A String of successes by Duncan Hamilton OKV 1 and SHELL X-100 motor oil

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A string of successes by Duncan Hamilton OKV 1 and SHELL X-100 motor oil

OKV 1 (a 31 litre D-type Jaguar) and J. Duncan Hamilton (a native of Berkshire and an engineer with a 10-year record of high speed in the Fleet Air Arm and racing cars) first joined forces at Le Mans in 1954. OKV 1 was one of the works cars, and quite new to the circuit. Duncan Hamilton, on the other hand, had won the 1953 Grand Prix d’Endurance, sharing the wheel of a C-type with Tony Rolt, Who was again his partner in 1954. They finished a close second to the 4.9 litre Ferrari, covering 2519.52 miles-at a speed of 105.98 m.p.h.

The same drivers and car followed this up 3 weeks later with a second place in the Rheims 12 Hours at 100.90 m.p.h. Having led all the way, they were beaten by a similar works Jaguar 15 minutes from the finish after they had sustained damage to their rear axle through being run into from behind.

After the 1954 season, Duncan Hamilton bought ()KV 1 for his own use and took her to North Africa to run in the sports car Grand Prix at Dakar. He was reaching a speed of 183 m.p.h. on the straight, but lost ground through having to make a pit-stop and finished 3r4. He then proceeded to win the Coupe de Paris -and the .Coupe du Salon at MOntlhery and the Johnson Trophy at Goodwood.

He ran third at the G.P. of Portugal in 1955, a.id has won nearly all Of the races he entered in this country during the past two years.

In OKV 1 and all his Cars, touring and racing, Duncan Hamilton uses Shell X-100 motor oil (for OKV 1, grade 30 in Europe, 40 in Dakar). This is the same oil as you get at your garage–no special racing brew. Duncan Hamilton says “I’ve never had a moment’s :anxiety about the lubrication of my engines : in fact I’ve fOrgotten what it was like to worry about lubrication—even at 1$3 m.p.h. in the scorching African sun! “