2008-11-03 07:42:01 | pauls writes:

An article regarding XKC 023 was published in AutoWeek April, 19, 1999.
www.vrcbc.ca/vantmar04.pdf

2008-11-05 03:15:03 | db writes:

Seen in Jaguar Drivers Club magazine, March 1993. A letter from Bill Tracy, Sarasota, Florida

On a trip through Los Angeles last spring, I stopped by a car dealership and saw this engine sitting on a cradle in their showroom. Obviously a 3.4 engine with five 1 3/4" S.U. carbs is an oddity and required a closer look.
Upon closer scrutiny I found that someone had put on a special manifold, acting as a plenum chamber onto which they mounted the carbs. To allow the water to be discharged from the head, four holes with pipes were drilled into the head, sticking down with a rubber hose to the water manifold. In addition to the carbs they had also converted the engine to dry sump lubrication.
The major find was that this was the engine from XKC023; number on the block and head are E1023-8. The engine had been made up to power a race boat. Upon dismantling the engine I found very early Carrella aluminium rods. Some detective work later brought me the title and ownership of # 23. Come spring of 93' I'm hoping the car will be ready for the 40th Anniversary of the C-Type run to Le Mans.
This has to rate high in the proverbial "I found it in a barn" stories.
Bill Tracy
Sarasota, Florida

2009-02-13 15:46:22 | db writes:

Jaguar C-Type XKC 023

A Star in the US West Coast Racing Scene

XKC 023 had been dispatched on Nov. 28, 1952 to Los Angeles based US West Coast Jaguar importer Charles Hornburg who transferred it directly to Seattle Wa., Jaguar dealer Joe Henderson. Having been unloaded in the port of Portland, Oregon, we have a recount by a David Fogg of his drive from Portland to Seattle. In August 1953 XKC 023 participated in the Seattle Seafair 100 Mile race, driven by Jack Douglas and Bill Pollack, achieving 2nd place. Hollywood screen writer (for Bob Hope and others) and TV producer Jack Douglas (at that time, an item with Mitzi Gaynor, leading star of “South Pacific” and sometime dancing partner of Fred Astair) purchased the car (in some circles a rumor persists but was never substantiated that Mrs. Gaynor had actually paid for the car) and entered it into a sequence of races on the West Coast. In 1955 at Torrey Pines, a southern California Golf resort with a race course along the Pacific Ocean, he skidded on an oil spot and rolled it over some hay bales. The car’s body had been damaged to some degree, but could be repaired and entered into further races.

In an attempt to increase speed, a Hillborn constant-flow fuel injection system was installed. For that purpose, the original head E1023-8 was exchanged for an unnumbered XK140C head (“C-Type Head”) with larger valves. However E1023-8 was not lost but it found its way later on into a racing motor boat and later into a C-Type replica (Bill Tracy) which ended up in the Ponder Collection in Texas.

In 1956, the car was sold to Jack Douglas’ race mechanic, Ces Critchlow, Huntington Beach, CA. On Nov. 18, 1956 at the Paromount Ranch race, Critchlow rolled the car once more (and again nobody was hurt). But this time the Jaguar’s aluminium body was damaged beyond economical repair or so it was thought. The underlying car with its tubular chassis structure however remained sound and without a wrinkle. The following year, 1957, while working for Horvath Motors, Costa Mesa CA., Ces fitted a Devin fiberglass body (still today Devin exists as a Northern California company specializing in sport car bodies, see www.devincars.com). XKC 023 continued to be entered into races. Ces then departed for his military basic training (in those days at his age of 20 a mandatory service) and left the car at Horvath Motors under a tarpoulin.

The Later Years of its Racing Career

1959 after Ces’ returning from the military Horvath Motors became the owners of XKC 023 by trading it against some hot rod in which Ces was interested after returning from the military. Then, in 1961 Horvath traded the car to a painting firm for repainting the fasade of its building. A year later, in 1962, once more the car was swapped, this time for a rebuild of the painter’s pick-up V8 (an engine block, the repair and some cash). The new owner was a Frank Schierenbeck, owner of a repair shop for European sports cars “Car Service Imported, Harbour Blvd., Costa Mesa”.

