2012-11-01 19:43:39 | pauls writes:

Reported seen by John Elmgreen, in the November 2012 edition of The XK Gazette at JD Classics.

2013-07-30 12:27:30 | Anonymous writes:

I had numerous emails yesterday with this link. www.cartalk.com/content/wholl-buy-land-speed-record-jaguar
The smooth lines look absolutely superb.
It would be great to see some pics of the car prior to restoration.

2013-07-31 21:00:27 | pauls writes:

Important statements from the above site:
1952 Jaguar XK120 that broke the world land speed record, hitting 172 mph circa 1953 on the Jabbeke Highway in Belgium with the notable driver Norman Dewis at the controls. The Jag actually held the land speed record twice. Dewis took the honors in April of 1953 at 140 mph, but then a V-8-powered Pegaso went faster a few months later. MDU was further refined and hit 170.412 in October of that same year. The feat was immortalized in a plaque that went onto every XK120. Dewis, still very much alive at 93, was a consultant on the restoration of MDU.

Derek Hood, the owner of JD Classics, told me that restoring MDU took 18 months. To make it more streamlined, the car had the canopy from a British jet fighter installed, and recreating that was one of the big hurdles of the restoration. "We studied period photographs, took measurements, made a buck to the same size, then had a local company make the canopy in resin," he said. "We spent 120 hours on that alone."

MDU had a racing history both before (it won its class at the Alpine Rally in 1952) and after the land speed record (races at Goodwood, Crystal Palace, Brands Hatch and Mallory Park.) It "retired" after a Jaguar Drivers Club sprint at Brands Hatch in 1957.

The land speed record equipment was designed to be easily unbolted, and MDU eventually became a road car again. Brian Redman, who bought it in the early 1960s, used it for his honeymoon. By the time Hood got his hands on it, the car had covered more than 100,000 miles, much of it as a family transporter.

Said to be owned by Jeff Lotman and JD Classics.

2013-08-01 06:53:32 | Anonymous writes:

Nice column to read: www.cartalk.com/content/wholl-buy-land-speed-record-jaguar

2013-11-14 07:13:33 | Marc writes:

Won at "The Quail" - not bad at all! Great car, it is about time these super XK120s get the appreciation at shows and in the market they deserve!

2013-12-08 23:30:35 | pauls writes:

From:
www.forbes.com/sites/hannahelliott/2013/08/29/the-jaguar-with-the-900000-facelif ...

If you follow Jaguar history you know that only one Jag ever has held a land-speed record: The 1953 XK120 that hit 172 miles per hour in Belgium under the hands of Norman Dewis.

After its great run at Jabbeke Motorway the car faded to obscurity, hidden in a garage in Europe where Derek Hood and Jeff Lotman found it in 2011.

"It was in very poor condition - very rusty," said Hood, who owns JD Classics, the well-known UK firm that specializes in restoring classic Jaguars. "It hadn't had tender loving care for probably 20, 25 years."
World Debut: The Beautiful And Unavailable Jaguar Project 7 Hannah Elliott Hannah Elliott Forbes Staff

Fast-forward two years and the forgotten classic won "Best in Class, Post War Racing" earlier this month at the prestigious Quail Motorsports Gathering. Dewis was there--it was the first time he had seen the car in 60 years.

What happened in between times? Hood and Lotman spent 18 months and 5,500 hours on a complete restoration of the "Jabbeke Jag." They scoured the globe for replacement parts, rebuilt some parts from scratch--like the fighter-jet bubble canopy, which had been retrofitted from an airplane cockpit for the record-breaking race--and finished it with extensive hand work of painting and wood in the interior.

In short the car received a complete body-off nut and bolt restoration with the original works engine, new full-length streamline under-trays, a special radiator, and a full Jabbeke-specification air induction system.

It was more than difficult to do properly, as you can imagine.

"Any time you take a car like this and restore it, it's got to be accurate, it's got to be really right," Lotman said. "The challenge is because these parts were made for this one car only, it's not like there's any spare so you really have to talk with people about the car."

Lucky for him Dewis, 93, lent counsel for much of the project.

"Norman was really helpful in terms of, 'Well, this is where this went, this is where this has to go,' Lotman said. "There aren't a lot of people still around like he was-it was his knowledge that really helped us figure out what had to be done to make the car right."

Total TOT +1.21% price of the restoration? More than 600,000 GBP (roughly $929,460). Rest assured it'll sell for more than that when it goes.

2014-03-06 13:47:27 | Jeremy B writes:

£600k to restore an XK - even this one?

Seems mighty fanciful to me.

2014-06-05 02:20:01 | Marc writes:

Hello folks, the car was together with Norman Dewis at Villa D Este last weekend.
Mr. Dewis drove it to the judges which applauded standing! What an achievment of this great, great gentleman.
A shame it did not win, but the audience realised there was something special going on. Especially when Mr. Dewis closed the plexiglas bubble and everybody could imagine what it was to be enclosed in this machine for a world record attempt. These people then were so much braver than we are now.
Car looked stunning and correct, a true Jaguar icon.

2014-06-06 11:49:45 | terry mcgrath writes:

certainly a lovely looking car and very nicely built but it does need to be established that this car is in fact 660986.
Additionally it has been questioned whether in fact 660986 the 141 mph car was in fact the 172 mph car.
The original 660986 was destroyed in an accident in the early 1960's and broken up.
It is noted above that this car was found in Europe poor very rusty condition in 2011 but a car bearing this Registration number was at a Silverstone meeting prior to 2011 in lovely shiny condition as a standard XK120 with an alloy body fitted.
What needs to be supplied are photos of the poor very rusty car as found in Europe in 2011.
terry

2014-06-06 12:13:59 | GB writes:

Why Terry ?

2014-06-06 21:01:53 | terry mcgrath writes:

not sure who GB is and not sure which bit you are applying "Why" to
the fact that car in question is 660986
that the 141 car is the 172 car
the car being at Silverstone prior to being found in Europe
the car being found in Europe in poor rusty condition
or wanting to see photos of it as found in Europe in poor rusty condition
terry

2014-06-11 13:39:05 | MKVII crazy writes:

I think that GB is asking "why" to all of the above questions.
always nice to see supporting information of the statements made on this website. does it matter who GB is? the facts involved remain the same no matter who asks the question, right?

2014-06-18 09:21:46 | Jeremy B writes:

The addition of this latest photo (June17th) does tend to make one sniff a rather large rodent.

It would mighty interesting to read what guy Broad has to say.

2014-06-28 14:39:12 | Wide Angle writes:

Hi Terry - just caught your drift on 660986 MDU 524. You are correct, a car which is part of Jaguars history, must have a complete history trail, i.e. previous owners, names, addresses, locations etc. Guy Broad is known to have told various people, different dates and years, when he claims he acquired it, a story differing by some 3/5 years.
We all looked at this car very closely at the 2009 July Silverstone Race Meeting, race number on car, number 17, yes it was rebuilt, with new bumpers and nice bucket seats, and as far as we could see, a complete new body!
How does Mr. Hood then claim to have found it in Europe in 2011 in poor condition, and spends £600k restoring it?!! As for Norman Dewis going to the Quail and Villa d'Este, why would he turn down an all expenses paid trip at his age? Where are you Heritage?

2014-09-11 18:01:19 | pauls writes:

This Dewis video doesn't prove much but he does say that the 141mph car and the 172mph car are the same. Regarding Norman anyone who besmirches him deserves to be in question.

autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/meet-norman-dewis--the-living-link-to-jaguar-s-s ...

2014-09-12 13:08:38 | mkvii crazy writes:

currently a story in an american magazine on the car and restoration.
Motor Trend Classic?? maybe....
anybody have a copy?
says it is now owned by a swiss collector....

2014-10-07 10:10:51 | terry mcgrath writes:

I have posted a good high quality pic of ID plate fitted to this car if the plate itself and the stampings are compared to 2 other pictures I have uploaded of 660858 and 660999 a good comparison can be made as to the Fonts being totally different to this plate.
A very close examination of the base plate maybe not possible on a computer screen actual minor differences can be seen in the base plate itself that are not the same as genuine factory ID plates of the period

2014-10-07 11:33:12 | Upsidedowntwit writes:

Surely Jaguar would have had more than one set of number punches and more than one person doing the stamping ??
Anybody spoken to anybody that actually did that job ??

2014-10-07 17:16:51 | MKVii crazy writes:

I heard there was only one stamper from 1946-1967and his job was exclusively to stamp chassis and ID plates. He had one set of stamps and then Jaguar gifted them to him when he retired. after that time there were many different people stamping these numbers.

2014-10-07 18:27:55 | Usuallydrunkbythistime writes:

Hell boy .... Ah think you could be right !

2014-10-07 21:49:03 | MKVII crazy writes:

Honestly, can someone address this question?
What was the stamping procedure at Jaguar in the 1950's???
Is there anyone alive who can address this?

Does any current "expert" have the knowledge to answer this question?
So many questions could be answered with the help of this information.

