Thornley Kelham breathes new life into old Jaguar XK120

Ideas for transformation The Jaguar XK120 may look a bit out of place, but Thornley Kelham has managed to create a car that pays homage to the original while breathing new life into it.

Thornley Kelham is a British company that specializes in restoration work, usually on classic European cars. The company has also dabbled in the conversion of cars like the Porsche 356, Porsche 911 and Lancia Aurelia, and now we can add the Jaguar XK120 to the list.

Thornley Kelham previewed its XK120 conversion, the XK European, for the first time in 2022. The first example has now been completed, and according to Piston Heads, it took around 2,000 hours to complete.

Customers can provide their own XK120, or Thornley Kelham can source one. The company prefers to source cars that are considered “rust-ridden” because almost all parts of the car will eventually be replaced during the conversion process.

For example, the body was rebuilt from scratch using lightweight alloys. The dimensions were also altered, by former McLaren designer Paul Howse. These changes, while subtle, make the XK120 look wider and more powerful. The roof was also lowered by about 2.5 inches.

The powertrain and chassis were also overhauled for improved performance. The XK’s 3.8-liter inline-six was revised to produce either 300 or 340 horsepower (depending on specification), up from the 160-220 horsepower originally offered in the XK120. Some of the upgrades included new camshafts, re-bored cylinders and a direct fuel injection system.

As for the chassis, the suspension has been reconfigured to include double wishbones, Bilstein shock absorbers, and Eibach springs. The wheels are 16 inches and come with modern disc brakes. Another modern safety feature is the headlights, which are LED for better nighttime visibility.

Inside, Thornley Kelham installed a hidden roll cage and covered most surfaces with Connolly leather. Custom bucket seats were installed, and four-point harnesses were optional at no charge. Modern amenities include air conditioning, power windows, power steering, a wireless phone charger, and an infotainment system. The instrument panel is original, but its internals have been updated.

Thornley Kelham plans to build just 25 of them in total. The company previously announced pricing will start at £550,000 (about $725,000), excluding the cost of the donor car.

High-resolution photo gallery: Jaguar XK European by Thornley Kelham

This article was originally published by ClassicCars.com’s editorial partner Motor Authority