2007-02-22 22:50:42 | John Elmgreen writes:

Sold new in 1953 to Abe Kramer, then a US diplomat based in Trieste. Brought by him out to Australia, the first lhd XK in Australia, where he was Labour Attache in Sydney. This was my first XK, bought late 1960s, sold early 1970s. In recent years it has been rebuilt and used in international rallies. Further work being done at Concours Restorations (Gavin King) at present (Feb 07).

2012-01-17 22:11:32 | pauls writes:

Restoration by:
www.concours.com.au/restored-a-restoring/xks/xk120-dhc-677923

2012-01-19 19:32:50 | Gavin King writes:

Major restoration nearing completion (January 2012). Gavin King - Concours Sportscar Restoration www.concours.com.au

2013-12-08 21:23:20 | pauls writes:

Car now offered at:

www.carpoint.com.au/all-cars/private/details.aspx|1||pCar_Price_Decimal|1||pCar_Make_String|0||pCar_Model_String|

Sellers description:

Vehicle 1953 Jaguar XK120

Price $140,000* Excluding on-road costs

Kilometres 12

Colour Red

Interior Colour black

Reg Plate 12053

Transmission 4 speed Manual

Body 2 doors 2 seat Roadster

Drive Type Rear Wheel Drive

Engine 6 cylinder Petrol Aspirated 3.4 L (3442 cc)

Reg Expiry September 2013

Road Worthy Certificate Yes

Drop Head Coupe never driven except to road test after a 7yr restoration to Period Rally specs. After a painstaking 7yr restoration, starting with the chassis being restored to original factory condition, the finished car is somewhat better than when it left Browns Lane in 1953. It has been finished to Period Rally specs with an uprated engine, five speed gearbox, throaty dual exhaust, improved cooling system & rally seats. For a comprehensive story on just exactly what has been done to it, go to CONCOURS SPORTSCAR RESTORATIONS, click on Restored, then XK120 DHC 677923. The site gives dates, photos & detailed description of each stage of the process. You can also see more pictures by clicking on the For Sale tab. For those interested in the desert photo, it was taken in Morocco during a rally from the UK, through France, Spain & finally a round trip from the top to the bottom of Morocco. The car is registered in South Australia with period B & W plates. I think that Gavin (owner of Concours Sportscar Restorations) has not only done a World Class job of the restoration (his clients come from all over the world) he has meticulously recorded it in great detail so it is best you check out his web site for more detail. I am prepared to meet the market on price, so if you have a serious interest, give me a call and we can discuss the price.

2015-08-03 02:07:42 | Chris Webb writes:

Required complete engine including rally cams, front suspension and rear drive components rebuilt, completed 2015

2025-11-15 06:02:47 | pauls writes:

Car returns to market 11/25. Please note the "Car History From The Jaguar XK120 in the Southern Hemisphere(2009) by Elmgreen & McGrath" information listed just below the data plate image at the top of this web page.

online.doningtonauctions.com.au/m/lot-details/index/catalog/262/lot/66459?

Auction description:

1953 Jaguar XK120 DHC roadster

Well-travelled British sports car

 Very nice overall condition

Well-recorded history

Excellent driver or events car

Chassis number: 677923

Engine Number: AB659 & 8L107323-H

Registration number: JAG-53 (Victoria)

Some cars do more international travel than most people. That’s certainly the case with this lovely 1953 Jaguar XK120 drophead coupe.

According to the authoritative work ‘The Jaguar XK120 in the Southern Hemisphere’ by John Elmgreen and Terry McGrath, chassis number 677923 was completed on 21 August 1953, registered in the UK, and delivered to its American Army Captain owner Abe Kramer, living in Trieste (Italy) at the time.

The left-hand drive Jaguar then made its next overseas voyage when it travelled with its owner to Sydney, some time prior to 1955, where he had been posted as the U.S. Labour Attache.

It became the first left-hand drive XK to be brought into Australia, and is thought to have been soon after converted to right-hand drive, essential for legal road use at the time.

There followed a succession of NSW owners, one of whom is reputed to have taken it to the Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956, until the late ‘60s, when it was located in a garage in Balmain in a stripped-down state, and rescued by book author John Elmgreen.

By then it had led a hard life, with previous poorly executed repairs to the original bodywork, a situation not helped when the car was damaged by Elmgreen in a Jaguar Driver’s Club event at Amaroo Park.

Repaired, the XK120 then passed through a further series of owners before it was restored for the first time at Heritage Motors in Jondaryn (Queensland), then passing to Barrie Frost of Murwillumbah, owner of three other XKs.

Travelling once more, 677923 was used by Frost in a number of international rallies, most notably the 2004 Sahara Rally, all 1500km of it through the Moroccan desert!

In 2007 Frost commissioned Gavin King’s renowned Concours Sportscar Restorations in Tuggerah (NSW) to restore the car once more, righting the wrongs of some of the previous work.

Under the stylish bonnet now sits a 4.2 litre Jaguar straight six equipped with a set of highly-valued and rare sand-cast SU carburettors (worth $5000 alone), mated to a Tremec T5 five-speed gearbox, along with XK140 rack and pinion steering, dual exhausts, and rear telescopic shock absorbers.

The front brakes have also been upgraded from original drums to four-pot calipers and rotors.

Built to be used as a ‘rally’ car for road events competition, it was also equipped with racing bucket seats with four-point harnesses.

Purchased by our vendors in 2014, this beautiful, bumper-less Red roadster has since enjoyed Jaguar Car Club (Victoria) and Victorian Historic Racing Register events at the likes of Phillip Island, Sandown and Rob Roy Hillclimb.

Further international travel came in 2018, when it was taken back to the UK for XK70, the 70th anniversary celebration of the Jaguar XK120’s launch. A host of events and activities were undertaken, culminating in two days of spirited driving at the historic Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb.

That experience was capped off when, several months later, a lovely image of this very XK120 in action at Shelsley Walsh appeared on the cover of the UK XK club magazine ‘XK Gazette’.

After the XK120 celebrations, the Jaguar was driven to the Pyrenees to visit friends, before finally travelling back to the UK via Bilbao (Spain).

In 2022 the ’53 drophead coupe achieved further notoriety when it was one of four Jaguars to participate in the Historic Car Display at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, stretching its legs on the Albert Park track twice over that weekend.

Today, this much-travelled Jaguar XK120 drives superbly and presents in excellent condition throughout, reflecting the enthusiasm of its dedicated owners.

Previously on full Victorian registration, this 1953 Jaguar XK120 DHC is being offered for sale here unregistered.