Area Reps Informtion
UK Area Representatives News & Events
East Anglia: Mike Read
If you would like event information for the East Anglia or general XK information for this area, please get in touch with Mike Read via the Club Representatives section in the XK Gazette.
UK, Devon & Cornwall: Nick & Jules Fielding
Profile
About Nick & Jules Fielding
Both Jules and I have an interest in classic cars and motorsport. I have competed in all disciplines including circuit racing a homebuilt MGBGTV8 and a spaceframe special saloon Escort with a Cosworth BDG. We currently own an XK150 dhc (Sybil) and a Series 1 Fhc E type. I am also restoring a
Frogeye which someone rudely suggested could be a tender for the XK!
The XK is one of the course cars at the Goodwood Revival and we used her on the Liege-Brescia-Liege last year. Since retiring from the Devon and Cornwall constabulary in 2007 after 30 years (I joined very young!) I have been working in Formula 1 as a timekeeper and attending the races. We have some wonderful driving roads in the the two counties and spectacular scenery and Jules and I like to get out in the cars at every opportunity. Due to the fact that we are at one extreme of the country it is often not practical to attend many of the events run by other areas or the club. It will be our aim to get our members out together and enjoying that which we have around us. We Iook forward to enjoying your company and welcome your ideas and suggestions as to future events and gatherings.
If you would like event information for Devon & Cornwall or general XK information for this area, please get in touch with Nick & Jules Fielding via the Club Representatives section in the XK Gazette.
UK, Dorset: Paul Abadjian
Gathering for a picnic and meander round the stunning grounds of Forde Abbey, near Chard, Somerset, kicks off the 2018 Dorset club day for XK and E-type writes Paul Abadjian. Fully replete, we will then wobble off to our cars and undertake an 80-mile scenic run, followed by tea to round the day off in an as-yet, top-secret location! Non-local members of either Club very welcome - just get in touch!
If you would like event information for UK, Dorset or general XK information for this area, please get in touch with John & Jane Osborne via the Club Representatives section in the XK Gazette
UK, West Midlands, Warwickshire, Shropshire, North Wales & Staffordshire: Peter Wells
Classic cars have been a passion of mine for many years and, after
engineering training with an engine manufacturer, I have enjoyed working
on them. I have completed nut & bolt restorations on an MGA and an
Austin Healey 100, each of which took four years of my spare time.
I have recently returned to UK after 14 years living in France where I found my current 1959 XK150 fhc and enjoyed regular outings with the JEC Southwest Aquitaine club. Also many visits to vineyards and long lunches with my local “Autoretro” club as well as the huge gatherings of the Laon Classic in Picardie and the Cadillac Cote de Bordeaux rallies.
With local classic owning friends we planned our own jaunts through the Pyrenees and the picturesque Aquitaine, sometimes in the XK and sometimes in my 1966 Triumph TR4a.
I have always enjoyed the social side of such events and look forward to getting involved in similar activities here in the West Midlands.
Best wishes Peter
If you would like event information for UK, Midlands West or general XK information for this area, please get in touch with Peter Wells via the Club Representatives section in the XK Gazette
UK, South: Peter Spackman
If you would like event information for UK, South or general XK information for this area, please get in touch with Peter Spackman via the Club Representatives section in the XK Gazette
UK Cheshire
Mike Bielinski
Retired in 2012 after selling his business and now living in Bunbury Cheshire, ideally placed to enjoy his fully restored XK 140 OTS with extensive open top driving into Cheshire and Wales. Now planning trips further afield and into Europe after this year’s shakedown.
Mike met Paul Gilmour of Bristol Classic and Sports Cars Ltd at the NEC in 2014 and was immediately impressed with the restoration work that they had performed on a range of XK’s and E types. Mike commissioned them to find a project car and restore it to a well-defined specification – see below. At the same time joined the XK Club as member 3679, which has proved to be a wise decision as it provides excellent insight to the history and technical development of the XK marque.
