Lindner Nocker Jaguar unveiled by CMC
One of the most important Jaguar cars ever built has been unveiled in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, after 7,000 hours of restoration.
The one and only factory Low Drag lightweight E-type has been put back together in one of the most complex restorations ever to take place anywhere in the World.
More than 300 guests saw the car unveiled at the Classic Motor Cars workshops in Bridgnorth.
When it crashed in at the Montlhery circuit in 1964 the Lindner Nocker E-type was so badly damaged that a complete restoration was thought to be impossible. Now, some 47 years later, the car has been put back to its former glory using more than 90% of the original parts.
Four years ago Peter Neumark through his Classic Motor Car business, CMC, in Bridgnorth started the restoration of the car, which was a mangled wreck.
Many said that it could not be done, and that most of the parts including the body panels, which had been bent beyond recognition, could not be used.
However, Peter Neumark and Classic Motor Cars Ltd's team of dedicated of restorers has put the car back into the condition that it was just before the crash.
Over five thousand hours went into restoring the body alone. The original crashed monocoque which had been deemed too difficult to restore in the 1970's was disseminated into individual panels. Each panel was then flattened, repaired, reformed into the original shape and then the structure was riveted and spot welded together as per the original construction method.
The restoration was assisted by members of Peter's Lindner's own family, the driver who died in the crash in 1964 who provided old photographs and cine footage of the car. Peter Wilson who worked in the Competition Department in 1964 and worked on the car in period was also tremendously helpful but special praise needs to go to Andrew Turvey at CMC who dedicated himself to ensuring that every aspect of this amazing car was as per the original spec.
The importance of this car cannot be over estimated. It was one of only 12 lightweight E-Types built by Jaguar in 1963 and in 1964 it was returned to Browns Lane, Coventry.
In its preparation as Jaguar's unofficial entry for Le Mans that year, Malcolm Sayer designed a special low drag body and work to the engine ensured that it was the most powerful Jaguar the Competition Department had ever produced and it became the last Competition car prepared by the factory in Browns Lane, Coventry.
Fitting then that in this 50th Anniversary year, it should be reinstated.
The car has now been invited to some of the most famous car events around the world, but before it goes to Italy and then America it will be unveiled to the media in Bridgnorth.
On hand to take part in the unveiling was Norman Dewis, Jaguar cars famous test driver, the original drivers nephew, Tomas Fritz, the Frenchman who found the car in a garage ten years after it crashed, Patrick Lansard, together with the team that have dedicated their lives to putting it back together just the way it was.
Peter Neumark, the Chairman of Classic Motor Cars said: "This is one of the most major restorations ever to take place in the World. Many said that it could not be done but we have proved them wrong."
