2010-01-03 11:05:59 | Philippe writes:

Car mentionned on XK listing, attending XK60 event , Goodwood, August 2008

2015-06-21 01:19:49 | pauls writes:

Car to be at auction 6/15
www.bonhams.com/auctions/22723/lot/361/
Auction description:
Lot 361
1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster
Registration no. RPM 89 Chassis no. 660065 Engine no. W1276-8
£70,000 - 90,000
US$ 110,000 - 140,000
Auction 22723:
The Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale
Collector's Motor Cars and Automobilia
26 Jun 2015 14:00 BST
Chichester, Goodwood

Chassis number '660065' was first owned in California, USA by actor Allan Jones, today best remembered for his roles in the movies 'Show Boat' and the Marx Brothers' 'A Night at the Opera' and 'A Day at the Races'. He was the father of pop singer Jack Jones. The accompanying Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate reveals that '660065' was built as an open two-seater with right-hand drive and supplied for 'Personal Export Delivery'. The first owner is recorded as 'A Jones' and the original colour scheme as Pastel Blue with red interior trim and fawn soft-top.

The current vendor acquired the XK in 1988 and in 2001 had the car restored to perfection by renowned marque specialist Martin Robey, spending over £150,000 making it as good as, if not better than, the day it left the Brown's Lane factory. The Jaguar Drivers Club has rated 'RPM 89' as 'excellent' in every category, with a general comment of a 'very high quality restoration'. All receipts relating to the restoration are available, and the car also comes with an old-style logbook, current MoT certificate and a V5 registration document.

2015-06-21 06:06:17 | terry mcgrath writes:

This is very interesting as I have pic of Alan Jones viewing an alloy XK120 in Dec 1949 so he was obviously giving giving it some thought early on.
Interestingly even restoring a car for 150,000 pounds doesn't give you the correct carpet material or the carpet trimming done correctly.
Of interest is the ID plate stamped with the biggest inlet and exhaust clearances I have ever seen on an XK engine at .012 and .015. These are what you would find on a MKV which is what this same plate was used for.

2015-06-23 14:08:16 | Mike May writes:

ID Plate is blurry but looks correct, clearances may have been re-stamped.
Hard to discern carpet material, but it should be Wilton wool.

2015-11-04 10:09:34 | Mike May writes:

Lot 361
1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster
Registration no. RPM 89 Chassis no. 660065 Engine no. W1276-8
Sold for £130,300 (US$ 200,543) inc. premium
Auction 22723:
The Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale

Collector's Motor Cars and Automobilia

26 Jun 2015 14:00 BST

2016-11-12 22:59:08 | pauls writes:

Car to return to auction 12/16
www.bonhams.com/auctions/23598/preview_lot/5005837/

Auction description:
1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster
Registration no. RPM 89
Chassis no. 660065
£150,000 - 200,000
CA$ 260,000 - 340,000
The Bond Street Sale
London, New Bond Street
Registration no. RPM 89
*Celebrity first owner
*All matching numbers
*Fully restored; over £150,000 spent
*Commended by the Jaguar Drivers Club
*Recently serviced by CKL Developments

As a very early car, '660065' lacks the cockpit cooling vents in the front wings that were adopted soon after it was made. The engine too has all the correct early features, including the 'studless' cam covers and needlessly lengthy plug leads. The later travel from the distributor, down the side of the cylinder block, up the rear of the cylinder head, and then all the way back to the front of the engine again. This makes them around two metres in length! Jaguar soon recognised the wisdom of taking the leads from the distributor straight over the cylinder head. Another distinctive under-bonnet feature is the so-called 'stovepipe' SU carburettors, which have unnecessarily tall dash-pots. Later XK120s had noticeably lower and more practical ones. Also worthy of note is the beautiful cast-aluminium radiator fan, an expensive-to-produce item that was soon superseded by a cheaper pressed steel alternative. Another expensive feature is the hood frame: fully chromed on this early model but painted on later cars. Inside the cockpit, the indicator switch is noticeable by its absence; these would soon become standard but were not fitted to early cars such as this one. '660065' also retains the rare and often stolen 'owl's eye' cigarette lighter.

