One to Buy: ex-Leslie Wood Scottish Rally-winning 1951 Jaguar XK120 OTS Roadster
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When XK120 production got underway in June 1949 (just eight months after the prototype had caused a sensation at the ‘48 London Motor Show), nothing could rival the new Jaguar’s combination of price, beauty and performance.
Unsurprisingly, in a post World War 2 era yet to see any major deviation between high end road cars and those capable of winning at international level, the XK120 represented an off-the-shelf solution for practically any motor sport discipline.
A perfect example of the XK120’s all encompassing prowess was chassis 660564 which is currently on offer at the Duncan Hamilton ROFGO showroom in Micheldever, Hampshire.
Originally supplied to enthusiastic British amateur, Leslie Wood, chassis 660564 emerged from Jaguar’s Browns Lane factory in Coventry during January 1951 and was registered MNK 500 on the 24th of that month. Finished in Silver paint with Red upholstery and a French Grey canvas roof, the sleek XK120 Open Two Seat Roadster must have caused quite a stir.
During the first week of April, Leslie Wood entered his recently acquired Jaguar for the Daily Telegraph-sponsored Isle of Wight Rally and won the Over 3000cc class for cars with Open bodywork.
The Rally also included a separate speed hillclimb on a twisty 1-in-4 gradient at Ventnor in which Wood set the best overall time. Famously, car and driver were depicted en route to victory at the Ventnor Hillclimb on the front cover of the April 13th 1951 edition of Autosport magazine.
A few weeks later in mid May, Leslie Wood and MNK 500 headed north and put in a storming performance to win the ninth Scottish Rally outright, scoring maximum points in the process.
As if to demonstrate the XK120’s diverse abilities, chassis 660564 later went on to place well in races at Goodwood, Silverstone and Castle Combe. Leslie Wood also entered it for the first post World War 2 RAC Rally (the 1951 International Rally of Great Britain).
Now beautifully restored to its original configuration, this highly original XK120 would serve equally well on duty as a weekend toy, blasting down country roads, or for events like the Mille Miglia.
