WHERE EAGLE DARED
Jaguar’s E-type was sacrosanct – until Eagle proved there was room for improvement. In this world exclusive, Robert Coucher examines its re-imagined versions, in all their bespoke guises
‘THEY ALL HAVE A MUSCULAR STANCE, THEIR TAUT BODYWORK STRETCHED SPARINGLY WITH NARY AN OUNCE OF EXCESS FLAB ANYWHERE’
With four of the greatest roadgoing Jaguars hot, onthe-button and ready to go, this was always going to be a day of tough choices. Which to drive first, which would be the best, which the most desirable? How do you differentiate between wafer-thin slivers of absolute perfection? These are not simply Jaguars, they are Eagle E-types – original ’60s Jaguar E-types that have been transformed into some of the finest handmade cars in the world. This is a line-up of truly special editions – Roadster, Speedster, Low Drag GT and Lightweight GT – and they represent the pinnacle of their kind. Obviously, all these cars will be fabulous and fast, but what are the nuances and characteristics of each, and how do the various set-ups and options translate into dynamic action? Suppose I’d better drive ’em as quickly as I dare.
No doubt you have read the many road test reviews – rave reviews, I should add – but this is a world exclusive in which Eagle has turned over its full range of E-types to Octane in one hit. The Eagle line-up also includes two more body variants that share underpinnings with what we have here: the Eagle Coupé (as opposed to the Roadster), and the Spyder GT (in effect the Speedster with a fully functional soft top). See the box at the end of this feature for more on those.
Owner and managing director Henry Pearman founded Eagle 36 years ago. He had his eureka moment after winning the tough Pirelli Marathon outright in an E-type in 1989, beating both Stirling Moss and Paddy Hopkirk. Since then, nearly 70 E-types have been turned into Eagles of all kinds and there’s a waiting list a couple of years long.
After serving his time apprenticed to a wellrespected Rolls-Royce and Bentley restoration specialist, Pearman could have chosen to rebuild, develop and re-engineer many a classic car but the E-type was always his first love. ‘When it was launched in 1961, the E-type was a quantum leap over every other car. The contemporary Aston DB4 and Ferrari 250 SWB were designs from a different era, with old-fashioned chassis and solid rear axles. The E-type had it all – a lightweight but very strong tub, advanced suspension, disc brakes all round and a tough and tuneable engine. It was, in effect, a roadgoing D-type. And it didn’t look too bad, either,’ he says.
Of course, the E-type was far from perfect when new because Sir William Lyons had rushed it out at a remarkably affordable £2098. It ran on narrow wire wheels shod with skinny crossply tyres, was fitted with the ancient Moss gearbox and poor brakes, and customers carried out the final development while driving it, much to their annoyance. But the resulting improvements included a torquier 4.2-litre engine, synchro ’box, better cooling and effective brakes, culminating in the launch of the properly sorted Series 2 in 1968. The point is that here was a sports car that would benefit from further development because it was so far ahead of the game to begin with.
As with other affordable classics, many E-types went through a banger period during which they were badly maintained and allowed to deteriorate to the point that they became no more than cheap Kings Road cruisers to be dumped on the kerbside when they finally expired. An old E-type was something to be avoided: they have always been complicated to restore properly. But Pearman saw through that and realised that a good donor Jaguar was the perfect starting point for re-engineering to a whole new level.
Development engineer Paul Brace joined Eagle in 1989 and he too wanted to do more than simply restore E-types. With the arrival of Matthew Dewhurst shortly afterwards, the team began work on Eagle Number One, which was launched in 1994. And so began a whole new standard of classic sports car.
The arrival of ‘all the Eagle E-types’ at our private test track creates a nape-tingling moment as they swing into the car park, engines snarling, popping and making their presence known in no uncertain terms. Each car gleams thanks to the deep lustre of its paintwork. They all have a muscular stance, sitting low on their respective wires, alloys and mags, fat tyres looking period-correct, their taut bodywork stretched sparingly over underpinnings with nary an ounce of excess flab anywhere. Automotive athleticism and pure efficiency. But look inside each car and the beautifully upholstered and comfortably appointed interiors are each finished in lavish grand touring trim. These are not perfunctory racing cars, they are focused road cars to take on memorable journeys. So let’s go.
‘PAST 4000RPM, THE VOCALS OF THE PREVIOUSLY SMOOTH AND CREAMY STRAIGHT-SIX COME ALIVE WITH INDUCTION ROAR’
THE FIRST DRIVE has to be in the original ‘classic’ Eagle (here in Roadster form but also available as a Coupé). When new, the E-type was adored for its beautiful styling and cuttingedge engineering, but soon it came in for criticism because of its puny wire wheels, which failed to fill the wheelarches.
Says Paul Brace: ‘From the beginning we have increased the wheel size to 6.5 x 15 wires with stainless spokes, running on touring-spec 225/60 x 15 Vredestein tyres. They are not modern low-profile tyres because that would ruin the look and destroy the ride.’