Schierenbeck, with an impressive background first in his military career and later in building up his well known repair facility, was known to be a first rate race mechanic in the 1960’s. At that time, to many enthusiasts in the Los Angeles area he was Mr. Jaguar, and still today is remembered as such. He removed the ill fated Hillborn injection system and replaced it again with the original SU-carburators that he procured with the car. He continued to drive XKC 023 on the streets and also in some SCCA track events. From 1962 on until 1997 the car had been registered with the California Motor Vehicle 973 RVR department; the certificate of title being available. In early 1974 Frank Schierenbeck left Southern California and moved to Idaho and on to Alaska. XKC 023 among others of his cars – mostly Jaguar XKs – was garaged at his parents in Berkeley CA. While in Alaska he got news that his nephew had driven the car and also had entered it into some local race events. Concerned for the nephew’s welfare, Frank prohibited further use. Thereupon, the nephew in rage disassembled the car. It stayed in pieces even after Schierenbeck returned from Alaska in 1981 and moved the parts of his collection of Jaguars XK to his new home in Northern California. A fortunate occurrence as it would turn out as it prevented others to become aware of the cars whereabouts.

Fading into Obscurity

From the late sixties until 1997 knowledge about the ownership of XKC 023 had faded into obscurity. At last, it stood out as being the only one of the 53 C-Types produced that remained unaccounted for. However it was not completely forgotten. In the mid 1980’s, Arizona based C- and D-Type Expert, Terry Larson, first became aware of Frank Schierenbeck and his numerous Jaguar XKs remaining in different states of disassembly, stacked away in multiple sheds in Oroville, a small rural town in Northern California. For more than ten years they would occasionally talk on the phone until in late 1997. Pulling along a suitable trailer, Terry visited Schierenbeck’s place. After first sighting the pieces belonging to XKC 023 scattered among many hand crafted sheds housing a vast number of Jaguar parts, he found himself collecting and loading all parts belonging to the one and only “missing” C-Type. Recounting the discovery, he notes: “We're not talking a few little bits, we're talking about everything you need to drive down the road”. Moreover, he found the original identification “XKC 023” stamped on the front cross member, one of two places where originally chassis numbers had been placed. Clearly, there were the parts of a complete car, original chassis, original number-matching engine block, original gear box, all other important parts, even the original footwells, all authentic - with the exception of the missing body of course. Larson purchased it all for his client, Christian Jenny. When starting with the reassembly, he became aware that one of the body mounts to fit the Devin body had been welded over the spot on the right hand shock tower where the original chassis number was supposed to be. The welding had remained untouched for the past 40 years. The process of cutting the weld and folding back the body mount were meticulously recorded on film. Without any doubt, what appeared was the original number XKC 023. Final proof that indeed this was the authentic 023.

Restoration and Testing

Those parts of the 1957 wrecked original body which had remained unbent, eventually found their way into a complete car, built on a factory-original C-Type replacement frame. This replica “of higher order” or “spares car” was purchased by Jenny and Larson in order to remove the original body parts and have them reunited with XKC 023. Subsequently the “spares car” was sold as a replica with a factory-original unnumbered frame. An original C-type bonnet and tail section from a 1952 C-Type already owned by Terry Larson, together with the body parts taken from the “spares car” were sent to R.S. Panels in Coventry, England, to rebuild the complete C-Type body. Thus, most of the aluminium of the car’s body is genuine 1952. After returning, restoration continued at Terry Larson’s shop in Mesa, Az. All parts were thoroughly cleaned and tested, block, head, carburators and gear box and a great many other parts underwent a complete rebuild. The old leaking radiator was exchanged for an authentic new one, electrical components were replaced where necessary, especially the wiring harness, and eventually it was all reassembled into the original C-Type it is today. Again it was painted in the original red as it was in 1952. In late October 2000 XKC 023 underwent a thorough 800 miles test on the C- and D-Type Tour to Northern Arizona organized by the Larson’s. On that occasion it ran without any problems and was pronounced fit by former Chief Test Engineer of Jaguar Cars, Norman Dewis. Norman wrote into the inner side of the door (remember, there is only one on a C-Type) in handwriting “checked and passed” and signed it.

