This concourse 1953 Jaguar XK120 Fixed Head Coupe is a rolling piece of artwork and excellence is its presence. This car has been professionally restored to high show quality standards throughout and it’s simply one of the best! The Jaguar XK120 is a sports car manufactured by Jaguar between 1948 and 1954. It was Jaguar’s first sports car since SS 100 production ended in 1939. In 1949, the first production car, chassis number 670003, was delivered to Clark Gable. Some would argue this is best looking automobile ever built. A total of 12,056 Jaguar XK120’s were built during the entire production run. Of the 12,056 built, only 2,678 were Fixed Head Coupes (FHC). The Jaguar Heritage Certificate #35562 for this car was issued by JDHT on March 13, 2012 by Chief Archivist- Anders Ditlev Clausager. The certificate documents this car, chassis #680935, was manufactured on March 12th, 1953. The original distributor was Hornburg in Los Angeles, Ca and the first owner was W.E. Sears. This car left the factory with a Dove Grey exterior and Red interior. This is a seldom-seen color combination that is truly stunning in every sense of the word.
This car was purchased from a gentleman who owned the car for over 50 years by well-known Tom Griffith of Madison, WI. Tom Griffith is a collector and restorer of fine motor cars. Tom has sold many vehicles that have set sales records. Tom purchased this car for himself with intentions of keeping it. When Tom found the car there was absolutely no rust anywhere. It was a true time capsule. He spent six years restoring this car methodically. He invested countless hours in research, parts and labor. Absolutely every aspect of this car was done as correctly as possible. Every single nut and bolt was carefully cataloged and then plated back to new condition. Literally thousands of fasteners all went back on the car just as they were taken off. Tom claims to have over $200,000.00 in the total cost which comes as no surprise. The restoration was completed in 2019 and has been driven 400 miles since completion. This car looks runs and drives amazing!
The car retains all the original sheet metal which is unheard of with this generation of Jaguars. During the restoration there were three areas that required minor work so the areas were cut out and repaired. The three pieces of sheet metal were saved and included with the car. The body is extremely straight with precise gap lines throughout. The car was finished in its original color of Dove Grey which is beautiful. The color was computer matched perfectly with the original paint color that was on the car. The original paint was left under the dash, in the door panels and behind the deck lid. The high quality paint job is original single stage and impeccable. The fender skirts add the extra touch and are easily removable. All of the glass is in excellent condition and original with exception of the front windshield. Everything on the exterior has been restored or replaced such as the trim, seals, wipers, door handles, grill, light bezels, lights, front bumpers and rear bumpers. The hood emblem which is original and not a reproduction. The wheels and trimmed Jaguar hub caps were painted to match the exterior. The wheels are wrapped with new Excelsior Stahl Sport Radial 6.00 R16 tires that have a 4-ply rating.
The luxurious interior was finished in its original red with new Connelly leather. It was restored to the highest level of quality with great craftsmanship throughout. The interior cabin appears small but is actually spacious considering the design. The headliner and upholstery was beautifully restored. It still retains the factory translucent lavender sun visors. The wood veneering on the dash and door panels is a piece of art. The dash mounted rear view mirror and sliding ash tray is so cool. All of the instruments have been rebuilt and work accurately. The steering wheel is new and the center cap is original. It has two correct batteries behind the seat that retain the original Lucas battery covers. A battery power cut off switch is installed for long term storage. Everything in the interior is in working order such as the wipers, lights, turn signals, horn, gauges, telescopic steering column, emergency brake, etc.
The trunk compartment was finished in its original color paint. It was restored to the highest level of quality. It houses a red trunk mat, painted wheel, spare tire, tool roll and correct Smiths jacking system as it came from the factory. Under the trunk lid was upholstered to match the interior which looks amazing with the attention to detail.
The painted engine compartment was finished in its original color paint. It’s very correct and highly detailed throughout. The factory body tags are located in the correct locations and match the Jaguar Heritage Certificate. The wiring harness is new and all the wiring is correct. The windshield wiper motor was rebuilt. The car is powered by the original matching numbers 3.4L DOHC Inline 6 cylinder engine #W7867-8. The engine cylinder head matches #W7867-8 as well. With a high performance, high-strength aluminum alloy cylinder head, hemispherical combustion chambers, inclined valves and twin side-draft SU carburetors, the dual overhead-cam 3.4L straight-6 XK engine was highly advanced for a mass produced unit of the time. The engine was completely rebuilt by well-known PHP Race Engines located in Wauconda, IL. The invoice of the entire engine rebuild is included. The engine was dyno tested for five straight hours to properly break in the engine. The engine rebuild now would allow the car to reach speeds of 135 mph. The original orange ignition coil and condenser that was added at the dealership in 1955 remains in the car today. The dual air cleaner canister is original as well. The correct dual SU fuel pump is being used. This engine starts quickly with a factory automatic choke which works very nicely. The engine runs and performs beautifully. The engine is coupled to a 4-speed manual gearbox which was completely rebuilt. The clutch and transmission operate excellent.
The undercarriage was correctly restored and highly detailed throughout. This undercarriage would be displayed with mirrors on the field at a Concours show. Everything underneath this car was restored or replaced such as the steering components, braking components and suspension components. It even has the leather wrapped gators. This car is very tight with no rattles. It really handles the road well.
This 1953 Jaguar XK120 FHC is one of the best examples in the world. It has been restored to a much higher level than most Jaguar XK120s. Just look and compare. The difference is as clear as day. Buy the best!
