1953 Jaguar XK120 Drop Head Coupe |

Closed Auction- Unsold

1953 Jaguar XK120 Drop Head Coupe

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Mileage~47,315 on clock
TransmissionManual
Engine3.4L
LocationSt Albans

AUCTION CLOSED

1953 Jaguar XK120 Drop Head Coupe

Introduction

Darren Rungasamy

Automotive Editor, Photographer and Consigner

Elegantly styled with exemplary performance, the XK120 can only be described as legendary.

The launch of the XK120 at the 1948 London Motor Show was nothing short of a revelation. The original idea was to simply use the XK120 as a showcase for the new 3.4-litre straight-six engine, but the sweeping curves and perfectly proportioned body meant that Jaguar was soon inundated with requests to put the car into production. With the majority of cars going to export, in Britain, the XK120’s exclusivity was assured and was celebrated as the fastest production car of its day.

Staying close to the original concept design, Jaguar continued to evolve the car, with the initial aluminium bodies giving way to the steel body models, two additional variations of the original open-top body style were added. The last version of the XK120 was the Drop Head Coupe, which offered open-top motoring with an easy-to-close hood with full side windows. Furnished with a luxurious walnut dashboard, the XK120 was also making waves on the racetrack in the hands of Stirling Moss and Peter Walker, helping to create a racing pedigree and evolve the legend of the XK engine for decades to come.

First registered in November 1953 by Henlys of London, this is one of just ~295 DHC models made for the RHD market. Stunningly presented with a handful of useful but reversible mechanical and electrical upgrades, it was discovered in storage in 1980 and subjected to detailed and documented restoration in subsequent years. In the hands of its current owner, it has seen ~£20k’s worth of spending and comes with three binders of invoices and provenance. Meticulously maintained, while seeing regular use, we are proud to present you with one of the most glorious sports cars to have ever hit the tarmac, which comes to market from ~10 years ownership with our vendor.

This listing was written from information supplied by Darren after meeting Bob the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

In 2014, I finally realised my childhood dream of owning a Jag XK.

Making a promise to himself, Bob fulfilled a childhood dream shortly after his retirement to own a Jaguar XK120. After research, he concluded that it was best to find a well-restored car that was ready to use straight out of the box. After finding this car via respected XK specialist Twyford Moors in 2014, he has gone out and enjoyed the car, including classic car runs to Ireland and Scotland, as well as attending local classic car shows.

Sadly health issues are the main reasons as to why the car is being sold - Bob will be happy to answer any questions in the comments section below.

Bob

Vehicle Owner

Ask Questions

CONTACT OWNER

Exterior
Interior
Mechanics
History
All Images

EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

Finished to an impressive standard, this XK120 has seen thousands spent on its presentation.

Wheels and Tyres

The wire wheels are in excellent condtion, with tight spokes and no significant signs of age.

The tyres are the correct type for the car, complemented by a pair of very recently fitted Vredestein Sprints up front and a pair of 10-year-old Blockley's on the rear - all have plenty of life in them and show even tread.

Bodywork

Nothing negative to report regarding the exterior panels; they are well mounted, flush with the body with decent beading. The doors open and close with no obstructions and have good seals. Aside from two minor and easily treatable dents noted on the passenger side door, the car is free of panel damage.

The chassis looks to be in great shape, and the box sectioning looks solid.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view of what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The black paint has been applied well, with a decent glossy coverage and an even hue. Being a darker colour, the sun does catch light swirls on the panels and there are a few minor surface marks spotted.

There are also a couple of minor paint fractures spotted, mainly on the bonnet and the off-side. Specifically, these are a small crack on the top of the rear wing where it meets the hood and driver's door and one on the top of the front wing. There is also a paint touch-up on the front of the nearside wing, but overall, do not distract you from the positive finish of the car.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The split windscreen is in decent order, with a little lamination damage noted on both sides of the inner edges. All of the rubber seals are in good condition. The rest of the glass is decent, with a light scratch spotted on the driver-side glass.

The chrome trim is in excellent shape, clearly from a reputable source. Apart from a little sign of age on the top of the front bumper, all are free from marks. The lights are in good shape, there is no issues with the rear lenses.

VIEW ALL

INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

Plush with decadent walnut and leather, the cabin retains its air of quality.

Seats and Carpets

There is very little of note to mark down the interior presentation, the leather seats are in superb condition, with mild creasing in places.

The carpets are neatly presented with light wear in places. They retain a deep rich red hue and all appear bone dry.

Bob has protected the footwells with a pair of aftermarket rubber mats.

The boot is also carpeted, with mild signs of age spotted on the solid metalwork.

Dashboard

The dashboard is tidy, with a cleanly presented walnut facia. All of the dials, switches and controls are in good shape, and all are reported to function by Bob.

The door cards and the rest of the interior trim are well-placed and free of significant marks.

