1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster

The Jaguar XK120 was launched as a Roadster at the 1948 London motor show, with production first commencing in 1949 at Coventry. The '120' referred to the car's top speed which, at the time, made it the fastest production car in the world. Made from a pressed steel body, with aluminium doors, bonnet and boot, the engine was a 3400cc Jaguar dual overhead cam (the basis of all their engines for the next 25 years) with an alloy cylinder head and twin side draft SU carburettors giving 160bhp. All XK's had independent torsion bar front suspension, semi-elliptic leaf springs at the rear, recirculating ball steering and all round 12 " drum brakes.

MUO 172 car has a delightful history. It left the factory in November 1950 and was purchased new from Henley's in London in 1950 and was one of very few UK registered right hand drive roadsters. It stayed with the original owner until it was bought in 1960 by Don Diprose. He paid a hefty £360 for it! Don was a colourful local publican and car enthusiast who ran The Old Inn in Hollingbourne, Kent. He went on to own the car for the next 43 years. In 2004 he handed it on to his daughter and since then it has not been driven a great deal. So it has been in the same family for over half a century!

This particular car is a very original and unmolested XK 120 Roadster from the early production years. It is a UK right hand drive car which retains the original engine and gearbox, making it a 'matching numbers' XK, and thus a highly collectable classic.

The vendor assures us that 'everything works as it should' and the car is said to drive very well. There is some evidence of micro blistering of the paintwork on the bootlid and the interior would perhaps benefit from some more TLC and detailing. MUO 172 was originally painted in suede green with suede green interior. It was at some point re-sprayed and is now looking superb in traditional "Old English White'. The interior was renewed in 2012 and was re-trimmed in red leather. The vendor mentions that the hood is missing (the original frame is present) and the side screens could do with recovering, but who would want the hood up on a car like this?! However, the car is a very sound basis for a restoration project.

It comes with a framed Jaguar Heritage certificate, an unopened bottle of Weirton XK120 Ale (after all Don was a publican!), an XK Club tie, a service manual and a full original tool kit. It also has a current MOT certificate.

What better opportunity can there be to acquire a very useable piece of British Automotive history, ready for the spring and some classic "hood down' motoring.With values continuing to steadily rise, it is sensibly guided today, allowing a potential purchaser the chance to restore the car to its former glory and still have the potential benefit of a sound investment.