On Sunday 12th April, I attended the JEC organised Coffee & Cars breakfast meeting at
The Great British Car Journey in Ambergate, Derbyshire, in my XJR X358. For those of
you who are not aware of this venue, The Great British Car Journey is a car museum in
Ambergate, Derbyshire, England. It opened on 22 May 2021. The museum's exhibits
consist of over 130 cars that illustrate the history of British car design and production
between 1922 and the present day.
The museum is based on a small industrial estate and contains around 150 cars in total,
in its collection. We did organise a regional visit there a few years ago. The USP that
they offer is they provide visitors with a headset and touchscreen to operate as you work
your way around the exhibits, giving a full explanation of each car’s history and place in
the journey of the British car industry. There is also the opportunity to book test drives in
a variety of classic cars owned by the museum, which you can drive around the
premises. I did this a couple of years ago and drove a Capri, Bentley and an MGB GT.
The venue has a very good café, and I had a great cooked breakfast before going out to
look around the cars and talk to some of the owners. The weather held until lunchtime,
which was lucky!
There was large attendance at the event; not just by JEC members, but from other car
groups including Triumph TR4-6’s, Scimitars, Jowetts, a couple of Lotus’s etc.
From the JEC’s point of view, this was intended as a particular celebration of the XJ40,
(this year being the 40th anniversary if the car’s launch). There was a high turnout of
these cars, considering their scarce numbers nowadays. There were at least 15 XJ40’s
present, including the green estate conversion that is unique, and David Mark’s white
pre-production car, which he restored some years ago now. There were all versions of
XJ40, including Daimler, Sport, XJR’s and more base models, in a variety of conditions,
it has to be said! Talking to one guy, he had owned around 15 XJ40’s in his time,
although he had given up on them now as he was not able to work on them anymore and
was trying to sell his extensive stash of second-hand parts! Now converted to an X350
diesel!
This venue is well worth a visit, and they organise a number of car meet events
throughout the year, for those who would like to make independent visits (see their
website for details). The Committee is considering organising a future visit to The Great
British Car Journey if members would be interested. Please let us know via email
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Call: 0121 274 5360
Please contact Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club Insurance powered by Peter James on 0121 274 5360
Before you get in touch with us please make sure to note down as many of the following details as possible. If you can complete the checklist ahead of time, it’ll make the process of arranging your insurance quick, simple and easy.
Personal Details
Vehicle Details
Vehicle Use
We have a number of highly-qualified experts who can inspect your vehicle prior to purchase and provide you with a full written report. In addition to their complete understanding of the mechanical and aesthetic aspects of vehicle inspection, they have extensive experience with the Jaguar marque which perfectly equips them to identify the unique requirements of specific models and years, something that is particularly important for older cars.
The cost of an inspection begins at £100, with the final figure determined by the time needed and the distance the inspector is required to travel. We can guarantee that your inspection will be cheaper than an equivalent AA or RAC inspection.
This small upfront outlay could save you thousands in the long term.
To arrange an inspection simply call JEC Head Office on 0117 969 8186 and they will provide you with details of your nearest inspector.
Also from our club HQ in Bristol we can give you an official valuation for insurance purposes. Our valuations are accepted by all leading insurance brokers and Companies.
Simply call 0117 969 8186 for details
Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club Insurance is designed specifically for members of the JEC. That’s why it covers JEC TrackSport events and offers cover for JEC Young Enthusiasts. Furthermore, the scheme recognises that members may have a combination of newer and more historic Jaguars and so the scheme caters for all, other individually or part of a multi-vehicle offering.
Club insurance doesn’t operate the way standard insurance does. While it does still take a vehicle’s mechanical characteristics into account, it also places a lot of emphasis on how the vehicle is used, cared for and maintained.
Club insurance also offers a host of benefits and products that you simply cannot get outside of membership of the JEC, such as member to member cover for example. This enables you to drive your friends Jaguars at regional meets, events and on tours with fully comprehensive cover and without the need to complete more paperwork or ring up and incur costs for adding named drivers.
This way, you’ll be comfortable knowing that you have a policy that fits your vehicle and your usage needs perfectly.
