The C-type is the competition version of the XK 120 with a lightweight aerodynamic aluminium body built around a tubular frame. 52 C-types were built powered by a 205 hp version of the XK engine one of which driven by Peters Whitehead & Walker won Le Mans in 1951.
In 1953 with an engine tuned to 220 hp, thanks to a switch from triple SU carburettors to Webbers and a chassis fitted with disc brakes Duncan Hamilton & Tony Rolt drove their C-type to Jaguars second Le Mans win.
XKC 030 had been raced by amongst others by David Hirsch and both Virginia and Loyal Katsee, when after rolling his XK 120 in 1957 Gordon McKenzie acquired it and subsequently used it with varying degrees of success all the way through to 1962.
Gordon MacKenzie came home 5th behind the #25 Ferrari TRC of G Andrey and 2 spots ahead of Bob Grossman's 250 GT California on this particular day.
John Aibel informs me that Gordon McKenzie was a well known racing instructor in the North East States and is still active in Vintage SCCA events.
My thanks to Ed & Steve Arnaudin for the photograph, John Aibel and Terry O'Neil for background information.
Hope you have enjoyed to today's lightweight edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' and that you'll join me again tomorrow for two cats in a Hollywood studio. Don't forget to come back now !
The only Jag more beautiful than the C-type was the D-type.
ReplyDeleteThese are some gorgeous racing cats!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCChyhgLhIs
ReplyDeleteI went away for a couple of days and the cats ran wild.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you expect JC this is big cat country !
ReplyDeleteI'll have to disagree with you by a country mile on the D being better looking than the C type Racer, though I agree the D type is iconic in a way that shades the C but love them both as I do neither is by any stretch of my limited imagination in my all time top three best looking Jags :-)
ReplyDeleteLove the Gordon MacKennzie clip thanks for the link :-)
This one isn't working: http://psychoontyres.blogspot.com/2011/01/two-cats-in-hollywood-d-type-xkd-531-c.html
ReplyDeleteInadvertently posted tomorrow's post early JC it will be up tomorrow :-) Probably with a new web address :-)
ReplyDeleteA great set of articles. I enjoyed them all. My brother owned a 1956 XK-140MC white roadster. What a wonderful car that was. I can still smell the red leather! He drove me out to the SCCA races in Cumberland, Maryland. That was as far west that I had ever been, and led me to the quest to see the real west. This I was able to do by selecting the Univerity of Colorado as the school I attended.This lead to meeting my wife, which let to my three wonderful children. And that is the rest of the story.
ReplyDeleteJohn Aibel
Always my pleasure John, thanks for sharing your memories of your brother XK 140 those must have been exhilarating times :-)
ReplyDeleteSorry, Art, I think I enjoyed my dad's story even more than your blog this time!
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ReplyDeleteDad's stories are always best every one knows that Chief :-)
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