2021-07-27 17:50:48 | pauls writes:

Car at auction:
www.lloydsonline.com.au/LotDetails.aspx

Auction description:
1977 Jaguar XJS
OFFERED COMPLETELY UNRESERVED
Year: 1977
Make: Jaguar
Model: XJS
Body: 2-Door Sedan
Drive Type: Rear wheel drive
Odometer: Indicating 19,762 Kilometers
Engine: 7 litre V12 Twin Turbo Petrol
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Colour: Black
Seats: 4
Description/extras: In the late 1970’s a secret horsepower war had erupted long after supercar scares and the closure of factory race programs.

The war was between radio announcer and car collector John Laws and his friend and owner of Channel 9 Kerry Packer.

In 1979 Kerry brought his British Racing Green XJS V12 automatic Jag to Oran Park to do a few laps at Lindsay Fox behest with race car driver Kev Bartlett to give instruction.

After a few laps and terse conversation KP took the wheel with KB offering to remove himself if he didn’t start listening to his directions. From there the friendship bond between them grew from adversity.

KP then asked "so now how do we make it go".

Rymec were commissioned to build the early days twin IHI turbo setup producing 1200bhp with 30 psi but removing the EFI and computer management replaced by raw SU’s making the car either undrivable or breaking driveline components every step of the way.

Eventually reason prevailed and the auto was ditched for the Getrag 5 speed, detroit locker and the EFI reinstated after many small fires, broken parts and mishaps.

A fire at the Rymec premises gutted the car that was then purchased by Gary Walker, son of Roly Walker Jaguar spares who were well aware of the mythical beast as they had supplied many of the parts. They then rebuilt it from the ground up using no expense spared recommissioning it in perfect black duco and tuned to a much more usable 740bhp although still capable of 1000hp on race slicks and gentle application of the immense power.

This car was used as the test bed for the Roly Walker built Gary Wilmington Group A XJS to see what would break as the street car didn’t have to follow group A homologation requirements.

The car was built with a 320km/h top speed, 11.0 sec standing 400m time and an incredible 5th gear 30kmh to 250kmh acceleration capability without a stutter or gulp.

Only previously rumoured to exist this mythical beast is now for sale and represents a feat of power and engineering refined over years to build ebuild a legendary Jaguar supercar.

Current custodian has owned the car for the last 25 years, professionally resprayed 2 years ago, mechanicals kept up by Mike Roddy Motors. Currently registered in NSW but sold unregistered.

Chassis No: 2W3774BW
ENG No: 8S8956SA

This asset is being sold unregistered