Twice as nice
They say good things come in threes, but Roy Burnett seems to be quite content with his two Jaguar XKs, writes Colene McKessick
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HOW often have you sat and thought about the cars you have always wanted?
Most of us have to leave it at that, but Roy Burnett is far luckier. A long-time fan of classic cars and motorsport, he was listing his favourite cars one evening on holiday when his wife made a suggestion.
“In May 2000, my wife, Agnes, and I were in Monaco for the Historic Grand Prix and, at dinner one night, I had been jabbering on about my dream cars,” said Roy, 66, a retired insurance broker from Kingswells, Aberdeen.
“Agnes asked me which car I would really like to own, so I told her a Jaguar XK, and she said, ‘Well, why don’t you just go and get one. You only live once’. Of course, I didn’t need to be told twice, so I started the search as soon as I got home.”
After researching road tests for the 120, 140 and 150, Roy decided the XK150 was the most appropriate and was surprised to find one in Alyth.
The gorgeous 1957 model, with a six-head, 3.4-litre engine, was fully restored and featured its original four-speed Moss gearbox with overdrive.
“I bought the car that July and, since then, we have done 36,000 miles in it,” said Roy.
“In October that year, we entered the HERO London-Lisbon rally, which was really fantastic. We drove down to London to meet the rest of the convoy and then drove to Lisbon and back. It was fabulous – a great bunch of people, fantastic cars and beautiful scenery.
“We also did the rally from London to Prague, which was great, but we stopped doing competitive rallies about three years ago. Agnes was my navigator, but now we prefer to go on touring rallies, which are far more relaxed.”
The couple have taken part in many rallies around Scotland and attend many local shows. They also joined the Jaguar XK Owners Club, and it was after spending some time with its members that the couple made another purchase in 2006.
“We went on lots of tours with the club and, over the years, I began to admire the 140, and I got a real hankering for one,” said Roy.
“I managed to track down a drophead coupe from a classic-car dealer in Cheltenham. The idea of open-top driving in one of my favourite cars was too much to resist.”
Like his 150, the 1956 140 was fully restored, with a 3.4-litre engine and a replacement five-speed gearbox.
“In September this year, we took the 140 to France with five other XK owners and toured some of the wine regions,” said Roy.
“It was bliss. The weather was perfect for open-air driving and the scenery was beautiful. The car really looked at home driving through the French countryside, passing the vineyards. It was an unforgettable trip.”
Although Roy drives a 730 BMW day to day, he says he feels more at home in his Jaguars.
“They are both real drivers’ cars. You have to think about everything you’re doing,” he said.
“The 150 has the Moss gearbox, which has no synch in first or second, so you have to wait for your changes. Obviously, neither has power-steering, either, but they’re very rewarding to drive. I’m lucky that they were both fully restored. Any work I do is upkeep.
“The cars get a lot of attention. It’s quite amazing the crowds they can draw. People are always interested in them, and if I open the bonnet, they are in awe. We’ve often returned to the car to find people having a nosey.”
Roy has now fully satisfied his appetite for XKs, which is just as well as he has no more room for another.
“I’m quite content with my two. I probably would think about another if I had the room, but I think I’m doing rather well with these at the moment,” he said.
“I can only drive one at a time, after all. And that is what they were made for, driving. They weren’t made for sitting in garages being polished up and then moved to a grass field for a day. They were made to be used, and they certainly don’t like to be left to seize up. I plan to use mine as much as I can.”
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