Coming Back on the Road

Early in 2001, XKC 023 arrived in Switzerland and is tested and cleared for road use and duly licensed by Swiss road authorities. In 2001 Christian J. Jenny took XKC 023 to the Mille Miglia Storica and later that year it took part at the Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the C-Type Win at Le Mans 1951. In April 2003 XKC 023 was invited to the Concours d’Elégance Villa d’Este, Lake of Como, Italy. In the same year 023 took part in the Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the C-Type Win at Le Mans 1951, a run of a dozen C-Types, starting at the Jaguar Browns Lane factory, ferrying across the channel and driving through northern France to the Le Mans race track, finishing by a spirited drive around the famous venue right before the drop of the flag of that year’s 24 hour race. In May 2006 XKC 023 was awarded with the FIA Heritage Certificate by the President of the FIA Mr. Max Mosley, the President of the FIVA, Mr. Michel de Thomasson, and the President of the Heritage Committee, Mr. Johannes Huebner. The FIA states the significance of the certificate as follows: The Heritage Committee has assessed the evidence [presented by the owner], is of the opinion that the car identified is the vehicle it purports to be, and has accordingly issued this [Heritage] certificate.

In April 2007 Jenny purchases at auction from the Ponder Collection, Texas, the look-alike replica of 023, embracing the original cylinder head E1023-8. As mentioned before, the head E1023-8 had been removed and later placed into a racing motor boat, was subsequently found and installed in a replica C-Type built by Peter Jay, UK, for Bill Tracy who in turn sold the car to Gene Ponder in the late 1990s. Jenny keeps the replica stored in the US, now labeled such that it can never be mistaken for an original car. In due time the cylinder head was removed and shipped to Switzerland where it is kept alongside of XKC 023.

2010-05-06 21:39:08 | Emmy writes:

''A Doppelganger Discredited''

www.gdlaw.co.uk/news/documents/C-Type.pdf

So what will be?

2010-05-11 04:40:53 | Pekka T. writes:

Dear Emmy,

It seems you are missing the point here. The car pictured and described here is the real XKC023, not the impostor built around the original cylinder head. FWIW even that original cylinder head is nowadays in the same hands as this C-type. The car could be seen last summer in Germany at a Jaguar event and it is indeed extremely well restored and a joy to the eye. Cheers!

2010-05-11 12:35:58 | Christian J. Jenny writes:

Someone entered the names of previous owners (although unreadable).

Joe Henderson ist correct, Jack Douglas is correct,

Ces Critchlow is correct, and Frank Schierenbeck should be added too (see above)

2010-05-28 21:26:48 | John Elmgreen writes:

Wonderful history of this car in the JCNA archives from 2002 at:
www.jcna.com/library/news/2002/jcna0076.html
Many pics and scans of title documents and letters are included.

2012-07-25 08:55:10 | Pekka T. writes:

Hi Bill,

Sorry but no it does not. And besides whatever legislation in CA or FL says is not valid in Switzerland, England or Finland. Yes, unfortunately all kinds of officials have created titles for replicas using an original chassis number, I know several C-types replicas claiming to be a "real" C-type. The amount of original parts is totally irrelevant. What really matters is the paper trail that has to lead to the first sale with no gaps. I think it was proved that the log book and title on some of these cars were simply false. That California practice was really silly and has created a lot of problems, also my MKV DHC (647194) was registered that way and the import to Europe was difficult as Hornburg had replaced the engine with a MKIV engine as standard service! Lucky me all the other numbers matched and it was easy to PROVE I had the right car and chassis, as over here they simply do not care about the engine number at all. Love your work and you have nice stuff on your web pages, but AFAIK the FIVA and FIA papers and heritage certificate are 100% true and valid. Those gentlemen would not approve fakes. But it's great that enthusiasts like you and web sites like this keep the legend alive. Cheers!

2012-08-01 06:01:01 | Pekka T. writes:

Hi, yes isn't that a drag. I know we too have some laws which are outdated, but hey they are all made by people and can be changed. I think they have long ago changed that practice and law in CA. Like I wrote, it also made the import of my MKV DHC somewhat difficult, but luckily the JHT will gladly verify any Jaguar chassis, gearbox and body numbers for a nominal fee. BTW there are many other old Jaguars where a lost, crashed, written off or even stolen car has been re-titled somewhere else. The amount of original components is irrelevant to the officials, but of course very important to us enthusiasts. So I guess you sold it then anyways as you say you had it in past tense. A cylinder head from a factory race car is always valuable. Nice to get to know about it this way. Cheers!

