Topic: SOLVED MJW #005 Owen-Jaguar Special 1962

[woodinsight]

What car is this for one point?

[woodinsight]

I'll have to move it up if there are no replies.........

[woodinsight]

Experts easy point?

[gilescooperuk]

Jaguar E-type basis - but the chassis looks rather long?

[woodinsight]

The chassis was purpose-built by the constructor and the car incorporated many Jaguar elements including some from the E-Type.
It has been modified from its original configuration.

[franck.kegelart]

Owen-Jaguar Special from 1961 - 1962 ; home made tubular frame and 3.4 Jaguar engine ; this car has been modified several times : roadster first, it is now a fixed-head coupe.

Frederik Owen made several cars, usually with Jaguar components ; this one, called 15 YPG - its number plate - is the most famous.

[woodinsight]

Very good Franck - that's the car and you have described it perfectly.
One more point for you.

[Allan L]

We researched the cars of Freddie Owen quite thoroughly in
http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=11593.25

and this one (15 YPG) was originally a Triumph-engined car.
The one that was the subject of that thread was a special resurrected from the remains of David Hobbs' crashed XK140.

In another place the following was posted, which is rather more relevant to this thread:
Simply to fill in some details - I am Freddie's stepson (now aged 59) and have just taken an interest in this having just been contacted by the new owner within the past few days. This followed a letter with pictures that appeared in the Isle of Wight County Press last Friday seeking information - all quite bizarre! The original 'Owen Special' was designed as a convertible and built with a tubular chassis and a Triumph 1800 engine in circa 1958/9 - never as a Jaguar, in fact the body design actually pre dated the E type - making it very much ahead of its time. Some years later 'Freddie' didn't feel that it was particularly competitive and promptly removed the front end, inserted a Jaguar sub frame and 3.4 engine. I suspect, largely because he was involved with Dick Tindall (Tindall / Owen Racing Equipe) in racing the Costin bodied Lister Jaguar (YCD 422) and the 'O' Type TAC 743 (ex David Hobbs XK140 re bodied by Freddie hence the 'O' designation) the 'Jaguar special' referred to above was rarely, if ever, raced in this configuration.

It was taken to the Isle of Wight when he and my mother retired having sold the coachbuilding business in Esher (Wellands) in 1974 and the car was sold to a Belgian? (late 70's - early 80's?). As far as the family was concerned it next resurfaced during the late 80's when the car was at Lynx and an article appeared in Motorsport seeking information about the 'unknown' vehicle. I am not sure whether Pete Waterman owned it at that stage or not, though I think he probably did. It transpired that the request for information was primarily in order to try to persuade the DVLA to reinstate the original registration number 15 YPG - as it had Belgian plates at that stage. My mother provided the necessary provenance that secured 15 YPG's reinstatement. Freddie and mother were invited by Lynx to see the car and as Freddie was no longer driving at that stage, I drove them to Hastings for Freddie to be reunited with it - circa 1988 /9? Freddie died in 1994 - mother passed away in 2004.

[woodinsight]

Thank you so much Allan - I have to admit I didn't know this information was already on the site.
Fascinating cars and history.

[Carnut]

I posted what I thought was a new puzzle but was a colour photo of this one!:

[Carnut]

A couple more pictures: