From the estate of the late John Coombs
1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster
Registration no. OLH 3
Chassis no. 660280
Engine no. W2853-8

Racing driver John Coombs had enjoyed considerable success in his chosen career, including a win in a minor Formula 1 race, before giving up competitive driving to concentrate on running his Guildford-based Jaguar dealership. He continued to prepare and enter cars under his own name for other drivers, including stars of the day such as Ron Flockhart, Roy Salvadori, Jack Brabham and Bruce McLaren.

Coombs' name will forever be linked with that of Jaguar, his Mk1 and Mk 2 saloons being at the forefront of British saloon car racing throughout the late 1950s/early 1960s. Capitalising on the lessons learned from competition, he offered a wide range of race-proven modifications aimed at making the road-going Mk 2 both faster and more reliable. When the E-Type sports car came along he raced that too with considerable success. More recently his company has built several up-graded Jaguar E-Types using the best of modern technology. John Coombs sadly passed away at his home in Monaco in August 2013, aged 91.

Chassis '660280' was first registered on 22nd November 1950 as 'LXD 437'. Subsequently reregistered 'OLH 3', the car was enthusiastically campaigned in club races by Benjamin Harvey Bowring, its owner from January 1954. During WW2, Flying Officer Bowring, as he then was, had flown Hurricanes with 111 Squadron during the Battle of Britain and later (from November 1940) with 260 Squadron on air defence and convoy patrols from its base in Scotland. After a period in the Middle East, he served with Air Sea Rescue Squadrons 276 and 277 back in the UK and ended the war commanding 278 Squadron at RAF Coltishall.

Ever the daredevil, Bowring was also a member of the famous St Moritz Toboganning Club, founders of the Cresta Run. In 1954 Bowring entered his XK120 in the 750 Motor Club's 6-Hour Handicap Relay Race at Silverstone, where he and fellow Club member C K W Schellenberg came home 3rd overall. Modifications made to the Jaguar at this time – no doubt inspired by the Écurie Écosse cars – included C-Type 2" SU carburettors and C-Type exhaust manifold, a quick-action fuel filler cap and front wings cut away for improved brake cooling. In September 1954, while still owned by Bowring, the car was crashed at Goodwood, it is believed by well-known Jaguar exponent Dick Protheroe. 'OLH 3' was then rebuilt around a new, un-stamped chassis supplied by the factory. Jaguar later repaired the original chassis, which John Coombs then bought and built into another XK120, which he retained.

Sold by Bowring in 1955, 'OLH 3' remained in the London area for several years before being taken to Devon where it resumed its competition career, participating in sprints and hill climbs. The accompanying old-style logbook lists a further six owners during this period. Changing hands again in 1969, the XK was never driven by the purchaser's eldest son, for whom it had been intended, and remained in the family garage, untouched, for the next 40 years. When offered for sale at auction in 2009 as a 'barn find', albeit one of some considerable importance, the car was still complete and even retained the C-Type carburettors and exhaust.

Acquired by John Coombs, 'OLH 3' was then fully restored, being reunited with its original chassis – '660280' – in the process. The unstamped chassis went into John's other XK120. Although the engine currently fitted – 'W2853-8' – is not original to the car, the original engine block ('W2433-7') is present and will be supplied to the buyer. Accompanied by V5C document and copies of period race photographs, including two taken at Goodwood after the 1954 crash, this historic Jaguar XK120 is presented in lovely order.