plus updates from JEC Tracksport and a low-down on the current trends in modifications and upgrades for Jaguars.
Episode 89: A tour of Classic Motor Cars (CMC), Bridgnorth
In this podcast, we continue our tour of Jaguar specialists buy paying a visit to Classic Motor Cars (CMC) in Bridgnorth. Their Managing Director Tim Griffin shows us around the impressive facilities including the parts stores, car storage, restoration, maintenance, body shop and trim areas for a comprehensive guide to their work.
Along the way, we also meet some of their staff and Hayden, their latest apprentice who is apparently already a master at building Moss gearboxes!
It’s a great insight into a unique restoration company with some interesting thoughts on the wider classic car scene along the way.
Episode 88 - Live from Castle Combe
The opening event of the 2023 season of JEC TrackSport track day shows was a truly unforgettable day for all who gathered at the historic Wiltshire circuit of Castle Combe. In this episode we have an extended podcast that brings you a taste of the atmosphere and action you can expect to be a part of when you attend a JEC TrackSport event. We get tips for the perfect lap from ARDS instructor Ray Ingman, Matthew Davis talks about the importance of getting the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust collection out and about, James Wall from Tom Lenthall Jaguar gives us a hot-lap in Tom's XJS plus we have a very moving moment when Richard West, ex-TWR team member is taken out for the first time since the 1990s in a TWR built XJR15 with Tom Robinson from Swallows Racing at the wheel, in formation with the 1988 Le Mans winning XJR9. Plus we catch up with JEC Chairman, Peter Purdom and Phil Beck from JEC Insurance to hear their thoughts on the event.
Episode 87: Meet the team that built the Lightweight E-types (Part 2).
This unique gathering was organised as part of the launch of the book ‘Strictly No Admittance!’, which tells the definitive history of the lightweight E-type programme.
The first Lightweight built, 4 WPD, (which took 4 victories in 1963 piloted by then F1 World Champion Graham Hill and one further win in 1964 piloted by a then promising young Scot called Jackie Stewart) was brought over to the event on behalf of owner Shaun Lynne by keepers CKL Engineering, who maintain the car.
This interview was the first time the team have been together with a Lightweight E-type since the factory racing programme ceased in late 1964 but the bonds of friendship this small programme wrought were obvious to see as they discussed the car’s details and shared memories. The team’s thoughts were recorded in this interview conducted by Wayne Scott for the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, this episode presents the second of the two-part series. You can hear part 1 in episode 86 of the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club Podcast.
Episode 86: Meet the team that built the Lightweight E-types
Strictly No Admittance by Peter Wilson is a book telling the story of Jaguar's Lightweight E-type. The book's author, Peter Wilson was one of the small team of men who built the Lightweights in Jaguar's famed Competition Department. As the name of the book suggests, it was out of bounds to most employees at Jaguar!
Just 12 were built, all in 1963 and they competed in major races across the world like the Sebring 12 hours, the Le Mans 24 hours, Goodwood Tourist Trophy and the Nürburgring 1000km.
Drivers included Jack Sears, Graham Hill, Roy Salvadori, Jackie Stewart and others.
Today the cars are one of the most sought after collectors pieces in the classic car world. In this podcast, we meet the surviving members of the team who built them. We speak to Peter Wilson, Gerry Beddows, Frank Philpott, Peter Jones and Brian Martin at the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust offices, Gaydon.
We are starting this content with kind permission from the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, who filmed the session for their own archive collection. This is part one of two, so sit back , relax and enjoy as we transport you back in time to 1963 and Lightweight E-type production.
Episode 85: Part 2 of our behind the scenes tour of SNG Barratt
In this episode, Wayne Scott continues his in-depth tour of the behind the scenes workings of Jaguar parts supplier, SNG Barratt.
In this second part of our tour he concentrates on the areas of the business that are developing new parts to keep old cars on the road. From 3D printing to skilled craftspeople fabricating parts by hand we explore all aspects of reproducing and improving parts for classic Jaguars. We also have a poke around the old presses and visit the workshop of Peter Stant to explore how they test parts in real world conditions, on real cars.
The tour ends in the design department where scanning and computer modelling is being utilised to create small production runs of complex components. We even pop in to see the IT department as well, which is larger than you might imagine!
This podcast is a must listen to learn more about how unavailable parts are being made in collaboration with the Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club to ensure good supplies of parts long into the future.
Episode 84: A behind the scenes tour of SNG Barratt
In this episode, we have the first part of our behind-the-scenes tour of SNG Barratt. Wayne Scott pops in for a day at SNG Barratt to have a snoop around the warehouses, workshops, and offices with Julian Barratt for a detailed look behind the scenes at the one of the largest suppliers of Jaguar parts in the world. In this episode we meet Julian at the front desk at SNG Barratt’s UK headquarters in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. He takes us through the warehouse to walk us through the technology employed to search, store, pick and dispatch parts across the world. After that, we head up to the ‘Lucas Lab’ where genuine heritage Lucas parts are still being made by a British team of craftspeople.
Episode 83: Behind the scenes at Tom Lenthall Limited
This week, we go behind the scenes at another Jaguar specialist, this time it is Tom Lenthall. In this in depth interview, we chat about Tom's early beginnings in the industry, his tales from behind the scenes working at a main dealer and some of the commonalities between Fords and Jaguars of that era. Plus, we discuss Tom's take on where the industry for classic cars is heading during these times of great change.
Episode 82: Painting cars at "The Jaguar" - memories from an ex-factory worker.
Kathleen Costley worked at "The Jaguar" as the folks in Coventry called the Browns Lane Factory during the 1960s. It was a time of great activity in the motor industry in Coventry, which was cementing its place in the UK as a vibrant, new and upcoming city. Kathleen's job was working in rectification, back during the time when paint defects reported on new or recently sold cars by dealers would see Jaguars heading back to the factory to be 'touched up'. Kathleen's job was working on the track, as these Jaguars came in for paint rectification. Her job, was to mask the car up ready for painting. She could mask a whole E-type in just a few minutes. In this fascinating conversation, Kathleen shares her memories of her time working at "The Jaguar" during the 1960s. Including insights into working conditions, the unions and being a woman in industrial Coventry during that time. So, settle in and be prepared for a fascinating trip back in time.
Episode 81: 2023 Jaguar events preview
We gather together to the whole team behind the events, TrackSport sessions and office operations at the Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club to meet the people behind the scenes and get an exciting preview of what is to come in 2023.
If you want the full low-down on exactly what the club is offering members for events this year, then this is a MUST listen.
Episode 80: Touring with your Jaguar in 2023
On this episode, Kieran Line joins us from Scenic Car Tours with Richard West, Chair of the JEC Events Committee to give us an update on what we need to know about touring with our Jaguar abroad this year, including green cards and low emission zones, plus a run through the exclusive packages on offer through the club in 2023.
Also, Richard gives us a heads-up on a special event being planned to celebrate Le Mans in the race's centenary year at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon.