As recorded on the Jaguar Heritage trace certificate, XK120 roadster chassis number 660479 was completed on 18 December 1950 and dispatched on 12 January 1951 to Brylaws, Melbourne. The original colours of the car were cream with biscuit and red interior and a black convertible top. Registered in Victoria on 2 May 1951. The only early owner recorded was in 1954-1955 when it was registered in Victoria in the name of Ronald J. Lynch of Echuca. He was later to own XK120 OTSs 660167 and 660843 in the late 1950s. Acquired jointly around 1968-69 from her uncle (name not recorded) of Stanmore, Sydney, who was said to have owned the car since the 1950s (and may have been the first owner) and to have raced it on several occasions. However, this is unverified.

When seen in 1971, it was red, unregistered, had been accident damaged and was generally deteriorating. Les W. Higgins of Collaroy Plateau in Sydney acquired it in 1972-73 and started its restoration. He noted it had a hole through the left side of the engine bay for an extractor exhaust system, thought to have been fitted when the car was used in hillclimbs. Les was involved in a canoeing accident in NZ where he was drowned. By 1975 the car had been purchased from his estate by Doug Alton of Macquarie Fields, who regularly used the XK120 in historic racing. Sold late in 1982 to John Ferguson of Sydney who repainted it BRG.

Purchased by the current owners in 1985 and used sparingly by them, the car had deteriorated into below average condition until commissioning Concours Sportscar Restoration in 2012 to undertake a complete restoration. It was always the owners dream to restore the car in black, with a red interior and chrome wire wheels which is exactly how the car was restored. He also stated that the car would never see rain so he didn’t want any weather equipment fitted!

During the cars life, the engine had been swapped with a 3.8 from a Jaguar S Type and this engine was retained, but during the restoration it was completely rebuilt and all of the correct XK120 ancillaries (sump, inlet manifold and carburettors, distributer, etc) were sourced and used.  The chassis, body and gearbox numbers are all correct and matching the ID plate.

The original engine was sighted at Gordon Oldfield’s workshop in Brookvale, Sydney, in 1991. In 2007 the entire engine was advertised for sale in Sydney by Peter Stokes of Brookvale, in pieces and in need of a full overhaul, and sold to Dr Paul Drysdale of Norwood, Adelaide, SA who had it fully rebuilt by Jaguar specialist Mike Roddy and until recently, used it as a display sitting alongside his XK120 660368 (also restored by Concours Sportscar Restoration). Paul saw us advertising the car for sale and offered the engine to us on the condition it was reunited with 660479, which we have now done, making the car once again a fully numbers matching car!

During the restoration, every conceivable component of the XK120 was restored, rebuilt or where necessary, replaced. The extensive restoration was completed in 2020 and due to the failing health of the owner, was used only very occasionally for short drives and the car has covered just 600 miles since.

Concours Sportscar Restoration has just completed a full major service of the car which presents magnificently.