1953 JAGUAR XK120 SE OTS 'Roadster' Chassis Number: S674472...

Estimate

£70,000 - £75,000

1953 JAGUAR XK120 SE OTS 'Roadster'

Chassis Number: S674472 
Registration Number: UK Registered 
Recorded Mileage: 57,000 miles 

- Uprated to 3.8 litre fast-road specification

With the launch of its breathtaking new sportscar, the 1948 London Motor Show was a turning point for Jaguar Cars Limited. The new XK120 was a car of the future; incredible style and looks, a powerful six cylinder engine installed in an outstanding chassis, and with a remarkably low price, a quarter that of a V12 Ferrari, but with similar performance.

The ‘120’ referred to the car's top speed which, at the time, made it the fastest production car in the world. Jaguar seems to have always had a flair for marketing and to illustrate that the car's top speed was not a figment of a publicist's imagination, in May 1949, on the Jabbeke to Aeltre autoroute, an XK120 with its hood and side screens in place recorded a speed of 126mph, and no less than 132mph with the hood and windscreen detached and an undertray fitted. The car was in almost instant demand and went on to spawn the famous XK lineage of fast and elegant sports cars.

The XK120 became a massive success both on the road and the track, where it scored numerous victories. The many drivers included Stirling Moss, Peter Walker, Peter Whitehead, Leslie Johnson and Ian Appleyard. In XK120C/C-Type form it won Le Mans in both 1951 and 1953, while its engine was to power three more Le Sarthe winners and a whole host of successful Jaguar models for the next fifty years.

Chassis 674472, to LHD Special Equipment specification, was despatched to importer Hornburg of Los Angeles on the 30th December 1953, finished in the colour scheme of Cream with a Red leather and a Sand-coloured hood. The XK stayed in the United States for most of its life, later forming part of a larger Florida-based private classic car collection. 

Over the years the Jaguar has been developed into a beautiful touring car, with many upgrades to improve the driving experience. The engine's block has been replaced with a more powerful 3.8 litre E-Type unit, retaining the original SE cylinder head. The engine was  comprehensively rebuilt, fitted with a high output starter, fed via triple SU carburettors, and driven through a later four-speed all-synchromesh gearbox. The original mild steel exhaust was replaced by a twin stainless steel unit. To keep the car cool, an oversized aluminium radiator with electric fan has been fitted. The suspension was uprated with Koni shock absorbers, and the braking system modified with the Guy Broad front disc brake system.

Recently the interior has been trimmed in its original shade of red leather, and a new soft top fitted, at a cost of approximately £8,000.

Now part of a small British car collection, in preparation for sale the car has been checked and the engine running set up correctly, with the fitting of new ignition leads and electronic ignition, tuning of the carburettors, and adjustment of the brakes.

Very nicely presented in its original colour scheme, and with welcome additions such as leather bonnet straps, a rare Bluemels Brooklands steering wheel and complete tool roll and jack, this wonderful and highly capable classic Jaguar offers both style and performance in spades.