The headlining is positive, with just light signs of age but damage-free.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The gear lever is in decent shape, the steering wheel shows signs of age but displays well.

VIEW ALL

'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

Bought by Bob to be used, the XK120 is well travelled and has been reliable and a pleasure to drive.

Engine and Gearbox

The car starts up instantly and then idles smoothly without any unwanted knocking or tapping. It ran smoothly without any hesitation or undulations throughout the day. There was a light puff of smoke from the exhaust upon start up, but nothing significant and during the journey, it was free of any unwanted plumes.

The engine displays very positively, with clean ancilleries and hoses, all of which supports its regular maintenance.

The car has been upgraded with a Getrag 5-speed gearbox, which makes longer journeys a far more pleasant experience. The gear change is slick and direct with no reported issues with the clutch. For originality purposes, the car comes with its original Moss 4-speed gearbox.

Suspension and Brakes

It rides well, with no crashing or banging from the wheels. It corners evenly with no knocking noted. At higher speeds, the car felt composed and absorbed the road surface without drama. New rear springs were fitted in 2017 and Polyurethane bushes in 2010.

The car brakes effectively, partly due to the upgrade to front discs in 2014.

There were no judders or squeals.

The Drive

The inline-six 3.4-litre engine has been well maintained by specialist Twyford Moors, with basic servicing carried out by Bob himself. During the restoration, as a matter of precaution, a Kenlowe fan and a higher output water pump on the car, which means that there have been no reports of engine overheating over the years. On the day the oil pressure remained stable, with Bob confirming he has never seen any issues.

The aluminium-alloy XK engine is remarkably smooth at low speeds, with a deep low tone. However when opened up a more purposeful growl takes over, and its true sporting intention comes rising to the surface. It felt pleasingly composed to drive at speed, cruising at around 50 mph without a single hiccup from the engine. The steering wheel remained vibration-free and considering the age of the setup, remarkably direct.

Electrics and Other

The hood lowers and raises without any problems and a tight fit when raised. The hood itself is in good condition, with no outdoor element damage noted. Bob has pointed out that the tonneau will need a repair.

The car has seen a handful of useful upgrades in the ~10 years of Bob's ownership, which includes substituting the dynamo for an alternator, the addition of a pair of period quarter light mirrors, seat belts, LED lighting and a 123 ignition distributor. The original distributor will come with the car.

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History and Paperwork

The car was subject to a ~34-year restoration and then followed up by over £20k worth of maintenance and renovation.

First registered by Henly’s of London in November 1953, the first 10 years of the car's history have been sadly lost in time. Luckily, there is a record via the log book of its ownership since the early 1960s, where it initially spent its life in the home counties, before being purchased in 1965 by a keeper in Essex. They owned the vehicle until 1980, by which point it required restoration.

According to the owner, who bought the car after spotting it in a classified advert, the body was then rebuilt by John Wood of Bridport and painted in black cellulose paint. The chassis was blast-cleaned, galvanised and painted. The engine was rebuilt by Ron Beaty of Forward Engineering, followed by a carburettors and fuel pump rebuild by Burlen Services. The car was been trimmed by Suffolk & Turley.

It was sold to Bob in 2014, shortly after it was completed via renowned Jaguar XK specialists Twyford Moors, the car only has one previous owner. Under Bob's ownership, outside of the mechanical and electrical upgrades include an indicator relay repair, brake adjustment, head re-torque, new master cylinder, new sender unit, crank damper, rear shock link, rear wheel cylinder and rear springs. This expenditure over the last 10 years amounts to over ~£20,000 on top of the thousands spent on the 1980s/1990s restoration.

A CD ROM of photographs documents the XK120's restoration. It also comes with three binders containing ~450 invoices for parts, work and maintenance. There are also registration documents back to the early 1960s, a Jaguar heritage document, recent tax discs, old MOTs back to the mid-90s and notes helping to confirm the car's matching numbers and provenance.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned an HPI check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment of the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bids, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Bob will be happy to answer any questions about the car in the comments section below.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
05-05-2021	Compression Test	-
27-11-2020	Service	40,811
10-11-2020	MOT	40,811
16-05-2017	Rear Springs	-
28-10-2016	Service	-
24-02-2016	MOT	31,681
15-12-2014	Alternator Conversion	-
26-04-2014	MOT	29,871
09-06-2012	MOT	29,556
04-06-2011	MOT	29,339
24-04-2010	MOT	29,046
16-05-2009	MOT	28,755
12-05-2008	MOT	28,267
07-08-2007	Gearbox
05-06-2004	MOT	27,954
14-06-2003	MOT	27,598
01-06-2002	MOT	27,490
24-02-2001	MOT	26,955
20-02-1999	MOT	26,717
03-02-1998	MOT	26,406
03-06-1996	MOT	25,438
01-04-1995	MOT	24,488
12-04-1994	MOT	23,841