Restoring an $11 million Jaguar D-Type, driving it through the countryside

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1956 Jaguar D-Type

You expect to hear about ultra-rare Ferraris fetching record prices at auction. Pre-war Bugattis, too. But this million beast is a Jaguar.

And not just any Jaguar, either. This 1956 long-nose D-Type, arguably the most beautiful creature ever to leave the gates at Coventry, was driven by Ivor Bueb and Duncan Hamilton to a win at Reims in 1956 before placing sixth at Le Mans and third at Sebring with Bueb and the legendary Mike Hawthorn, the British driver who went on to win the F1 championship for Ferrari before retiring only to die in a crash behind the wheel of another Jaguar while suffering from kidney failure.

Jaguar took 393RW out of its archives earlier this year to run it at the Mille Miglia revival race, but it needed a little work. So rather than undertake the restoration in-house, they turned to the JAGtechnic department at the Harvington Motor Company, which rebuilt the engine, overhauled the brakes and suspension and generally got it up to spec for the event.

Follow the jump to see the result and take in that delicious raspy burble as it glides across the English countryside.

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Restoring an million Jaguar D-Type, driving it through the countryside originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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