‘ I’ m really happy with what we’ re doing. We’ ve become real experts in what we do’
Specialist: William Heynes Ltd
No other Jaguar and XK specialist can boast of the same connection with the original cars and engine as William Heynes Ltd( WH). Run by the grandson of William Munger‘ Bill’ Heynes, WH isn’ t just operated on pride and passion, but family honour too. The founder of the business, who shares the name of his grandfather, William Heynes, steers the company as it services, restores and race-prepares the Jaguars engineered by Heynes senior.
The name can only get you so far, though. WH’ s reputation is now based on the quality of the cars that leave the workshop, and the company is in demand.‘ We’ ve got about a six- to seven-year waiting list on restoration work,’ says William.‘ Then we’ ve got a four- or five-month waiting list on service work. We’ ve got about 21 cars on stands, or in build, or in for service work within the business at any one time. Then we’ ve got about 20 to 30 cars in storage.’
Cars now come to WH from all over the world.‘ We’ ve got a global customer base,’ says William.‘ It’ s really nice to get some Americans over or people from down the road who hear of us through word of mouth in the Co-op.’ Such disparate customers add variety, too.‘ Some guys air freighted a 4.2 XJ6 engine over. The car’ s probably only worth £ 10,000 and we’ ve done a £ 20,000 rebuild on that engine. It’ s going to get air
freighted back. Which I think is mental, but it’ s also cool.’ Asked what the main part of the business is, William answers easily,‘ It’ s definitely restoration.’ That focus doesn’ t compromise any other projects, and dedicated teams within WH are appointed to the tasks they are best suited to.‘ Restoring cars is a totally different mindset, because it’ s not just about how well the engines are built. It’ s about what we’ ve actually got to work with and what is the minimum intervention to get the result we need.
‘ I have to be so hot on the boys because we pick who works on individual cars within my own business. I’ ve got service staff, and I’ ve got a restoration team, mechanical team and parts team. There’ s not much overlap because if a certain car comes in, which is a preservation car, there are only two people in my business who would have the passion for me to really step back and not get involved with it. On the race side, there’ s a couple more boys who can throw an engine together and they can win.’
The attention to detail and restoration approach taken by WH has been noticed outside of the Jaguar world, too.‘ We got asked to do a Ferrari 250 GT restoration and, unfortunately, we’ re not going to restore it. It’ s not our bag. I like to think we do a really nice job, but I’ m really happy with what we’ re doing. We’ ve become real experts in what we do.’
It’ s in William Heynes’ blood; his grandfather led the team who created the XK
‘ I’ m really happy with what we’ re doing. We’ ve become real experts in what we do’
Autumn / Winter 2026 The Engine Rebuilder 27