By Justin Swanson, Special to the Independent
Laguna Beach’s Tim Tunnell will be entering his classic 1953 Jaguar XK 120 FHC in Dana Point’s Concours d’Elegance on June 24, where just last year Tunnell’s car earned the Elegance Award for a post-war sports car.
The original owner of the car, Tunnell purchased the vehicle as a testament to the booming heyday of his successful dance studio venture in Newport Beach during the 1950s.
“It just had a certain shape to it that I fell in love with,” said Tunnell, who’s Jaguar has won in the last five shows it has participated in. “It has been called, ‘the best XK in the USA’.”
The car, itself, has been restored four times and is powered by a 3.8L twin cam engine mated to a five-speed transmission, garnering over 300 horsepower.
The Dana Point Concours at the St. Regis resort is, “as important as any show on the West Coast,” according to Tunnell, who notes that a win there would only enhance the legacy his car has built. Though, judging by his enthusiasm and graciousness, Tunnell is just happy to be a part of the car culture with an automobile he’s had for nearly 60 years.
Laguna Beach resident Justin Swanson is an Indy intern.
