Epic Jaguar D-Type restoration provides trip down memory lane for Northamptonshire family of engineers

(L-R) Gary Pearson, his father John and his brother John with the restored Jaguar D-Type

Restoring classic cars is nothing new for Gary Pearson, who runs a Northamptonshire engineering firm set up by his father.

The sights and sounds of mechanical tinkering have filled his ears since he was a baby as dad John worked on cars within earshot of Silverstone.

It did not take long for John's love of cars and especially motorsport to rub off on Gary and for him to follow in his father's footsteps.

The Jaguar D-Type in its heyday before it was dismantled

“My parents used to run the pub in Whittlebury,” said Gary, now 60, who runs Pearsons Engineering in Roade.

“Basically mum ran the pub and there were some workshops out the back in the courtyard where the old man used to repair [Jaguar] D-Types and run the [Ford] GT40s and things from."

John's work in the sport saw him rub shoulders with some of the greatest drivers including Jim Clark and Jack Sears.

From meeting the two-time Formula 1 champion to helping his dad load GT40s onto trailers as a child, it is hardly a surprise that Gary’s life took the same path as his dad’s.

It is fair to say the Jaguar D-Type had seen better days before Gary got his hands on it

After completing his engineering apprenticeship at 21, he set about continuing the family name’s fine legacy of specialising in the restoration of classic Jaguars.

Hundreds of other beautiful brands have passed through their workshop, including a host of Le Mans winners, but the D-Types remain their chosen treasure.

It has not all been work though - a project to restore a special D-Type has become a personal mission for Gary as he embarked on another trip down memory lane with his father.

About 15 years ago, the pair put the wheels in motion to rebuild a 1950s D-type that had briefly been a works factory car before it was loaned to a race team in America for a few years.

Gary Pearson and his family took the D-Type completely apart to restore it

When it made its way back to England, the car was dismantled by the Jaguar factory and the prized parts were quickly snapped up - until the Pearsons got their hands on them.

"There was a bodyshell, three chassis frames – one of them was the frame for this car, XKD506 – at least three rear axles, about five engines, three gear boxes and loads and loads of suspensions," Gary explained.

"All of it was original stuff, some of it brand new, so we selected the best parts we wanted and used the 506 chassis and rebuilt the car as it was.

“The parts that were left over we built a couple of XKSS’ for somebody and we’ve been racing the car ever since.

The D-Type's interior was completely cleaned up by Gary

"It’s not a car that’s been in one piece for all of its life but I’ve never made any secrets of what it is. It is the chassis, it is all real parts, and it is what it is.

“It was quite straightforward really because we had a vast selection of spares to choose from.

"We were quite lucky there, pretty much everything that we wanted to use was there and all in good order.

"The body needed a bit of work, the chassis was in good condition as it still had paint on it and only had some very light surface rusting which was blasted and repainted. Generally, it wasn’t a massive project.”

Restoring and building three cars, the D-type and two XKSS’ – Jaguar’s road version of the D-type – and selling two funded the six-figure adventure.

The XKD506, with a newly-produced bonnet, has been racing again like it did at Le Mans in 1955.

The Jaguar D-Type restored to its former glory

It was due to return to racing to France in 2020 but will have to wait until later this year to get back out on the iconic circuit in the Le Mans Classic.

Having spent countless hours putting the beautiful car back to its former glory, will Gary be watching nervously through his fingers or enjoying the experience?

“It’s built to race, these things should be raced,” he told specialist motor insurance brokers Adrian Flux.

“We’ve made a very quick race car out of it now but we don’t want to modify the thing away from what it was in pursuit of performance.

"It’s more important to me as being a true historical car. The chance to do our own car was a big deal and it is very important to me.

"We’ve had some good races with the car. It’s a very precious moment when you’ve had a good race.

"My brother has raced it with me, we’ve had a few wins and things, and then the old man’s there beaming afterwards, makes great memories.”