Hamilton Classic display debut Ecurie Ecosse LM69 at NEC Classic Motor Show
Classic car fans flocked to Birmingham’s NEC to join the over 71,000 attendees in the 35thanniversary year of the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show with Discovery.
Ecurie Ecosse LM69
Fifty years on from the completion of the XJ13, the legacy lives on in the incredibly exciting new LM69, by Ecurie Ecosse. Launched in September, this appearance on the Hamilton Classic stand, was to be the car’s first ever appearance at the Classic Motor Show held at the NEC Birmingham.
Ecurie Ecosse will only be hand-building 25 in the West Midlands, in keeping with the FIA Homologation requirements of 1969 for running prototypes at Le Mans of over 3000cc.
A quad-cam V12 is the heart of the car, designed to evoke the experience of driving at Le Mans. However, unlike the original XJ13 – this is fully road legal.
Ecurie Ecosse have developed the car to a strict and unique brief which saw them adhering to the regulations of 1969, featuring only design details and technology that entered motorsport at that time. Composite materials have been used, it’s lighter than the original XJ13 and it boasts experimental aerodynamic devices, wider wheels and a multitude of engine improvements.
Live stage appearance with Mike Brewer
Wheeler Dealers’ Mike Brewer hosted a wealth of motoring talent on the Discovery Live Stage with Salvage Hunters: Classic Cars’ Drew Pritchard and Paul Cowland, and the Goblin Works Garage team Jimmy De Ville, Helen Stanley and Ant Partridge appearing over the weekend. They were joined by BTTC driver Jason Plato and Shed and Buried star Henry Cole as well as fantastic car parades and the three-day restoration of a Jaguar E-Type by the Practical Classics Magazine team.
The highlight for us on the live stage however, was the feature interview session that Wheeler Dealers’ Mike Brewer presented with our very own club PR, Wayne Scott and former chairman Rob Jenner. The live stage enjoyed a 30-minute Q&A on the life and times of Norman Dewis, sharing the stories of his incredible life and career as well as paying tribute to him as a supporter of the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club. The live stage tribute culminated in a one minute long round of applause in Norman’s honour after sharing the significant stories around the four Norman Dewis tribute cars on our club stand.
Elsewhere during the show.
Our club partners, Silverstone Auctions’ two-day sale saw some record-breaking results with the ex-works 1955 ‘Le Mans’ Triumph TR2 selling for £258,750, while the 2,000-mile Jaguar XJ220 sold for £362,812, both including buyer’s premium.
Over the years, the Practical Classics Practical Challenge has seen some fantastic restorations. This year marked their most ambitious yet, as the live stage team attempted to rebuild a Jaguar E Type live in just three days.
The owner Andy Waters told the show: “I’ve owned the Jaguar for twelve years now since I rescued the car after it was burned out in the USA. As my business has grown, the car has sat on a dolly in the corner, gradually gathering a thick layer of dust. Upon arrival at the show, the bodywork had been done and painted. The V12 engine has been stripped and reassembled in the workshop. New 9:1 pistons, liners, polished crankshaft, refurbished cylinder heads and a whole host of soda blasted, painted and lacquered parts are all ready to go together. The team have had to undertake a huge mission to gather together a whole host of missing parts. Things like dash clocks, lights, door handles and fittings and fixtures.”
Over the course of the weekend, fans looked on as the E Type gradually took shape. Sadly though, the efforts of the team were not enough to see the car drive off the stage as part of the grand finale, as their work had been thwarted by a number of custom set ups required for the non-standard injection system.
This year’s show theme had been embraced by the 300 motoring clubs in attendance with many cars featuring on their own ‘Top Trumps’ card.
Show Director Lee Masters said: “We are delighted to have welcomed so many enthusiasts and those in the industry to the show this year, especially in the current climate. Huge thanks as always to the motoring clubs who all put on tremendous displays, all our partners and exhibitors, and our amazing guests who brought the house down on the Live Stage."
The 2020 Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, will take place from 13-15 November. For more information including when tickets go on sale, visit www.necclassicmotorshow.com.
