2026-02-25 09:34:35 | ER writes:

Car up for auction with 'Brightwells' March 2026
From a deceased estate; only three owners from new, the current for 30 years; fully restored in the early 1990s and carefully used since; overdrive; matching numbers UK car; one of only 839 made in RHD; a wonderful example of this iconic Fifties Coupe

2026-02-25 21:23:12 | pauls writes:

Additional info for this auction:

www.brightwells.com/timed-sale/5881/lot/871755

Estimate: £35,000-45,000

Registration Number 472BRR

Engine Size 3442cc

Engine Number G5028-8

Chassis Number 804371

Gearbox Manual

VAT Status No VAT

Tax and MOT status Tax and MOT exempt

As the Heritage Certificate confirms, this particular XK140 is one of those 839 machines and left the Browns Lane works in September 1955 finished in Maroon with a Biscuit interior, being supplied new via Jaguar dealers Sturgess of Leicester. The buff logbook shows that the first owners were JB Taylor & Co of Leicester, makers of branded packaging for the footwear and fashion industries.

The original registration number is hard to read but looks like NJF 324, changing to RG 550 in October 1958 and 472 BRR in January 1959, a nice transferable number which it retains to this day.

It has had six owners in total, the fifth being a Mr J Chillington of Hitchen who acquired the car in 1966 and kept it for 21 years. The current owner acquired it in March 1987 to join his family’s large and interesting collection of classic cars.

At this point the car was still in good running order but looking slightly tired so in 1997 the owner decided to treat it to a total body-off restoration which was to take three years to complete. The full extent of the work carried out is far too detailed to cover here, but is amply detailed in many photos and invoices on file plus a journal kept by the owner.

The chassis was shotblasted, restored, repainted and waxoil treated by Leaping Cats of Hinckley. The bodywork was restored and repainted by XK specialists Phoenix Car Restorations of Eardisley, well-known for preparing cars to Pebble Beach concours standard and what a wonderful job they have done – it still looks fantastic almost 30 years later with excellent panel gaps and paint finish.

All the brightwork was rechromed as required and the interior was expertly retrimmed by Mick Turley of Suffolk and Turley fame, with new Wilton carpets, West of England cloth headlining and lightweight aluminium bucket seats trimmed in top quality hide. The woodwork has been French polished rather than varnished in proper Fifties style.

All mechanical aspects were restored as required (brakes; steering suspension), a fully rebuilt overdrive gearbox was fitted and we assume the engine was also rebuilt although we could not readily spot any bills for this. It seems to have been fitted with a B-Type head from a 1957 Jaguar MkI 3.4 saloon (KE1880-8) which would have had high lift cams and larger valves than the original XK head.

Back on the road in March 2000, it has only covered 11,000 miles since, including regular trips to Shelsley Walsh and various Jaguar Enthusiast Club events. A proper old school motorist and a stickler for detail, the owner has kept a detailed log of journeys made in the car, with copious observations about the performance and any running adjustments or repairs required.   

Maintenance has been meticulous, including annual greasing and oiling of all the steering, suspension, chassis and drive train components, using all the correct grades of lubricant, the type of oil and the quantity used all neatly recorded. Other work of note includes:

2002 – new rear splined hubs

2003 – new wire wheels from MWS International

2005 – full brake system overhaul

2006 – carbs overhauled; new wiper motor fitted; new fuel pump; new stainless steel braided brake hoses

2009 – new solid steering rack mountings

2011 – upgrade to halogen headlamp bulbs

2013 – dynamo rebuilt; regulator overhauled; two new batteries

2014 – new wheel cylinders all round; stainless steel brake hoses

In September 2015 (at 48,175 miles) it went to CMC of Bridgnorth for a full check-over and tune-up which included the fitment of a new set of five Avon Turbospeed cross ply tyres and Michelin inner tubes, the suspension geometry then being fully adjusted to optimise the handling on the new rubber.

There is a very large history file extending back to the late-1970s, including 17 old MOTs which show the mileage rising from 19,243 in January 1980 to 42,572 in September 2006. An online check shows that it was tested six more times after this, always passing with no advisories, the last MOT being carried out in June 2018 which was another clean pass, and it has only covered 400 miles since, the odometer currently showing 49,524 miles.

The original seats are included in the sale (see photos) and a spare set of wire wheels and tyres will also be made available to the winning bidder if desired, although these will need to be collected from the Bromyard area.

Shortly before the auction, the car was sent to those good chaps at Vintage Vehicle Restorations of Brimfield to give it a good polish and check-over prior to sale (VVR have also long-maintained various other interesting old cars owned by the family).

This pampered XK140 is still in wonderful condition some 30 years after it was so expertly restored and you would be hard-pressed to find a better example, let alone at the modest guide price suggested. The icing on the cake is the transferable number plate, 472 BRR, which doubtless has a significant value of its own. .

The only real blemishes we noted were dulled chrome on the front headlamp surrounds and some crazing to the chrome on the rear light surrounds. The chassis could also do with a good clean as the owner lived in an old farmhouse approached via a long unpaved drive and it picked up some mud when the car was last driven in that appallingly wet start to this year.

On offer here from a deceased estate, it has been starting promptly and driving beautifully as we have moved it around on site. A really splendid example, all this pampered Big Cat needs now is an enthusiastic 7th owner who can continue to enjoy and cherish it as the last owner has these past 39 years.

We love this Jaguar and we are sure that you will too, so make sure you come and see it!