Big Cat trading
Yet another fabulous article, this time regarding the ex-ropner Jaguar E-type ‘semi-lightweight’ (C&SC, September). There is one mistake, however. I know for a fact that my brother, John Foster, only swapped the V12 E-type – which you correctly mention he had at the time – for the Ropner car, and not his ex-le Mans XK120 as well. Swapping both would maybe not have been such a great deal.
Sadly my brother is not in good health, so I thought I should set the record straight on his behalf. He still has the ex-le Mans XK120 and I doubt it will ever leave his family’s ownership. On two occasions, he very kindly lent my wife and I both the Ropner car and the XK120, so we could take part in his fabulous Ecurie Ecosse Scottish Motor Tour – that surely is brotherly love!
We enjoyed a week of touring with some of the world’s finest classic machinery: Le Mans-winning C- and D-types; Aston Zagato, DP215 and DBR1; Le Mans Cobras; Alfa 6C and 8C; Ferrari 250, 330, P3 and Daytona; Maserati 300S and A6G 2000; Ford GT40 – and that is but a few of the field. We were spoilt rotten, and still brag about it to fellow enthusiasts.
It’s wonderful to hear that the Ropner car is now owned by such an enthusiast as Lord Bamford and that, unlike so many classics these days, it will remain in the UK. I hope the car gives as much pleasure to its current owner as it did to my brother for so many years.
Frank Foster
Tasmania, Australia