Concours d’Elegance winner

Our Mk2 at the August 2017 JCNA Concours d’Elegance in Sturbridge, MA

In August 2017 we entered our Mk2 in the Champion Division Class 9 of the Jaguar Clubs of North America (JNCA) New England (JANE) Concours d’Elegance car show held each year in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Over the years, JNCA has evolved many judging classes grouped into Champion, Driven, and Special divisions. The Champion category has high standards for show cars that are rarely driven, while Special handles replicas, race cars, and modified vehicles.

Despite the last minute timing (we didn’t even have time to give the car a good wash), the Mk2 was entered in the Champion Division Class 9 for small saloons like the Mk2. Happily we won our Class (not a big deal given the lack of real competition this year) and scored 96.93 out of 100 possible points.

What’s really instructive is what “defects” the 3.07 point deductions highlighted (outlined in the table below).

CHAMPION DIVISION POINT DEDUCTIONS

DefectPointsComment
Horns not operational6see replacements
Exterior paint cleanliness2guilty as charged
Exterior chrome cleanliness2guilty as charged
Passenger door sill paint splotch2need a magnifying glass to see defect
Slight wear on door edge seal.2due to tight fit
Carpet cleanliness.2guilty as charged
Non-standard covering on center dash.1hydrographics not acceptable
Not original radio3Alpine head unit with backup camera and ApplePlay
Non-matching spare tire brand2not worth the expense of a new tire just for show
Brass finish on radiator top instead of black paint8we prefer the bright brass finish
Not Cheney hose clamps7installed generic stainless clamps instead
TOTAL DEDUCTIONS3.07 divided by 10 for Champion Division

It would be quite easy to boost our Mk2 rating up to 99+, but what’s the point? Concours shows have proliferated to the point of silliness (and irrelevance?) today. What was once the place to introduce new automotive advancements is now pleasantly caught in a museum-like past, frequently attended by curious tourists and a few collectors rather than by mechanics, designers, builders, and hard-core drivers. Oh well.

An example of JCNA Concours angels-on-the-head-of-a-pin silliness revolves around the notorious hose clamp debate.

Comparative hose clamps from antique Cheney to modern generic stainless

The vintage Cheney clamp was difficult to use but it was manufactured close to the Jaguar’s British assembly plant and it was cheap. Cheney clamps were cadmium plated (not stainless steel) in the open position so that all clamp surfaces could be uniformly coated. To use them properly, they needed to be closed around a circular template and coated with white grease.

Reproductions are now sold by XKs Unlimited (among others) for $9 … and they still don’t work very well!

Frankly, the best choice are modern generic stainless clamps. They work extremely well and are inexpensive. There is no doubt that the famously thrifty Sir Williams Lyons, Jaguar’s co-founder, would use generic stainless clamps today.