Monday 21 October 2013

The Lost Jaguar - the 1948 XK100



It is a little known fact that at the 1948 Motor Show, Jaguar exhibited not only the XK 120, but also a 4 Cylinder XK100.

                                                      Jaguar XK 100 Engine

It had a 1970 cc 4 Cylinder engine producing 95 bhp and giving a top speed of 93 miles per hour.

Below is the full specification of this car.


Jaguar XK-100
as offered for the year 1948 in Europe prototype
Production/sales period of cars with this particular specs:
1948 - 1948
Modelyears:
-
Country of origin:
GB United Kingdom
line
Make:
Jaguar
Model:
XK 100 Prototype
1948-1948
Submodel:
XK 100
1948-1948
Optional equipment:
EEC segmentation:
S (sport cars)
Class:
sports car
Body style:
roadster
Doors:
2
Traction:
RWD (rear-wheel drive)
Dimensions & capacities
Length:
4394 mm / 173 in
Width:
1562 mm / 61.5 in
Height:
1334 mm / 52.5 in
Wheelbase:
2591 mm / 102 in
Front track:
1295 mm / 51 in
Rear track:
1270 mm / 50 in
Ground clearance:
181 mm / 7.1 in
Turning circle btw. walls:
Turning circle btw. curbs:
9.45 m / 31 ft
Drag coefficient claimed:
Drag coefficient estimated by a-c:
0.55
Legroom:
1st row:
2nd row:
3rd row:
Shoulder room:
1st row:
2nd row:
3rd row:
Headroom:
1st row:
2nd row:
3rd row:
Hiproom:
1st row:
2nd row:
EPA passenger volume:
Calculated passenger volume:
Interior length:
Interior width:
1264 mm / 49.8 in
Interior height:
Trunk cap. claimed:
Trunk cap. SAE:
Trunk cap. VDA:
Boot length:
965 mm / 38 in
Boot length max.:
Boot width:
965 mm / 38 in
Boot width min.:
Boot height:
305 mm / 12 in
Load height:
Approach angle (deg):
Departure angle (deg):
Ramp angle (deg):
Weights
Curb weight (without a driver):
1295 kg / 2855 lbs
Dry weight:
1220 kg / 2690 lbs
Shipping weight:
Curb weight estimated:
GVWR:
Payload:
Payload estimated:
Towing weight:
unbraked:
braked:
Sales markets
Markets, where cars with this particular specifications were sold:
Europe
prototype
Related models:
JAGUAR XK 120
Powertrain
Engine manufacturer:
Jaguar XK series
Engine type:
spark-ignition 4-stroke
Fuel type:
petrol (gasoline)
Fuel system:
2 carburetors
Charge system:
naturally aspirated
Valves per cylinder:
2
Valves timing:
Additional features:
SU horizontal
DOHC
Emission control:
Emission standard:
Cylinders alignment:
Line 4
Displacement:
1970 cm3 / 120.3 cui
Bore:
83 mm / 3.27 in
Stroke:
91 mm / 3.58 in
Compression ratio:
7 : 1
Power net:
Torque:
Power gross:
70.5 kW / 96 PS / 95 hp (max)
/ 5000
Torque gross:
150 Nm / 111 ft-lb
/ 2500
Redline rpm:
Fuel capacity:
64 liter / 16.9 U.S. gal / 14.1 imp. gal
Drivetrain
Gearbox:
Transmission type:
manual
Number of gears:
4
Gear ratios (overall):
I
3.21 (13.8)
II
1.88 (8.08)
III
1.3 (5.59)
IV
1 (4.3)
V
()
VI
()
VII
()
VIII
()
R
Speed range
(max speed on gears,
top gear value theor.):
(km/h/mph)
I:
51 / 32
II:
87 / 54
III:
126 / 78
IV:
164 / 102
V:
/
VI:
/
1000rpm speed:
(km/h/mph)
I:
9.3 / 5.8
II:
15.9 / 9.9
III:
22.9 / 14.2
IV:
29.8 / 18.5
V:
/
VI:
/
Torque converter factor:
Final drive ratio std:
4.3
optional:
4.5
4
3.64
Front brakes:
drum
305 mm / 12 in
Rear brakes:
drum
305 mm / 12 in
Standard tires:
6.00 - 16

I understand from a recent magazine article that Jaguar recently found 50 four cylinder XK engines (destined for the XK100 version of the XK120, which no one ordered). Anyone have any more information on this find, and what Jaguar intends to do with these engines (I believe they are not complete - only engine sets)?

Sunday 20 October 2013

THE SACK OF BALTIMORE




The Sack of Baltimore took place on June 20, 1631, when the village of Baltimore, West CorkIreland, was attacked by Berbers, North African pirates from the North African Barbary Coast. The attack was the biggest single attack by the Barbary pirates on Ireland or Britain. The attack was led by a Dutch captain turned pirate, Jan Janszoon van Haarlem, also known as Murad Reis the Younger. Murad's force was led to the village by a man called Hackett, the captain of a fishing boat he had captured earlier, in exchange for his freedom. Hackett was subsequently hanged from the clifftop outside the village for his conspiracy.

They captured 108 English settlers, who worked a pilchard industry in the village, and some local Irish people. The attack was focused on the area of the village known to this day as the Cove. The villagers were put in irons and taken to a life of.Slavery in .North Africa.

Only three or four of  those taken as Slaves, were known to have been freed on payment of a ransom.



A Book has been written, "The Stolen Village" by Des Ekin about this seldom discussed slice of history.

Thursday 10 October 2013

Che Guevara - Cuban? Argentinian? Irish?

            

Che Guevara was born Che Lynch on 28 June 1928 in Argentina, to Celia de la Serna y Llosa and Ernesto Guevara Lynch.

 His name "Che" is short for Chancho (pig) due to his bathing habits, or lack of, he was nicknamed "Stinker".Due to his father being half Irish, he could have played football for Ireland.


Contrary to the image we all have of Guevara, in his youth he was quite the geek. He loved playing Chess and even entered local tournaments.

While Guevara is best remembered for his actions in Cuba, he was actually born in Argentina to wealthy parents and he never became a Cuban citizen. When he was born, his father said “the first thing to note is that in my son’s veins flowed the blood of the Irish rebels.”

After he was murdered by Bolivian troops backed by the CIA, a military doctor amputated Che’s hands. Bolivian army officers transferred Guevara’s body to an undisclosed location and refused to reveal whether his remains had been buried or cremated. The hands were preserved in formaldehyde to be sent to Buenos Aires for fingerprint identification. (His fingerprints were on file with the Argentine police.) They were later sent to Cuba.

"I don't care if I fall as long as someone else picks up my gun and keeps on shooting."

Che Guevara 



More abot Che Guevara can be found at  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Che_Guevara