[ Owning a Jaguar XK150]

John Colley, Derbyshire

As well as shooting this one, photographer John Colley also owns an XK150 FHC himself. ‘It was a California car, originally red with a black interior but changed to Indigo with grey when it was restored before I bought it. I’ve had it ten years,’ he explains.

‘I’ve reverted back to the original 16-inch wheels – there was a time when you couldn’t get tyres for them – but other than that I haven’t had to do anything other than basic maintenance. And it gets used – I’ve taken it to northern France five times now, where it really excels.

‘I prefer it to the E-type I used to own. It’s old-fashioned to drive with its separate chassis and live rear axle, but there’s more room in it than an E-type, it’s easier to drive, better value, and you can get all the bits for it. I’d consider adding power steering though, and the bonnet aperture shape makes it difficult to work on – but then I don’t often need to.’

Roger Learmonth, Sussex

‘In the mid-eighties I lived in Houston, Texas, and bought an XK150S,’ says Roger Learmonth. ‘At first I wasn’t overly impressed. The saving grace was a rust-free body and the fact it was cheap, but the other bits were pretty worn-out. Two new fuel pumps, replacement of ignition bits and three SU carburettor rebuild kits later and it finally burst into life, but wouldn’t get into gear – the clutch plate was stuck...

‘I brought the car back to England and we’ve since covered 30,000 miles together. The car went into XK Motorsport for a major rebuild by Brian Stevens in January 1995; by mid-april my daughter Sarah and I were competing in rallies. My only travesty is fitting a Toyota five-speed gearbox, because the original Moss was getting rather notchy and some parts are virtually unobtainable.’

Jonnie Rockingham Smith, Hampshire

‘I had modern two-seater Astons, but I have a five-year-old boy so I needed something more practical,’ says RAF helicopter pilot Jonnie Rockingham Smith. ‘I went looking for a 2+2 Austin-healey, but they were in poor condition and are very small cars, so my search led me to a 1960 Cotswold Blue XK150 fhc.

‘It was in full race fettle when I got it – it won its class on the 2009 London-casablanca, and still had sand in its carpets. That was part of the appeal – I wanted something to use. I’ve since had it made more practical, with a bespoke rear seat fitted in the back for my son by Twyford Moors.’