Lot Ended
Description
Fully restored with various choice upgrades including
5-speed Cosworth gearbox, Fosseway disc brakes, Turrino lightweight wheels
and alloy body panels; an outstanding example in all departments
‘One of the
nicest we have seen’ is a cliché often deployed in auction catalogues but in the
case of this magnificent machine it is actually an understatement – this is by
far the best XK120 Roadster we have ever seen. No wonder it set a new UK auction
record for a standard road-going example when we sold it to the current owner in
the summer of 2022. Just look at it!
One of only
7,614 XK120 Roadsters made between 1948 and October 1954, it comes with a
Heritage Certificate showing that it left the Browns Lane factory in March 1954.
As with all but 1,176 examples, it was a LHD model destined for Jaguar
dealership Hoffman of California and was originally finished in Cream with a red
interior and a Sand soft top.
Imported back to
the UK in the 1990s and registered here as CAS 474, it was acquired by the
previous owner in 1999 to join his impressive Jaguar collection. Aided by a
friend who was a retired motor engineer, he set about a total nut-and-bolt
restoration which was to take over five years to complete and
resulted in the magnificent specimen you see today.
The full extent of the work carried out is far too detailed to list
in full here but it included various choice upgrades to make the car into a fast
and reliable tourer and the attention to detail is superb throughout.
The
bodywork was entrusted to Hightone Restorations of Enstone and included the
special green paintwork (similar to Aston Martin Sage Green) which cost over
£9,700 in labour alone, another £7,800 being spent on panels including new alloy
doors and boot lid. The brightwork was completely renewed or refurbished too –
all this work being done 25 years ago so you can imagine how much more it would
cost today. Hightone certainly did a fantastic job and the bodywork still looks
wonderful over two decades later.
The original 3.4 engine was found to
be in excellent condition and needed nothing more than new gaskets and a rebuilt
cylinder head with new valves, valve seats and springs, camshaft bearings etc.
Electronic ignition was also fitted along with race HT leads, alloy radiator
expansion tank and all new ancillaries as required.
The original Moss
gearbox was ditched in favour of a Broad Sport 5-speed Cosworth box which cost
£1,845. The propshaft and axle were rebuilt, along with the steering (now RHD)
and suspension with Spax shock absorbers. The front brakes were converted from
drum to disc using an upgrade kit supplied by Fosseway Way Performance which
cost £1,544. A Bell stainless steel exhaust system was also fitted.
The
wheels were hand-built by Turrino Wire Wheels at a cost of £2,444 with alloy
rims, stainless steel spokes and chrome centres. These are typically around 4kg
lighter than steel equivalents, giving a total weight saving of around 16kg
which has the same effect on acceleration as lightening the car by 80kg-160kg
due to the reduced rotational moment of inertia. Mighty fine they look too.
The interior was retrimmed in the finest Connolly hide by ex-Brown’s
Lane trimmer Mick Turley of Suffolk & Turley fame; even the door cards are
leather. A new hood and side screens were also fitted and all the instruments
were rebuilt by Vintage Restorations of Tunbridge Wells, including the
lovely Jaeger 8 days clock.
The previous owner did several thousand
miles in the car, including three trips to the Le Mans Classic, a tour
round Germany and regular visits to Goodwood. It was then left on static
display in his collection for a number of years due to his declining
health.
As previously mentioned, our vendor, only
the second UK owner, acquired the car via Brightwells in 2022 for substantially
more than the guide price suggested here. He promptly sent the car to Jaguar
specialists Smallman Hall of Bridgnorth for a thorough recommissioning which
cost £6,800 and included a new set of radial tyres; new ball joints; new clutch
kit and flywheel; new seat belts; electric windscreen washer conversion; major
service and tune-up plus various other items.
Smallman Hall subsequently serviced the car again in July 2023 and
again in April 2024, the carbs also being rebuilt in November 2024. Our vendor
has used the car regularly, covering some 2,500 fine weather miles and reports
that it drives as well as it looks.
Starting
promptly and running beautifully as we have moved it around on site, with
healthy oil pressure and a pleasingly gruff exhaust note, it also has an MOT
until April 2026 with just a couple of minor advisories relating to the
handbrake.
A gorgeous car in a lovely colour
scheme, this judiciously uprated XK120 will turn heads wherever it goes and will
bring a great deal of pleasure to the fortunate new owner.
Consigned by James Dennison – 07970 309907 – james.dennison@brightwells.com