Evolution of a Challenge Champion

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32 JAGUAR JAGUAR JAGUAR JAGUAR JAGUAR J J J J J O O O O O U U U U U R R R R R N N N N N A A A A A L L L L L JANUARY FEBRUARY 2 0 0 2 C L U B S Story Terry Love Illinois Jaguar Club Photos Terry Love unless otherwise noted My love for Jaguars began in 1964 when, as a teenager, I visited the Chicago Auto Show. The body styling was so unique that I promised myself I would own a Jaguar when I grew up. Thirty years later, in 1994, I saw a photo in The Robb Report of a 1974 E-type OTS for sale.

The owner 9s wife wanted a new house, and the E-type was being sold to provide the needed down payment! After purchasing it, we took it to our first show, not knowing what to expect. The show happened to be the 1995 Biennial meet, held at the Milwaukee Zoo.

One of our judges called the car cThe best non-au- thentic Jaguar d he had ever seen be- cause of the mixture of American and British hose clamps and mis-matched tires. At the ... more. less.

Biennial, I saw what I thought was the most beautiful and perfect Jaguar Evolution of a Challenge Champion possible. Owned and restored by Stew Jones from Winsted, CT, this white 1974 E- type OTS easily won its class and became the 1995 Class Champion by virtue of its 100-point scores. Seeing it encouraged me to pursue a National Championship. Early in the 1996 season, returning from a show in Kentucky, sudden wind shear tore the metal roof from our trailer, causing everything else to collapse on the E-type. The dents in boot and bonnet and paint scraped down to bare metal momentarily shattered our dreams. We and our Series III were neither seen nor heard from for two years, while Stew Jones repaired, rebuilt and repainted the car. His work transformed our Jaguar into a consistent winner and, in 2001, the Challenge Cham- pion. This year, in Franklin, TN, more Jaguars were being shown than I had ever seen in one place! There were E-types as far as the eye could see and C- and D-types which I had previously seen only as pic- tures in car magazines. As you can imag- ine, winning cBest In Show d and the Sir William Lyons Trophy was the greatest moment of my life, to date! I would like to thank the JCNA Chal- lenge Championship Committee and all who worked to make the event possible. In particular, I 9d like to thank some individuals who helped make my dream come true: 4 Jim Hendrix, Jaguar Club of Greater St. Louis ( cThis is the best non-authentic Jaguar I 9ve ever seen d) 4 Stew Jones Restoration, Winsted, CT 4 The 1995 Series III National Cham- pion which inspired me 4 Jim Simpson, my good friend and mechanic. 4 Jeanne Gerding, my best friend, long-time companion and the most obsessive-compulsive automobile detailer on the planet! May all Jaguar enthusiasts share my hap- piness! Outside Stew Jones 9 shop in W Outside Stew Jones 9 shop in W Outside Stew Jones 9 shop in W Outside Stew Jones 9 shop in W Outside Stew Jones 9 shop in W insted, CT insted, CT insted, CT insted, CT insted, CT , in 1998, T , in 1998, T , in 1998, T , in 1998, T , in 1998, T erry Love 9 erry Love 9 erry Love 9 erry Love 9 erry Love 9 s s s s s Series III E-type was fully pr Series III E-type was fully pr Series III E-type was fully pr Series III E-type was fully pr Series III E-type was fully pr epar epar epar epar epar ed to do battle on the JCNA ed to do battle on the JCNA ed to do battle on the JCNA ed to do battle on the JCNA ed to do battle on the JCNA concours scene. concours scene. concours scene. concours scene. concours scene. Photo Courtesy Pascal Gademer Courtesy Pascal Gademer Courtesy Pascal Gademer Courtesy Pascal Gademer Courtesy Pascal Gademer Jeanne Ger Jeanne Ger Jeanne Ger Jeanne Ger Jeanne Ger ding, half of the team that pr ding, half of the team that pr ding, half of the team that pr ding, half of the team that pr ding, half of the team that pr oduced the winning car oduced the winning car oduced the winning car oduced the winning car oduced the winning car , shows , shows , shows , shows , shows of of of of of f the show-r f the show-r f the show-r f the show-r f the show-r eady E-type. eady E-type. eady E-type. eady E-type. eady E-type. Inset T T T T T erry r erry r erry r erry r erry r eceives the Sir W eceives the Sir W eceives the Sir W eceives the Sir W eceives the Sir W illiam L illiam L illiam L illiam L illiam L yons yons yons yons yons T T T T T r r r r r ophy fr ophy fr ophy fr ophy fr ophy fr om Kathy Nell. om Kathy Nell. om Kathy Nell. om Kathy Nell. om Kathy Nell. Left A long ef A long ef A long ef A long ef A long ef fort to perfect the E-type culminated in winning the fort to perfect the E-type culminated in winning the fort to perfect the E-type culminated in winning the fort to perfect the E-type culminated in winning the fort to perfect the E-type culminated in winning the Sir W Sir W Sir W Sir W Sir W illiam L illiam L illiam L illiam L illiam L yons T yons T yons T yons T yons T r r r r r ophy at the Challenge Championship in 2001. ophy at the Challenge Championship in 2001. ophy at the Challenge Championship in 2001. ophy at the Challenge Championship in 2001. ophy at the Challenge Championship in 2001. Center A 1996 highway disaster befell T A 1996 highway disaster befell T A 1996 highway disaster befell T A 1996 highway disaster befell T A 1996 highway disaster befell T erry Love when a cr erry Love when a cr erry Love when a cr erry Love when a cr erry Love when a cr oss- oss- oss- oss- oss- wind blew the r wind blew the r wind blew the r wind blew the r wind blew the r oof of oof of oof of oof of oof of f the trailer and dumped the contents on the f the trailer and dumped the contents on the f the trailer and dumped the contents on the f the trailer and dumped the contents on the f the trailer and dumped the contents on the E-type, triggering a major r E-type, triggering a major r E-type, triggering a major r E-type, triggering a major r E-type, triggering a major r estoration. estoration. estoration. estoration. estoration. Right The exterior may be shiny but nothing makes a show car look The exterior may be shiny but nothing makes a show car look The exterior may be shiny but nothing makes a show car look The exterior may be shiny but nothing makes a show car look The exterior may be shiny but nothing makes a show car look better than a spotlessly detailed interior in perfect condition. better than a spotlessly detailed interior in perfect condition. better than a spotlessly detailed interior in perfect condition. better than a spotlessly detailed interior in perfect condition. better than a spotlessly detailed interior in perfect condition.

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