Broadly Speaking

Jim Patten revisits a father and son XK parts business

Guy Broad really didn't stand a chance. His father Jeremy had been around cars, Jaguars in particular, well before Guy had seen his first Dinky toy. But even earlier than that, grandfather John had been travelling around the circuits competing in ERAs, Gullwing Mercedes and the odd Ferrari with some considerable success. Jeremy was responsible for the Jaguar interest, convincing father John that junior should have an XK120 to learn to drive in!

Broad outline

Guy's formative years were also spent around these wonderful cars with weekends usually at a race circuit or hillclimb where the ol' man might be scorching up Prescott in a 'C' type. At that sort of early age information is absorbed like spilt red wine into a white tablecloth. Without realising it, Guy was laying down a basic understanding of Jaguars, mainly XK Jaguars, that would form the perfect foundation for building on in later years.

Eventually the time arrived when all young lads make their way in the big world and Guy was sent off to make his career in a decidedly non-motoring environment. It lasted just days. Despair at being separated from the comfortable Jaguar surroundings proved too much and he was soon back working where he was happiest.

He spent some time with Jaguar specialist Olaf P Lund before pushing off for America where he worked for Bill Welsh, again another Jaguar parts specialist. After 2 years in the States, with a vastly improved knowledge of the make up of many Jaguar models, he returned to the UK, ready and confident to go it alone. Starting in a low key way in Solihull, the business began to grow.

In the meantime Jeremy had been selling cars, again, mainly XK Jaguars as he had done in the 1960s but as an aside to this he would often take a trailer load of spares along to the various Jaguar events. There was some real gems in that old trailer. For Jeremy it seemed more like a social event than any sort of business; maybe it was, leaving Guy to add the organizational element.

Jeremy Broad stomping up Prescott in a 'C' type. In the far background a small child is in his mother's arms. That's Guy.
Photo by Guy Griffiths

Guy Broad Spares continued to expand to such an extent that a move was forced upon the company. In 1992 new premises were found, almost within tunnelling distance of the Jaguar factory. Jeremy decided to join in as it was obvious that Guy had become very serious about the XK parts business. The main goal now was to build up the stock levels to a point where every part for every XK was kept. In an age when modern car manufacturers adopt the Japanese system of keeping bare minimum, it is a very brave decision to make. The amount of capital tied up in parts as well as that for re-manufacturing is considerable. It's not a situation where you can just call up a supplier and have a handful of items delivered; in this game, if you want something you usually need to have it made yourself.

Have you got it? How much is it? When can I have it? "Around the Midlands there is a terrific cottage industry with some very switched-on people. Relatively low production runs can be done but it is expensive," says Guy about the remanufacture side of the business. He has about 200 new part suppliers, along with the existing companies, making somewhere between 3,500-4,000 parts. All of these need controlling with an eye constantly on quality control. One part alone could involve three specialist Component suppliers!

All of the tooling has to be paid for and initiated. Also, as the tool wears so it has to be replaced. Occasionally a company may go out of business and that often means the tooling goes with it and so the whole process has to be repeated with a new supplier. This is without adding new lines.

The sheer number of parts involved is like trying to guess how many ping-pong balls would stretch around Le Mans; both make you dizzy thinking about it. "If somebody is restoring an XK150 at home, he doesn't want to know about problems related to getting the boot locks right, he just wants to order them. It's up to us to supply his complete order," is how Guy feels about his customers' needs. Complications set in with the number of changes within one model. Like the fact that there are three versions of XK120 sidescreens.

It's all in the blood. Here, grandfather John keeps his ER.A. in front of Nobbie Spero's 2.9 Maserati in the 1955 Seaman Trophy.

Obviously, nineties technology can help a bit here and there, such as with the dreadful XK120 tandem brake master cylinders which always leak. Take it from one who knows. A modern replacement has been found that will sit behind the original cover ending all previous troubles. Disc brake conversions are available too, to convert XK120's and XK140's from drum brakes or update XK150's to 3-pot calipers. All parts are fully tested and backed with product liability insurance.

Perhaps one area that is giving some cause for worry relates to gearboxes. The internals from any Moss gearbox will fit as an entire assembly, but even the youngest is 30 years old. It's the gears that are the problem. Bearings, seals and needle rollers are plentiful. When demand is sufficient, the need will be met but it will not be cheap.

Ultimately, you are only as good as your staff. Guy Broad Spares are lucky to have a dedicated team. Here Graham Hopper taps into the computer to check for a part. Everything is listed on the computer and constantly upgraded.

What cannot be supplied new is usually available second-hand. There have been instances where XKs have been broken for spares but only where the car is beyond sensible restoration. That does not apply to the XK120 as these are invariably restored. Used parts have a full money-back guarantee. Guy keeps his own private collection of spares, a one-off of every original part he can get his hands on. This not only provides a data base for re-manufacture, it also adds a bit of interest. If he has two then the other is for sale.

Many parts are available on an exchange basis, such as instruments, distributors, starters and dynamos etc. "The trouble is, people do not send back their old units, no matter how much surcharge we place on it. I wish they would," Guy pleads desperately. What people fail to realise is that by failing to return the old unit, they are taking a valuable part out of the system, possibly denying help to others. On a lighter note, Guy reckons to have sold about 250 chassis-worth of suspension bushes without selling a similar number of shiny body parts. He can only conclude from this that there is an awful lot of rolling chassis in garages around the world. Chassis are now available as ready to use and priced at between Ł2,000 Ł2,500.

This year the company is more determined than ever to increase the number of parts available. For instance, the next item to be produced will be the early XK120 & XK140 oil pump. For years this has been unavailable and engine builders have had to look for the best second-hand one they could find. Fortunately, they have been lucky so far but that luck is running out.

There is no magic formula to success, it's just a question of trying to provide what the customer wants. If something is wrong then Guy wants to know about it. The most valuable tool he can use is feedback. If a part is slightly out or does not look like fitting, he needs to know about it. There may be a change in production so far unknown, or it may be that a supplier needs keeping on his toes. To make life easier for everyone the ordering system is done along the lines that Jaguar intended, using the original part number. "What's the point in dreaming up a completely new set of numbers when Jaguar have already done it for us. If restorers tackle their job with a parts book, then we all know what we're talking about."

Catalogues are available for all models, including one for competition parts and accessories, so if you need to know more contact Guy Broad Parts, Broadacres, Wall Hill Road, Corley, Coventry CV7 8AD. Tel: 01676 541980. Fax: 01676 542427.