Jaguar XK 120 SE Roadster, 1953

Chassis No.: S673761

Engine No.: W 7860 8S

Location: London, United Kingdom

£81,200 GBP | Sold

180 hp, 3,442 cc twin overhead cam inline six-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, Girling drum brakes with servo, independent wishbone front suspension with torsion bars and anti-roll bar, rear live axle with semi-elliptic springs, left-hand drive. Wheelbase: 2,590 mm

• Matching-numbers SE example with Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Certificate

• Documented, known history

• Remarkably only has 13,000 miles from new

• Time-warp original car with FIVA A/2 classification

The XK120 made its debut at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1948, creating nothing short of a sensation in the automotive world. Originally conceived as a low-volume car rather than a serious production vehicle, it was destined to become a formidable offering and one of the most celebrated sports cars of all time. A total of 12,055 XK120s were produced from 1948-1954, including 7,374 steel-bodied roadsters. This was Jaguar’s first modern envelope body with integral fenders and a newly designed chassis with torsion bar front suspension. The elegant, curvaceous styling was the work of Sir William Lyons and was offered in roadster, coupé and drophead coupé body styles throughout the model run.

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The XK engine was a marvel of modern efficiency offering smooth power and great flexibility throughout the driving range. The six-cylinder 3.4-litre twin cam unit produced 160 hp while breathing through twin SU carburettors. Amazingly, a version of this engine would continue to power Jags into the 1970s. An SE model became available for 1951 which included an improved 3.4-litre motor with higher-lift camshafts, lightened flywheel, stiffer rear springs, wire wheels and dual exhaust system. SE versions offered a significant increase in horsepower: 180 hp compared to the standard model’s 160 hp.

This 120SE was built on 16 March, 1953 and dispatched on 23 March, 1953 to the U.S., where it was sent to the Jaguar distributor Hornburg in Los Angeles, California and sold new to Leoti, Colorado Ford dealer Claude S. Heath, Jr. There is a letter in the file from Mr. Heath’s son, written in 1998, in which he remembers accompanying his father to collect his new Jaguar and driving it home some 350 miles, never exceeding 50 mph due to the throttle-stop speed restrictor during “running-in.” This letter also confirms the recorded original mileage, which astonishingly stands at only 13,000 miles and is believed to be correct, as he and his brother had stored the car on blocks for many years, eventually selling it to Robert Brandes of Kansas in 1977.

Mr. Heath also states in his letter that he believes the XK120 Roadster still wears its original and wonderfully patinated “Birch Grey” paint. This is further verified by FIVA scrutineers who have awarded it with A/2 classification as an outstandingly original example.

At some point during storage, the interior appears to have suffered, and a new interior in the original Biscuit and red combination was ordered from DAS Ltd. in the early 1980s. The car was both inspected meticulously and rebuilt mechanically between June and December 2008. This exhaustive re-commissioning was performed for owner Roger Morrison of Salina, Kansas by Jaguar marque specialist T’s Sunrise in Englewood, Colorado in the interest of maintaining the integrity and originality of this low-mileage example. A list of work performed is available for inspection upon request.

The car benefits from both its Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Certificate as well as documented ownership provenance from new. In addition, it has more recently been fully inspected by leading marque specialists in the UK and reported to be in excellent all-around condition, particularly the solid and original chassis. As presented, it benefits from UK registration documents and comes with an original tool roll, set of tools and owner’s manual.

This car represents a unique opportunity to acquire a fully sorted yet time-warp and low-mileage example of the Jaguar XK120. Wearing its external patina with pride and benefitting from a sympathetically restored interior, this is indeed a very special motor car.

https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/lf11/lots/r151-1953-jaguar-xk-120-se-roadster/