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<\/a><\/p>\nWhen he returned to the UK, in the early eighties, he set up JPR Cars (the company name coming from his initials \u2013 Jon Paul Randall) basing himself in the Supershell Building at Goodwood circuit, formerly occupied by Alan Langridge\u2019s kit manufacturing operation, incidentally.<\/p>\n
Randall was a fan of the E-type and so launched the Wildcat, not a replica of Jaguar\u2019s legendary car but more than a passable interpretation. Body mould was taken from an original Jaguar although was 8in wider at the rear, to accommodate a Ford live axle. Initially based on Ford Cortina mechanicals, later options included the Jaguar XJ6 (inevitably), from 1991, Ford Sierra and a Mustang Pinto version for the American market. A chap called Terry Land assisted with the chassis development and worked for John for several years.<\/p>\n About 140 Wildcats were sold between 1985-1996<\/p>\n A couple of years after the original Wildcat came the 2+2 version that enabled carriage of small people on the rear bench or made passage easier for taller drivers as the car was lengthened by 9in (4\u00bd in of which was in the doors the other 4\u00bdin in rear body section).<\/p>\n Approximately twenty of these were made.<\/p>\n In 1991, Jon became an agent for the Dutch Van Clee Citro\u00ebn Mehari-inspired after the hitherto Belfast-based UK importer had gone under.<\/p>\n Also in 1991, Jon Randall was commissioned by an American customer to create a JPR version of the famous Lindner Nocker Lightweight E-type.<\/p>\n He later offered the result for commercial kit sale and made three standard-length cars and two 2+2s.<\/p>\n Jon\u2019s GRP bodies were produced by Mako Fibreglass, run by Mike Rutherfoord \u2013 apart from Dutton and Pilgrim \u2013 he produced most of the kitcar bodies that were produced in Sussex – and when he couldn\u2019t test his cars at Goodwood, he\u2019d go along to Mike\u2019s base at the old RAF Tangmere site, where I did a couple of JPR tests over the years. The surface of the concrete was a bit sketchy although moving forwards 37 years it got me used to the standard of our roads in 2023!<\/p>\n In mid-1996, Jon brought the JPR shutters down for the last time. Partly due to Goodwood wanting their Supershell Building back. These days it\u2019s become a real focal point for the reborn Goodwood, courtesy of the annual Revival and Members Meetings and it always makes me smile when I see it.<\/p>\n It is one of the landmarks of Goodwood sitting pretty on the outside of Woodcote Corner. These days it\u2019s used as a corporate meeting venue. I wonder if they have managed to get rid of the distinctive and heady aroma of glassfibre.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n