Highlights of 2021
What a year 2021 has been! It hasn’t always been smooth sailing and the pandemic has presented many challenges. I think we have all lost friends and family to this dreadful virus and this is perhaps a good moment to reflect on their lives in a positive way. We offer our condolences and love to all those who have lost someone but are sure that if they were with us, they would want us to remember them fondly and to carry on in a positive spirit.
On the last day of the year, we wanted to take a moment to look back at 2021 in a positive light and to reflect on some of our favourite moments.
Constantly full workshop
We have experienced an unprecedented level of demand this year. The workshop has been kept perpetually rammed full of some really stunning classics and we would like to thank all our customers old and new for their continued support. Your confidence in us is greatly appreciated’ as has been your patience and cooperation with varying levels of Covid safety measure.
We have been struck on many occasions by the variety of cars we have attracted over the past twelve months. We are best known as XK restorers and although we keep XKs at the heart of our business we have a great deal of experience working on other classics, particularly Jaguars. This year we have had a wonderful variety of E-Types, Jaguar saloons and even pre-war SS cars in the workshop. These have come in for everything from restorations, to engine rebuilds and regular servicing. Pictured here is a rather splendid gaggle of E-Types and one lonely XK120 in the corner of our servicing workshop.
Stirling Moss’ XK120
It was a great honour this year to have been entrusted with Stirling Moss’ personal Jaguar XK120 fixedhead. Pictured here after we had finished our work, the car was heading up the historic Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb having been present for the unveiling of a blue plaque in honour of the great man.
LVC 345 was produced in February 1952 as a left-hand drive XK120 fixed-head coupe. The car was first loaned to Sir Stirling Moss by Sir William Lyons in 1952 when he was racing for the Jaguar team. The car was used by Moss to travel between race events in Europe. Wonderfully, the car still retains its original buff logbook with Moss's signature as first and second owners. The car has a unique two-tone green and cream paint scheme chosen by Moss himself and car has a colourful and varied history.
We have previously published a full article detailing the interesting history of this car which can be read by clicking here.
E-Type 60 at Shelsley Walsh
E-Type 60 was a celebration of the Jaguar E-Types sixtieth birthday put on by the E-Type Club at Shelsley Walsh. It was an unrivalled gathering of E-Types and also incorporated the XK Club so there was a very good showing of XKs along with other classic Jaguars. The event attracted enthusiasts, specialists and exhibitors from across the UK and had a real festival feel. It is easy to forget now that being held in early June it was one of the first big events after the lockdowns were eased and there was no guarantee it would go ahead. The perseverance and hard work of the E-Type Club really paid off though with fabulous weather and a wonderful weekend. It was so special to be back at a big motorsport event and was a first opportunity to catch up with customers, suppliers and friends.
A highlight of the weekend was the competitive hill climb event up the historic Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb course. Pictured here is our director Nik putting his D-Type replica through its paces going up the hill. He was even rewarded with a decent result on the day.
Goodwood Revival
Missing the Goodwood Revival in 2020 was, for me, one of the strangest parts of the pandemic. Since the first Revival in 1998 when I was aged 12, I have not missed a single event and Twyford Moors have had a stand at the event every year for as long as I can remember. It was therefore with great joy we returned this year with a bigger stand and more cars than ever.
The atmosphere was nothing short of electric watching some of the greatest cars ever built being properly raced at one of the greatest motorsport venues of all time. To have such an impressive gathering of classic cars, from the everyday and ordinary through to extraordinarily rare race cars, on our door step is a great privilege which we always enjoy.
We were also delighted to host the Historic and Classic Vehicle Alliance (HCVA) on our stand and to help them spread the word of the great work they are doing for our industry. Nik, Ian and Harry were on site across the weekend to chat all things classic Jaguar and even get across to watch a bit of racing.
Restorations
One of the most rewarding parts of what we do here is bringing cars back from a condition that some would consider beyond saving. Restoration really is the cornerstone of our business. It is our reason for being and our way of giving something back. The knowledge that another one of these historic cars is back on the road and its future is assured for decades to come because we have restored it and restored it well is marvellous.
This year we have finished a couple of restorations, made some significant progress on several more and been entrusted to start two more. Pictured here is an XK140 drophead coupe restoration project which found itself a new owner at the Goodwood Revival. We have now begun work on bringing her back to life to the owner’s exact specification. The car has been stripped right down and work has begun on refurbishing parts ahead of being put back together.
NEC Classic Motor Show
To close out the year we exhibited at the NEC Classic Motor Show in Birmingham. Although numbers were down significantly on the usual year, largely due to fewer international visitors we suspect, it was a great weekend. There can’t be another event which attracts so many clubs, specialists and other exhibitors. Being central to the UK it is always a great opportunity to catch up with people from all over the place.
A highlight for the Twyford Moors team was it coinciding with our director Niks birthday. Nik can be seen here sporting his England Rugby shirt with his tiny birthday cake stood in front of the first XK he ever owned. The XK in question is a beautifully restored XK150 3.4 S which we currently have available for sale. Shortly after this photo was taken Nik slipped away to head down to Twickenham to watch the Rugby and England even obliged by winning! What more could one ask for on their birthday?
