Dave Silcock Jags

[jim short]

sorry amco but have been away not sure whats going on but dave had 3 xks the one in aussie was the light one that he sold to a sailor who wrapped around a pole more than once the next one was the one he raced the most when he sold it he put the od part into his 120coupe and what a loverly car that was sold to grant mcmillan son of daves sponser had it for quite some time.His next car was the mk 2an ins write off the one in the photos alan dick did a great write up on in auto action {i think} 1970 sold that to the ??south island clive gott brought it back to auck. altered it dramacally? {he still has more parts than anyone of the original car .mike john had dave build a copy using a daimler body only parts of the steering i beleve went into it!!! last time out ran as the millen car !!!!! The archibald car rob whithouse ran at the Admore reunion at puke sold to brian whyness? sadly most of the good parts in archibalds was taken out by a couple jag fans i papatoe!!!!

[jim short]

just been imformed i am not quite correct Watsons jag book has it correct as dave wrote it. he also maintains he is quicker than ever amco take note he still brakes at the same spot but as you grow older of course your reactions are slower there by you lap faster!!!

[AMCO72]

Yes Jim, that dark green XK 120 coupe was just gorgeous. He had it at a Rotorua JDC rally in 1968/9.....the year we won everything in the old 2 1/2 litre MK 4. You will remember. Is the coupe still around? Would love to see it again. I wonder who the 'jag fans' in Papatoetoe were/are.....not the first time special bits have been robbed, eh Jim!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know when I drove the X Archibald car it was pretty 'dead'....I think someone had stuffed an old MK 7 engine into it. Your dead right about slow reactions.....I imagine I am still driving the SS with its terrible...ie hopeless brakes, and truck-like steering, not the Mini.

[jim short]

amco the wing was worth so many seconds at puke dave silcock remembers, as he at marave by the town hall used to work on it

[Dave Silcock]

It is very interesting and somewhat humbling to read all this discussion on my old cars. You seem to have got it right in the end between all of you. Its a pity Jim of Tok did not talk me into joining up earlier than he did . I could have saved you all a lot of trouble. The Wiseman E type has engaged a few of you and as I worked on this machine almost from the time he imported it from the Uk I may be able to cast some much needed light on the subject. First thing this car was a very scruffy Brit club racer. It had a fiber glass bonnet which was very thick and not that light, the perspex back door, Minilight wheels and the usual Mk 9 brakes which were the go in those days . It also had a 4.2 all synchro gear box and massively stiff anti roll bars. The engine was an almost stock 3.8, standard cams ,valves and carburetors. Scot was on of those drivers who was absolutely fearless, but did not have a clue when he was on the limit. Don't you hate racing against those sort of people, they will beat you unless they crash, which they will do. His big on was at Levin, I told Mark Petch, my partner in Marave that he was, about two corners before, it was going to happen. The famous wing was in fact designed at Air NZ and had from memory about 100lbs down force at 100mph. Mark and I thought this whole thing was a bit of PR bullshit, Scot was very good at this, so made him remove it at testing at Pukekohe. The car was several seconds slower with out the wing and in fact could not bet my time in AR 325 without it. Thats it for now, we are not all retired you know Jim!

[jim short]

Or come on dave i worked long hard hours all my life .i didnt get to were i am today on someones back like your chromed mate.and if you think being a consultant is easy you try and organise these kids!!

[AMCO72]

Thank goodness for that. At last, straight from the horses mouth!!! As I said to Jim, if he had come to my rescue early in the piece I would not have got myself into so much strife. Dont know how much spare time you have got Dave, what with building the new MKII and all, but is good to see you on here, and I am sure there is lots you can tell us about your racing exploits. By the way, how is the new car coming along. Jim thought it might be ready for Skope.....is this a possibility? Another legendary Silcock Jaguar. And dont get stuck into poor old Jim. He is feeling his age these days, what with all those years driving logging trucks, he has stuffed his back, and needs to take a shooting-stick to race meetings so he can have a sit down from time to time. Us old 73 year olds need a bit of respect!!!!!!

