13 - 12 - 85 683.452 The Archibald Jaguar on its way to recording fastest time for a saloon car at the Gebbies Pass Gold Star hillclimb in November 1962 Jagua From previous 08g "I could see that I couldn't maintain superiority in the Jaguar and I wanted to keep racing a car we were selling. "There was not much point in racing against a car that was going to beat it. The jaguar was such a heavy car and couldn't really be lightened. "For the next few years the Lotus Cortina was the top racing saloon. They built them in very specialist form with alloy panels - light and very quick." Favourite But he admits Jaguar is still his favourite marque. "I have always been so closely associated with Jaguar." Mr Archibald and a brother used to travel to the Jaguar factory every two or three years when the cars were imported direct from the manufacturer. There they met the Jaguar chief, the late Sir William Lyons. "We maintained a close personal relationship with all the people at Jaguar, which was very good r man retires made and the people who made them. "It was good to be able to tell them first hand information." Jaguar's new managing director, Mr John Egan, is behind the company's resurgence in recent years, he soduce and this is overe Jaguar used to fall down because they were let down by their component manufacturers, who did not always produce reliable equipment. JAGUAR "The remarkable thing is that they haven't changed their car much since 1969. The engine dates back to the XK120." He describes Jaguar's first and second placing in the Australian Bathurst race as fantastic. After 40 years in the motor trade, Mr Archibald's collection of cars is limited to a few favourites. He still owns the factory-modified 3.8 Jaguar. an Alfa Romeo Spyder. and has a half-share with his brother, conversion of his one hectare at Clifton Hill from gorse and broom to native bushland and forest. He remains a keen skier, plays squash regularly and is keen on jetboating. His wife, Kate, is a former national women's jet-boating champion. Mr Archibald has spent the past three years assisting Mr Fairhall, who took over then as managing director. On December 16 his working days will be over. But it is safe to say Ray Archibald will again find his way to the race track. His 1962 Jaguar, the only one of its type in the country, is now a regular contender at Country Gents' race meetings. Advances in technology have even made their way on to this car. Last year he raced on low profile tyres. which made it faster and handle better. And last week he drove around Ruapuna in the Archibald's-sponsored Group A BMW driven by Trevor Crowe. "It's an absolutely magnificent car to drive," he says. But racing this BMW in his days on the track would have been boring. he 806.720 On the way to a saloon car victory at the Lady Wigram Trophy meeting in 1963.