Actually in good condition, you really shouldn’t have to spend that much for maintenance. Keep the splines greased every 90 days, if you live in a humid climate, keep the points adjusted, keep the oil topped off, it should be a very reliable car.
hoping you spend a lot more on gasoline…due to lots of fun driving with some of those drives taking the wife to lunch, …than on the oil change. You won’t like the oil filter part of the task tho…study up on that one.and note there are at least two types of filter assemblies with different size filters…so measure.
Nick
Should be the long filter on a car that early. BTW, your Jag Lover’s name suggests you might be a Kiwi, Joshua? If so - snap!!
Hi Chris - Yep - Born in the UK, but grew up in NZ (Auckland - awesome city). Now I live in Australia and have a South African wife, so a bit of a mix!
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Hi Joshua - almost the opposite for me! Grew up in Canterbury, then Nelson, went to Uni in Auckland (where I had my first XK120 in the mid-70s) then moved to the UK in 76, where I’ve been ever since. Oh, and my wife’s American!
A beautiful day here in Brisbane today - the perfect day to take the XK120 to work.
I finally got the car inspected and registered for the road during the week, so today was my first proper drive - only a short one though - about 10km in to and then through the CBD.
Clear traffic today, which was nice.
It definitely gets a lot of attention on the road!
And I don’t think I’ve ever been so cautious of other drivers near me!
Now tucked away in my secure park:
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Either thats a wide parking spot or the car is a lot narrower than I remember them 
Yes it’s a narrow car, but also it’s a nice wide parking space with concrete pillars either side so noone smacks my car when I’m parked there!
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people like to peer into the interior…sometimes their knees push on the door side…which is aluminium…and boom…now it is pushed in. I have lost gear shift knobs…a car cover helps…I’d not leave it alone much tho. Be sure you have a disable switch hidden…whether battery disconnect or interruption to the igniton circuit switch…again helps…but they get winch cabled right into a truck…Nick
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Yep, Paul called it, our XK120 is right at home with our Porsches, but some say we have very eclectic tastes!
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… and some say yer NUTS!!!
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Hi Joshua
Does your XK have also the early seat backs like the Alubodies have (the upper one)?
Best Regards Lukas
It would be very interesting, because 660097 still has them
Hi Lukas,
Mine has the later seat back - the lower picture.
However as noted, the car was restored in the '80s and indeed this included a re-trim of the interior.
Whilst the car is said to have won some concours events after its restoration, there are several items which are not date-correct - wire wheels is one example, body coloured paint under the bonnet instead of black, is another.
Considering the above, I can’t be sure whether the seatbacks I have are still the original ones, or if they were replaced during the restoration, so unfortunately I don’t think this can be conclusive to say that the seatbacks changed during the manufacture of the three cars between yours and mine.
(Interestingly, my seatbacks have wear and tear from the folded roof in the location of the larger recess shown in the earlier seatback shape - was there also an earlier roof type? If so, perhaps mine are mismatched, and rubbing, causing the wear).
Congratulations Joshua, nice machine. I have a similar unit, imported to the Gold Coast, now stabled in Canberra. For the step sump I have oil capacity at 11.83 litres plus new Ryco filter (Z976) on a spin-on set up, taking it to about 12 litres. Refilling cold Penrite 20-60 on a winter’s evening takes forever, a real arm killer! Awesome machine just to take out and drive, draws a ridiculous amount of attention and positive comments when out on the road, to the extent of drivers getting distracted around it.
Well maintained they are reliable beasts. Had a Mark 1 for many years (remains on the GC with a new owner) and it was effortless to own. Do your research when selecting anyone to work on it. In my experience, these cars can be a magnet for rough-handed mechanics and so-called professional restorers who see them as little more than a way to connect your bank account with theirs. There is a fair amount of maintenance you can do yourself with careful research, consultation and patience.
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Hi Joshua
Sorry my long absence, I hope you are fine and still happy with your wonderful XK120.
According the chassis number your seats should be most probably the earlier style (Aluminium body) as well as the roof should be the short version. But I assume the wear and tear has nothing to do with the later style seat backs because as far as I know they changed the seat backs before the roof.
Very funny you plan to change from wire wheels back to steel wheels as I am actually in the same process 
Best Regards Lukas
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