This XK120 was first owned in California, USA by actor Allan Jones, today best remembered for his roles in the movies 'Show Boat', and the Marx Brothers' 'A Night at the Opera' and 'A Day at the Races'. He was the father of pop singer Jack Jones. The accompanying Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate reveals that '660065' was built as an open two-seater with right-hand drive and supplied for 'Personal Export Delivery'. The first owner is recorded as 'A Jones' and the original colour scheme as Pastel Blue with red interior and fawn soft-top. The original registration was 'RPM 89'.

The immediately preceding owner acquired the XK in 1988 and in 1999 had the car restored to perfection by renowned marque specialist Lynx Motors International Ltd, using many parts supplied by Guy Broad. Over £150,000 was spent to make the XK as good as, if not better than, the day it left the Brown's Lane factory. The Jaguar Drivers Club has rated 'RPM 89' as 'excellent' in every category, with a general comment of a 'very high quality restoration'. All receipts relating to the restoration are available.

In June 2015, the XK was offered from its deceased owner's estate at Bonhams' sale at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (Lot 361) where it was purchased by the current vendor. Since then, 'RPM 89' has benefited from a thorough and extensive service carried out by the highly respected CKL Developments Ltd, whose detailed invoice for £2,821 is on file. Now exempt from the annual MoT test, this exceptional Jaguar XK120 roadster is offered with the aforementioned documentation and a UK V5C registration Certificate.

2018-11-06 06:30:31 | pauls writes:

Car returned to auction 9/18

www.silverstoneauctions.com/1950-jaguar-xk120-roadster-12724

Auction description:

September Sale 2018, 1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster Lot No.: 317

Registration: Not Specified

Chassis Number: 660065

Engine Number: W1276-8

Number of cylinders: 6

CC: 3400

Year of Manufacture: 1950

RHD/LHD: Right Hand Drive

Sold for (£): Unsold

'660065' is the 65th right-hand-drive roadster built and only the 5th steel-bodied example. 

All matching numbers with Hollywood celebrity provenance. 

Fully restored with over £150,000 spent. Unusual features fastidiously retained 

Recently serviced by CKL Developments 

The Jaguar Drivers Club has rated 'RPM 89' as 'excellent' in every category. 

Chassis number '660065' is the 65th right-hand-drive roadster completed, only the 5th steel-bodied example, and with so many rare early features, might even be regarded as a prototype. For example the chassis plate, probably nickel plated originally but now polished back to brass, shows large valve clearances of 0.012" and 0.015", which were reduced on later cars. Another interesting feature is the engine number's compression ratio suffix; Jaguar evidently thought it would be 7:1 (common on cars destined for export) then over-stamped the '7' with an '8' before completion.

As a very early car, '660065' lacks the cockpit cooling vents in the front wings that were adopted soon after it was made. The engine too has all the correct early features including the 'studless' cam covers and needlessly lengthy plug leads. The latter travel from the distributor, down the side of the cylinder block, up the rear of the cylinder head, and then all the way back to the front of the engine again. This makes them around two metres in length! Jaguar soon recognised the wisdom of taking the leads from the distributor straight over the cylinder head. Another distinctive under-bonnet feature is the so-called 'stovepipe' SU carburettors, which have unnecessarily tall dash-pots. Later XK120s had noticeably lower and more practical ones. Also worthy of note is the beautiful cast-aluminium radiator fan, an expensive-to-produce item that was soon superseded by a cheaper pressed steel alternative. Another expensive feature is the hood frame: fully chromed on this early model but painted Grey/Green on later cars. Inside the cockpit, the indicator switch is noticeable by its absence; these would soon become standard but were not fitted to early cars such as this one. '660065' also retains the rare and often missing 'Owl's Eye' cigarette lighter. 

