How This Jaguar XJ220 Was Lost In An An Ostrich Shed

Key Takeaways

• The rare Jaguar XJ220, one of only 200 produced, was discovered in an ostrich shed after being deemed unusable following a racing series.
• Don Law Racing acquired six of the XJ220 racers and successfully restored them to their original condition for road use.
• The XJ220 received a fresh black paint job and original Fast Masters decals, and new tires were developed to keep the car operational on the track.

People may use barns and sheds to store different types of agricultural tools and equipment, and they might even use them to protect agricultural vehicles from the elements. Interestingly, some people have found another use for barns and sheds – storing unused cars until someone else discovers them. Such is the case with this beautifully restored Jaguar XJ220 two-seat sports car, which found itself lurking inside an ostrich shed.

How an ostrich shed became the home to a rare supercar like this Jaguar XJ220 is a question worth answering. British automotive enthusiast James William Walker, the man behind the Mr. JWW YouTube channel, was able to uncover the story of this XJ220. He used his social media platform to let the public know that this shed-find supercar is now a worthy, roaring vehicle on the road.

A Car Made To Compete In The Fast Masters

Specs Of Road-Legal Jaguar XJ220

(Data from Jaguar)

The Jaguar XJ220 is one of the rarest supercars, with just over 200 examples produced over 30 years ago. Therefore, finding an operational example would be a challenging task, particularly given that such supercars attract the attention of Jaguar fans, enthusiasts, and avid car collectors alike.

This specific Jaguar XJ220 made its way to the United States to participate in the Fast Masters, a made-for-TV racing series. According to Marshall Pruett’s podcast, The Fast Masters series featured retired motorsports legends, including Parnelli Jones, Johnny Rutherford, Brian Redman, Bobby Allison, and Paul Newman, driving a fleet of 12 Jaguar XJ220s at the Indianapolis Raceway.

Jaguar’s team and the engineering race company Tom Walkinshaw Racing, a significant collaborator in the creation of the XJ220, made the Fast Masters series possible with their participation. As Mr. JWW reveals, the 12 XJ220s that participated in the Fast Masters series were XJ220-C models. The XJ220-C is essentially a racing version of the Jaguar XJ220, with the ‘C’ in the designation standing for ‘Competition.’ In this guise, Tom Walkinshaw Racing modified and tuned the XJ220-C for optimal racing performance.

XJ220 Goes Into Hiding In An Ostrich Breeding Shed

Jaguar XJ220 Appears In Unusual Place

• One of 12 XJ220 that participated in The Fast Masters
• Considered unusable by the end of the racing series
• Stashed away in an ostrich breeding shed
• The car is missing several parts when found

According to Mr. JWW, after the conclusion of the Fast Masters racing series in 1993, this particular XJ220 returned to the UK and entered a dormant state inside one of Tom Walkinshaw Racing’s sheds originally intended for breeding ostriches. Since then, the XJ220 remained forgotten and concealed from the world’s view, only to resurface several years later. It wasn’t alone, as several XJ220 racers from the Fast Masters also found a new home in the breeding shed.

Upon its return to the UK, the Jaguar XJ220 was no longer the racing-tuned supercar that left the factory. As revealed in the podcast, every XJ220 that participated in the Fast Masters had crashed by the sixth round. Deemed out of order by then, Tom Walkinshaw Racing found them unusable. This might be the reason why the decision was made to stash them away for good inside the breeding shed.

Justin Law described the condition of the XJ220 when they found it. It was already missing parts, and Tom Walkinshaw Racing might have used them to repair operational XJ220s. Perhaps due to the abuse it endured during the Fast Masters series, its panels were also damaged.

Don Law Racing Rescues XJ220s From Ostrich’s Shed

Key Details Of The Jaguar XJ220

• Don Law Racing discovered the hidden XJ220 in the shed
• XJ220 was covered in dust inside the ostrich shed
• The outfit didn’t just purchase one, but six unusable XJ220s from Tom Walkinshaw Racing
• Don Law Racing sought to restore the XJ220 and convert it for road use

Nevertheless, the Jaguar XJ220 saw a revival in the hands of Don Law Racing a few years later. According to Justin Law of Don Law Racing, they were in touch with Tom Walkinshaw Racing in 1995/96. During one of their conversations, Justin and Don learned that former Jaguar XJ220 racers from the Fast Masters series had been residing inside an ostrich breeding shed, all covered in dust.

Don Law Racing deduced that Tom Walkinshaw Racing had already deemed these XJ220 racers unusable, so it wouldn’t hurt to acquire them. After discussions with one of their clients, Don Law Racing successfully persuaded Tom Walkinshaw Racing to sell some of its XJ220s. Ultimately, Don Law Racing acquired a total of six unusable XJ220 racers and brought them home for repair.

The next challenge for Don Law Racing was to repair the six Jaguar XJ220s and restore them to good health. They also found buyers for the already pricey XJ220. Since these cars were XJ220-C racing versions with race-specific upgrades, Don Law Racing had to convert the supercars into road-legal models.

XJ220 Racer Gains Fresh Look And Is Now Road-Legal

Jaguar XJ220 Video Details

• XJ220 racer received various tweaks and modifications to become road-legal again
• Don Law Racing had to look for parts to replace missing ones
• The car gained fresh black paint and original decals from the Fast Masters

Converting the racer into a road-legal model would mean making an XJ220 restomod — restoring the car to its operational state while modifying several elements to comply with legal requirements. However, Don Law Racing decided to give the XJ220 a look similar to its Fast Masters campaign. This decision aimed to bring justice to its demise in the crash-mastering contest.

Since this XJ220 racer is originally derived from a road car, converting it back to street-legal wasn’t a problem for Don Law Racing. They only needed to tweak and modify some elements of the racer to achieve this goal. Additionally, Don Law Racing had to replace the missing parts to make the 16-foot-long XJ220 operational once again.

To make the XJ220 look like new, Don Law Racing covered it with fresh coats of glossy black paint. This made the Jaguar racer appear as if it had just come off the factory floor. The only things covering the black glossy exterior of the XJ220 were its racing stickers.

Interestingly, Don Law Racing managed to obtain original yet unused Fast Masters stickers and decals. The combination of the glossy black exterior and the fresh sets of Fast Masters decals was the perfect touch that this now-legal XJ220 desperately needed.

New Owner Grabs This XJ220 From Don Law Racing

The Jaguar XJ220 Finds A New Home

• Interior now matches the exterior
• XJ220 still sporty enough for track days
• Don Law Racing developed new tires for the XJ220
• A US buyer purchased this car from Don Law Racing

Don Law Racing also stripped the gray interior of the Jaguar XJ220 and transformed it into something that matches the glossy exterior. The cabin is now black, featuring Recaro seats and a dashboard covered in Alcantara. To maintain the sporty purity of the XJ220, Don Law Racing removed its carpets. While road-legal, this XJ220 can still visit circuits and compete on the track. This is why the Jaguar classic racer features racing seats with harnesses.

However, this XJ220 faced challenges with new tires. According to Justin, they ran out of tires for the XJ220 and had to settle for the old stock of the original rubber. They essentially cannot buy new tires. To address this issue, Don Law Racing developed XJ220-specific tires using their own compounds. So far, the new tires have been holding up, allowing Don Law Racing to bring and drive the racer on the track. Don Law Racing had already sold this XJ220 to a buyer from the United States. The new owner had to sell his Jaguar XJR-15 to finance his XJ220 collector’s dream

Source: Mr. JWW on YouTube, The Marshall Pruett Podcast, Jaguar