1951 Jaguar XK120 in Maldon, Essex,

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