More and more people today want a car they can use for both continental tours and the occasional track day or rally.

Guy Broad has years of experience in upgrading and maintaining XKs. In fact, the Guy Broad workshops are currently preparing cars to compete in the Mille Miglia, Tour Auto,Silverstone Classic (XK race this year celebrating the XK's very first event in 1949), the Three Castles Rally in Wales, several continental rallies and a raft of Club events.

For more information about racing (whether professionally or purely for fun) contact Guy Broad.

Fitted luggage is a nice touch for any XK owner, especially if you use your car for more than going to the pub. As we all know, the XK boot is a bit of an odd shape but actually quite capacious when you use all the space. The best way of doing that, of course, is fitted luggage. It was available in period and various people have offered reproduction fitted luggage in recent years. Being handmade, it is pretty expensive and many of the original period fittings are no longer available.

There is a new solution. A UK Midlands firm is now producing a modern soft version of the luggage which is practical, light and reasonably priced. The set of two cases are available through Guy Broad.

“A fantastic little firm, run by people who have turned a hobby into a business,” says Guy of the suppliers. “Exactly what this market is all about: a genuine enthusiast trying to do the right thing for owners. Sensible products at sensible prices!”

One of the Guy Broad success stories of the last few years is their own 5-speed gearboxes.

Why a 5-Speed Gearbox?
The old Moss 'box can be slow to use. An industry-wide lack of parts also makes it increasingly difficult to rebuild.

Why Upgrade to 5-Speed?
The addition of fifth gear provides a more relaxed experience and prepares the car for the rigours of modern driving, e.g., motorways.


What About Originality?
Many XK 140s and 150s had overdrive originally, so they 'spiritually' had five speeds. The addition of a 5-speed gearbox is a major but very subtle and satisfying upgrade.

Why Have You Designed Your Own Gearbox?
We were looking to have control of our supply chain. Our 5-speed gearbox upgrade is available off-the-shelf! Furthermore, because our gearbox is designed specifically for the XK – you do not need to make any additional structural modifications to fit it for most models.

How is the Guy Broad 5-Speed Gearbox Designed?
The internal components were designed and developed by Ford for the Sierra Cosworth and Scorpio saloon cars. These are then fitted by a specialist gearbox builder to a Guy Broad-designed cast centre case that mates perfectly to the XK engine.

So, They Have a Ford Base?
We all know how good Ford is at making gearboxes. They are a delight to use! In fact, Ford has also used these same components in their Transit vans. Although it does not sound very sexy to be sharing a gearbox with a humble van, it actually means they have been developed to be practically unbreakable, which is good to know!

What Testing Is Done?
Our gearboxes are rigorously dyno-tested before delivery.

What Additional Work Do You Carry Out On The Gearbox?
We assemble the bare gearboxes with items such as the gear lever mechanisms, the prop-shaft drive, the speedo drive, clutch components, mountings and such like. The upgrade leaves the Guy Broad workshops ready to drop into any XK.

Who Is Using Them?
Guy Broad focuses on providing quality and durability for a competitive price. Our gearboxes are already being fitted by many of the world's leading and best known XK specialists; demand for them is very strong. This is now the gearbox to have in your upgraded XK.

Guy Broad XK 5-Speed Transmission Upgrade - available from Guy Broad Parts from £2150 + VAT (depending on model)

E-Type Gearbox Upgrades The Guy Broad 5-speed XK gearboxes have been such a success than the E-type world has now jumped on the bandwagon. As with the XK scene, specialists and owners have been struggling with supply and finding consistent quality in obtaining 5-speeders for sixcylinder and V12 E-types. This led them to Guy’s door. As a result, the Guy Broad workshops were lent a stripped E-type shell and have developed all the peripheral components to be able to offer the same superb quality gearbox upgrade for the XK's successors. Where To Buy? In the UK, Guy Broad is supplying through E-Type UK. E-Type UK for Specialist Service Supply in this way gives the customer access to an E-type specialist, who has tried and tested them and will be able to offer the correct advice and the after-salesservice. Contact E-Type UK E-Type UK Tel: +44 (0)1732 852762 Mob: +44 (0)7887 885590 Email: harry@etypeuk.com Web: www.etypeuk.com

“Our gearboxes are suitable for V12 E-types, as well. The V12 performs really well with a 5-speed box and we have had loads of enquires for them. That seems to be as popular as anything else. “We have also supplied our 5- speed transmission upgrade for Mark 2 saloons.” Guy Broad

We are seeing fewer and fewer people asking for an XK to be restored as original, perhaps because the accent today is on using cars, rather than just showing them.

Today there is a huge range of upgrades available from electronic power steering to 5-speed gearboxes and upgraded disc brakes. Upgrades such as these are going on just about every classic car now; the trend is not just confined to the Jaguar world; the Aston guys are doing it, the Ferrari guys are doing it, Rolls and Bentley men are doing it.

We at Guy Broad are experienced in carrying out all types of rebuilds - racing, road or concours. If you are buying a car to drive regularly or over long distances, sensitive upgrades make an XK more satisfying to drive and have the added benefit of making the cars safer.

If are looking for timeless elegance coupled with modern convenience in your classic car, what sort of restoration project should you invest in?

We frequently meet customers who have bought a £20,000 car as a restoration project. I then have to say to them, 'If you are going to do all these various upgrades, a considerable amount of what you have just paid £20,000 for is going in the skip or on Ebay. What you will be left with is most of a rolling chassis - but not all of it, a body shell and a few trinkets. That is a very expensive start to a restoration project!

A more efficient solution can be starting from a chassis and having a complete new bespoke body built.

We do have chassis available. I have just bought a wreck of a 120; it is sitting outside now. It was found growing under a tree in San Francisco, but actually it is a numbers matching/all paperwork correct 120. That will provide the identity and pieces for building a bespoke car.

So, the million dollar question! How long will it take?

“We can build a rolling chassis with rebuilt engine, gearbox and so on in about 2 months. The body can take you another six months when you include painting. Then it takes several months to build the car and it always seems to take two months to do those last fiddly jobs - they seem like absolutely nothing but there can be 136 little jobs on To Do list before you can say, 'It’s finished,' - if it is ever really finished - and all this only applies to the much simpler roadsters.”

BroadSport XK 120s are built with new aluminium bodyshells. Unlike the original first two hundred and forty 120s which were built by Jaguar from a combination of aluminium, steel and wood, the Broad shells are 100% aluminium. In fact, the original alloy bodies are actually not much lighter than the later steel shells.

Making the body today in aluminium only costs about 10% more but the shells corrode less than steel and have an added cachet. Broad also states that the reduced weight makes a significant difference, “The steering is much lighter and the handling a lot sharper.”