Vehicle Description
This fabulous racing XK120 boasts an extensive period competition
history that spans over a decade from the early 1950s through to
the 1960s in addition to more recent successful appearances at the
Mille Miglia.
Constructed in late 1950 this original RHD roadster was registered
LOB908 in January of 1951 and delivered via P J Evans, the famous
Birmingham distributors, to Geoff Mansell, a well-known local
competitor. Mansell had initially started out in trials and
rallying but moved onto hill climbing and circuit racing, often
teaming up with other Midlands-based drivers such as Lew Tracey and
Denis O'M Taylor. Mansell wasted no time in putting LOB908 into
action with an appearance at Prescott in June of 1951 and two
meetings at Silverstone in August and September where he finished
4th on both occasions. He returned to hill climbing for latter part
of 1951 with further appearances at Prescott and at Shelsley
Walsh.
The beginning of the 1952 season saw Mansell venturing a little
further afield with an entry at Castle Combe in April before more
hill climbing and circuit racing at Prescott and Silverstone over
the summer. This pattern was to be repeated in 1953 and early in
1954 with the odd minor sprint and speed trail also featuring in
his calendar. During Mansell's tenure of ownership the car remained
in very standard trim with the exception of aero-screens, which
were fitted for circuit events, but by 1956 Mansell had
commissioned an HWM (XPA748) and the XK had been acquired by Robin
Sturgess who began a program of upgrading the car to keep it
competitive in the face of newer machinery. In addition to tuning
the engine and improving the brakes he also fitted a lightweight
Perspex wrap-around screen and re-painted the car Red from its
original Pastel Blue Metallic. Sturgess, of the famous Leicester
Jaguar dealership, was a very capable driver and campaigned LOB908
with some success over the next two years. At his hands the XK120
made its first appearances at Brands Hatch and Aintree as well as
at the more local Silverstone circuit. By 1959 Sturgess had proved
his ability and set his sights on a faster car, eventually buying
the ex-works C-Type from Mike Salmon, himself a former XK120
driver. LOB908's racing career did not end here however and it
subsequently found its way to Graham Williams, a Welsh racer who
had links with the RISCA Garages team. Williams had the engine
further uprated with a gas-flowed head and the block bored out to
3.8 Litres. In this form he campaigned the car at many Bentley &
Jaguar Drivers Club meetings, again mainly at Brands Hatch and
Silverstone. Reunited with the car at XK60, Williams recalled to a
previous owner that on one Boxing Day meeting at Brands Hatch he
had competed against Graham Hill and even met Steve McQueen in the
paddock at another event. While not racing he used the car as his
daily driver and even took it on his honeymoon, although
unfortunately picking up a parking ticket on his wedding night.
Like many XKs of the period LOB908 had by this time become a little
tired and by the mid-1960s had been sold off, eventually finding
its way to France. Repatriated in the mid-2000s it passed through
the hands of few well-known collectors before being acquired by JD
Classics in 2008 and restored to racing / rallying condition. 2009
saw the return of LOB908 to competition with appearances at the
Silverstone Classic and the Algarve Historic Festival at Portimao.
These were followed up with entries in the Mille Miglia in 2013,
where it was driven by Andy Wallace and Sir Chris Hoy as part of
the Jaguar Heritage Racing team, and 2014, successfully finishing
on both occasions.
Recently reacquired by JD Classics this well-campaigned Jaguar has
recently received a full refresh and now presents wonderfully in
the classic colours of British Racing Green with Black interior. It
is ready to race or rally and features a full competition engine, 2
inch sandcast carburettors, competition gearbox, competition
suspension and competition exhaust system. All the mechanicals,
suspension and wiring are to current FIA specification and the car
comes with a detachable roll cage, aero-screens, FIA HTP papers and
a fabulous history file. Furthermore it comes with the correctly
numbered early engine block which matches the factory build sheet.
An excellent opportunity to acquire a period competition roadster
which is eligible for all major events including the Mille
Miglia.
Please contact us for further details.
Partial Competition History
Period history
1951
June 16th
Prescott
Driver: G Mansell
�
August 11th
Silverstone
Driver: G Mansell
Position: 4th
�
September 1st
Silverstone
Driver: G Mansell
Position: 4th
�
September 9th
Prescott
Driver: G Mansell
�
September 20th
Shelsley Walsh
Driver: G Mansell
�
September 22nd
Prescott
Driver: G Mansell
�
1952
April 12th
Castle Combe
Driver: G Mansell
�
August 10th
Prescott
Driver: G Mansell
�
September 6th
Silverstone
Driver: G Mansell
�
September 14th
Prescott
G Mansell
�
1953
April 25th
Castle Combe
Driver: G Mansell
�
June 27th
Silverstone
Driver: G Mansell
�
September 5th
Silverstone
Driver: G Mansell
Position: 5th (Race 1), 4th (Race 2), 3rd (Formula Libre Race)
�
1954
August 29th
Shelsley Walsh
Driver: G Mansell
�
1956-1959
The car was bought by Robin Sturgess in 1956 and was raced
extensively over the next three years at circuits including Brands
Hatch, Silverstone and Aintree. The car was also raced against
Albert Powell at this time. During these three years the car was
re-painted red.
�
1958
October 4th
Silverstone
Driver: R Sturgess
�
Date TBC
Shelsley Walsh
Driver: R Sturgess
�
Date TBC
Silverstone
Driver: R Sturgess
�
1959
April 25th
Brands Hatch
Driver: R Sturgess
�
September 26th
Driver: R Sturgess
�
1960 - 1962
The vehicle was sold to a Mr Graham Williams, who raced it
extensively during his ownership at circuits such as Brands Hatch
and Silverstone.
�
1960
July 30th
Silverstone
Driver: G Williams
�
September 10th
Silverstone
Driver: G Williams
�
1961
August 5th
Silverstone
Driver: G Williams
�
September 9th
Silverstone
Driver: G Williams
�
December 26th
Brands Hatch
Driver: G Williams
�
Modern period
2009
July 27th
Silverstone Classic
Driver: N Jarvis
�
October 16th - 18th
Portimao
Driver: N Jarvis
�
2013
May 16th-19th
Mille Miglia
Drivers: A Wallace and Sir C Hoy (with Jaguar Heritage Racing)
�
2014
May 15th - 18th
Mille Miglia
Drivers: Dr S Rybczynski and M Stohr
