On a Clear Day you Can See the 1950s

Spring has "sprung" in the gardens and garages of enthusiasts in the UK and the rest of the hemisphere. Grass needs cutting but people who have been telling themselves all winter that they deserve a Fraser Nash Le Mans Replica rather than a Black and Decker Mowmaster 100 Turbo Mulcher are looking towards Duncan Hamilton & Co. for a solution to that long felt want.

The grass can wait a day or two as Adrian Hamilton has some extremely tasty vehicles just waiting for you to come and kick their tyres.

JAGUAR XK120 Roadster 1950

The Jaguar XK120 was a sports car manufactured by Jaguar Cars between 1949 and 1954. It was the first post-war sports car from the marque, succeeding the SS100 which ended production in 1940 with the start of the war in Britain. The XK120 was launched at the 1948 London Motor Show as a test bed and show vehicle to highlight the new Jaguar XK engine. The car caused a sensation, which persuaded William Lyons to put it into production as a standard model. The first cars manufactured in 1948 and 1949 had hand built aluminum bodies on an ash frame. Jaguar built 240 of these alloy bodied cars prior to moving to a more mass production XK120 in order to meet the demand for this popular model. With the 1950 model year a production version had a steel pressed body with alloy doors, bonnet, and trunk skin. Other features included torsion bar front suspension, and a removable windscreen. Power came from a dual overhead cam 3.4 L straight-6 engine, Jaguar's famous XK engine. With an alloy cylinder head and twin side draft SU carburetors, the XK engine was very advanced for a mass produced unit, developing 160 bhp with the standard 8:1 compression ratio. This same basic design of the XK engine was used in 3.8L and 4.2L versions into the late 1980s. The XK120 name referred to the vehicle's impressive 120 mph (193 km/h) top speed - even faster with the windscreen removed - and at the time of its launch it was the world's fastest standard production car. It was available as a coupe (FHC or Fixed Head Coupe, introduced in 1951), convertible (DHC or Drop Head Coupe, 1953), or the original roadster (OTS or Open Top Sports). The Roadster had a very light weight canvas top and removable side curtains screwed to the doors, which had no external handle - to open them you reached through the screen to pull a cord on the inside. The DHC or Drop Head Coupe had a padded top and roll up windows. Both the FHC and DHC had an elegant wood veneer dash, whereas the roadster's was leather. All models were manufactured with spats to cover the back wheel arch which enhanced the streamlined look, but when optional (from 1951) wire wheels were fitted, the spats had to be removed to make room for the hub spinners. Traffic indicators were not installed in the roadster (the cut away doors were considered ideal for hand signals) but when the FHC was introduced it included a minimalist system operated by a lever in the centre of the steering wheel which caused the side and brake lights to blink intermittently. Many cars were later updated to the superior XK140 spec, with separate amber lights situated above the front bumpers. This Is Without Doubt One of The Most Original XK20 Roadsters Seen For Years and In Stunning and Original Condition Throughout. This Is The Sixth Steel Bodied Car Ever Made and Very Rare In Every Respect. The Car Drives Beautifully and Has Been Maintained Superbly. The History Is Well Known To Us and It Is A Pleasure To Offer Such An Original Car.

TRIUMPH TR3A 1960

The Triumph TR3A was built between 1957 and 1962 by the Triumph Motor Company in the United Kingdom. The TR3A was a minor update from the TR3. The updates included the new wide front grill, exterior door handles, lockable boot handle and came with a full tool kit as standard (this was an option on the TR3). The total production run of the TR3A was around 58,000. This makes it the third best selling TR after the TR6 and TR7.

The Triumph TR3A was the first production car to include standard disk brakes. The car was known for its superior braking ability, making it an autocross favorite. The TR3A is often seen in Vintage and Production racing today. The TR3A, despite being almost 50 years old, is still competitive in the E-Production class of SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) as well as various classes in the UK This Superb Example Was Re-built In 1994 By Neil Revington As A Purposeful Rally Car, After Which It Won The Pyrenees and Irish Rallies and Finished 3rd In Class At Finlake Hillclimb. A Full Ground Up Restoration Was Carried Out By Neil Revington In July 2002. Fiva Registered.

BENTLEY Continental S3 1965

The Bentley S3 was a luxury car produced by Bentley from 1962 through 1965. The S3 looked very similar to the S2. The most-visible difference was a new turn indicator light in the nose rather than on the side, along with a four-headlamp layout that paved the way for the radically new Bentley T1 in 1965. The S3 continued the 6.2 L (6230 cc/380 in³) V8 engine introduced with the S2. Like previous models, an S3 Continental was built as well, many with coachbuilt bodies by H.J. Mulliner, Park Ward, and Vilhelm Koren. Production
* Bentley S3: 1286 (1 drophead coupé by H.J. Mulliner)
* Bentley S3 long wheelbase: 32 (7 with coachbuilt bodies by James Young)
* Bentley S3 Continental: 312

Drop on down to Duncan Hamilton & Co - you may even want to put on a pair of corduroy slacks and a flat hat and indulge in the 1950s atmosphere!