UK Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire
Don Grant
My name is Don Grant. I am a retired school’s business manager having worked
for a federation of three secondary schools in Cambridge for the last 10 years of
my working life. I live in a small relatively unspoilt village 6 miles north of Bedford
in the Ouse valley surrounded by open countryside with some good roads for
exercising classic cars.
I have owned several Jaguars over the years including XJ40, X300, XF and
currently a petrol XE. I have owned my XK 140 FHC since 2011 and participated
in a couple of stages of the Round Britain Coastal Drive last year with my brother.
My XK shares the garage with an eclectic mix of classics including a 1932
Wolseley Hornet Special, a brace of Turners a Series 2 Land Rover and a few
vehicles that are politely termed grey porridge.
I have been a volunteer at the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden for the last three years, initially as part of the team maintaining and operating their three vintage buses, but I have recently been made responsible for the servicing of all the vehicles and motor cycles in the collection ranging in age from veterans that regularly participate in the London to Brighton Veteran Run through to 1940’s and 50’s cars and tractors.
I am a member of the VSCC, Silverstone Racing Club, Jaguar Drivers Club, the Wolseley Hornet Special Club, the Fairthorpe Sports Car Club, the Land Rover Series 2 Club as well as the XK Club.
My aim is in conjunction with local XK Club members to arrange a combination of road runs, visits to places of interest and events each year across Beds, Herts and Bucks. To make sure that as many club members as possible feel that there are events that they would enjoy I will sound out their preferences and put together a suitable programme.
UK London
Marc Gordon
I am no mechanical expert when it comes to E-types. My passion for them stems, like many, from an early age when my love of the shape and design was consummated by the driving experience. I have owned my current E-type for only 2 years but have driven nearly 10,000 miles as I believe the cars are best enjoyed driven whether it be the numerous track days organised by CKL and the club particularly at Goodwood or various rallies and tours. Last year I took our dark blue 1966 with red interior Series 1 4.2 litre FHC on the Liege- Brescia rally with my nine-year-old daughter as my very expert navigator and we propose doing the E-type/XK rally organised by Malcolm McKay next year to the Pyrenees. The car has also accompanied me and my race bike to the several triathlons I have done over the last few years, demonstrating the car’s versatility.
To contact Marc please see the representatives list in the latest issue of the XK Gazette.
UK East Midlands
Ciprian Nistorica
I grew up surrounded by the smell of petrol engines. I was delighted to help my
grandad clean and maintain his cars and loved getting my hands dirty. Coming
from a family with local and regional success in motorsport, I started working my
way through karting, FF1600, sports prototypes, historic saloons and lately more
modern saloon race cars. As any true classic and historic cars enthusiast, I looked
after my own race cars and help others with theirs. The British motorsport scene is
a friendly environment and I'd recommend the experience to anybody looking to
enter a race. My involvement at P&K Thornton Restorations (and the XK extended
family) started last year and this is where I burn the midnight oil now, rebuilding
and servicing the entire pre 1975 Jaguar range.
I always had a soft spot for the XK120 FHC, so I got myself an US
import project that I hope to have on the roads within 2 years. My
car is not in great condition at the moment but it's labour of love
and with racing history, originally old English white with a red
interior, this is how I see perfection!
To contact Ciprian please see the representatives list in the
latest issue of the XK Gazette.
UK Essex
I am a 99% retired project manager, originally from Surrey but now
live near Chelmsford in Essex. My work career was primarily based
on hospitals and health care management and facilities. I worked
in Saudi Arabia on a hospital project and always had a great love
for anything car related. In my early teens I was very much in to
the hot Fords, then for a hobby I started importing muscle cars
from the States. About 25 years ago, again for a hobby, I was
importing Austin Healey 3000's from the usa as barn finds.
From this I managed to keep one 1967 BJ8 3000 and a 1957 100/6.
