Vehicle Description
The sensational Jaguar XK120 first appeared at the 1948 London
Motor Show to astonished audiences. This svelte and sexy show car
was originally intended to be a styling exercise used to highlight
Jaguar's upcoming and advanced new XK twin-cam inline six-cylinder
engine, but response from the press and public was so positive that
it took little persuasion to convince Jaguar boss Sir William Lyons
to develop the car for production. Thankfully, the road going car
lost none of the impact of the original show car when it hit the
market. Aside from the headline-grabbing engine, the XK120 featured
independent front suspension sprung by torsion bars, with a
Salisbury limited-slip live rear axle riding on leaf springs out
back. Large four wheel drum brakes were adequate though could fade
when pushed too hard on track. But the star of the show was indeed
the iron block, alloy head "XK" twin cam six, good for 160
horsepower in standard form, upwards of 210hp in later models, and
300 or more on the race track. The "120" part of the XK120 name
came courtesy of the top speed it reached on a pre-production test,
making it the fastest production road car of its day. The earliest
cars were hand-built with alloy bodies, which later changed to more
cost effective and durable steel construction once the tooling was
ready. The XK120 earned its legendary status thanks to its
incredible performance and unmistakable beauty, creating one of the
most iconic sports cars of all time. This fine 1951 XK120 OTS
roadster is an early production example that has had just three
owners from new. It is presented in beautifully maintained order
since receiving a high-quality, nut-and bolt restoration to
concours standards by its second owner. According to the Jaguar
Heritage Certificate, chassis number 670662 is a numbers-matching
car that was built on the 4th of September 1950 - coincidentally
Sir William Lyons' birthday. An early steel-bodied left-hand drive
car, it was first finished in pastel blue over a duo-tone blue
interior and delivered new to D. S. Gross of San Francisco,
California in the opening days of 1951. Mr. Gross used the car
sparingly through his tenure but he retained it for 33 years, only
selling it as a complete, rust-free but non-driving project in
1984. The second owner, Vincent Weatherby of Costa Mesa, California
was a well-known area car enthusiast who purchased the car for
himself, recognizing the importance of such a low mileage and
original XK120 roadster. In the late 1990s, he embarked on a
multi-year concours-quality restoration, returning the Jaguar to
its former glory. Those who witnessed the project state that no
bolt was left unturned, and every finish and detail was brought
back to factory-correct standards. Shortly after the restoration
was completed in 2000, Mr. Weatherby sold the Jaguar to its 3rd and
most recent owner, an enthusiast and collector from Wisconsin. Over
the past 18 years, the XK120 was meticulously cared for and
maintained, with much of the maintenance and detailing handled by
the renowned John Kies at Motion Products in Wisconsin. Now
presented in the striking but seldom-seen original Jaguar shade of
Squadron Blue, this XK120 remains in exceptional condition today.
In the years since the restoration was completed, this car has
benefitted from light and careful use, as well as extensive
maintenance to ensure it is in top running order. The body exhibits
excellent panel gaps and fit, and the paint work remains in very
fine order, revealing the outstanding quality of the original
restoration as well as the care it has received since. The
beautiful blue paintwork is set off by sparkling chrome knock-off
wire wheels wrapped in Firestone whitewall tires, appropriate for a
US delivered car such as this, and the rest of the brightwork also
presents very well, showing only slight mellowing. Trimmed in gray
leather, the cockpit is beautifully finished to a high standard
with properly upholstered seats appearing in fine order, and with
minimal creasing from use. Likewise, gray carpets, leather-wrapped
dash and gray hardura door cards are in excellent condition. This
car wears the correct early-style convertible top which is noted
for its more pronounced teardrop shape. When the top was restored,
the original French gray fabric topping was not available, so this
high-quality salt-and-pepper material was sourced, and is a very
attractive alternative. For the purist, a light gray vinyl soft top
will also be included. The original, numbers-matching 3.4 liter,
160 horsepower twin-cam "XK" inline six rests under the hood. It is
of course clean, tidy and well detailed, showing signs of regular
maintenance despite the limited use. It runs very well, breathing
through original twin S.U. carburetors. The four-speed manual
gearbox feels tight and precise as it should and the road manners
are quite good. The most recent owners went to great lengths to
document the remarkable history of this fine Jaguar. A large file
includes receipts from the work performed while in their care, as
well as a multi-page account of the previous ownership, the
restoration work, a Jaguar heritage certificate and numerous period
articles and adverts. The sale will also include a full set of
tools (including the jack, Thor hammer and pouch) restored by
expert Tom Buckus, as well as a custom tonneau in gray canvas, and
a French gray soft top in vinyl. Maintained with little regard to
cost and used sparingly, this lovely XK120 was not shown during the
last owner's time with it, and as such, it would be a very welcome
appearance at any Jaguar club concours, regional show or tour.