Vehicle Description
West Coast Classics are proud to present an extraordinarily rare
and all original (with only three caretakers/owners since new)
example of this all stock and rust free coveted and highly
desirable 1954 Jaguar XK 120 SE M Roadster with only 58K original
miles with Left Hand Drive U.S. delivery with the optional 'M
package' Special Equipment Package 180HP 3442 cc 6 cylinder engine
and which was the beneficiary of a no expense spared mechanical
restoration as required when purchased by only its third owner in
2009 after having been sitting for a couple of years having been
purchased from the estate of only its second owner who had
purchased the car in 1956 from its original owner!Fully documented
history with original paint and interior and all matching numbers
original SE engine, heads and transmission! We recently acquired
the car from the third owners with the car sporting an outstanding
all original patina and excellent body with no damage history and
no rust! The car has its all original paint and interior and will
be sold with its original wheels and tires, yes tires! The car
currently has four stock period correct steel wheels boasting the
five optional center locks (which were available from 1951) with
the spats (aka Fender Shirts in America!) being removed as was
typical due to insufficient clearance for the knock off hubs (with
its original 'knock off' Thor Hammer' English mallet) with new
tires. The original wheels and tires are being kept separately for
preservation purposes (see photos below) and are in wonderful
condition and will be sold with the car, the car also has its
original spare wheel in its rightful place in the trunk
compartment, original roadside jack, mallet and factory tools in
their original case, the original 'Fawn' color soft top and frame,
and of course the car boasts its original matching numbers engine
as verified by the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Certificate.This
rare US Left Hand drive model was exported to the U.S.A. where it
was first sold on 6/18/1954 to its original South Carolina owner
from the renown 'Max Hoffman Jaguar' dealership of New York, whose
Park Avenue showroom was designed by non other than the renown
architect Frank Lloyd Wright! The car resided with its original
owner for the next two years before it was then purchased by its
second owner, William 'Bill' Shull, of Sylvania, Ohio, otherwise
known simply as 'Doc', who owned and cared for the car for the next
53 years until his passing in 2009.Doc Shull kept the car garaged
in Ohio in all original condition for the next 53 years and the car
was reportedly his pride and joy and a car which he drove the
regularly to car shows, but would never have considered selling,
even after not being able to drive the car for the two years prior
to his passing due to his ill health. Upon his passing the car was
sold by his family on Ebay in 2009 to what would then be only its
third owner, where it was described as an absolutely all original
unrestored example that had never been painted or restored in any
way. The car would not start at the time of the auction as the
battery was dead but as described by the family the car had been
driving every year up until just two years prior. The new owner was
also from Ohio and an enthusiastic classic car collector who viewed
and appreciated the car's exceptional originality and rarity,
obviously along with its even rarer original SE matching #'s
pedigree and he consequently had owned the car as part of his
collection until we acquired the car in August 2022.The new owner,
had upon purchasing the car in 2009, immediately delivered the car
to his long time specialists to ensure the car would be turn key
ready for his collection, at which point no expense was spared to
have the car running completely right. From hoses to seals to
gaskets, wheel cylinders to dual master cylinders, new brake shoes,
drums, belts, points, plugs, rebuilt carbs, battery, draining gas
tank, etc etc, until over some 59 hours were billed to ensure turn
key driving on a still all original and unrestored car with the
engine now running as smooth as silk with the 4 speed manual
transmission shifting smoothly through the gears. To this day the
car has been meticulously upkept and maintained, for the past 13
years, as part of the owners fastidious collection. The car drives
exactly as it should with only very few miles should since its
mechanical restoration.The XK 120 was produced by Jaguar between
1948-54 and caused an absolute sensation when launched and was
immediately destined to become one of the most collectible cars of
all time. Its name referred to its straight 6, 3442 cc 120 mph (193
km/h) top speed (faster with the windscreen removed!) engine which
was insanely fast for its day and made the XK120 the world's
fastest standard production car at the time of its launch and a
very successful racer which spurred Jaguar onto breaking many world
speed records. The roadster's lightweight canvas top and detachable
side-screens stow out of sight behind the seats and its doors have
no external handles; instead there was an interior pully cord which
is accessible through a flap in the sidescreens when the weather
equipment is in place. The windscreen can be removed if desired!
The drophead coupe (DHC) had a padded and lined canvas top, which
folded onto the rear deck behind the seats when retracted and
roll-up windows and the dashboards and door-caps in both the DHC
and the closed coup (FHC) were wood-veneered, whereas the more
spartan and lighter roadster's were leather-trimmed.The first 242
XK 120s made had wood-framed open-top aluminum bodies with two
seats; Perceiving the design line from the front wheels, over the
hood, and to the rear was like watching a rolling wave: smooth,
calm, powerful and this design was to set the tone for all post war
sports cars and continues to influence to this day, just look at
the taper from the hood to the rear on Jaguar's 2018 F-Type.
Production switched to all-steel construction better for making the
cars in volume by 1950. It eventually came in three versions: as an
open two-seat roadster (OTS) and later, as a fixed-head coupe (FHC)
in 1951 and a drop-head coupe (DHC) in 1953. The XK 120's are more
desirable than the later-model XK 140's and 150's, especially the
ones designed before 1950 because those had aluminum skins, with
racing history examples commanding many millions of dollars, but
these days any of these early XK120 models will truly capture the
imagination and investment dollars of the worlds premier sports car
enthusiasts and collectors.When the model debuted in 1948 at the
Earls Court Motor Show in London, England it was the darling of the
show and remains today as much of a show stopper as it did then,
over 74 years later! The car set numerous and now legendary speed
records and was the fastest production car in the world in it's day
and Jaguar used its engine for decades to come. In terms of design,
the two-seater roadster with its classically simple flowing lines,
slender tail and exotic flush-sided body was a massive leap forward
for sports car design at the time and in many ways its styling
remains unparalleled. Combined with new standards in terms of
performance, Jaguar had obviously built what was destined to become
this milestone and eminently always collectible classic car.The
car's engine is its original matching #'s factory installed Special
Equipment Type engine and heads with noticeable horsepower increase
and runs as smooth as silk with the 4 speed manual transmission
shifting smoothly through the gears and the car driving exactly as
it should with only very low and original 58,414 miles. The car has
been stored and regularly started and maintained as part of a
collection since 2009 at which time...for more information please
contact the seller.
