Group44's Jaguar XJS: Readers Rides: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Readers’ Rides:
1981 Jaguar XJS
Added on July 8 by Group44

Group 44 Inc BoB Tullius 1981 Jaguar XJS Sillouette Trans Am Race Car Chassis XJR-4 (only 1 built) 1st Tube Frame Purpose built race car by Group 44 Commisioned by Jaguar to Win the 1981 Trans Am Championship Won Three Trans Am Races Mosport, Portland & Brainerd Finished 2nd in Championship, DNF’s cost Tullius the Championship Then Raced in 1982 Daytona 24hrs by Tullius, Bill Adam & Gorden Smiley Ran IMSA GTX Class with Prototypes as it was deemed too modified for GTO 1st Jaguar V12 to complete a 24 hrs endurance race and signaled Jaguar & Group 44’s Road to Le Mans with the V12 powered XJR-5’s Ran shaved Goodyear Wingfoot street tires for sponsor Goodyear The car was clocked at 193 mph on the banking with street tires! Gorden Smiley was to race XJR-4 in the 1982 Trans Am Series but was tragically killed during practice at the Indy 500. The car was sold by Tullius to Paul Pettey a fellow trans am racer who placed it into retirement and sat in a barn with another Historic Jaguar racer, a D-Type (XKD549) Pettey died tragically in 1997 and the cars were sold off in an Estate Sale, XJR-4 was purchased and restored by SVRA Owner/President Howard Turner. The car was Featured in Classic Motorsports Magazine (May 2005 Issue) In the summer of 2005 the car was bought by Longtime Jaguar Racers Andrew & Steve Moore of Canada. XJR-4 is Raced in Historic Trans Am/ IMSA class with SVRA, HSR, VARAC and was at the 2009 Walter Mitty Historic Races for the Group 44 Reunion! See Added Photos from the Reunion

Check out www.historictransamimsa.com

11 updates
29 comments

Updates

Comments

Lof8:: Damn cool car!!
Jul 8, 2008 2:38 p.m.
Tim Baxter:: That odd sound your hearing? It's drool hitting the keyboard.
Jul 8, 2008 2:59 p.m.
Powar:: Oh my. That's phenomenal.
Jul 8, 2008 3:23 p.m.
pintoautocrosser:: Very nice write up on a very unique automobile. I love Vintage cars and the stories they bring to the table!
Jul 8, 2008 9:46 p.m.
pinchvalve:: OMG!
Jul 8, 2008 10:40 p.m.
Luke:: That's an absolutely beautiful machine. Very cool indeed!
Jul 9, 2008 5:23 a.m.
Volksroddin:: a nice short story. Awsome car!!
Jul 10, 2008 6:02 p.m.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker:: Very nice
Jul 11, 2008 12:21 p.m.
Stuc:: That thing is too cool… even has a cool history!!
Jul 17, 2008 4:34 p.m.
amaff:: w o w. Beautiful!
Jul 24, 2008 10:26 p.m.
EastCoastMojo:: The only thing that would make that picture sweeter is if there was an exploding building in the background. Very cool car.
Sep 5, 2008 10:15 a.m.
Robert Bowen:: sexy. Who knew those could look so good?
Sep 10, 2008 6:15 p.m.
gamby:: I had no idea a car of this magnitude was in our little community. Awesome. Just awesome.
Sep 27, 2008 1:36 p.m.
z31maniac:: That is secks. Pure and simple.
Oct 9, 2008 9:08 a.m.
96DXCivic:: MOTHER OF GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oct 11, 2008 8:52 a.m.
jrtech:: “that is so cool” yes, I said it aloud.
Oct 11, 2008 10:59 p.m.
Duende:: Wow. So very awesome.
Nov 13, 2008 9:26 a.m.
stereoking15:: geat looking car, just fabulous, now that is a proper brithish touring car.
Nov 22, 2008 2:47 a.m.
Group44:: See & hear the roar of this 6 Litre V12 Monster at the 2009 Walter Mitty Historic Races at Road Atlanta where there will be a Group 44 Reunion Race!
Dec 21, 2008 9:32 a.m.
Tim Baxter:: Looking forward to seeing this one — and the other Group 44 cars — at The Mitty.
Jan 18, 2009 3:06 p.m.
Bike-n-Drive:: This is one sweet car! As a Jag mechanic I have always wanted to build a modified XJS. I am drooling.
Jan 20, 2009 4:42 p.m.
ronbros:: few people have heard 12 cylinders at 7000rpm with such long 4” side pipes, deep and fantastic, not the fart sound of many open exhausts.
Feb 2, 2009 6:14 p.m.
wherethefmi:: wow
Apr 9, 2009 11:58 p.m.
Group44:: We are Mitty Bound, come by the paddock and say hi!
Apr 28, 2009 7:24 a.m.
Group44:: Thanks to everyone at Classic Motorsports and GRM for putting on an amazing event. I have updated the profile photos with shots from the event alnog with photos of Bob Tullius and his Crew Chief Lanky Fouchee. Next stop for the Big Cat will be the HSR Event at Watkins Glen in June
May 8, 2009 6:31 p.m.
friedgreencorrado:: Thanks for bringing the car out! Great weekend. I'll bet the Gp44 guys loved seeing it again..
May 8, 2009 11:20 p.m.
chapel:: reminds me of the old Broadspeed XJ
Aug 18, 2009 2:27 p.m.
cnknguyen:: I want to hear this car runnnnnnnnnnnnning! V12+ Webbers= Fap fap fap fap fap
Nov 5, 2009 4:41 p.m.
Group44:: The Group 44 1981 Jaguar XJS has been #1 in the Readers Rides for over a year! Plans for 2010 include the Goodwood Festival of Speed
Dec 22, 2009 10:04 a.m.