Vehicle Description
Jaguar XK120 Competition Roadster.
This very well-known XK120 was built in early 1951 and sold new
through the Birmingham distributors P J Evans to its first owner Mr
Dennis O'M Taylor. Taylor was an enthusiastic race and rally driver
who between 1951 and 1953 campaigned the car extensively, indeed he
competed so regularly that one Autosport article referred to him as
the "ubiquitous" Denis Taylor.
By way of illustration, Taylor, a good friend of Ian Appleyard,
competed in over 20 National and International Rallies over this
period and achieved strong finishes in most including a second
overall in the International Rally Soleil Cannes in 1951, an
outright victory in the Clacton Rally the same year and a first in
class in the Daily Express Rally in 1952. All these successes,
which were often documented in the motoring press of the time, did
not go unnoticed and Taylor was awarded the BTDA Silver Star Award
in 1952.
In addition to his Rallying exploits, Taylor also had a very
accomplished circuit racing and hill climbing career in the XK with
over nine appearances at Silverstone and many more at Prescott and
Shelsley Walsh, where he again scored multiple victories and set
many fastest times of the day.
After three years of hard competition Taylor acquired a Triumph TR2
and eventually sold his XK, which subsequently passed to a Mr John
Grist in late 1957, by which time it had acquired the period
performance modifications of a C-Type head and 2 inch Sandcast
Carburettors, both of which it retains to this day. After passing
through the hands of a few more owners LOE 409 was eventually
exported to the United States in the early 1970s where it continued
to compete, participating in many JCNA meetings at Lime Rock as
well as numerous concours events throughout New England. More
recently it also took part in the Grand Ascent Hill Climb at
Hershey before being repatriated to the UK by a Jaguar collector
and historian.
Following its acquisition by JD Classics it is currently undergoing
a full chassis off restoration, which will be completed by the
autumn of 2017. It will be delivered in its original colour scheme
of Black with Biscuit and Red interior and finished to a similar
specification as our recently sold XK120 roadster TAL 81. With a
fabulous period competition record and accompanied by a large
history file with numerous period photographs and competition
reports it provides a very rare opportunity to acquire a genuine
competition roadster that is eligible for all prestigious historic
events including the Mille Miglia. Please contact us for further
details. UNDER OFFER
�
Partial competition history
�
1951
April
Rally Soleil Cannes
2nd overall
�
June
RAC Rally
Finished
�
June
Morecombe Rally
3rd overall, 1st in class
�
July
Evian Mont Blanc Rally
1st in Monnetier Hill Climb
�
11th August
Silverstone
2nd
�
September
East Anglian MC Clacton Rally
1st overall
�
September
London Rally
Best time in special test
�
1st September
Silverstone
1st in heat, 2nd in final
�
8th September
Silverstone
1st class award in 1 hour high speed trial, 3rd in scratch race
�
9th September
Prescott
�
22nd September
Shelsley Walsh
3rd (team result)
�
23rd September
Westwood Park Speed Trials
1st
�
November
Daily Express Rally
2nd in class
�
1952
March-April
RAC Rally
Finished
�
April
Rally Soleil Cannes
1st in class
�
May
Morecambe Rally
�
May
Edinburgh Rally
1st class award
�
June
Scottish Rally
�
14th June
Shelsley Walsh
1st in class
�
28th June
Silverstone
3rd
�
July
MAC Welsh Rally
2nd
�
July
Evian Mont Blanc Rally
�
10th August
Prescott
3rd in class
�
6th September
Silverstone
3rd
�
September
East Anglian MC Clacton Rally
1st in class
�
November
Daily Express Rally
1st in class
�
BTDA Silvers Star Award
�
1953
April
Rally Soleil Cannes
2nd in class, fastest Jaguar
�
May
Morecambe Rally
�
May
RSAC Coronation Rally
4th in class, 9th overall
�
6th June
Shelsley Walsh
4th
�
20th June
Silverstone
1st
�
27th June
Silverstone
1st
�
29th August
Silverstone
�
5th September
Silverstone
3rd
�
November
Daily Express Rally
3rd in class
�
