This XK120, finished in Black with spats is emblematic of how good one of these cars can look. The quality of the paint and body work needs to be of the highest standard when in black, and we can report that this is the case with this car. Itis straight down the sides with clean lines and panel fitment throughout. The awards and 99+ point JCNA judging sheets will confirm the deep glass like finish to the paint and overall presentation. For a 20+ year old restoration it has held up very well and remains show worthy to this day.

The glass is a mixture of original and replacement. Basically the only original piece of glass is that of the rear window which still bears the TriPlex insignia along with some blemishes as to be expected from the age. All of the other glass on the car we can assume was replaced when the car was restored and is of an unknown maker. Though they are clear and without issues.

The wheels are indicative of the age of the restoration. They present well overall and at a glance, but upon close inspection once can see some minor chips that have been touched up or a few minor chips noticeable along the wheel edge (likely from tire replacement). The trim rings and center caps are excellent overall, albeit with a few minor imperfections from age, but nothing that warrants refinishing.

The door edge on the driver side does have one or two pencil point sized chips. The grill top where it meets the bonnet shows a chip that was touched up. The bottom of the nose where the bonnet settles into the bonnet shows some cracking. The passenger side vent shows a small chip as well. Lastly, the trunk lid has a faint scuff on the edge where it passes by the bumperette (very common on XK120’s). It appears that the top of the passenger front fender, if viewed in the right light with a critical/trained eye, one car see some minor aging in the paint in the form of primer shrinkage mostly - most people will never see this. All things considered, these are very minor and do not warrant any attention and we would still consider this car to be a competitive show entrant.

The interior matches the rest of the vehicle with one goal in mind - winning JCNA events. The surfaces and finishes are correct throughout with no major issues or inconsistencies to note. The door cards, carpet set, leather, wood dash fascia and interior trim are all nicely restored and holding up well. The only notable flaws are some scratching on the sill and some minor wear on the drivers side bolster area. The headliner, center console area, under the dash and parcel shelf are all nicely appointed as well.

Just about everything was in correct working order with the exception of the interior cabin lighting and the heater blower motor. Otherwise all knobs, pulls and switches appeared to be in correct working order.

The engine bay is very well tended to and remains show worthy. The careful addition of a few items, such as the cooling fan, some upgraded wire connectors and the cooling expansion tank may take away from points if shown. But this car has plenty of accolades already and the recent service was completed with reliable driving in mind. The engine bay is otherwise adorned with correct coatings, clamps, hardware and accessories and shows as correctly as one could hope for. A very well restored and cared for engine bay.

Upon opening the trunk, onc can see the same quality as the interior and engine bay. It is clean and attention to detail from the restoration is apparent. Removing the fitted luggage reveals the proper trunk mat and finishes. With all of the tools, jack, spare and other accessories present in their factory positions.

The underside is indicative of a proper “body off” restoration. There is no component that was left untouched and the underside remains show quality down to replicated factory markings and correct hardware. Minor blemishes from careful use may be present but overall it is impressive.

The trunk light is not functioning at the moment and the stay where the prop rod goes has put a small scratch into the liner. As well as in the engine bay, the porcelain exhaust manifolds have started to show spider cracks as is typical with these cars.

The engine starts easily, starts on choke and comes off as intended automatically. It holds strong oil pressure throughout the rev range and remains cool (though we have not used this car extensively). There are no abnormal noises, no smoke and the vehicle operates as intended as far as we have been able to test.

The 4-speed Moss Box operates as well as designed with no issues noted.

The brakes work very well and are properly tuned with no pulling from side to side present and the suspension is firm but functioning correctly with no concerning noises present.

The tires are Vredestein Sprint Classic 185HR16’s 93H on all 5 wheels dated for 2019 and appear to be nearly new with limited use.

XK120’s offer Jaguar’s first post-war driving experience and the genesis to the XK and the later E-Type line of sports cars. This particular car does everything as expected of a show winner and was restored to win. However, while it does run and drive and benefits from a recent servicing this car is primed to be used while also retaining the qualifications to be shown. It feels good behind the wheel, but it also feels new, and we recommend that the next caretaker put some serious miles on this example to let it settle into a post-show routine of use and enjoyment. This is an impressive restoration that is now ready for spirited use.