The 2014 Classic Speed Championship-winning
1962/1970s C-Type by William Guthrie

• Built by William Guthrie in the 1970s
• Known ownership history
• Present ownership since 2010
• 3.4-litre XK engine
• Close-ratio Moss gearbox
• Suitable for use on both road and track

This early C-Type facsimile has been competing very successfully in recent years in this country's premier speed event championship for historic racing cars, the Classic Speed Championship, competing at circuits and hill climbs including Goodwood, Prescott, Shelsley Walsh, Harewood, Curborough, Wiscombe, Gurston Down and others. This C-Type was the Championship's outright winner in 2014.

The car was constructed in Aberdeen in the 1970s by the Scottish motor engineer and Ecurie Ecosse enthusiast, William Guthrie, using various components supplied to him by Jim Marland, who at the time was developing his CopyCat C-Type replicas. Guthrie sourced the XK engine, gearbox and rear axle from a 3.4-litre Jaguar Mark 2 saloon. The tubular steel chassis was constructed by Jago Developments in Chichester. The front and rear bodywork is GRP and the centre section is aluminium. Guthrie sold the car to a farmer near Glasgow, which is where the renowned classic Jaguar racer and restorer Guy Broad found it languishing in a barn in 2008. Broad recommissioned the car and passed it on to another classic car specialist, who sold it to the vendor in 2010.

The vendor's objective had been to find a C-Type facsimile that would be acceptable for competition and could be developed to provide an affordable experience that was as close as possible to the early 1950s originals. He entrusted the car to WinSpeed Motorsport where Chris Window rebuilt the engine to produce power similar to that of original production C-Types running on twin 2½" SU carburettors. Window also fitted an early close-ratio Moss gearbox with overdrive, Zeus brake callipers and Gaz shock absorbers. Classic car specialist James Ewing ensured that the car conformed to MSA/Motorsport UK regulations, and he also commissioned a detachable rollover bar. Suspension and overall dynamic set-up was carried out by McLaren's then test driver and development engineer, Steve Hayes. Hayes has also competed with the C-Type in recent years.

In keeping with 1950s competition culture, 'SES 830' has often been driven considerable distances to and from venues, and has been used for short breaks here and abroad including to the Le Mans Classic. C-Types were notorious for cooking passengers because of their close proximity to the exhaust system. For this reason the vendor has lagged the passenger compartment with discrete heat-reflecting insulation. The car wears a set of brand new Blockley tyres on its 16" wheels, and will be supplied with its rollover bar and fittings; touring and competition fire extinguishers; tonneau cover; tool kit; competition spares pack; driver's and passenger's four-point safety harnesses for touring; an in-date six-point competition harness (only to be used in conjunction with the rollover bar); a tailor-made timing splitter for sprints and hill climbs; and a tailor-made breathable car cover, and a pair of supplementary mini-silencers which may be fitted in place of the side pipes, to ensure that the car will not exceed increasingly stringent noise limits at many track days. Copies of related invoices on file total £26,000-plus, and the car also comes with a V5C document and current MoT.