2016-08-10 20:53:18 | pauls writes:

August 2016 edition of the XK Gazette reports the car was at auction 6/16

www.bonhams.com/auctions/23593/

Lot 249, Not sold

Car converted from FHC to OTS.

1952 Jaguar XK120 3.8-Litre Competition Roadster

£ 80,000 - 120,000

US$ 110,000 - 170,000

The Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale

Collector's Motor Cars and Automobilia

24 Jun 2016, 14:00 BST

Registration no. XBV 993

Chassis no. 680298

*Originally a left-hand drive fixed-head coupé

*Aluminium-alloy body

*XK Motorsport engine (circa 340bhp)

*Extensive competition history

*Circa 1,100 miles since restoration

Footnotes

This XK120 has been completely restored (chassis, body, bare metal repaint, new interior trim, etc) by XK Motorsport and more recently has benefited from rebuilds of both the engine and rear axle. It is painted in a dark shade of British Racing Green, with white roundels, and is upholstered in red leather with matching Hardura panel trim. Only some 1,100 miles have been covered since the restoration's completion in 2009 and the car's superb appearance bears witness to this sparing usage.

Chassis number '680298' was originally a left-hand drive fixed-head coupé delivered via Charles Delacroix in Paris, France to first owner M de Pourtales (see Jaguar Heritage Certificate on file). In 1976 the XK was brought into the UK by Twyford Moors and is believed to have been raced by them. It has since been re-bodied - in aluminium alloy - as a competition roadster and weighs an impressive 1,100kg. '680298' has a very highly developed 3.8-litre engine built by XK Motorsport's Brian Stevens, who has known this car far longer than the vendor and campaigned it for years in various XK race series.

Other noteworthy features of this highly developed XK120 include a chassis originally designed by Jaguar chassis guru, Jim Tester; disc brakes all round (4-pot front callipers); rack-and-pinion steering; rear-axle Watts linkage; Rose-jointed suspension (twin trailing links and Watts linkage at the rear); Tilton pedal box; and new Borrani-style Turrino 16" wire wheels shod with new period-look Michelin radial tyres. The D-Type bespoke instruments and an original Wellington bomber starter button are particularly nice touches.

Built around an E-Type 3.8-litre block, the engine features a modified cylinder head, special inlet manifold, triple Weber 45 DCOE carburettors, mapped electronic ignition and a specially designed 'banana' exhaust system. Red-lined at 6,800 revs, the engine produces around 340bhp and 300lb/ft of torque (better figures than when it was racing). Power reaches the ground via a Jaguar V12 four-speed gearbox (necessary to cope with the torque) and a Quaife limited-slip differential, the latter with recently up-rated half-shafts. Together with its sister car, this XK120 ran away with the JEC series for a few years, completing virtually every round between 1999 to 2004 inclusive, and also 2006, before being sold to the current the vendor in April 2008. The XK has raced at Brands Hatch, Silverstone, Cadwell Park, Oulton Park, Croft and most other UK circuits as well as Spa Francorchamps, Zandvoort, Dijon and Croix-en-Ternois, achieving numerous class wins and podiums plus outright victories at Brand Hatch Indy and Croix. Notable lap times include: Castle Combe 1:25.5; Brands Hatch Indy 1:01.4; Brands Hatch GP 1.57.0; and Spa 3:10.3.

This XK has also competed in the VSCC's Brooklands Double 12 (3rd in Class in 2011) and was invited to participate in the Salon Privé Tour d'Élégance in 2015. Previous UK registrations include 'NUB 303' (1999-2004); '290 UXG' (2004-2008); and '8 LT' (2008-2016). The car has a V5C registration document and comes with a current MoT certificate (expires April 2017).

Looked after mainly by XK Motorsport, with contributions from Sigma Engineering, Guy Broad, and RS Panels, this XK120 has never wanted for anything and comes with two large folders of bills, restoration photographs, etc. These folders also contain lots of JEC race history and photographs. Presented in exceptional condition - fully road legal, very tractable, and race ready - 'XBV 993' has to be one of the quickest XK120s on the road today.