2012-08-02 02:35:04 | Anonymous writes:

My understanding from what I have read and seen is that the only part of the original C type that bill had was the head certainly not the block as this was clearly still in the car when it was purchased in california.
So on this basis the title was really only issued for a head!
I would prefer to have the rolling chassis with the original engine block and a D type spec head from a C type than a cylinder head only from a C type!!!
Don't forget that the california title is probably not worth the paper its written on in 300 other countries

2012-08-05 23:26:08 | Roger writes:

(I kind of hate having to deal with this stuff, but I've deleted some comments which were bordering on slanderous; the leading marque experts have all weighed in on the provenance of the car currently known as XKC023 and their word is good with me.)

2012-08-10 21:44:50 | Bill Tracy writes:

Lets begin with number one article above where Bill Tracy claims he saw and purchase the engine E1023-8, Mr. Jenny now owning that engine can attest to the fact that the block is also numbered E1023-8 so Bill Tracy owned block and head and prior to 1954, all vehicles were identified by engine number. I love these remarks that say that I would prefer to have this part or that part, opinion is not the law of the land there are millions of cars from 1900 to 1954 titled in this manner,

2012-08-11 22:13:50 | Bill Tracy writes:

FOR THOSE THAT SAY THE CALIFORNIA TITLE ISN'T WORTH THE PAPER IT IS WRITTEN ON...AT LEAST I HAD A TITLE TO #23, THAT IS MORE THAN LARSEN AND JENNY HAD. Mr. LARSON CONFIRMED THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK IN MY CAR WAS STAMPED E1023-8
YOU CAN NOT TAKE A PIECE OF #23 AND STAKE YOUR CLAIM WHEN ANOTHER ALREADY HAS TITLE...WHY DON'T THEY GET IT !!

2012-08-12 15:01:24 | Anonymous writes:

No sir. Why don't you get it? No need to start shouting. We're all friends, aren't we? BTW who stamped it? The PO?

2012-08-13 08:31:01 | DB writes:

Surely the real clue is in Bill's own words from the 1993 Jaguar magazine where he writes "The major find was that this was the engine FROM XKC023".
Bill obviously didn't feel at the time that this constituted 023 but rather just a part from it.
I'm presuming California changed the way they Titled cars for good reason ?
I suppose to keep the car right there was also the option of Tracy buying the chassis ?
Am I right in saying neither are California residents ?
Oh well sounds like the right thing has been done by the present keeper of the vehicle, and very nice it looks too,
Also great to see it being used the way it was meant to be and not stuffed up in some musuem.

2012-12-16 00:08:05 | pauls writes:

It appears that the original document from.gdlaw above has been removed, this is a link to some of the original document:

www.gdlaw.co.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0002/1100/LegalFiles.pdf

Also now gone Apr. 2020

2014-02-06 09:56:28 | pauls writes:

As db writes above in '09 more evidence popped up today as Schierenbeck's XK120 (S677968) appears on ebay with references to his C-type. Among these the California registration, pink slip as it was referred to in the day.

2016-08-08 14:21:17 | JAG writes:

Possibly a Fake Jaguar C despite all the efforts!!
Link to article:
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-12-16/that-2-5-million-classic-jaguar-you-r ...

2016-08-09 11:26:11 | terry mcgrath writes:

the car in Switzerland is the complete and genuine article and there are no other cars in the world that have any claim on the chassis number XKC023. This one needs to be finalised and the various parties who post stuff trying to justify other stories should carefully read through all the documentation.
I have seen the motor found by Bill Tracy and have photos of it prior to being incorporated into a peter jaye replica I saw the replica being built at peter jays I have seen the real car as found in southern California and I have see the real car in Switzerland.
As someone has noted above a title incorrectly issued in California issued on just a motor and in fact not just a motor just the head from XKC023 does not make a car.
case closed!