[jim short]

i will need to think about a reply bloody cheek..not my fault son praised lyne rogers for his fresh motor!!!{does all the work himself!!}

[jim short]

Man i enjoy this site

[terry mcgrath]

this is an attempt to post a pic of a sample page from our new XK120 book showing the page of the history of 660206 terry



not the easiest system in the world for posting pics, computers are suppose make life simple!

Now Available and more than half of the limited edition sold

The long awaited for, second edition of the book "the Jaguar XK in
Australia" is in fact 1/3 of a 3 volume trilogy.
This just on 500 page, large size format 335mm x 247mm (13"x 10"), full colour book covers
the histories of some almost 1000 XK120's in Africa, Asia, Australia/NZ and
South America.
It contains almost 1,100 photos of which only 25 appear in the original volume.

Sample Pages at http://www.jtpublications.com.au/book/
Visit: www.jtpublications.com.au for full details



CONTACT: tmcgrath@bigpond.com

[Steve Holmes]

Thats fantastic Terry, congratulations.

[jim short]

No NO Berts car was owned by some Sir ??? not Allisters Dave will explain shortly when he calms down!!!

[Dave Silcock]

.....David worked at A.R.Mackay's,the Christchurch Routes Group Agent ,also sold Plymouth's (Savoy, with the fantastic fins!!!) were he was a mechanic,I believe on the Commer trucks,I'm thinking the Jag had a dark colour trim, my mind keeps telling me perhaps an Dark Olive Green ?!!!!!!!! ..........regards thunder427/MJL

Hi Thunder, A bit wrong there about the employment .I served my time at Farrier Waimak, a local cartage and road building company under Jack Crowe who was Trevors father. He joined the firm a bit later and then both of us went out the Shell Garage that Jack and a relation had bought at Tempelton. I later worked for WJ Scotts on Mercedes Benz in the building used by the Press at the end New Regent St. The Rootes Group outfit were on the Manchester St corner and a young chap called Paul Kirk worked there so maybe thats where the mixup arose
Cheers Dave

[Steve Holmes]

It is very interesting and somewhat humbling to read all this discussion on my old cars. You seem to have got it right in the end between all of you. Its a pity Jim of Tok did not talk me into joining up earlier than he did . I could have saved you all a lot of trouble. The Wiseman E type has engaged a few of you and as I worked on this machine almost from the time he imported it from the Uk I may be able to cast some much needed light on the subject. First thing this car was a very scruffy Brit club racer. It had a fiber glass bonnet which was very thick and not that light, the perspex back door, Minilight wheels and the usual Mk 9 brakes which were the go in those days . It also had a 4.2 all synchro gear box and massively stiff anti roll bars. The engine was an almost stock 3.8, standard cams ,valves and carburetors. Scot was on of those drivers who was absolutely fearless, but did not have a clue when he was on the limit. Don't you hate racing against those sort of people, they will beat you unless they crash, which they will do. His big on was at Levin, I told Mark Petch, my partner in Marave that he was, about two corners before, it was going to happen. The famous wing was in fact designed at Air NZ and had from memory about 100lbs down force at 100mph. Mark and I thought this whole thing was a bit of PR bullshit, Scot was very good at this, so made him remove it at testing at Pukekohe. The car was several seconds slower with out the wing and in fact could not bet my time in AR 325 without it. Thats it for now, we are not all retired you know Jim!

I'm loving your input Dave, its great to have you here. On the Wiseman E Type, where were the bottom mounts of the wing struts attached to? Was it the bodywork, or the rear suspension? And did he tell you where he got the idea for adding the wing from?

[Dave Silcock]

I'm loving your input Dave, its great to have you here. On the Wiseman E Type, where were the bottom mounts of the wing struts attached to? Was it the bodywork, or the rear suspension? And did he tell you where he got the idea for adding the wing from?

Hi Steve, the wing struts were on the boot floor and were located fore and aft by a bowden cable wrapped round a bolt through the roof! I think wings were starting to be used a bit at the time he put it on. it was probably 1968ish. Cheers Dave.

[Dave Silcock]

No NO Berts car was owned by some Sir ??? not Allisters Dave will explain shortly when he calms down!!!

