Vehicle Description
The XK140 was introduced in late 1954 and sold as a 1955 model.
Exterior changes that distinguished it from the XK120 included more
substantial front and rear bumpers with overriders and flashing
turn signals (operated by a switch on the dash) above the front
bumper. The grille remained the same size but became a one-piece
cast unit with fewer and broader, vertical bars. The Jaguar badge
was incorporated into the grille surround. A chrome trim strip ran
along the centre of the bonnet and boot lid. An emblem on the boot
lid contained the words "Winner Le Mans 1951-3".The interior was
made more comfortable for taller drivers by moving the engine,
firewall and dash forward to give three inches more legroom. Two
6-volt batteries, one in each front wing were fitted to the
Fixedhead Coup�, but Dropheads and the Open Two Seater had a single
12-volt battery installed in the front wing on the passenger side.
The XK140 was powered by the Jaguar XK engine with the special
equipment modifications from the XK120, which raised the specified
power by 10 bhp to 190 bhp at 5500 rpm, as standard. The C-Type
cylinder head, carried over from the XK120 catalogue, and producing
210 bhp at 5750 rpm, was optional equipment. The Drophead Coup� had
a lined canvas top that lowered onto the body behind the seats, a
fixed windscreen integral with the body (the Roadster's screen was
removable), wind-up side windows, and a small rear seat. It also
had a walnut-veneered dashboard and door cappings. Out of a total
of 8,937 XK140's built only 480 were righthand drive Drophead
Coup�s, with this particular example being a genuine UK delivered
car, built on 20th May 1955 and despatched on 7th June via Henlys
of London through dealer Brooklands of Bond Street and first
registered on 14th July to J. Doltis Limited of London. The
accompanying Heritage Certificate confirms the car retains its all
important original engine and the body number matches that of the
chassis plate. The Heritage Certificate also informs us it left the
factory in British Racing Green, however, according to the green
log book that is contained in the cars file, the colour was changed
to blue in 1968 which it wears today. The hood frame is present
along with the walnut veneer dash and biscuit interior. Retaining
its original registration mark of RLT 777, the car was purchased by
the vendor in November 2008 from an esteemed XK specialist as a
barn find and had already been off the road for some time with the
view to restore the car. To find a rare car like this, in this
condition, is a remarkable find and offers the new owner an
original, UK delivered, matching numbers and largely complete car
with which to make a wonderful project. For sale by auction on
Saturday 23 September 2017 with Historics at Brooklands, Brooklands
Motor Racing Circuit, Weybridge, Surrey, Call 01753 639170
