XK 120 Fixed Head Coupe

After selling my precious Auburn and Lagonda in preparation for downsizing our living quarters of nearly twenty years, I have to admit to feeling a little depressed. My birthday came and went (2020) and as there was no sign of a sale, I decided that money in the bank was doing no good so I thought I might acquire either a ‘120 fixed head or a Series 1 E Type. I looked at a couple of Es, both hopeless and wildly overpriced. I then went to visit a dealer to examine what they reputed to be a fabulous, rally prepared XK 120. In truth it turned out to be a pile of junk with a cheap blow-over through which the original colour was clearly visible in too many places, not to mention the careless overspray and the rusting hindquarters. All in all, a dead loss.

I found two other fixed heads, one with a dealership in Hampshire and another for sale privately near Blandford Forum. Wife, Kathleen and I went off and made a jolly of a night away. The Hampshire car was pretty decent. Not my choice of colour but nicely set up with all the desirable custom bits like rack and pinion steering, a five-speed gearbox, a racing pedal box, disc brakes, an ali rad and a big Kenlow. I believe the car could have been acquired for a reasonable price and frankly, had the motor at Blandford not been what it turned out to be, I would have been happy to strike a deal. Somewhat ironically, the Somerset car was also left-handed and a shade (metallic emerald green), about which I’m not too keen.

More or less as soon it came home it went off to have some major modifications. I don’t get on with lefties so a righthand steering box  has been fitted. Right-handed pedal levers are almost impossible to find so we’ve put in an excellent set of Wilman pedals. We’ve also popped in a Toyota five-speed and clamped on a set of front discs. An ali radiator, Kenlow, expansion tank and an alternator had almost complete the work  (see below) .The £10K plus price tag for a repaint, has rather changed my mind about a colour change. In any event, the existing paint job is one of the best I’ve seen.

We took the car on its first long run when we joined the fifty other XKs that celebrated XK50. We avoided motorways  but caught in stand still traffic on the Oxford bypass and the A34. The XK behaved impeccably and we now have a lot of confidence in her. There’s nothing like using car to decide what needs doing and she has had three further useful  modifications. The mirrors at the end of the wings proved worse than useless and resulted in a couple of near misses so she had minor surgery and has had door  mirrors fitted. Single speed ‘120 windscreen wipers are notoriously useless and we have had the Twyford two speed modification fitted, which should make a significant difference. Kathleen doesn’t want to travel without seat belts and a set of inertia reels have been installed; easier to use than harnesses.

I have also had electric power steering fitted and although, in some circumstances  it feels a bit too light, on balance it’s been a success . The plan is to, next season use the car extensively.