A Seven Week Wonder

From chassis to restored car in just seven weeks.
Jim Patten looks at the impossible XK120

While the chassis was being dressed with suspension and other parts the body was fitted to a jig and then sent to the paint shop.

The chassis was in perfect order and hanging on the running gear was a pretty routine affair. However, before getting too involved, the body was fitted and trued up. When the fit was perfect it was removed, placed on a jig and sent off to the paint shop. That left the chassis free for its work. C.F.S. Motors next door got on with the job of building the engine up, sourced from an XK140 with the later oil pump.

The 'C' type cylinder head and rough-cast 2in SU carburettors top an XK140 engine block. To help the cooling system an expansion tank has been added to the radiator.

Guy in the meantime looked at the gearbox. The BMW 535 box is more compact than Getrag's Jaguar application and what's more, the gear linkage could be altered to place the lever in the perfect position. An adapter plate between the gearbox casing and the bell-housing united the box to the engine, keeping the normal XK mechanical clutch linkage in the process. A special spigot bush was made to carry the BMW first motion shaft in the crankshaft while a regular BMW clutch plate worked inside a Jaguar pressure plate. As the rear gearbox mount took some fiddling to get the engine angle correct, another rear engine mount was added, just like on the XK150.

The purist may have to sit down here and maybe have a restorative shot of Glenfiddich: that's a five-speed BMW gearbox mated to the XK bell-housing.

A Bell exhaust system was chosen, single front pipe, dual from the box back so that it could pass through the XK120 chassis rather than hang below. The standard XK120 rear lever arm dampers were abandoned in favour of the telescopic types of the 140/150. To do the job right the chassis was modified as per the later cars. The seats had been dispatched to Suffolk & Turley with a warning that the rest would soon be following and that a speedy turn around was essential.

True wind in the hair aero screens are great for short distances but can become tiresome after a while. The slightly smaller steering wheel leaves a bit more room for the knees!

With the chassis now dressed, the body returned ready to be laid in place. At this point a gang of four worked on the car, each performing a different task fitting the wiring loom, hanging the boot furniture and locks. One frustrating job was getting the front bumpers in perfect line (I can testify to that!), while the hours ticked away remorsely. Then the car was at last ready for trim, with just one week to go. Suffolk & Turley did their usual faultless job, returning the car with a day to spare. That day was spent running the car in for its MoT and, being a US import, sorting out the registration. With the registration procedure in motion, the car was loaded on a trailer and made its debut at Goodwood, exactly to plan. Jaguar World got a chance to see the car a few weeks later now fully registered and ready for the road. My first impression of the car was, yes, that's the XK I would like to own. The silver coachwork showed off the elegant lines to good effect with the Pirelli-shod Borrani wheels, aero screens and louvered bonnet giving the air of a serious club racer. Period driving lamps contribute to the feel. The cockpit looked gorgeous, Suffolk & Turley having done a really magnificent job. The only move from standard here was the number '5' on top of the gear-knob. A standard XK gear lever had been used with the fifth gear position neatly added. Guy took the wheel first of all, leaving me with the memorable sound of the sucking H8 SUs audible through the louvered bonnet. With no screen to deflect the sound, the big carbs hissed and gushed in tune with the engine note. The gutsy 3.4 XK unit sounded wonderful through the Bell silencer. Not so harsh as the true competition system but neither was it muted as with the standard single. It was soon my turn to have a go as the engine reached temperature. A pair of Achilles heels had certainly been removed, the awkward Moss gearbox and the close-to-dangerous braking system. Selecting first gear was a short positive motion completely free of audible accompaniment. Everything else was as familiar as my own car, steering, clutch and what's this, proper brakes. Discs all round with big 3-pot calipers on the front using early XJ6 pads. I fluffed the first few gear-changes as there is a spring bias to the change and left-hand drive meant changing gear with the right hand. Once accustomed, the selection became an absolute joy. Running a 4.09:1 rear axle ratio the power is more available through a greater range too. With a freshly-built engine, we were limited to 3,000rpm and a degree of respect as the car had barely covered 100 miles! Even within these restrictions, it was clear that this car was a pleasure giver. The Harvey-Bailey handling kit adding a little spice to an already hot package. There was never any intention to keep this XK. Guy and Jeremy Broad have an alloy XK120 apiece and so this creation would always be sold. And sell it did almost immediately for an undisclosed but tidy sum. Guy admitted the project could only have been done by somebody with his set-up. With his and Jeremy's knowledge and a shelf full of parts, all new and at hand, it became more of an assembly line job. There was of course the other advantage that starting with just a chassis, there was no car to take apart and no rust to deal with. So confident is the company of their stock list and quality of component fit that they are on another project, this time an XK150. If only to spare a little thought for their workforce and friends, they are allowing a bit longer than seven weeks though! Guy Broad Spares are at Broadacres, Corley, Coventry, CV7 8AD. Tel: 01676 541980. Fax: 01676 542427. Trim by Suffolk & Turley, Kelsey Close, Attleborough Fields Ind. Estate, Nuneaton, Warks. Tel: 01203 381429. Fax; 01203 350765. Engine rebuilt by: C.F.S. Motors, The Workshop, Dadleys Wood, Wall Hill Road, Corley, Coventry CV7 8AD. Tel: 01676 541917; Fax: 01676 542315.