2017-05-29 16:36:45 | Terry Larson writes:

The C Type owned by Christian Jenny is, without question, absolutely genuine. I know this for a fact. When I restored it I removed all original parts from 2 other fake cars, killing the identity of those 2 cars. BOTH of these fakes, got new identities when I removed the original 023 components and have zero claim to 023. Every qualified expert who has closely inspected Christians car has confirmed it to be genuine. It has passed the highest FIA paper qualifications and given papers.
Terry McGrath is right, the case is closed.......it has been for nearly 2 decades!
Terry Larson

This story titled "The amazing story of the lost XKC 023" covers the facts well.

www.jcna.com/library/news/2002/jcna0076.html

2019-03-01 09:17:14 | pauls writes:

Car now offered at:

pendine.com/portfolio/1952-jaguar-c-type-3/

Seller's description:

Imported via Californian dealer Charles Hornburg, chassis XKC 023 was sold to Portland racer David Fogg

Raced by numerous friends of his, including silver-screen legend Jack Douglas

Racing continued for almost a decade, before becoming ‘the lost C-Type’

Discovered and restored by Jaguar legend Terry Larson

For more than 30 years XKC 023 was the only one of the 53 XK120C sports-racers built that remained unaccounted for and often presumed lost.

Delivered to Los Angeles Jaguar importer Charles Hornburg just before Christmas in 1952 it was immediately sent to Seattle dealer Joe Henderson, who housed the car in his showroom, and even allowed favoured customers to race it. These included Bob Hope’s Hollywood scriptwriter Jack Douglas. At the same time, C-types were making headlines by dominating the Le Mans 24 Hours race on the other side of the Atlantic.

To add extra fire to the Jaguar’s belly, a Hillborn constant-flow fuel injection system was installed and an XK140 head with larger valves was part of the conversion. It was in this souped-up form that the C-type was sold to Douglas’s race mechanic Ces Critchlow, who following race damage fitted a glass fibre Devin body in 1957. Over the next five years, XKC 023 was campaigned and traded several times until mechanic Frank Schierenbeck bought it in 1962.

Often known as ‘Mr Jaguar’ for his close affinity with the Coventry marque, Schierenbeck returned the engine to running on its original SU carburettors, and indulged in occasional road trips and race entries. By 1974, though, the car was in storage at his mother’s house. Without his permission, a nephew started enjoying nights out in it, and when Schierenbeck (then living in Alaska) objected, his young relative took the car apart in a fit of pique!

The owner, however, had another battle on his hands: a messy divorce. Not wanting to alert anyone to the potential value bound up in the C-type, Schierenbeck quietly hid it away, and the historic Jaguar community completely lost touch with it for 30 years. By 1997, his ex-wife had long and safely remarried, and he then offered the car for private sale via legendary restorer Terry Larson.

Happily, almost every mechanical part required came with the car, properly rubber-stamping its provenance. Most of the actual original bodywork, discarded in the 1950s, was found on a C-type replica in Toronto, and together with other C-type panels was carefully reunited with the chassis by RS Panels in Coventry, UK. The finished car was given a subsequent 800-mile road test in Arizona, which it completed with fault-free gusto.

Finally, the original missing cylinder head was found in another C-type replica, after having spent time in a motor boat, and is now with the car again, although not fitted. This important item, alongside an FIA Heritage Certificate and Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis’s signature inside the door, are further windows into the cars history.

2019-07-05 05:56:31 | Anonymous writes:

Does anybody have an idea where she went to ? I heard rumors that she is in Germany now, but I am not sure.

2020-11-01 13:33:40 | Fritz writes:

Yes, that’s correct. Saw her in Brescia at the Mille Miglia last week

2020-11-17 14:51:43 | Hans-Martin Schneeberger writes:

It looks like the car built by Peter Jay is now up for sale by Hall and Hall. Seller claims that the car is built using a spare factory frame!

2020-11-22 13:59:34 | Anonymous writes:

Sorry, but this is the Jim Dale car, a very good replica with the works spare frame, but pretended to be XKC-023. The Peter Jaye car is in happy hands in the USA and not for sale. The Dale car took part at the Mille Miglia in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Was listed first for 2020 as well but was withdrawn as the real 023 was starting this year. Had an Austrian registration.

2020-11-29 10:25:39 | pauls writes:

The Hall and Hall car:

hallandhall.net/Stock/Details/13437/1953-Jaguar-C-Type

The "Jimmy Dale" car, built from original C-Type parts and constructed on an original "spare" chassis supplied by Jaguar in 1953. This accurate and authentic example has taken part in the Mille Miglia several times. Recently freshened engine and gearbox, new HTP paperwork and UK registered MXS 415.