2023-03-01 08:07:07 | pauls writes:

Car now offered at:

www.carandclassic.com/auctions/1953-jaguar-xk120-open-two-seater-lhd-gZrz1g

This car is believed to have a history in Switzerland

Seller's description:

1953 Jaguar XK120

Colour Red

Odometer 78,611 Kilometres

Engine size 3400

Auction DetailsSeller Type Trade

Town Beek en Donk

Location International

Country Netherlands

Previously fully restored

Beautiful paint, chrome and interior

Engine and gearbox overhaul in 2016

Built in 1953 

Reportedly sold new in California

The car was later transferred to Switzerland

Now registered in France, with all taxes and VAT having reportedly been paid

Restored in 2004

Then overhauled in 2016

The vendor can supply over €90,000 worth of invoices from the restoration

The Interior

Excellent black leather interior

Instruments and controls all in working order

Beautifully presented throughout

The interior of this XK120 is simply superb, a real joy to look at. The black leather upholstery of the seating has been beautifully retrimmed and remains excellent. There are a few light creases to prove that the car has rarely been sat in. 

Similarly well presented are the carpets. They are a fetching shade of dark blue and are trimmed in matching leather. There’s hardly a speck of dirt to be found on them, so they look very clean and fresh. 

The driver is presented with a large Bakelite steering wheel, with a centre boss which proudly displays a Jaguar’s head logo. In front of this is that instrument panel, which is very well presented and features clear, bold instrumentation. The vendor tells us that this all functions as it should do. And to the right we see a brass plaque declaring that this car is a ‘replica of the record breaking car which achieved the speed of 132.6 M.P.H at Jabbeke, Belgium.'

The Exterior 

Superb bright red paintwork 

Excellent panel fit

Highly polished chrome trim

Finished in a fabulously flamboyant shade of bright red, this Jaguar is beautifully eye-catching. And its flowing lines add to the appeal. The body panels appear to fit very well and they are smartly defined, with no obvious evidence of poor quality repair work. 

The long front wings flow back along the length of the car and draw the eye towards the fared-in rear wheel arches. And with nothing but the two-piece windscreen protruding above the bonnet line

Chrome plating finishes all the external trim pieces, and remains very highly polished, with no evidence of pitting or damage that we could see. It even extends onto the colour matched wheels, which are in similarly superb condition, and are shod in a set of Vredstein tyres. 

Having had a good look underneath the car, it appears to be very clean and tidy. The cassis rails, floors and body panels all look like they’ve not seen much use, and there is very little in the way of road dirt present.

The Mechanics 

3.4-litre straight-six XK engine 

Engine and gearbox rebuilt in 2016

Said to change gear very nicely

Under the long, slender bonnet lies the groundbreaking XK engine which made its debut in the XK120 and served Jaguar well for decades to come. The engine bay is clean and tidy, with its twin overhead camshafts clearly delineated, and a pair of S.U. carburettors sitting happily nest to the engine. 

The vendor tells us that the engine, along with the gearbox, was rebuilt in 2016, and that the car has seen little use since then. 

Underneath, the running gear and suspension components all appear to be in very good condition, with no obvious damage or corrosion.