1953 Jaguar XK 120
Coupe-
Year of manufacture1953
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Mileage34 500 mi / 55 523 km
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Car typeCoupé
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Chassis number669008
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Engine numberW7938-8
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DriveRHD
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ConditionOriginal Condition
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Exterior brand colourCream
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Interior colourBlue
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Interior typeLeather
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Number of doors2
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Number of seats2
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Location
-
Exterior colourWhite
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GearboxManual
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Drivetrain2wd
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Fuel typePetrol
Description
The XK120 was launched in open two-seater or roadster form at the 1948 London Motor Show as a test-bed and show car for the new Jaguar XK engine designed by Jaguar Chief Engineer William Heynes.
Beginning in 1948, the first 242 cars wore wood-framed open 2-seater bodies with aluminium panels. Production switched to the 1cwt or 112 lb (51 kg) heavier all-steel in early 1950.
The "120" in the name referred to the aluminium car's 120 mph (193 km/h) top speed (faster with the windscreen removed), which made it the world's fastest production car at the time of its launch.
In 1949 the first production car, chassis number 670003, was delivered to Clark Gable.
1951 XK120 Fixed Head Coupe
The XK120 was ultimately available in three versions or body styles, first as an open 2-seater described in the US market as a roadster (OTS) then as a fixed head coupé (FHC) from 1951 and finally as a drophead coupé (DHC) from 1953, all two-seaters and available with Left (LHD) or Right Hand Drive (RHD).
However, certain Special Equipment roadster and fixed head coupe cars were produced between 1948 and 1949 denoted by an 'S' preceding the chassis number.
XK120s were also highly successful in racing and rallying.
Total production of the Jaguar XK120 FHC was 294 right hand drive and 1471 Left Hand Drive.
Chassis Number 669008 was the eighth Jaguar XK120 Fixed Head coupe produced and the first customer sold car after the first seven going to racing drivers. The car was manufactured 24 March 1953 and sold through Sanderson – Homes on 22 May 1953 and sold to Mr Miles of Derby, who kept it until April 1956. Mr Truman of Nottingham purchased the car until he sold it on in January 1959. It was then sold to Mr Barrie W Foster of Nottingham owned the car for a short while and sold it in September 1961 to Forster Prowse Motors, East Ham who only held the car for a month and sold it directly on to Anthony G Parks of Christchurch who owned it for ten years before selling the car back to Barrie W Foster who then sold it in June 1987. Mr Ian G Humphries of Hazelwood, Derbyshire sold the car in May 1998 to Michael J Ridley of Newport Shropshire who kept it until November 1999 to Mr Morgan who still owns the car today. Between March 1966 and 1983 Mr Anthony started the total restoration and it was Mr Anthony Parkes who finished the car.
The car was restored to total originality and to the correct speciation except for the wire wheels (an original option) front disc brakes changed by JD Classics, stainless steel exhaust and electric cooling fan.
The car is in its original colours of Cream with Blue trim and all matching numbers as per the original build record.
The car also comes with the original handbook, buff logbook, original tools, keys and the fitted luggage by Auto-luggage Ltd, England.
This car is exceptional in every way, all the gaps are perfect and the closures are remarkable.
The car drives and brakes straight no rattles and very smooth, you will need to go a long way to find such a perfect usable motor car of this age.