JAGUAR XK140

With regard to your feature on Jock Speedy’s 1955 Jaguar XK140 ( NZ Classic Driver, November/December 2021), as a previous owner of this car I’d like to add a little more detail to this Jaguar’s history.

Greenlane car dealer, Noel Fava, purchased the car in 1972 but left it unregistered and untouched in his home garage for 16 years. In 1988, I purchased the car and registered it as XK140 at the Greenlane PO.

The car’s XK engine was removed in my workshop at Plunkett Avenue in Wiri and taken to Les Parkinson’s garage for a rebuild. At the time, Les didn’t have space to house the complete car. The engine’s C-Type cylinder head was found to be no good and so I purchased a straight port head plus twin 50mm SU HD8 carburettors from Peter

Blank’s Jaguar Spares in Hamilton. The rebuilt engine was then fitted to the car at Parkinson’s workshop. I also purchased and fitted XK150 power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes, these being supplied by Peter Blank.

The car was then returned to the road and for a spot of classic racing.

When it eventually became time to return the car back to its original state, I stripped off all the chrome parts and had them doubleplated by Kingsland Chrome Platers. The body was stripped and new paint was applied by Alex at Howick Panel and Spray Painters. The upholstery was reconditioned by a firm in Remuera, and new wire wheels and tyres were purchased from Jeff Hall Tyre Specialist in Wiri. Now looking a million dollars, the Jaguar was then sold to Rob McNair in 1996. Frank Beardsley, via email (Thanks for the additional information on the XK140, Frank – the work you carried out on this car still looks good! AGW)