This XK120 was first owned in California, USA by actor Allan Jones, the father of talented evergreen jazz singer Jack Jones. Allan Jones is probably best remembered for his roles in the movies 'Firefly', 'Show Boat', and the Marx Brothers' 'A Night at the Opera' and 'A Day at the Races' and his wife, Irene Harvey, an MGM Starlet featured in numerous films over many years. The glamorous couple were regularly to be seen in Hollywood in this stylish XK120 and no doubt son Jack, who would have been 12 when the car was delivered, enjoyed trips with his dad. The accompanying Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate reveals that '660065' was built as an open two-seater with right-hand drive and supplied for 'Personal Export Delivery'. The first owner is recorded as 'A Jones' and the original colour scheme as Pastel Blue with a Red interior and Fawn soft-top. The original registration was 'RPM 89'.

The immediately preceding owner acquired the XK in 1988 and in 1999 had the car restored with due respect for its provenance and importance by renowned marque specialist Lynx Motors International Ltd, using many parts supplied by Guy Broad. Over £150,000 was spent to make the XK as good as, if not better than, the day it left the Brown's Lane factory. The Jaguar Drivers Club has rated 'RPM 89' as 'excellent' in every category, with a general comment of a “very high-quality restoration”. All receipts relating to the restoration are available. 

In more recent years 'RPM 89' has benefited from a thorough and extensive service carried out by CKL Developments Ltd, whose detailed invoice for £2,821 is on file along with the aforementioned documentation, and its UK V5C Registration Certificate.

This exceptional Jaguar XK120 Roadster has retained all of those rare distinguishing features from the very early cars, has a glamorous Hollywood history, has been restored to perfection and is now ready to be enjoyed by its next owner.

2018-11-06 18:20:08 | Jeremy B writes:

Very nicely done. It would look even better without that row of medals at the front.

2019-05-13 21:36:43 | pauls writes:

Car to return to auction 7/19

www.bonhams.com/auctions/25453/preview_lot/5277549/

Auction description:

Lot 359

£ 130,000 - 160,000

1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster

£ 130,000 - 160,000US$ 170,000 - 210,000

The Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale

A fully restored example with over £150,000 spent

This XK120 was first owned in California, USA by actor Allan Jones, today best remembered for his roles in the movies 'Show Boat', and the Marx Brothers' 'A Night at the Opera' and 'A Day at the Races'. He was the father of pop singer Jack Jones. The accompanying Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate reveals that '660065' was built as an open two-seater with right-hand drive and supplied for 'Personal Export Delivery'. The first owner is recorded as 'A Jones' and the original colour scheme as Pastel Blue with red interior and fawn soft-top. The original registration was 'RPM 89'.

In 1988 the XK passed to a new owner, who in 1999 had the car restored to perfection by renowned marque specialist Lynx Motors International Ltd, using many parts supplied by Guy Broad. Over £150,000 was spent to make the XK as good as, if not better than, the day it left the Brown's Lane factory. The Jaguar Drivers Club has rated 'RPM 89' as 'excellent' in every category, with a general comment of a 'very high quality restoration'. All receipts relating to the restoration are available.

In June 2015, the XK was offered from its deceased owner's estate at Bonhams' sale at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (Lot 361) where it was purchased by the immediately preceding custodian. In September 2016 'RPM 89' benefited from a thorough and extensive service carried out by the highly respected CKL Developments Ltd, whose detailed invoice and report is on file (perusal highly recommended). CKL comment: 'Its greatest claim to fame is it is such an early car, in such great and complete condition'. The current vendor purchased the XK at Bonhams' Bond Street Sale in December 2016 (Lot 29), since when it has been kept garaged.

Now exempt from the annual MoT test, this exceptional Jaguar XK120 roadster is offered with the aforementioned documentation and a UK V5C Registration Certificate.

2021-01-06 02:40:17 | Lukas Frick writes:

Hello

Our XK120 #660097 has the seat backs of an alloy OTS with the squared recesses for the soft top scissors. I am really unsure if they are a modification made by the first owner, because the interior colour changed also in the cars early years.

For this reason would it eventually be possible to send me or post a backside picture of the seat backs from #660065 with the hinges and the recesses visible?

Thank you very much indeed!

Lukas