1962 Jaguar E-Type CUT 8 ex-Protheroe

A significantly historic competition E-Type, CUT 8 will forever be associated with the great racing privateer Dick Protheroe, who zealously campaigned a series of CUT-plated modified Jaguars to great effect in period. One of the very select group of famous competition E-Types, CUT 8 is a crowd favourite at Goodwood and imbued with the history of a racing era that makes her very special indeed.

Originally a dark green FHC race prepared for BRDC life member Ed Nelson in 1965-66 (occupation “Gentleman”), chassis 860953 was registered 105 ENX and raced in ’66 at events as far afield as the Nürburgring and Mugello. She was then sold to Rosemary Protheroe and designated CUT 8 as a tribute to her late husband Dick Protheroe, who tragically paid the ultimate price aboard a 330P Ferrari at Oulton Park in 1966. 

A DFC winner with Bomber Command and later a test pilot of the Victor and Valiant V-bombers, Dick Protheroe lived and breathed Jaguar – from his first XK120 nicknamed “Ancient Egyptian” obtained while serving in Egypt, through no less than four competition E-Types. These included one of the first FHCs ever produced, another literally constructed from the parts book searching for competitive advantage, and the world-famous Low Drag Coupe. Wearing the distinctive livery of grey and French racing blue (adopted as Protheroe’s racing colour from his Type 37 Bugatti), the Jaguars were modified and race prepared at Protheroe’s Leicestershire garage. Successively wearing the same famous CUT 7 registration, the first three E-Types were extensively campaigned at top-drawer events across Britain and Europe in one of the ultimate expressions of the amateur racing ideal.

A racer herself, Rosemary met Dick at a race meeting in her XK and upon his passing became Managing Director. She resolved to go racing again, building CUT 8 with her late husband’s team including mechanic Victor Cornelius. Resprayed in the Protheroe livery, the 860953 gained a dry-sump 4.2 with wide-angle head and Webers, and was re-registered CUT 8. Rhoddy Harvey Bailey and Ed Nelson campaigned her for Rosemary Protheroe for two seasons before sale in 1968. She raced in the early 70s with Peter Walker in the Motoring News GT championship and the Cussons races. 

More recently CUT 8 has become one of the most well-known historic competition E-Types and regularly appeared in historic racing, since a first restoration in the early 1990s by John Lewis. Acquired by Peter Sugden in 1997 through Fiskens, she was rebuilt to FIA spec and given a new Sigma powerplant to compete successfully in Gentleman Drivers GTSCC and Guards Trophy races. At the 2013 Revival, CUT 8 made her latest debut in the RAC TT Celebration, restored to her striking period livery after acquisition by another Fiskens client. 

CUT 8 is the instantly recognizable passport to any number of historic racing events, including the Goodwood Revival RAC TT and more. Highly competitive, ultra-historic and in outstanding order, we know her extremely well. The final CUT will surely delight a new owner wanting a famous and competitive E to continue her outstanding racing career.