Start your Friday with this absolute wonder: the Jaguar XK120 LM by Justin Hills.

Long Time Coming

This is a car with over a decade of planning in it. The wait to find a suitable canvas was a long one, eventually ending with a former race car sourced in Georgia minus its engine and gearbox. The Jag was shipped out to Justin in Australia and the not undaunting task of cutting up a 1953 XK120 began. 2000 hours later (body alone), this mirror-black stunner is the result.

The lack of engine and transmission actually helped the build along as they were never intended to stick around. The original 3.4 litre 6’s former quarters are now staffed by the 5.3 litre V12 from a 1980s XJ-S, de-stroked to 5.0 litres and given lighter internals to produce the proper high-revving V12 sounds of the 1950s racers Justin adores. Sacrificing a few horsepower for the ethos. Love it.

The LM was purchased (not yet finished) during its debut at the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance and its new owner, who must be a very very nice man, paid for Justin to take it on a tour of the world’s finest car events. It won the Custom Coachwork award at Pebble Beach and then it was on to the Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace in the UK. The icing on the cake? A three-night stay at Jaguar founder and Knight of the Realm Sir William Lyons’ house where the photos in this set were taken.

When you do something this exquisitely the whole world wants to have a look.