1956 Jaguar XK140 Drophead Coupé - Factory SE & Automatic Transmission

This lot is being offered on behalf of a kind benefactor, with all proceeds for the sale of the car going to the Demelza Hospice Care for Children.

Background:

Jaguar Cars launched the XK140 at the London Motor Show in October 1954 with a raft of improvements over its predecessor, the landmark XK120. The styling was enhanced by a revised grille and larger bumpers along with new rear lights, which now incorporated the indicators. The handling was improved by rack and pinion steering and telescopic dampers and the interior space was enlarged to allow the addition of occasional rear seats. The power unit remained 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. To ensure reliability, steel bearing caps replaced the previous cast-iron type. A close-ratio gearbox enabled better use to be made of the increased performance whilst a Laycock de Normanville overdrive became an option for the first time. Special Equipment (SE) XK140s came with wire wheels and Lucas fog lamps and could be ordered with an engine developing 210bhp courtesy of a C-Type cylinder head.

The Car:

Offered here is a US-delivered, left-hand drive XK140 SE Drophead Coupé supplied new in February 1956, finished in Old English White (Cream) with special-order black piped-red leather seating and a black hood. The Jaguar remained in the same family, passing from father to daughter, until returning to the UK around 2015.

Its Jaguar Heritage Certificate confirms that the XK140 left the factory as a Drophead Coupé in SE specification which included wire wheels and Lucas fog lamps and the option of an engine developing 210bhp courtesy of a C-Type cylinder head. Unusually, it had been ordered with automatic transmission, the XK140 being the first Jaguar sports car to be available with an automatic gearbox. Such is the amazingly preserved condition of this venerable Jaguar that it features in Phillip Porter’s book The Original XK which is a reference piece for many of the worlds most respected restorers.

Remarkably, this 67-year-old XK displays a mileage of just under 20,000, a figure which is understood to be correct and is substantiated by a letter from the original owners and American Title documents. Well maintained over the years and subject to a more recent mechanical freshen-up, we are informed that the gleaming white Jaguar performs as well as it looks.

The car has been in professional storage for two years and will require a degree of recommissioning, with tyre replacement and a brake service being flagged by the vendor has known requirements. 

Summary:

This is an unrepeatable opportunity to take ownership of what is likely to be the most original XK140 available currently on the market, a remarkable example that would fit nicely into any collection of landmark Jaguars.

Seller: Private

Location: Kent

Photos: Professional