YOUR CARS: XK140

Over the past six years, I have realised that there is a clear rite of passage every XK owner/restorer must pass through on his or her way to resurrecting one of these iconic (in the true sense of the word) motor cars.

This, the perennial question as to whether one should ‘preserve, warts and all’ or ‘modify’, was brought into focus by Roger Learmonth in the July issue, outlining the modifications he has chosen to make to his beautiful XK120. I hope a brief followup piece on the next model along – the ’140 – will support some of his decisions, whilst giving a different view of some of the answers. We have to remember that driving in the 1950s was very different to driving today, so the solutions we choose have to be considered in the light of how we intend to use the car.