2013-05-23 07:04:29 | Reno writes:

offered for sale:
www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/jaguar/xk_120m/1572105.html

2013-05-29 21:40:42 | pauls writes:

Sellers description:
"Stunning in black with red leather. Period competition history, w/ rare factory modifications. 1 owner since 1957. 47,300 documented miles. $145,000.00."

1954 JAGUAR XK-120M ROADSTER, CHASSIS NO. #S-675542,

ENGINE #3044-8S; BODY #F7819, GEARBOX # JL22845. (Stock
#3513.)

An "M" version of the fabulous Jaguar XK-120 roadster is quite rare item. An example built in the final year of production is even more rare

and a fully numbers-matching car with very desirable period competition
modifications and full history from delivery new would be most difficult to
find. We have just unearthed that car! Delivered new in 1954 to Philip
Litchfield of Litchfield, Connecticut, a "gentleman racer" of the era who had a long list of period mechanical modifications performed (Iskenderian racing cams, triple S.U. carburetors, etc.) to his new Jaguar and went racing at Lime Rock Park, near his home, against Bob Sharp and other soon-to-become well known names. In 1957, Mr. Litchfield traded in his very special Jaguar on a new car, a very special Mercedes-Benz 300SL "Gullwing. A 22 year-old New Jersey enthusiast was driving past "Foreign Cars of Rockland" when the Jaguar was being driven in. He followed the car in, waited for the trade-in to occur and purchased the Jaguar. He drove the car until a growing family forced its replacement, but kept the car stored in his garage with his 1950"s wooden boats. In the early 1990"s, he had the Jaguar fully restored, sending the engine to Motorcraft, a highly-regarded New Jersey Jaguar specialist, but keeping all of the original competition touches. When the 3-year restoration was completed, he and his wife drove the car back to Mr. Litchfield"s home and the car"s only two owners shared fond memories of the car and took turns driving the great automobile. All of this is documented with records in the car"s large journal and in an accompanying photo album. The car was restored in its original black with dark red leather color scheme and now, 20 years after its restoration and 56 years after being purchased by its second owner, remains gorgeous. All numbers are correct--with the "S" prefix to the chassis and "S" suffix to the engine --and the car appears now as it did when campaigned by Philip Axel Litchfield in the 1950"s. 47,300 documented miles.
$145,000.

2013-10-04 21:22:48 | pauls writes:

Car to be at auction 10/13
www.bonhams.com/auctions/21223/lot/560/

Auction description:
7 Oct 2013 14:30 EDT Philadelphia
Motorcars
lot number 560
1954 Jaguar XK120 SE Roadster
Chassis no. S675542
Engine no. F3044-8S

Built on May 6th, 1954 and dispatched a week later, this XK120 was delivered new through Max Hoffman's New York dealership to Litchfield, Connecticut gentleman racer and life-long sportscar enthusiast Philip Axel Litchfield. A serious enthusiast, Litchfield ordered the car with the 'Special Equipment' package that added an extra 20bhp; but being a fierce competitor who often went wheel-to-wheel with the likes of Bob Sharp and other up-and-coming racers at his local track in Lime Rock, more power was needed. A competition intake manifold was acquired from the factory onto which a triple SU carburetor set up was attached. Beyond the hotter specification provided by the C-Type heads that came with the SE package, the compression ratio was bumped to 10:1, Iskenderian racing cams were fitted, dual-point ignition was installed, and the fuel pump was replaced with a high-flow unit.

The very swift Jag provided three happy years of racing for Mr. Litchfield before he focused his attention on a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing that was sitting in Foreign Cars of Rockland's showroom. William Genader of Butler, New Jersey, a 22-year-old enthusiast had fancied the hot Jag, and when Litchfield traded it on the 300SL in 1957, Genader swooped in and bought is straight away on October 21, 1957. Genader drove the car until his growing family became too much of a priority, at which point it was put away in his garage. By the early '90s, with the kids grown up, the XK was brought back into the sun for a three-year restoration that maintained all of the original speed equipment that the car had always had, as well as its original color scheme. Upon completion, Genader and his wife drove the car to Mr. Litchfield's home for a memorable reunion. Genader would keep the XK120 until his death in 2010.

The restoration still shows well and evidences the careful attention to originality taken when it was done some 20 years ago. Thoroughly documented, voluminous records and photos accompany the car today along with its Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Certificate. Showing some 47,300 miles today and having had only two private owners--one of whom kept the car for 53 years--it would be an understatement to say that this is one of the finer XK120s out there. Reported to be a strong runner and a good driver; it appears today much as it did when Phillip Litchfield was rocketing it down the No Name Straight at Lime Rock Park in the early 1950s.
Estimate:
US$ 110,000 - 140,000
£69,000 - 87,000
€81,000 - 100,000

2013-11-11 18:52:51 | pauls writes:

The XK Gazette reports the car sold for $104,500.