8|JaguarWorld/July2 019
NEWS
GANDY’SXK1 20
After2,700hours,JaguarClassichas
completedabespokeXK 12 0sportscar
restorationthatwascommissionedby
renownedBritishmodelandlife-long
Jaguarenthusiast,DavidGandy.
FollowingabrieftomaketheXKrace-
readyforclassicmotorsporteventssuch
astheJaguarClassicChallenge,thecar’s
specificationisinspiredbytheoriginalXK
12 0Lightweight.
SaidGandy,“HavingdrivenaJaguar
XK 12 0attheMilleMigliain 2013 and
2014 ,IknewIwantedtoownoneofthese
incrediblyspecialcars.TheteamatJaguar
Classichasdonesucharemarkablejob
engineeringthiscarandexecutingeverything
thatIaskedfor.Itwasamazingtohavesuch
anin-depthinvolvementinitscreation.”
JaguarClassic’sexpertscarriedout
the 11 -monthprojectatitsWarwickshire
ClassicWorksfacilityinclosecollaboration
withGandy,afteritssourcingteamtracked
downasuitable 1954 basecarinCalifornia,
USA.Asmuchoftheoriginalcaraspossible
hasbeenretained.
Thein-linesix-cylinderunitwas
meticulouslyrebuiltoverfive-and-a-half
months,withaperformanceupgradefrom
theoriginal 18 0bhpoutputto225bhp.Items
toenhancedurabilityforhigherspeeds
includecoreplugsthatfeaturesteelbracing
sothattheydonotdislodge,whileanall-
new,upgradedexhaustsystemfeaturesdual
pipesinsteadoftheusualsinglepipe.
Furtherimprovementsincludeafaster-
shiftingracing-stylegearbox,which
ismoredurableunderhighstresses,
andupratedbrakes–thefrontset-up
nowfeaturesdiscbrakeswithfour-pot
caliperswhiletherearretainstheoriginal
refurbisheddrumbrakes.Thesuspension
featuresfullyadjustabledampers,allowingtheClassicteamtofine-tunethehandling
forspecificevents.
Thesolidblackexteriorismadeupof
13 litresandfourcoatsofpaint.Additional
exteriorfeaturesincludearacing-inspired
flip-topfuelcap,whiletwinaeroscreens
–anotherfeaturesynonymouswiththe
XK 12 0Lightweight–havereplacedthe
originalsplit-screen.
Inside,thecarissimilarlyunique.
FinishedinAgedSaddletanleather,the
seatsareofabespokelatticedesignandthe
seatbacksarefinishedinaluminiumrather
thantheusualfabricmaterial.
Whiletwobatteriesusuallysitbehind
thedriver’sseat,forthiscartheClassic
teamhasputasinglebatterybehindthe
passengerseattofreeupspacebehindthe
drivertoenhancecomfort–Davidis6ft
2in.Thiswasalsoaconsiderationforthe
choiceofsteeringwheel,whichissmaller
thannormal,toprovidemorelegroom.