I still own these cars today and they are currently in my workshop,
both having a full restoration, now that I can find time.
I am fairly new on the XK front and my son and I decided we were
going to do a joint project on two XK's. We found two in America
about three years ago and shipped them home. Unfortunately my
son sold his as his priority was to travel but I still have mine which
is a 1957 XK150 FHC. It's numbers matching, originally maroon but somebody had sprayed it badly silver. The engine does run and drive but will need total restoration that I am planning to do over the next few years in my own workshop.
My other car dependent is a 110 Land Rover Defender and anybody that owns one knows that it is in constant need of care and attention. I seem to spend all of my time in my workshop working on one of these projects.
My aim to become involved in the XK club is that I have this idea that club members can get together to share their knowledge and enthusiasm on this motor vehicle.
UK Bristol, Somerset, Wiltshire
Ownership of my very first Jaguar came about only in the last few years with a chance bid at auction for a XK140DHC which has proved an absolute joy to own and drive. Having reached a certain age, it was time last year to sell my business and retire and chose the occasion to add to the Jag stable with an E-type S1 4.2 FHC, yet another great drive. Although I am not hands on tech minded, (I think I left that behind with my first cars in my teens and early 20s), I do miss not having a garage to go and admire these magnificent machines, have a tinker, or give them a quick polish, but at least they are safely tucked up in car storage until required.
Relocating recently to Bristol after 20 years in Cornwall, taking on the reps role for this area is a great way to meet up with fellow XK (and E-type) owners and share our passion for ownership and driving these great cars.
Happy driving.
UK Midlands (South)
I bought my XK150 in April 2019 from Ian Mills at Twyford Moors who recommended me to join the XK Club. My car was best be described as a 'rolling restoration' and for the last year or so it has had a bare metal respray and is now having a new hood fitted.
My predecessor Roger set a very high standard for me to follow in terms of the quality and variety of activities he organized and most importantly fun events that all can enjoy. Whilst 2020 has been a roller coaster, we were able to meet up a couple of times which were enjoyable.
I hope 2021 will be better and with my car back on the road there will be opportunities to organise more events in the coming year.
UK Lancs, Cumbria
Having spent all my career in manufacturing with the likes of Case IH and Cosworth, it was possibly inevitable that my interests would turn to the restoration of vintage commercial vehicles and later as funds became available (and the idea of throwing 100kg wheels about paled) cars.
I am a serial restorer and always have a couple of projects on the go, currently one of the last 150dhc in Cotswold blue and a Bristol 403 saloon which was the company drive of Air Vice Marshal Banks, the BAC test pilot.
My other XK is a 150 DHC in which I have driven 28,000 miles since restoration. I go to the odd car show but would prefer to be out driving – last year we bashed Coll’s in Switzerland for 10 days with no issues.
UK North East
After 36 years as a police officer, retirement gave me an opportunity to get involved in
classic and vintage cars again. My wife and I chose our XK 150 FHC as the ideal touring
vehicle for the UK and France.
We have not been disappointed particularly as five cases of wine fit comfortably on the
rear seats!
However, some of our best tours, early in our membership of the XK Club were those
arranged by Mike Griffiths. There were day trips as well as overnight stops at reasonable
but very comfortable hotels.
Now that I have almost totally retired from the posts I took up on leaving the police,
I would like to resurrect those ‘local’ tours. I look forward to arranging jaunts suggested by North East members.
UK Scotland
If you would like event information for Scotland or general XK information for this area, please get in touch with David via the Club Representatives section in the XK Gazette.
UK Isle of Man
If you would like event information for Isle of Man or general XK information for this area, please get in touch with Ian via the Club Representatives section in the XK Gazette.
UK Northern Ireland
If you would like event information for Northern Ireland or general XK information for this area, please get in touch with John via the Club Representatives section in the XK Gazette.
JAGUAR
XK CLUB
