Brakes
The XK140's single master cylinder / single circuit system and drums all round, meant brakes fell well short of today's requirements.
Front discs with Wilwood callipers went on as a matter of urgency, followed quickly by a servo. The bigger change came later: a dual master cylinder, a compact servo acting on the front discs only, and an adjustable bias valve, designed and marketed by a fellow XK owner. The rear drums stay, because the handbrake that works with them is better than the XK150's disc arrangement.
The bias was set on MOT brake rollers to the target 66 per cent front, 33 rear.
Front suspension
Components powder coated, poly-bush kit throughout, all ball joints and bearings replaced. Camber set to almost zero, which is the closest an XK140 gets to the slight negative that radial tyres want without altering the suspension towers. Castor and toe-in to standard.
Rear suspension
The leaf springs were replaced in 2012 and then, having settled, taken apart and treated:
Each leaf was sanded then polished smooth before applying a coat of satin epoxy paint. Next they were coated each side with a thin smear of nimonic anti-seize lubricant. Finally a 1mm strip of high density polyethylene (HDPE) was inserted between each leaf.
The net result is that the leaves move easily against each other which when working in conjunction with adjustable shock absorbers provide a far more compliant and controlled rear suspension.
Custom leather gaiters — an original option — keep the grit out and the lubrication in.
This treatment also has its own Knowledge page.
Does an XK140 need power steering?
The rack is original and at close to 100,000 miles shows no wear. The question is only whether radial tyres have made it too heavy.
At 77, I am the antithesis of Charles Atlas and I do struggle a bit on occasions, but those occasions represent perhaps just a minute or so on a typical outing of maybe two hours driving.
A kit is about £4,000 plus perhaps £1,000 to fit. Over ten years at 1,500 miles a year, that works out at rather more than £50 for each one-minute struggle.
So, can I live with a minute or so looking daft for the price of a decent meal? I think so.