Is that British Racing Green?.:>))))
Barry
At 10:24 PM 01/12/2001 -0800, Scot Zediker wrote:
>Nice piece! Hope it gets published.
>
>BTW, I am now green with envy that you got to drive an E-type :)
>
>Scot
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <Smokerbros@aol.com>
>To: <ba-autox@autox.team.net>
>Sent: Friday, January 12, 2001 8:29 PM
>Subject: Re: Jaguar E Type Advantages
>
>
> > Jerry writes:
> >
> > < Just in case any of you Miata boys have any questions
> > > about the advantages of owning a real old Jaguar,
> > > be sure to check out the Peter Egan column in the
> > > latest Road & Track.
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Here's something I wrote and submitted to a major magazine which shall
>remain
> > nameless, but who has not yet responded... Maybe you'll see it here
>"first"
> > then see it in a magazine...
> >
> > CHD
> > --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>----
> >
> > ------------------
> >
> > When Jerry Mouton volunteered his 1964 Jaguar E-Type coupe to be displayed
>in
> > San Francisco Region of Sports Car Club of America's booth in the San
> > Francisco International Auto Show, I thought it was a very nice gesture.
>The
> > thought of allowing the great unwashed masses to get up close and entirely
> > too personal with his freshly restored 36 year old car for 8 days was less
> > daunting to Jerry than it would've been for me.
> >
> > Jerry was called out of town on personal business, and he asked me to
>drive
> > the Jag from Palo Alto to Moscone Center in San Francisco. I was honored,
> > but more than just a bit concerned that some idiot would pull some stupid
> > maneuver in front of me in the unfamiliar car. I agreed, anyway. I mean,
> > what self respecting sports car nut would pass up this opportunity?
> >
> > After reviewing the starting and driving instructions (Turn key to on,
>don't
> > keep twisting it or you'll break it. There's a button to start the car.
>Let
> > the carbs fill with gas before starting. Set choke. Allow it to warm up
>for
> > a minute before driving off. No synchro in 1st, very little synchro in
>the
> > other gears. Shift slowly.) several times, I thought I could handle
>this,
> > despite being coddled by today's fuel injected, darn-near-drive-themselves
> > cars.
> >
> > As Sherry Grantz dropped me off at Jerry's, I asked "You are going to wait
> > 'til I drive off under my own power, aren't you?"
> >
> > The answer was "Of course. It's British." Smart lady, that Sherry... We
> > took off the car cover, admired the white paint, chrome wire wheels and
>red
> > leather, found the keys in the designated hiding place, and I sat down in
>the
> > car, pulling on my driving gloves, as instructed. (The glue that holds
>the
> > wood steering wheel together and keeps it from splintering was the only
> > remaining restoration project.)
> >
> > Hmmm, not much headroom, even for a 5'9" guy. My first reaction was to
>reach
> > down for the seatback adjuster. Hah! This car was build in '64! No such
> > animal! Okay, I'll just scoot my butt forward a bit, bend my knees and
>sit
> > like a tall guy. I was wondering what physique the car was designed to
> > accommodate. The mental image was a rather strange looking individual...
> > Jerry hadn't mentioned the telescoping steering wheel. When he mentioned
>it
> > after the journey, I changed my image to a less simian and more human
>looking
> > individual.
> >
> > I turned the ignition on, found the choke and set it, and pressed the
>starter
> > button. It fired to life in about a second and idled smoothly, and I
>brought
> > it back a little to high idle. So far, so good. There was a surprised
>look
> > on Sherry's face. After a minute or so, I decided to try to find reverse,
> > and back out of the driveway.
> >
> > Yep, reverse was right there to the left of first gear. Shifter is very
> > stiff. Hmmm, clutch is very stiff. Car slowly backs out, I pull it out
>of
> > reverse and go for first. We're backing up again. Okay, the detent isn't
> > very, uh, detentious. Is that a word? It is, now. There's first, and
>we're
> > off, taking it easy, nice muted growl. Up to 3000, pull hard into neutral
>,
> > then second. Krunch! Jerry said shift slowly, hmmm, thought I did.
>Well,
> > let's be even gentler next time. Interesting. How do you grab that
>lever,
> > pull hard, but gently?
> >
> > A few more blocks, and I'm getting the upshifts down pretty well.
>Downshifts
> > are a bear, though. I hadn't really thought about heel and toe on the
>street
> > since I was trying to learn the technique to be a better autocrosser many
> > years ago. Guess it's time to think about it, again. It feels like my
>size
> > 11 shoes can make that happen. The Brits probably knew that this would be
>a
> > necessity, and placed the pedals properly. This one wants the ball of the
> > foot on the brake and toes on the gas, not my normal style, but it'll
>work.
> > Well, we're in third going toward Highway 101, approaching a light that's
> > turning. Time to give it a try. Light brake, clutch, blip, second,
>clutch
> > out, no crunch. Cool!
> >
> > Out on the highway, revving it up to four thousand or so seemed to make
>her
> > happier, and the shifts indicated that we were communicating a little
>better.
> > She seemed a bit more confident that I could actually control the
>situations
> > that might confront us.
> >
> > Jerry had warned me about the skinny radials were on and not the fatter
> > autocross tires (yes, Virginia, this car does have some autocross
> > experience), so I didn't challenge the corners much, and left plenty of
>room
> > so I could brake gently. When traffic started backing up coming into San
> > Francisco, I found that the brakes were like the other controls, uh,
> > resistant to pressure applied... I had to get real serious with the brake
> > pedal, that time.
> >
> > Once in The City, there were traffic jams everywhere. Typical... But the
> > temp gauge wasn't rising at all. Yet another surprise for a Brit car.
>When
> > I was able to cut and run, the Jag seemed to enjoy short blasts from light
>to
> > light, though something told me not to challenge the 5500 rpm redline. As
>I
> > pulled up to Moscone Center, I realized it was akin to playing fetch with
>a
> > nine year old Golden Retriever; she still likes to play, she just doesn't
> > sprint like a young pup anymore.
> >
> > Later, working the SCCA booth at the show, I noticed that Joe Huffaker's
>GT5
> > roadrace Mini Cooper and Jerry's Jaguar were quite popular, and many who
> > needed bibs while admiring the lines of the E-Type had to ask what it was.
> > Imagine that in 2000 the two stars of the Sports Car Club booth would both
>be
> > out of production English cars!
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