Rolled edges all along the bodyline

More or less standard interior except for Motolita wheel. I also have a set of buckets that make a more sporty impression.

The car was originally imported into the UK in 1988 and the owner before me kept and used her extensively for nearly twenty years. He instigated a number of mechanical upgrades including a blueprinted 3.8 litre engine, all round disc brakes, a five-speed gearbox, a telescopic rear damper conversion and a Powrlok diff. Having acquired the car in its already desecrated state, I had little compunction in converting to right hand steering courtesy of a ‘150 rack and pinion set up as well as fitting a vastly improved pedal box with cable throttle. The rear end has also been uprated with a Panhard rod and a few other tweaks. She goes and stops rather well.

If anyone knows more or has any information about the history, I would be very pleased to hear from them. RogerLearmonth@btinternet.com

Frontal view shows headlamps Frenched into the front apron. It’s certainly different.

The documented evidence shows that a standard XK120, chassis 671149, produced in May’51 was dispatched to a German distributor who most likely passed the car to its first owner, a US serviceman in the Dusseldorf area. We do not know for sure but it is also likely that he returned with his car to America at the end of his posting. At that point the trail peters out. The hearsay evidence tells us that at some time in the late fifties the car was modified to more or less its current form by the George Barris organisation of Hollywood.

Having seen several dozen examples of George Barris’ work, mainly conversions of the US domestic product, I’m not too impressed. William Lyons on the other hand was a genius and very few modifiers have bettered his designs. I hesitate therefore to laud Mr Barris’ efforts (if so they were) but I have to admit the treatment of the rather slab sided XK design isn’t too bad. The sides on the Barris car have been nicely curved at the bottom along the entire length of the coachwork. The changes have achieved quite a pleasing effect. For me, the jury is out on the success of removing the XK’s trademark headlamp nacelles and replacing them by Frenching the lights into the front apron, but I have seen worse. The rear lamps have also been semi-Frenched and the result is rather Healeyesque but not unattractive.

Some of the modifications are quite subtle and I’m unsure if they should be credited to Barris or to later body shops that have worked on the car over the years. The wheels, for instance, are of fifteen and not sixteen inches diameter and the arches have had their radii changed to match the revision; a nice touch.

Barris & Other Custom XKs

Boot modified a la 140/150. Rear lights semi-Frenched

Bored to 3.8 with twin 2” HD8 SUs. Note studless cam covers. 140/150 type ali radiator

Racing pedal box. I think the brake and clutch pedals are a little too close together

Right: I tried a set of Minilites. I think they make the car look  quite racy  but I don’t think they suit the character of a fifties car.  I’ve gone back to  wires.