Jaguar XK120 Roadster

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Jaguar's first post-war sports car, the XK120 roadster was conceived and designed in a matter of months, primarily to act as a showcase for the marque's new XK engine.

Shown at the 1948 Earls Court Motor Show in the dark days of rationing, it caused such a sensation that William Lyons was forced to put it into production right away. Arrestingly beautiful, the first cars had hand-built aluminium bodies on an ash frame, but by 1950 a more mass production version with a pressed steel body with alloy doors, bonnet and boot had been developed. A fixed head version was launched in 1951, followed by a drop head in 1953.

The chassis was a strong box-section affair with independent torsion-bar front suspension, a leaf-sprung 'live' rear axle and hydraulic drum brakes. Power came from the now legendary XK twin-overhead cam 3.4-litre straight-six engine, developing 160bhp and giving the car a genuine 120mph top speed, making it the fastest production car of its day (hence the XK120 name), although an XK120 fitted with a racing windscreen was timed at 133.2mph on the Ostend-Jabekke motorway in May 1949.

In 1952 Stirling Moss and three other drivers famously drove a virtually standard XK120 around the banked track at Montlhery for seven days and nights on end, clocking up almost 17,000 miles at an average speed of 100.31mph, before driving the car back to London with no problems whatsoever.

Costing £1,263 at launch, just 12,055 XK120s were produced in total before it was replaced by the XK140 in October 1954, the vast majority in left-hand drive for the booming North American market, of which 7,612 were roadsters.

As the accompanying Heritage Certificate confirms, this particular Roadster was built in February 1954 and despatched to Hoffman of New York, USA, later that month. Originally Battleship Grey with a Red leather interior and a Gunmetal soft top, it was first owned by one HA Rouse although his address is not recorded.

Not much is known of the subsequent history of the car until it was brought to Dublin from America by a Matt McHugh in August 1991. He was to keep the car until May 2002 when ownership transferred to Kevin Dolan Cars of Chislehurst, Kent, with just two further owners since. When the car changed hands in 2005, it was described in some detail by the then owner in a document contained in the history file.

He stated that: “This is an extremely original car which has never been restored. Due to its origins on the dry West Coast of the United States for most of its life, it remains rust-free in both chassis and body and has never needed a major restoration. The panels are exceptionally good and the body-frame strong. Since coming to the British Isles it has undergone some remedial work over the last few years in order to keep it up to EC road regulations and to make it viable for regular road usage.

“When re-imported in 1994 it was converted from left- to right-hand drive, using a conventional steering box to keep it original. The brakes were completely renewed three years ago, while the front suspension has been completely overhauled in the last 12 months with new bearings, bushes, swivel-pins and shims etc.

"The engine is exceptionally willing and has had the clutch completely renewed last year. It was noted at the time that the car has a very lightweight flywheel, having been modified sometime in the past – a bonus for would-be competition users. The gearbox and transmission train are excellent and very smooth, showing little signs of major wear, suggesting that the car has not covered excessive mileage during its 60 years.”

He added that the car was used in the summer only and had successfully completed tours of Czechoslovakia and the Dordogne region of France, plus a competitive outing at the Goodwood VSCC Autumn Sprint meeting in October 2003, the car having been issued with VSCC eligibility papers shortly beforehand.

A run of eight old MOTs show that the car has only covered some 5,000 miles since these words were written around 10 years ago and more recent expenditure has included new rear shock absorbers and uprated anti-roll bar kit in July 2006; bodywork and paint rectification in November 2007; a rear axle assembly in December 2007; cylinder head overhaul and conversion to unleaded fuel in December 2009; a complete new wiring harness in August 2013 when the car was also converted to negative earth and hazard warning flashers and halogen headlamp bulbs fitted (this alone costing £3,290). Basically whatever needed to be done has been done, with thousands of pounds worth of invoices on file documenting regular upkeep since it arrived in the UK.

As you can see in the photos, the car remains in very good order throughout with smart paintwork, good panel gaps, excellent chrome and a beautifully preserved red leather interior. It started promptly and ran very sweetly on the occasion of our visit with a notably smooth and quiet engine and a wonderfully fruity exhaust note when revved. Supplied with a spare wheel and wheel changing kit, it also has a full set of weather gear including hood frame, a new double duck hood and tonneau cover plus serviceable side screens.

Altogether a highly correct and well-preserved ‘matching numbers’ XK120 Roadster that looks particularly charming on factory spec disc wheels and wheel spats. The icing on the cake is the distinctive and highly appropriate RYC 120 number plate. What more could you want?

AMENDMENT: There is no hood frame with this car and the hood is not new but is in used condition.