Lot Ended
Description
From a deceased estate; few owners, the current for 39 years;
body-off restoration in 2000 and only 11,000 miles since; overdrive; large
history file; original UK market car, one of only 839 made in RHD;
transferable number plate; a wonderful example of this glamorous
sporting Coupe
Launched at the
1954 London Motor Show as the successor to the sensational XK120 which had
appeared in 1948, the XK140 was broadly similar to the outgoing model but
considerably more refined with a host of mechanical improvements.
Under
the bonnet the XK140 retained Jaguar's well-proven 3.4-litre twin-cam six, which
now produced 190bhp in standard trim thanks to higher-lift camshafts and revised
porting – up 30bhp from the standard XK120 and now capable of 140mph (hence the
name). Special Equipment (SE) XK140s came with a C-Type cylinder head which
boosted power to 210bhp, along with wire wheels and Lucas fog
lamps.
A close-ratio gearbox (with optional
Laycock de Normanville overdrive) enabled better use to be made of the increased
performance, as did stiffer torsion bars on the front suspension and new
telescopic shock absorbers to the rear. Steering was also improved with the
adoption of the rack-and-pinion set up from the Le Mans-winning C-Type
racer.
The luxuriously trimmed cabin was also notably roomier as the
engine and bulkhead were now three inches further forward, a modification which
created space for two occasional rear seats and also improved weight
distribution and handling. External changes were limited to a wider radiator
grille, rear lights incorporating flashing indicators, and larger bumpers front
and rear.
Three body styles were offered, fixed-head, roadster and
drop-head. A total of 8,956 XK140s were made before it was replaced by the
larger XK150 in 1957, of which just 2,789 were fixed-head coupes, only 839 of
them in right-hand drive.
As the Heritage Certificate confirms, this
particular XK140 is one of those 839 machines and left the Browns Lane works in
September 1955 finished in Maroon with a Biscuit interior, being supplied new
via Jaguar dealers Sturgess of Leicester. The buff logbook shows that the first
owners were JB Taylor & Co of Leicester, makers of branded packaging for the
footwear and fashion industries.
The original
registration number is hard to read but looks like NJF 324, changing to RG 550
in October 1958 and 472 BRR in January 1959, a nice transferable number which it
retains to this day.
It has had six owners in
total, the fifth being a Mr J Chillington of Hitchen who acquired the car in
1966 and kept it for 21 years. The current owner acquired it in March 1987 to
join his family’s large and interesting collection of classic cars.
At this point the car was still in good running
order but looking slightly tired so in 1997 the owner decided to treat it to a
total body-off restoration which was to take three years to complete. The full
extent of the work carried out is far too detailed to cover here, but is amply
detailed in many photos and invoices on file.
The
chassis was shotblasted, restored, repainted and waxoil treated by Leaping Cats
of Hinckley. The bodywork was restored and repainted by XK specialists Phoenix
Car Restorations of Eardisley, well-known for preparing cars to Pebble Beach
concours standard and what a wonderful job they have done – it still looks
fantastic almost 30 years later with excellent panel gaps and paint finish.
All the brightwork was rechromed as required and
the interior was expertly retrimmed by Mick Turley of Suffolk and Turley fame,
with new Wilton carpets, West of England cloth headlining and lightweight
aluminium bucket seats trimmed in top quality hide. The woodwork has been French
polished rather than varnished in proper Fifties style.
All mechanical aspects were restored as required (brakes; steering
suspension), a fully rebuilt overdrive gearbox was fitted and we assume the
engine was also rebuilt although we could not readily spot any bills for this.
It seems to have been fitted with a B-Type head from a 1957 Jaguar MkI 3.4
saloon (KE1880-8) which would have had high lift cams and larger valves than the
original XK head.
Back on the road in March
2000, it has only covered 11,000 miles since, including regular trips to
Shelsley Walsh and various Jaguar Enthusiast Club events. A proper old school
motorist and a stickler for detail, the owner has kept a detailed log of
journeys made in the car, with copious observations about the performance and
any running adjustments or repairs required.
Maintenance has been meticulous, including annual greasing and oiling
of all the steering, suspension, chassis and drive train components, using all
the correct grades of lubricant, the type of oil and the quantity used all
neatly recorded. Other work of note includes:
2002 – new rear splined hubs
2003 –
new wire wheels from MWS International
2005 –
full brake system overhaul
2006 – carbs
overhauled; new wiper motor fitted; new fuel pump; new stainless steel braided
brake hoses
2009 – new solid steering rack
mountings
2011 – upgrade to halogen headlamp
bulbs
2013 – dynamo rebuilt; regulator
overhauled; two new batteries
2014 – new wheel
cylinders all round; stainless steel brake hoses
In September 2015 (at 48,175 miles) it went to CMC of Bridgnorth for
a full check-over and tune-up which included the fitment of a new set of five
Avon Turbospeed cross ply tyres and Michelin inner tubes, the suspension
geometry then being fully adjusted to optimise the handling on the new
rubber.
There is a very large history file
extending back to the late-1970s, including 17 old MOTs which show the mileage
rising from 19,243 in January 1980 to 42,572 in September 2006. An online check
shows that it was tested six more times after this, always passing with no
advisories, the last MOT being carried out in June 2018 which was another clean
pass, and it has only covered 400 miles since, the odometer currently showing
49,524 miles.
The original seats are included in
the sale (see photos) and a spare set of wire wheels and tyres will also be made
available to the winning bidder if desired, although these will need to be
collected from the Bromyard area.
Shortly before
the auction, the car was sent to those good chaps at Vintage Vehicle
Restorations of Brimfield to give it a good polish and check-over prior to sale
(VVR have also long-maintained various other interesting old cars owned by the
family).
As you can see in the photos, this
pampered XK140 is still in wonderful condition some 30 years after it was so
expertly restored and you would be hard-pressed to find a better example, let
alone at the modest guide price suggested. The icing on the cake is the
transferable number plate, 472 BRR, which doubtless has a significant value
of its own. .
The only real blemishes we
noted were dulled chrome on the front headlamp surrounds and some crazing to the
chrome on the rear light surrounds. The chassis could also do with a good clean
as the owner lived in an old farmhouse approached via a long unpaved drive and
it picked up some mud when the car was last driven in that appallingly wet start
to this year.
On offer here from a deceased
estate, it has been starting promptly and driving beautifully as we have moved
it around on site. A really splendid example, all this pampered Big Cat needs
now is an enthusiastic 7th owner who can continue to enjoy and
cherish it as the last owner has these past 39 years.
We love this Jaguar and we are sure that you will too, so make sure
you come and see it!
Consigned by James
Dennison – 07970 309907 – james.dennison@brightwells.com