Re Bert Govans Mk2, This car was sold by Archibalds when new to Sir Henry Wrigley the founder of Mt Cook Airlines. Bert bought it in 1979 as a mint un raced car. At that time it was only 12 years old an Bert has the orginal ownership papers. I started modifying it almost at once and have not stopped doing that for the last 30 years. It has not missed a years racing in that time which must be some sort of record.How would you anti replica bench racers sort that one out eh? Cheers dave.

[thunder427]

Hi Thunder, A bit wrong there about the employment .I served my time at Farrier Waimak, a local cartage and road building company under Jack Crowe who was Trevors father. He joined the firm a bit later and then both of us went out the Shell Garage that Jack and a relation had bought at Tempelton. I later worked for WJ Scotts on Mercedes Benz in the building used by the Press at the end New Regent St. The Rootes Group outfit were on the Manchester St corner and a young chap called Paul Kirk worked there so maybe thats where the mixup arose
Cheers Dave

Dave, fistly ,just great to have you on this forum,now, I must apologise for being presumptuous ( had to look that word up!!)regarding your alleged employment with A.R.Mackay,my Father was a 'usedcar salesman' ,both with Mackay and with W.J Scotts,used car div.ran the yard at Papanui,was involved in the early construction of Rahupuna Raceway,were 'famously Farrier Waimak trucks carted clay on one Election weekend (Another Story!!!)he was a member of the Canterbury Car Clup where for a number of years he organised the lap scoring/timming at the 'Lady Wigram' event.......I'm now wondering, as you do at moments like this ..'Was It Your Jag'?????, my recollection was that my father was at work ( A,Rs now maybe Scotts ) one Saturday mourning and came home at lunch time with this wonderful,sleek Jaguar roadster,I had a fixation on Jags which my Father had nurtured (we had a MK5 for a while )it has been my belief that this was your Jaguar,as I believed the owner to be 'Tall' and a Truck mechanic, which fits,I'm thinking this would have to be around 1960,I remember hoping somebody from school would see me in this 'Wow' car when I took the ride back to town that afternoon,alas nobody sprung me at my finest hour !!!!!.........My Fathers name was Lyndsay Johnson,(now deceased) had a yard on Ferry Road called 'Merlyn Motors' with Merv Ellis,later of Blackwalls ,as I said apologise for getting my 'Timeline' fuddled,but there is an answer here somewhere ....with regards thunder427/ Myles Johnson/Melb/ Aust

[AMCO72]

Dave....greetings from the NI. I have been having a 'chat' with a mutual friend of ours and he tells me you have fired up the new MKII, which had a few residents of the street reaching for their ear-plugs!! It sounds a very interesting machine, as it would be, coming from the Silcock stable. Could you perhaps enlighten the Jaguar fans on this thread about this car, and when we can expect to see it dueling with Bert Govan and Co on the racetracks of NZ. We would love to see both you and Bert up here sometime, and I'm sure that you will have no trouble with the hierachy in getting it on the track, in a suitable class. I for one would welcome you, and although the car has no history, yet, the driver/constructor most certainly has. We might even persuade the owner of a certain Coombs modified car to join us, thats if he can convince the MSNZ Doctor that he is fit and able to get behind the wheel of a race-car. I believe he has joined Les Mills to loose a bit of avoidupois!! He may need to partake of a couple of 'cheeky' wines when he reads this to settle his ulcer! Woops, there's the phone; bound to be 'you-know-who' ready to give me an earful !!!!!!!

[jim short]

Great stuff Amco But why or should that be WHY does the new old car that will be driven to and hopfully home on the road need any history or has enthusiast as we use to be ended .With just a few dickheads trying to push there stagnant idears what you can run.look close not one of them was at the sharp end. The sport originated with different cars and idears i.e. why cant this jag run with the muscle cars???Yes I know the ans but not good eneogh .and as to your thery? we all want to win 30yrs ago I remember Dave explanning why he did not drive an escortI just want to race a jaguar!! and by the way I am not having my hot meal at midday yet.!!
Your freind james {I am so upset i cant spell anymore}

[jim short]

Sorry the 30yrs stated above should read 42yrs.