Description
Chassis 875949 is a genuine 1961 E-Type LHD ‘flat floor’ Roadster, and a regular
competitor at the Goodwood Revival and Goodwood Members’ Meeting. This early
E-Type features outside bonnet locks, and retains the original 1961 factory registration.
With a current FIA Technical Passport valid through December 2025, 179 WK is eligible
for all of the most prestigious historic GT racing events.
Competitive life
After registration by Jaguar in the UK as 179 WK, chassis 875949 was exported to the US
from Henlys of London for its first owner, Mrs. L. Hope. The car was converted to racing
specification in the USA in the late 60's/ early 70’s for the then owner Mack Besser, who
actively campaigned the car in competition up until the early 90’s.
The car’s history file still retains the original Die-Hard Racers and Vintage Sports Car
Drivers logbooks kept by Besser, detailing the events he competed in with the car. In
2005 the car returned to the UK via CKL Developments for the then owner Richard Wills.
During his ownership the car most notably competed in Tour d’Espania ’05 and then
later in ’08 raced at Le Mans with Rowan Atkinson as one of the two drivers at the
wheel.
In 2010 the car was owned by Simon Tate, who had Wolfe Racing maintain and prepare
the car for his competition use up until 2014, when it was acquired by Chris Milner.
During the winter of 2015, Milner commissioned a full rebuild and race preparation by
M & C Wilkinson. The car was a front runner in Pre-’63 GT, including second on the grid and fifth overall (first E-Type) in the Kinrara Trophy at the 2019 Goodwood Revival, and a
class D win in the Jaguar Classic Challenge race at the 2019 Spa Six Hours.
In 2020, the car was purchased by noted racer David Gooding, who continued racing the
car at prestigious events around the world including Goodwood, where the car won the
Stirling Moss Trophy at the 78th Members’ Meeting in 2021.
