2018-08-16 16:22:39 | pauls writes:

Car attended the XK70 event June 2018

2018-08-22 20:44:35 | pauls writes:

Car attended the XK70 event June 2018. Colour is Aston Martin Green.

2025-05-05 21:30:44 | pauls writes:

Car at auction 5/25

www.brightwells.com/timed-sale/5722/lot/794347

1954 Jaguar XK120 SE Roadster

Auction Ends: Wed 14th May @ 12:29 pm

Estimate: £90,000-100,000

Registration Number CAS474

Engine Size 3442cc

Engine Number F2364-85

Chassis Number S675147

Gearbox Manual

VAT Status No VAT

Documents V5C; MOT April 2026; one old MOT; invoices; Heritage Certificate

Tax and MOT status Tax and MOT exempt

Fully restored with various choice upgrades including 5-speed Cosworth gearbox, Fosseway disc brakes, Turrino lightweight wheels and alloy body panels; an outstanding example in all departments

‘One of the nicest we have seen’ is a cliché often deployed in auction catalogues but in the case of this magnificent machine it is actually an understatement – this is by far the best XK120 Roadster we have ever seen. No wonder it set a new UK auction record for a standard road-going example when we sold it to the current owner in the summer of 2022. Just look at it!

One of only 7,614 XK120 Roadsters made between 1948 and October 1954, it comes with a Heritage Certificate showing that it left the Browns Lane factory in March 1954. As with all but 1,176 examples, it was a LHD model destined for Jaguar dealership Hoffman of California and was originally finished in Cream with a red interior and a Sand soft top.

Imported back to the UK in the 1990s and registered here as CAS 474, it was acquired by the previous owner in 1999 to join his impressive Jaguar collection. Aided by a friend who was a retired motor engineer, he set about a total nut-and-bolt restoration which was to take over five years to complete and resulted in the magnificent specimen you see today.

The full extent of the work carried out is far too detailed to list in full here but is amply covered in many invoices on file. It included various choice upgrades to make the car into a fast and reliable tourer and the attention to detail is superb.

The bodywork was entrusted to Hightone Restorations of Enstone and included the special green paintwork (similar to Aston Martin Sage Green) which cost over £9,700 in labour alone, another £7,800 being spent on panels including new alloy doors and boot lid. The brightwork was completely renewed or refurbished too – all this work being done 25 years ago so you can imagine how much more it would cost today. Hightone certainly did a fantastic job and the bodywork still looks wonderful over two decades later.

The original 3.4 engine was found to be in excellent condition and needed nothing more than new gaskets and a rebuilt cylinder head with new valves, valve seats and springs, camshaft bearings etc. Electronic ignition was also fitted along with race HT leads, alloy radiator expansion tank and all new ancillaries as required.

The original Moss gearbox was ditched in favour of a Broad Sport 5-speed Cosworth box which cost £1,845. The propshaft and axle were rebuilt, along with the steering (now RHD) and suspension with Spax shock absorbers. The front brakes were converted from drum to disc using an upgrade kit supplied by Fosseway Way Performance which cost £1,544. A Bell stainless steel exhaust system was also fitted.

The wheels were hand-built by Turrino Wire Wheels at a cost of £2,444 with alloy rims, stainless steel spokes and chrome centres. These are typically around 4kg lighter than steel equivalents, giving a total weight saving of around 16kg which has the same effect on acceleration as lightening the car by 80kg-160kg due to the reduced rotational moment of inertia. Mighty fine they look too.

The interior was retrimmed in the finest Connolly hide by ex-Brown’s Lane trimmer Mick Turley of Suffolk & Turley fame; even the door cards are leather. A new hood and side screens were also fitted and all the instruments were rebuilt by Vintage Restorations of Tunbridge Wells, including the lovely Jaeger 8 days clock.

The previous owner did several thousand miles in the car, including three trips to the Le Mans Classic, a tour round Germany and regular visits to Goodwood. It was then left on static display in his collection for a number of years due to his declining health.

As previously mentioned, our vendor, only the second UK owner, acquired the car via Brightwells in 2022 for substantially more than the guide price suggested here. He promptly sent the car to Jaguar specialists Smallman Hall of Bridgnorth for a thorough recommissioning which cost £6,800 and included a new set of radial tyres; new ball joints; new clutch kit and flywheel; new seat belts; electric windscreen washer conversion; major service and tune-up plus various other items.

Smallman Hall subsequently serviced the car again in July 2023 and again in April 2024, the carbs also being rebuilt in November 2024. Our vendor has used the car regularly, covering some 2,500 fine weather miles and reports that it drives as well as it looks.

Starting promptly and running beautifully as we have moved it around on site, with healthy oil pressure and a pleasingly gruff exhaust note, it also has an MOT until April 2026 with just a couple of minor advisories relating to the handbrake.

A gorgeous car in a lovely colour scheme, this judiciously uprated XK120 will turn heads wherever it goes and will bring a great deal of pleasure to the fortunate new owner.