A few months back I introduced myself and the 1953 XK 120 FHC that my father recently signed over to me. As I mentioned then, my father purchased the car in 1966, when I was 4 months old. He spent 17 years restoring it, and some of my earliest memories are of the car. My childhood was hardly one of tumult, but it was perhaps the most enduring part of my life (other than music). He finished it when I was just graduating high school and 40 years later, unable to drive anymore, passed it on to me.

My father was an airline mechanic, and a skilled one. But he was not overly concerned with originality, and when he bought the car it was virtually worthless (he paid $300 for it, saving it from the junkyard). It was barely drivable and the restoration would require major components from other cars. Neither the engine, chassis, nor complete body have anything in common with each other, but for being original Jaguar.

The main body he used was J 3201. The engine is a later, 3.8L power plant, 8418-8. The chassis number is 681181, and the gearbox number is JL 16785.

My father made numerous non-standard modifications to the car, both functional and aesthetic. He also completed every aspect of the restoration himself, from bodywork, to engine and gearbox overhaul, to paint, making the dashboard (out of teak) stitching the upholster and headliner. He painted the car himself in the garage our home in Cupertino, California, applying and wet sanding over 15 coats of lacquer. Any Jaguar "originalist" will see manifold deviations from what the car would have looked like when it left Coventry in the early 50s. The paint color, interior color, dash, and "watch cased" threshold plates are but a few of the aesthetic changes. Mechanically it's largely "Jaguar correct" but for the later powerplant, and twin SU fuel pumps.

The car had not been driven much in the past 10 years due to my father's age, and unsuitability of Bay Area traffic, but he did put a good amount of hours on her over the past 40 years. The Hobbs meter reads over 600 hours.

When I brought her home, the brake MC was nearly inoperable (yes, it was a sketchy drive) and after a rebuild failed to fix the problem, I purchased a new one from Moss, installed it, and the car now has brakes that operate like a drum brake fitted XK 120 should, which is to say "not great."

My father taught me a lot about aviation, jazz, the Battle of Britain, WWII, and Jaguars. The 120 was one of three Big Cats he owned, along with a Series II E-Type coupe, and a 420. While I chose to go Italian in my collection, the 120 will always be the most prized of my material possessions, for it is my father's legacy and represents everything that he taught me, and believed in.j

I'm proud to be her current custodian, and sad only that when I am gone, I will have no one to leave it to.













-tj in the Cruz Mtns

 

Hey Noto, great car -- great legend to go with! Thanks so much for sharing!

 

A car to be proud of !
It might be prudent if you're driving a lot in modern traffic, to upgrade the brakes to discs as were fitted to the XK150.

 

Thanks for the kind words and responses. Apologies for the delayed response.

I am in the middle of an 11 year restoration of my 1900C SS so I’m loathe to get involved in any major work on the XK. I understand the appeal of disc brakes, but I will most likely leave her just as she is.



-tj in the Cruz Mtns