2013-11-08 14:26:24 | ebenezer gentleman writes:

In France with my other shabby XKs My daily driver although I do have a more modern car in the form of an XK150S. Registration number shown above is incorrect.

2013-11-09 05:20:31 | Peter Ingram writes:

Presumably because it is now on French plates

2013-11-09 14:42:41 | Ebenezer Gentleman writes:

No, it is UK registered, still with remnants of its factory Birch Grey paint and with all major original organs intact. Goes like a TGV thanks to Les Trafford

2022-04-23 14:37:05 | pauls writes:

Car now offered at:

pendine.com/cars-for-sale/1956-jaguar-xk140-fixed-head-coupe/

Seller's description:

Supplied new via Jaguar Cars, New York to first owner Dennis O’Brien. Specified as an SE with a C-Type head and the rare Close Ratio gearbox, it was finished in Birch Grey with a red interior. O’Brien kept the car until the early 1960’s when he sold it to Leland Eugene ‘Gene’ Sizemore. Gene worked as a program director for Hughes for 35 years when he retired in 1989.

His daughter, Crystal, inherited the car. She last rode in it when she was around 4, as it was taken off the road soon after. She verbally confirmed that there was an under bonnet fire in around 1967 or 1968. Interestingly, when bodywork was recently completed, evidence of this fire was found on the underside of the bonnet, which suggests the louvres have been there since the early 1960s. Does a Close Ratio ‘box and louvered bonnet suggest someone was racing the car? She sold it in around 1999, and lost track of it.

It was repatriated by DK Engineering in 2006, who sold it to a British Jaguar enthusiast living in France. When he bought it, it was mechanically tired by very original. It had been repainted gold at some point, but only externally. He spent many (happy?!) hours slowly rubbing through the gold, revealing much of the original grey. He used it as his everyday car for many years, treating it as a rolling restoration.

Barry rebuilt the engine with 9:1 Mahle pistons, Vandervel big end bearings and new timing chains. Les Trafford rebuilt the original head. He fitted a stainless Steel exhaust, a new Mike Turley interior, Koni’s all round, metalastic bushes, new wiring loom, restored the wood, re-chromed the bumpers and completed a full instrument restoration.

We bought it off him in 2016, and sold it to the current owner, who has continued the rolling restoration. He completed a bare-metal restoration in 2021, as well a full brake strip and overhaul, rebuilding the carburettors, and a complete service. Invoices for this period total over £40,000.

Today, it is the perfect cross between a very original car that has been attended to in all the right places. Finished in a highly desirable colour combination, it performs very well indeed.