This subtle improvement renders the Eagle perfect in its fully dressed standard spec, including bumpers and brightwork. The car sparkles and is a representation of the perfectlooking E-type. The seats are clearly not the originals because those were hugely uncomfortable, whereas those fitted here – designed and built in-house by Eagle – are sumptuous and will encourage long-distance driving. The engine starts with a muffled bark and the E moves off with a lovely light clutch.
Instantly the feeling is of silken refinement. Snicking up through the five-speed gearbox reveals long-legged ability, the engine is a quiet purr, steering feel through the lacquered woodrimmed wheel damped but accurate. Give the Eagle some more juice and it comes alive yet remains refined, with a superb ride.
This Eagle Roadster in Super Sport guise is fitted with its original 3.8-litre engine running on triple SU carbs with a big-valve flowed head, a fairly quiet exhaust and more exciting cams – not that I have noticed as yet because the car is so docile and snatch-free in its power delivery. Here it promises 248 real horsepower; an original Jaguar engine musters about 210bhp on a very good day. But, of course, we all know that an E-type starts to take off at around 120mph so, before giving this example its head, I ask Brace what I should expect.
‘Yes, the nose on a standard E does start to lift at those speeds and, making the ill-effect worse, the steering geometry is negatively affected by the now drooping front wishbones, which gives the cars a vague front end. It’s unnerving. We make two improvements to alleviate the effect completely. First, we make the front valance deeper, which reduces the lift effect dramatically and, as a bonus, gives the car a burlier-looking front end. It is subtle yet effective on both counts,’ he says.
‘Jaguar did this on the 1964 racing Low Drag Lightweights. This is standard fitment on our aluminium cars but an option on the steel Eagles. Secondly, the cars that are fitted with our sport suspension geometry have different steering arms, which virtually deletes the usual bump-steer effect that causes the vagueness when the suspension droops as the nose lifts. This particular example has the sport suspension, so you shouldn’t feel the usual steering vagueness of a standard E.’
Drop down a few cogs in the high-geared five-speed ’box and the E-type comes on strong. Once past 4000rpm, the vocals of the previously smooth and creamy straight-six come alive with induction roar, seeming to go supersonic all the way round to 6000rpm. Meanwhile the steering remains super-sharp but balanced, and does without the need for power-assistance. The Roadster’s ride on Ohlin dampers is absorbent and controlled, and its 1220kg kerbweight feels tightly controlled, with no indication of imminent take-off.
The incredibly taut chassis is more than capable of handling full-power lunges into the fastest corners with absolutely no plough-on understeer or chassis yaw, nor, of course, any of the rear-end steering that tired E-types can suffer from. The smooth engine is pure Jaguar pedigree, retaining its original cubic capacity but punching out a lot more shove than when it first left Browns Lane.
This is a refined daily driver that’s a superb grand tourer and which morphs into an exciting and sharp sports car without ever losing its silken mien. To my mind, it’s probably the best-resolved classic Jaguar I have ever driven. So far, anyway…
NEXT UP IS THE striking, aluminiumbodied Eagle Speedster in black with very red upholstery, featuring the impressive 4.7-litre straight-six that wallops out a fulsome 330bhp at a relaxed 4800rpm with 360lb ft at just 3600rpm. The Speedster has no roof and is designed to wow with its low-cut windscreen and curvaceous bodywork.
This second example (six have been built so far) is fitted with throttle-body fuel injection, something Pearman now discourages because it adds complication yet little additional benefit over the well set-up and easily maintained carburettor options. Having said that, it’s wonderful to drive! Throttle response is instantaneous and the all-aluminium engine, even without the optional wide-angle cylinder head, gets this 980kg machine flying to 60mph in under five seconds. The engine is not as sweet as the previous 3.8-litre, but it offers huge wham. Track performance is searing, with perfect chassis control that allows a top speed of over 170mph. Drivers are advised to wear goggles when pressing on!
Shod with the biggest rear tyres here (245/55 x 16s), this Speedster is a show car best enjoyed somewhere it doesn’t rain much. When the mandatory showers arrive here in England, the Eagle team sets to unfurling a rudimentary tonneau cover to protect that red leather interior – and that’s why a Spyder GT version of this car is also offered, with a properly working soft top.
This car doesn’t do it for me personally because it goes against the notion of an Eagle being a practical and usable motor car as well as an exciting sports car. To my eye it looks too jazzy, like a British Corvette – but it remains enormously impressive, nevertheless.
THE LOW DRAG IS NEXT and what a beautiful machine it is. Svelte and elegant but functional, too. The full 4.7-litre all-aluminium engine here is running with a wide-angle head and triple Weber carbs, putting out an impressive 380bhp and 375lb ft of torque. This properly fast 1012kg aluminium Low Drag is the car you want for long transcontinental trips, thanks to its cosseting interior with comfortable seats and plenty of space.
