Help with Jaguar-based racing special history/info

[sammyb]

A friend of mine bought a Jaguar-based racing special about 20 years ago. What it was billed to be and sold as was not what it turned out to be -- a long story that we don't need to get into.

After vintage racing it for a year or two -- owner put it into storage in the early 1990s. In the last year he's brought it back out to be brought to life, and he's asked for my help in establishing more history and information about the car.

So here's what we know:

- The engine is a Jaguar Mark VII serial no 10547 (with C-Type valve cover)

- It is a Baxter with the frame built by Atlanta Motor Company in England who shipped it to European Motors who built the body in Denver built in the time frame 64 to 67
There is no serial number on the body or frame

- The link tube rear is similar to the D. - The transmission is an E type close ratio

The owner understands Atlanta built cars they described as C D and Baxter. That they would let the customer pick the engine

Their sales agent in the us was European motors who built the bodies

There was a Car and Driver or Motor Trend type article from the 1980s that told about the car and the owner who was a movie star.

I'll have the owner shoot some pictures. It's a very pretty car.

So if anyone remembers the car (or a the magazine article) or anything about the manufacturer, please let me know.

Thanks!
Sam

 

[Roger]

Would this be an RGS Atalanta - Jaguar? Note spelling - not Atlanta like in Georgia, but with an extra "a".
If so, I know a bit about them, and you can find more on the internet.
I remember Dick Shattock, and Michael Burn was a family friend who raced and crashed one years ago.

 

[sammyb]

I actually have a friend with a beautiful Atalanta, which is a pre-war Classic. My understanding was that Atalanta went out of biz before WWII. That car looks much like an SS100.

This is a custom-built frame/body from the 1960s.

But thanks for responding!

 

[Roger]

No, Dick Shattock bought Atalanta after WWii and built chassis up to the late 50s or maybe early 60s. Hence "RGS" Atalanta - Dick Shattock's initials. I remeber it well, being an Ancient Briton living in England at the time. I even rode in an RGS Atalanta.
I don't believe any were supplied with bodies, so they were fitted with custom bodies, or sometimes with fibreglass bodies from various makers which were just then coming on to the market. They were fitted with a variety of engines. His own track car had fins somewhat like a Lotus Mark VIII and a Jaguar "C" type engine. That as the one that Michael Burn crashed (and the one I rode in), though I think it's still in existence and being raced in Europe. Others had Bristol, Ford or MG engines, I seem to remember.
I really don't know how many there were.

( I just Googled RGS Atalanta, after writing the above, and found some corroboration of what I'd written, and also some correction. Try Googling it yourself and you will see what I mean.)

 

[sammyb]

ROGER ---

THAT'S IT!!!!

It was sold as a "C-Type"

THANKS!!!

 

[sammyb]

It looks like an MG-based Atalanta sold at Coys for just shy of 33,000 pounds in 2006. I've contacted the seller of the C-Type car (like my friend's, which I believe also has the C-Type head, De-Dion etc...) to see what his asking price is to help establish a current market value.

My friend's car doesn't have the fins. It appears the finned cars might have been fiberglass, while the non-finned cars were alloy.

In any event, it appears from the vintage racing sheets that these cars are still very competitive.

 

[Roger]

If your friend really has the Dick Shattock car, that has history. Congratulate him, even if you commiserated that it wasn't a C-type. Even if he doesn't have that actual car, he still has a very interesting vehicle.

 

[sammyb]

No, he doesn't have the Dick Shattock car...but one identical to it. (Other than it is a left-hand-drive car and it is blue.)