The Fortunate Few | Chassis 18

CHASSIS 18

E-Type UK is proud to be part of the fortunate few to have worked on some extremely rare and collectable examples that helped make the Jaguar E-type the motoring icon it is today, Chassis 18 is one of those fine examples to have entered our Kent-based workshop. Arriving to us in June 2012, Chassis 18 had already begun its full restoration, E-Type UK was given the tremendous task of putting the pieces back together returning this motoring legend to the track.  

Starting its journey with us as a bare shell, E-Type UK started by building up the engine bay ready to fit that special ZP 537/24 drivetrain. With the running gears reinstalled the team turned their attention building up the exterior brightwork and interior necessities ahead of being trimmed. Once complete Chassis 18 is today now an exceptional example of just one of a limited run of incredible E-types to grace the track.

About Project Spec ZP 537/24

Jaguar designer, Claude Bailey, introduced ‘Project Spec ZP 537/24’ , titled for the variations required to build only seven competition E-type cars. These limited production cars were gifted with several modifications that were in fact relatively mild, featuring an increased compression ratio, polished con-rods, gas-flowed cylinder head, lightened flywheel and a close-ratio gearbox.

The fortunate few lucky enough to gain access to these exclusive machines were those who had already successfully waved the Jaguar flag on track: John Coombs, Tommy Sopwith, Écurie Écosse, Peter Berry, and Sir Gawaine Baillie. Ultimately, Coombs, Sopwith and Berry were granted two each and Baillie one.

Chassis 18, one of the seven competition prototypes and one of two examples given to Equipe Endeavour - run by Mr Tommy Sopwith, sister car to the legendary ECD400 (Graham Hill Equipe Endeavor car that took first ever E-type victory).

This significant example was run the “spare” car to that race effort and used as personal road transport for the team’s main driver – Mike Parkes. There is a letter on file with the history of this car confirming all these details from Mr Sopwith. In recent years the car has raced at Revival and is eligible for many other of the world’s greatest events.