2007-05-17 08:42:28 | John Elmgreen writes:

Home delivery to order of Kenya distributor.

2008-07-17 05:47:07 | Bill writes:

A great car to drive

2008-07-18 09:48:11 | Bill writes:

The car was changed from LHD to RHD in 1952

2008-10-30 05:34:00 | Billy writes:

Origigianl distributor...Lowis & Hodgkiss Narobi Kenya

Car was converted form LHD to RHD on arrival in Kenya in 1952

2015-01-26 10:37:31 | Ian Dixon Potter writes:

Manufactured on 24th April 1952 and dispatched on 16th May 1952 with the registration number MDU 32.
MDU 32 was a personal export delivery to Nairobi, Kenya for the first owner owner Lt. Commander Robert Graham Bell who gave his address as "c/o Standard Bank of South Africa in London" on the City of Coventry document cancelling the original registration. The original registration MDU 32 was reinstated to the car 56 years later when the car was re-imported into the UK.
Lt. Commander Robert Graham Bell DSC formerly of the Royal Navy was awarded his DSC for minesweeping operations during Operation Avalanche in Southern Italy. He commanded three different warships during WW2.

The car was dispatched to Robert Graham Bell via the Nairobi distributor Lowis and Hodgkiss and was one of only three XK120 fixed head coupes exported to Kenya, two in 1952 and one in 1953.

Originally designated a left hand drive chassis number but converted to right hand drive. (Kenya was a right hand drive country and right hand drive cars were officially unavailable until December 1952).

The next known owner was John Ely of Johannesburg. The car was right hand drive and green at the time and was already in South Africa when he acquired it. John Ely now lives at Borde Hill, Haywards Heath, Sussex. John Ely sold the XK to his friend Darryl Simpson in 1974.

Darryl Simpson was a member of the Jaguar Drivers Club XK Register. He was living in Johannesburg when he acquired the XK and then he moved to Cape Town in 1980. The car was still green when he acquired it and he "comprehensively restored" the car and painted it ivory. Photographs exist of the car during this period.
In 1985 he advertised for sale in the JDC Jaguar Driver magazine on p 56 with a black and white photo. The car had the Cape Town registration CA 461839, was still painted in ivory and had disc wheels with no spats. The description was as follows:

"XK 120 Jaguar 1952 FHC, completely restored by present owner, who deeply regrets sale. Only 1,000 miles since completed. White with red Connolly hide interior. Everything new to 95% perfection. Offers around £30,000. Owing to present favourable exchange rate, price and shipping negotiable. Phone Cape Town (021) 51-8708 (O) or (H) 70-9355. P.O. Box 314, Paarden Eiland, 7420 Cape Town, South Africa.

The XK120 was not sold and in 1986 the car was mentioned in the JDC XK Register - still owned by Darryl Simpson still registered CA 461389 and still painted in ivory. It was mentioned that the car was recently restored to its original specification with the exception of 9:1 pistons and 2-inch carburettors. Only 32 XK120's of all types left the factory with 9:1 Pistons and two inch SUs were an aftermarket factory modification only carried out on a handful of XK120s usually also fitted with C Type heads. In 2015 Darryl Simpson confirmed that he made these modifications. He owned the car for 13 years, parting with it in 1987.
It was exported to Holland in 1990 where it stayed for 18 years. A second Dutch owner acquired the car in 2004 and sold it (by then in dark blue) in 2008 to William Newman who imported it back to England where it regained its original registration MDU 32. Photographs of the car taken at the end of its Dutch period provided by the dealer Retrolegends show it to have been in good condition with the original type red bench seats and red door cards, wing mirrors and chrome wire wheels.
The following work was done over 6 years between 2008 and 2014 in the ownership of William Newman:

Suspension rebuilt, new front shock absorbers, springs, all new polybushes.Gearbox rebuilt.Differential rebuilt.Complete stainless steel 2 inch exhaust built from back to front including a 6 branch extractor manifold, by Hayward & Scott of Essex.Aluminium radiator fitted.Louvered bonnet fitted. Aluminium petrol tank fitted by NAR Rads of Northampton.
Brake drums powder coated in black.New Jaguar old stock half shafts fitted.New water pump.The two, six volt batteries situated behind the seats replaced by a new twelve volt battery situated in the boot. An aluminium Monza type quick release petrol cap fitted.Original steering wheel reinstated.
Original style optional extra Bucket Seats fittedbut original bench seats retained. Bare metal re-spray in dark(Pacific) blue.Four brand new wire wheels painted the same colour.Four newCross Ply Avon Turbospeedfitted.

MDU 32 is still equipped with its original engine. The engine number on the shelf above the oil filter corresponds with the engine number on the Heritage certificate and the casting number C4820 situated on the side of the block just below the carburettors also corresponds to XK120 engines of this period.

Although originally a standard car MDU 32 now has a "special equipment" specification which results in a distinct power advantage over the standard car. SE spec originally comprised wire wheels, high lift cams, dual exhaust with straight through silencer and firmer suspension. The XK120SE was known as the XK120M (for modified) in the US. The different modifications which together comprise a "Special Equipment" car were available from June 1951 although they were not all packaged together as a separately identified model variant until mid 1952.

MDU 32 also benefits from period performance modifications which were not normally part of the special equipment specification such as 9:1 pistons, two inch carburettors and two inch exhaust with six branch extractor manifold, all further contributing to a significantly more powerful XK120. In keeping with the racing character of the car it has been fitted with a louvered bonnet and a racing type fuel filler both of which were also period options. In conjunction with the aluminium radiator, the louvered bonnet also helps to prevent any tendency to overheat.

The only deviation from the correct period spec is the replacement of the two six volt batteries normally situated behind the seats by a single twelve volt battery situated in the boot. This has allowed the seats to be moved backwards a few inches to give taller drivers a more comfortable driving position. The position of the steering column has been raised by about one inch thus allowing even more room for more ample thighs beneath the original steering wheel.

In other respects MDU 32 is an original matching numbers XK120 still equipped with the Moss box, Drum brakes, Burman recirculating ball steering and its original engine.
Pacific blue was a colour available from 1952 to 1957 usually specified with a red leather interior. MDU is a famous Coventry registration prefix in common with several record breaking and racing Jaguars of the period including the 173mph MDU524.