Practical Classics photoshoot - XM required

[Dean]

Good point!, I forgot it travelled the world didn't it, and Vince received a letter from the original owner.

D

[Dean]

Extracted from Vince' blog

Finally i have managed to learn everything about the xm i now own i just received a phone call from one of the past owners of the car who shed light on the whole car's history from new

A few days ago I wrote to a guy known only as Mr D Robinson at an address in Reading which was shown on an old receipt in the car's history, and which also matched a D Robinson on the electoral role on google. With the cars well travelled and detailed service history, i really wanted to know why it had travelled through europe and into the middle east, and anything else i could learn about it.

Dean Robinson (who called me) filled me in on the below info....some of which i might need to amend a bit if its wrong (i need to send him an email to varify everything i wrote down)

So......Firstly the car was bought new and used for a while by the Norfolk National Health Service (applause for getting something interesting as a company car). It was then at some point traded in, after which a guy called Roy Godwin bought it, solely to do a tour around Europe and the middle east. He was /is a South African guy and had a house in England. The trips were taken as holidays and on one of them it towed a caravan where it went.

When the trips were finished the car was sold to Dean's late father Donald Robinson (known as Robbie) who was an engineer for British Airways! Naturally being an engineer he appreciated the cars styling and technology and aparently they were bought and owned by many pilots at the time too He ran the car for years keeping on top of it with his Citroen mechanic Tony (i have his details but havent written to him yet) and it was during this time that the headgasket and top end rebuild were done. As Dean said "Dad being an engineer had to have everything done perfectly so it was a proper job"

Robbie got tired of banging his leg on the towbar when in the boot so had it removed as he never towed anything or had any intention of towing with it. At some stage in his ownership to the best of Dean's recollection, they were getting a sofa delivered and the delivery wagon reversed into the car whilst it was parked, damaging the front wing, drivers door and front nosecone. These were subsequently repaired hence why the paint isnt an exact match.

Sadly a few years back, Dean's dad died quite suddenly of pneumonia, and the car was kept for about a year for sentimental reasons after which Dean bought a C5 (which he still owns) and the XM was tasked to Tony to sell on to an enthusiast. That enthusiast turned out to be a friend of Tim Leech's called Simon in Bristol, who then sold it onto Paul when ti needed a clutch, who then sold it to me

Amazingly however Dean still has the original engine undertray for it in his dad's old garage and would love it to be reunited with its parent car so i will have to arrange for that to happen.

Naturally being one his childhood memory cars and obviously a link to his late father he was thrilled (and a tad emotional) to get the letter from me and wants to keep in touch to see how the car gets on on its journey. I have decided that it would be great if i could get down to see him at some point so he can see it again in the flesh, and id let him have a drive in it again, so im going to see if i can perhaps manage it on the weekend of the NEC classic car show.
In my mind that would add another great journey to the cars already fantastic history

Im really chuffed ive managed to get this information as i figured it woudl be lost in time and id never know why the car had been where it had been and still be in such good nick after all these years

[Dieselman]

I wonder if the mechanic "Tony" is Tony Weston?

[russ92xmsed]

I might be able to find that out.... If I remember to ask!
Though I have a strong feeling Simon did get Tony to work on it anyway.

[raynoon]

The history behind this car is absolutely staggering. I wonder if Vince managed to get the original under tray?

[Dieselman]

I understand that one of the reasons this car was picked was due to the wheel-trims.....PAUL.... They may look a bit odd when the car is standing, but look ace when it's moving down the road.

It's good that a variety of cars are picked, rather than using the same one each time.

[Dean]

Those trims are nice, always said if i had the time to make a set to fit 17" steel rims i would swap in a heartbeat, one day i will get the time, maybe.

D

[russ92xmsed]

I have always liked them. They suit the XM very well, unlike the sx swirly wheel trims. Sorry to those who have them!

[MTXM]

Well done Ray on having you car selected for the PC feature and that will be at least the second time KVG has appeared in print. I am sorry I do not share the enthusiasm for the 'bowling ball' wheeltrims and I much prefer the continental base spec design, but each to their own I guess! Regards, Matthew T.

[raynoon]

Thanks Matthew. Don't be sorry, everybody has their own preference. We should rename them "marmite" wheel trims