Talking all about A1XKS, this is the story of my own personal journey in the industry which started over 30 years ago.
I left school at the age of 16 and secured an apprenticeship with an XK specialist company as a tinsmith.
I suddenly had a passion for classic Jaguar XK restoration. I had discovered that this was my calling and in 2011 I took a leap of faith and started my own business. A1XKS was born.
For over 10 years, I have been supplying Jaguar XK body shells and panels to a variety of specialist traders within the industry. By word of mouth I have had lots of new customers contacting me to help with their car restoration projects.
All panels and body shells are created using a variety of traditional (and more modern) methods including:
Over the years, I have established a portfolio of patterns, tooling and jigs. These are used for the accurate reproduction of panels. My collection of resources relate to the 1950’s and 1960’s Jaguar XK models:
These also include OTS (Roadster), DHC (Drophead Coupe) and FHC (Fixedhead Coupe) for both early and late models.
You can view some of our work on the Gallery Page.
In recent years, my son has joined me as my apprentice. There are now have 3 generations of the Wentworth family working on restoring old cars for customers across Europe and the USA.
Modern technology has fast replaced the traditional methods of working. Modern cars are mass produced by robots. This is understandable considering how many cars are on the roads today. But I take great pride in the handmade panels that I create. I enjoy keeping the traditional method of panel beating alive. Being able to pass on my knowledge and skills to my son is a privilege. These skills are vitally important for the classic car industry and generations to come.
