2005-12-10 08:23:39 | Urs Schmid writes:

80000 miles from new; car has been in Switzerland since 1990. Mk. IX discs at the front, fitted in the sixties; repainted and hood cloth renewed by present owner in 1991, otherwise absolutely original; ex Peter D. Preston, Benoni, Transvaal, Republic of South Africa.

2014-10-22 09:18:30 | Peter Ingram writes:

It should be said this important car is the last 140 Drophead with right hand drive built

2015-03-10 23:37:52 | pauls writes:

Car mentioned at:
www.classiccarsinrhodesia.co.za/Makes/Jaguar%20XK.html

Last RHD drop head coupe to be built. Delivered to an owner in Rhodesia through Sagers of Bulawayo. Later with Peter Preston of Benoni, South Africa. Noted in Switzerland from 1990. Fitted with a Laycock de Normanville overdrive.

2021-03-24 10:14:19 | pauls writes:

Car now offered at:

www.jaguarclassic.com

XK140 DHC 1957 RHD, 807480DN

Last built DHC right-hand drive before conversion to XK150.

We have known the car offered here since 1990, when the legendary Urs Schmid bought it in one stroke during the memorable JDCS trip to England, as he recognized the sensationally good substance with his eagle eye. After the successful return to Switzerland, the car came straight to us to upgrade it to Urs' originality. The "main problem" was that the car had been repainted in white. We were also allowed to remedy other small sins of the otherwise very original car, so that the car is now in a very original or true-to-original condition. It goes without saying that this car is a matching number. The seats and a large part of the rest of the interior are still completely original, only the carpets were made to measure by us. Early in its life, this car was converted to disc brakes at the front, technically supported by a separate servo.

The really special thing about this coveted classic, however, is that it is the very last right-hand drive XK140 DHC before the assembly line was switched to the successor model XK 150. This classic also has a rich history that has been extensively documented. During the restoration of the small inconsistencies in the bodywork, we came across flaming love letters that the previous owner had received from a nice lady from another continent. But more importantly, it was precisely this car that was Urs Schmid's favorite touring car. Urs and Pia had many wonderful trips with this loyal family member in Europe and there will hardly be a pass in the Maritime Alps that this XK has not already climbed.

We are selling this special car by order at a price of Fr. 148,000.—

2022-03-02 09:20:06 | pauls writes:

Car now offered at:

pendine.com/cars-for-sale/1957-jaguar-xk140-drophead-coupe/

Seller's description:

This XK140 Drophead Coupe stands out of the crowd for three reasons – originality, custodianship and condition.

Shipped from Southampton on the 18th January 1957 to Rhodesia, 807480DN is the last RHD XK140 Drophead Coupe built. Almost 60 years of history starts with service work in Bulawayo, Rhodesia in 1963. There are many years of Transvaal insurance discs, service books and correspondence with Peter Preston, who had owned the car from at least 1963 until 1989, with only two further owners since. Preston enquired to the Jaguar factory in Coventry in 1967 about the possibility of them upgrading the car to disc brakes. Whilst they replied in the negative – they just didn’t have Design Staff to attend to his request – he decided to do it anyway and fitted MK IX disc brakes. He was also apparently thinking of fitting an XK150 ‘S’ spec engine, along with D-Type camshafts. Clearly, Mr Preston was an enthusiastic motorist.

The car was repatriated back to the UK in 1989, before being acquired by the Swiss XK authority Urs Schmidt. Needless to say, Schmidt wouldn’t have bought just any XK, and did so because 807480DN was such an unmolested example. Other than the disc brake conversion, and a colour change to white in 1960, it was a remarkably original car. He almost immediately had George Donni take the car back to bare metal for a repaint in the original black, and George has confirmed to Pendine that other than a minute area around the front side lights, the body is completely original metal. George also replaced the outer hood and the carpets, whilst retaining all the rest of the interior.

Urs used the XK extensively, touring all over Europe in the car with his wife, Pia. It was his favourite touring car, with the original seats being so comfortable and the overdrive suited to long distance cruising. It has been maintained exclusively by George Donni, and it drives exceptionally well – so few historic cars have the privilege of being largely unrestored, and to be looked after by owners and engineers who really understand and care for their cars.

This is one of the nicest XK140 Drop Head Coup’s in the world, and one for the real Jaguar aficionado.