2014-10-08 03:38:21 | Importantselfappointedexpert writes:

Don't you know I'm one of them very important International self appointed experts on this very subject. Hell I've been doin this for so many years I know everything.
No I did not work for the factory but that doesn't matter. I've taken so many photos. Some times I get it wrong but I've been talking me up so long I'm always right. Even when I'm drunk I'm right.
And it's even good for buying and selling some of these rare cars. I get good profit out of that. Hell people even pay to look at their cars and give an opinion.
If you want an opinion, well even if you don't, just let me spout off.
Yours
Fullof

2015-09-10 10:52:21 | Importantselfappointedexpert writes:

Hell, was ah drunk again when I wrote that ? maybe that just happens when you live in Australia

2015-11-27 23:11:16 | Tom writes:

Jaguar reg MDU 524 appears in a obscure 1954 film called calling all cars staring cardrew robinson

2015-11-28 00:02:28 | terry mcgrath writes:

tom,
where did you see the film on TV or do have copy.
In what context did the car appear ie in the Jabekke run or ?
Love to get more info
terry

2015-11-28 08:45:10 | Anonymous writes:

I know it doesn't completely fit here, but another example of an XK120 appearing in the media was in one of those '1972 Film Abum' sort of books. Year maybe wrong, but in it was a stunt man crashing through a bridge parapet and the XK is in mid air, half way down to the river. Alas, the title of the film, or where the book went, I knoweth not.

Would be great to trace it, tho'.

2015-11-28 11:21:13 | terry mcgrath writes:

I have the details of this car and pics of it going over the edge of the bridge and current pics of the area I will post under the correct chassis number

2016-01-09 16:15:45 | David Whitworth writes:

Just watched the film 'calling all cars' on sky TVs Talking Pictures channel. 9th Jan 2016

MDU 524 features throughout the film with a number of good close up shots.

2016-01-09 19:17:28 | Jeremy B writes:

The film with the XK120 crashing off a bridge into a river is The Damned, from 1963. It is pretty dire, but there are several angles shown of the car flying through the air into the water. Apparently the stuntman cracked his bonce on the windscreen and nearly didn't surface!

2016-01-11 03:03:55 | terry mcgrath writes:

I have uploaded the chassis number of the car and several photos of it going over the bridge but they haven't come up yet should be real soon

2016-01-11 03:06:37 | terry mcgrath writes:

The photo Uploaded: 2013-12-08 23:39:06 of an unpainted aluminium XK120 body in a lane with part green wall behind is not of the recreated Jabekke car. This in fact a standard alloy bodied car it is almost certainly a pic of 670003 identifiable by small square cut out above and below bumper mounting holes

2016-01-12 09:15:16 | Jeremy B writes:

See 660638 for the river-plunge XK !

2017-03-15 09:10:01 | Ian writes:

Further to the comments on the 1954 film "Calling all Cars", I noticed that MDU 524 sported wire wheels in the film not disc wheels.

2017-12-13 20:17:01 | Anonymous writes:

MDU 524 in the film "Calling All Cars"... appears to have two fuel "racing" fillers as well.

2017-12-14 11:24:44 | terry mcgrath writes:

where can I get a copy of this movie?

2017-12-14 12:00:30 | Paul Whitfield writes:

This link will take you there. www.youtube.com/watch The XK 120 appears at about 13:49 into the film.

2017-12-14 12:03:19 | Paul Whitfield writes:

www.youtube.com/watch
Try again, this time with the full link!

2017-12-14 12:04:22 | Paul Whitfield writes:

Sorry, every time I try to post the link it chops the last bit off. After watch in the link it should read ?v=C_bLcTcvhjM

2017-12-16 08:46:29 | Jeremy B writes:

I watched this film all the way through. Quite an effort as I think the dialogue was written by a seven-year-old. However, the number of interesting cars passing by and the emptiness of the roads make for enjoyable nostalgia, despite this.

Interestingly, this XK starts off with wire wheels, changes to disc and then back to wire wheels. In this latter guise it does indeed have two racing filler caps on the same side, denoting two tanks. This is borne out by the fact that when the AA/RAC man takes a wheel from the boot, it comes out of the top level suggesting the second tank is where the wheel would be normally.

An extra tank would not have been added for the 172mph run, but surely this car was a raced?

This said, the Jabbeke car was very heavily modified and since the speed record was set in 1953 and the film released in 1954, I wonder whether the XK - or XKs - in the film are the same as the 172mph car. It is all rather strange, but I still think that there are two different cars in the film.

We need a car buff who worked on the film!

2023-09-25 04:31:47 | Peter Ball writes:

I saw this car on the uk tv station Talking Pictures’ in the 1954 film Calling All Cars last week 09/2023. As an ex Jaguar Apprentice I recognised the Coventry Reg No. Thought the twin race fillers strange so searched and discovered it’s history.