2023-06-16 23:45:06 | Reno writes:

for sale at "The Classic Motor Hub"

classicmotorhub.com/showroom/19520-jaguar-xk-120-se-fhc/

Description:

- 1952 Jaguar XK 120 SE FHC

- Recent body-off restoration

- Original colour combination of Pastel Blue with blue interior

- Extensive upgrades including power steering and five-speed gearbox

Immaculately presented in its original colours of Pastel Blue with a blue interior, this Jaguar XK 120 SE FHC also drives superbly after being given a host of well-chosen upgrades.

Built at the Browns Lane factory in Coventry on 4 September 1952, chassis number S679990 was a left-hand-drive car that was dispatched to the USA on 15 September to Charles Hornburg – Jaguar’s renowned West Coast distributor.

Its Heritage Certificate notes that, when new, it was fitted with body number J1993, engine number W5847-8S and gearbox number JL12511.

The Jaguar was imported back into the UK in late 2015, by which time it had been painted red and was in need of a complete restoration. All receipts for the extensive work that was carried out are included in the car’s history file, as is a full photographic record of the entire process.

The body-off restoration included a range of upgrades that have become popular with XK owners. The original four-speed Moss gearbox has been replaced with a five-speed unit, and an EZ electric power-steering system has been installed. The latter has enabled the fitment of a smaller wood-rimmed Moto-Lita steering wheel.

Interior space is limited on a standard XK 120, so this car has benefitted from a bulkhead pedal-box extension in order to give more room, and the drilled pedals are floor-mounted. A front disc-brake conversion has been carried out and there are Koni adjustable dampers front and rear, plus Polybushes throughout. There’s a brake-bias adjuster, too, along with a Powerlite alternator and starter motor.

The original 3.4-litre straight-six engine has been retained and now breathes through twin 2in carburettors, a modified inlet manifold, and a ported and polished cylinder head. A full stainless-steel exhaust system has been fitted, along with a lightened flywheel and an upgraded clutch and propshaft. The cooling system benefits from an aluminium radiator and electric fan, and servicing is made easier thanks to the fitment of a spin-on oil filter.

Inside, the XK 120 retains its left-hand-drive layout. Dynamat soundproofing has been used extensively, including on the roof, and the modified sports seats offer more support than the originals. The light burr walnut wood trim is immaculate and night driving is made safer thanks to halogen headlamps. The chrome wire wheels are shod in Blockley tyres and the bonnet features louvres to improve engine-bay cooling.

This Jaguar XK 120 SE is now being offered for sale in pristine condition – from the paintwork and the chrome to the interior trim and even the underside of the car. A standard XK 120 remains a fast and versatile choice of 1950s sports car, but with its long list of sympathetic upgrades and its fastidious rebuild, this particular car is even more impressive in the way that it looks and drives.