But interestingly the Low Drag has been setup quite hard in comparison to the others. The steering is much firmer, with more kickback than the others to the point where I check to see if the front tyres are larger. (They are not.) Also, the engine – on Webers – likes to run with the throttles fully open. Power is all. And the exhaust is pretty near full-flow, so the noise is delicious but might become too much to live with.
The Low Drag’s performance is shattering and thankfully the chassis is more than capable of putting all 380bhp where it is needed. Supersmart reactions and powerful brakes offer total control and it can be driven at the very outer edge of its massively impressive envelope with consummate confidence. Or just turn up the air-con, slip it into the long fifth gear and relax en route to Cap d’Antibes.
It’s incredible how these Eagles can offer such a wide range of driving options. Hot pants one minute, black tie the next.
‘THE LOW DRAG’S PERFORMANCE IS SHATTERING AND THANKFULLY THE CHASSIS IS MORE THAN CAPABLE’
AND FINALLY IT’S time to clamber into the beautifully upholstered seat of the new Eagle Lightweight GT. The Jaguar looks beautifully minimal outside with its aluminium bodywork stripped of bumpers, the sills dropped and the front valance deepened to help reduce any front-end lift. The rear haunches are stretched tight over the absolutely fantastic magnesium wheels with their beautifully turned three-pronged aluminium spinners. As per the original Lightweights, the hardtop is fixed in place but beautifully lined.
Although the slim E-type doors require dexterity to negotiate, once you’re ensconced the interior is extremely spacious because the floorpan has been dropped, the pedal mountings redesigned and the rear bulkhead moved back. The lavishly upholstered bucket seats are soothingly comfortable and the airconditioning switch is a finger-prod away. All is serene, comfortable and luxurious.
Switch on the ignition, give the three greedy twin-choke Weber carbs a dab of juice and thumb the starter button: BLAM! Welcome straight back to the heady days of the 1960s when ferocious Lightweights ruled the track. The sound emanating from those really rather phallic exhaust pipes is monstrous, as the carbs suck and snort and snuffle hungrily.
Up through the five close-ratio gears in the magnesium gearbox and the 380bhp 4.7-litre GT pulls like the proverbial. Of course, you have to lift off the throttle at every opportunity to savour the deliciously naughty snaps, crackles and pops that burst from the virtually unsilenced twin pipes, flicking an aural V-sign at the world behind. And my god this car is fast. Let that straight-six overdose on fuel and the thing takes off and soon you feel like a racing ace because the car flatters the driver so.
But then you calm down a bit and allow yourself to get used to the onslaught of that wall of sound and – suddenly – it dawns. This 1017kg E-type is a Lightweight in the best sense of the word, thanks to all the magnesium gubbins like gearbox, wheels and rear axle case, but ease up on the hammer, let the car talk to you, and that’s when you feel how deeply and well-engineered it actually is.
This Lightweight GT is furiously fast, we know that, and certainly it handles with absolute precision and clarity thanks to its highly developed and optimised suspension, but the resulting package is so good that the car’s handling is virtually telepathic. The connection between the driver and the car is such that you drive it very, very fast on instinct. It rides superbly on its well-judged and absorbent suspension, the rack-and-pinion steering is as razor-like as it gets, and the vented AP Racing disc brakes are a slam-dunk. But it’s the way everything is in-sync and comes together that really impresses.
THE FANATICAL EAGLE team were eager for us to experience the range of its cars, so now it’s crunch time. Which one to choose? Well, none of them is quite ‘the one’ for me. But that’s no problem. Those of you who have your suits cut on Savile Row will understand: you specify exactly what you want, and it will be bespoke to your requirement.
Given the funds, I might opt for an Eagle Speedster to leave at a country house in Arizona or the South of France but, really, it’s too impractical. The Low Drag GT looks gorgeous but in this spec it is too hard and noisy – so feed the magnificent 4.7-litre engine via smoother triple SU carbs matched with a quiet exhaust and a softer ride, then go and have fun with AMGs and Alpinas on the Autobahn.
The Lightweight GT is one of the most impressive classic cars I have ever had the good fortune to drive. It is an absolute hoot yet exquisitely and intelligently engineered with deep reserves of serious ability. As part of a collection of all-time greats, I’d definitely want one in my garage but, in this guise, it is a tad too much for regular use. ‘We do try to encourage our customers not to throw the kitchen sink at their cars and to dial them back a bit,’ says Brace. But the temptation is always exactly that when you want decent bang for your buck!
For me, I’d want Eagle to find the best righthand-drive 4.2-litre Fixed Head Coupé, then to discreetly re-engineer it as only Eagle can, starting with wider painted wire wheels, optimised suspension, upgraded brakes, bulletproof cooling, five-speed gearbox and luxurious air-conditioning, all to make it totally suitable for driving in the city and on the school run as well as on fast forays to the Alps for sheer driving pleasure.
An E-type in this spec can be relished as an everyday sports car more than five decades on – and there’s no greater praise than that for a small specialist operation such as Eagle.