One to Buy: ex-Hans Schenk 1961 Jaguar E-type 3.8 Roadster
With a D-type-inspired monocoque construction, a lusty 3.8-litre dual overhead camshaft straight six engine and a state-of-the-art air-piercing body, it was no surprise that lots of early customers went racing with their Jaguar E-types.
The E-type offered performance to match a Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta or Aston Martin DB4 GT - but at a fraction of the price. Until Ferrari changed the game with the rule-bending 250 GTO (a car that should never have been accepted by the authorities), a well-prepared and well-driven E-type could genuinely compete at the top level of international GT racing as demonstrated on its debut season in 1961.
One of the first customers to run a privateer E-type at international level was Bahamian chef, Hans Schenk, who drove his recently acquired Roadster at the 1961 Bahamas Speed Week. The Cream-coloured Jaguar replaced an Austin-Healey 3000 that Schenk had used at the Speed Week since 1959. The 3000 had in turn been preceded by a Healey 100 that Schenk campaigned in 1957 and ‘58.
Schenk picked up a brace of second places finishes with his E-type in 1961.
Five wins from eight appearances followed during the ‘62 and ‘63 Speed Weeks.
For 1964, Hans Schenk moved up to a Shelby Cobra and the Jag was sold to local rival, Tony Adams, who raced it in the Speed Week until 1965.
Today, the ex-Hans Schenk / Tony Adams E-type (fresh from a CKL Developments restoration) is on sale with Duncan Hamilton ROFGO in Micheldever, Hampshire.
Reprinted below is Duncan Hamilton ROFGO’s description for this super early E-type racing car:
Chassis 875511 was dispatched on the 29th September 1961 directly to a Mr Hans Schenk of the Bahamas via East Bay Service Ltd of Nassau - in cream paint, light blue trim and blue hood, it was soon registered 'NP975'. Schenk was a celebrity chef in the Bahamas and bought the car for the sole purpose of winning at the world-famous International Bahamas Speed Week. Schenk was also a driver of some note, winning many races and building up quite a following as a man-about-town in the Caribbean, having raced competitively since 1957.
By December 1961, Schenk and the brand new E-type were ready for 'Speed Week'- a truly international event attended by greats including Peter Revson, Chris Amon, Jackie Stewart, Bruce McLaren, Ricardo and Pedro Rodriguez, Jack Brabham, Jim Hall, Wolfgang von Trips, Jo Bonnier, Ken Miles, Frank Gardner, John Surtees, Richie Ginther, Masten Gregory, Phil Hill, Graham Hill, Stirling Moss, Lance Reventlow, Dan Gurney, Peter Collins, Carroll Shelby, Innes Ireland, A.J Foyt, Roger Penske, Mark Donohue and many more. With the addition of a black nose to the car, and with sponsorship from Goodyear tyres and Champion spark plugs, Schenk and his Jaguar now had a very distinctive livery too.
In his first ever race in the car, Schenk placed an impressive 2nd overall, behind the highly-developed and very rapid Austin[1]Healey-Corvette of Tony Adams. Another 2nd would follow during the 1961 event, giving him high hopes for next year. 1962 saw Schenk up against even stiffer opposition, especially from other E-types now appearing on the Islands. He was though immediately on the pace, bagging a 2nd place in race one of the week and securing his first overall victory in race two, seeing off opposition from Jaguar, Porsche, Lotus, MG, Triumph, and Austin-Healey. His final race of the week was the prestigious 'Bahamas Cup' race, which Schenk and NP975 promptly won, at an average speed of 77.216mph.
1963 saw Schenk and NP975 take a clean sweep of the Speed Week, winning race one, race two and once again the Bahamas Cup race, at an impressive average speed of 79.841mph.
For 1964, and in a bid to keep winning, Schenk moved onto a competition Shelby Cobra, selling the E-type to his rival Tony Adams. Race one and two of that year's Speed Week would see Adams pipped to the post by Schenk in the thundering Cobra, whilst he managed to hang on to a very well earned podium in the Bahamas Cup.
1965 would be the last year of competition use for NP975, but there was no lack of pace - Tony Adams securing a second place in the Bahamas Cup, giving the car an amazing four podiums on the trot from 1962-1965.
In late 1965, Tony Adams would take his E-type on a European driving tour before settling with it in Australia. The third owner would be a Mr. Skevington, who would eventually undertake a AUD 145,000 restoration from 1997-1999, later registering the car '61 ETYPE' in Perth.
In 2003 the car was purchased by Dr. Nimal Jayaratne who bought the car to the UK in 2005 and registered it '405 UXO'.
In 2017, Duncan Hamilton ROFGO discovered the car and its fabulous racing history.
Today chassis 875511 has been restored to exacting 'Bahanams' race-specification by CKL Developments, and has previous invites into the Goodwoood Revival's flagship Kinrara Trophy.
Very seldom to original competition Jaguar E-types appear, especially ones with both success and rich and colourful histories.
