2005-12-27 23:46:04 | pauls writes:

Car was at auction in '02
www.practicalclassics.co.uk/auctionlot/by-id/1381539397/

Auction description:
Lot 118: Jaguar XK140 3.4 litre Special Lightweight Coupe (1955)
Important British and Iltalian Sports and Competition Motor Cars and Related Automobilia, the Holthusen Collection of Important Lagonda Motor Cars, Bonhams (6th September 2002)
Lot Details
Auction Important British and Iltalian Sports and Competition Motor Cars and Related Automobilia, the Holthusen Collection of Important Lagonda Motor Cars
Bonhams, Goodwood Revival Race Circuit Meeting, Goodwood
Type Car
Lot Number 118
Estimate £60000-£65000
Hammer Price -
Hammer Price (inc premium) -
Year 1955
Condition rating 1
Registration number TAC 743
Mileage -
Chassis number 807297
Engine number G55388

2008-11-21 10:58:13 | pauls writes:

Car to be at auction 12/08

www.coys.co.uk/auctions/lot.php&id=55173#

Auction description:

1955 Jaguar XK Special Competition

Lot 411

Registration Number: TAC 743

Chassis Number: 807297

Back in the early 1950s David Hobbs had begun racing in his mother‘s Morris Oxford, complete with a Hobbs Mechamatic clutch-less gearbox - effectively a sequential unit and with no greater power loss than an ordinary manual ‘box - designed and produced by his father. By 1960 he had progressed to the family Jaguar XK140 drop-head coupe, registered TAC 743 and similarly equipped, with the six cylinder engine proving well-suited to the characteristics of the unique transmission. The 1955 Jaguar, though, lacked sufficient grunt and stopping power and an XK150S cylinder head and carburettors were duly fitted, together with XK150 front disc brakes. Performance was transformed and thereafter David was a regular front runner, results including wins in Touring and GT races at Snetterton, Silverstone and Goodwood. Then came Oulton Park and a spectacular roll, after which the body was never quite the same. Hobbs then ran the XK140 for the rest of the season before selling it with the original Moss gearbox back in place. The versatile David, of course, went on to greater things in a variety of disciplines during a highly successful career that included an impressive tally of 20 Le Mans 24 Hours races. His XK140, meanwhile, had by early 1961 ended up with Jack Tindell who commissioned coachbuilder Freddie Owen to fabricate an all-new, lightweight body in aluminium, and no doubt Owen‘s resultant styling was influenced to some extent by that of the recently launched E Type; indeed, from some angles there are similarities, including the one-piece front wings and bonnet complete with long central power bulge, and a beautiful job of construction Owen made of it too. Now christened the ‘O Series‘ Jaguar, TAC 743 otherwise remained exactly as when Hobbs sold it, and it soon had various club motor sport events under its slim belt, including circuit racing and the Brighton Speed Trials, in the hands of both Tindell and Owen, which netted several victories. In 1970 the 140 passed to Rodney Bolwell who also raced it with some success, with a win among other high placings, until the engine cried enough. A decade or so later, Norman Ewins bought it as a restoration project before highly respected XK specialist Trevor Groom persuaded him to part with the semi-rebuilt TAC in 1999. Work left to be done comprised replacing corroded bulkhead panels and floor sections - using specially-made wider and longer versions of standard XK items, allowing cutting and adjustment to suit the Owen body. Happily for Trevor, who did all the work himself, the exterior panels were sound, and once fitted the whole was painted in Ecurie Ecosse Blue. As for the engine, Ewins had rebuilt the original 3.4 litre unit and the only major mechanical work left was to fit the limited slip Salisbury PowrLok differential with 3.77:1 ratio. Following completion of its restoration, Trevor successfully raced TAC 743 at several Aston Martin Owners Club meetings prior to an entry in the final 2002 round of the JEC Jaguar XK Challenge series at Silverstone; driven by motoring journalist Paul Chudecki, the car ran a strong sixth until fan belt failure, despite road tyres and a power deficit to the regular runners, and this was the subject of a major feature in the April 2003 issue of Jaguar World Monthly. Subsequently, Trevor has run the ‘O Series‘ in several more races, including at Spa, Zandvoort and Monthlery, the most recent of which was the Fordwater Trophy at the 2006 Goodwood Revival meeting in which he impressively finished on the podium behind a brace of Morgan Plus 4 SLRs.

Presented in good condition throughout, this lightweight XK140 special comes complete with a large history file which includes numerous assorted articles and photographs documenting its racing life both with David Hobbs and immediately after it was re-bodied, programmes from Brighton Speed Trials in the 1960s, photographs of the car during and following its restoration, including those of it racing at Goodwood, FIA historic papers and V5C registration document. Individual, attractive and very competitive, the sale of the unique XK140 ‘O Series‘ represents an opportunity to acquire a truly one-off Jaguar that is eminently eligible for the most prestigious of historic events throughout Britain and Europe. Indeed, for the serious collector or racer, an opportunity not to be overlooked.

Estimate: £70000 - £80000

2016-05-17 16:25:33 | pauls writes:

Car appears to be offered in original configuration at:
www.classicdriver.com/en/car/jaguar/xk-140/1955/371436

Sellers description:
Competition XK140 raced in period by David Hobbs.
Chassis S807297 was manufactured on 5th October 1955, registered TAC743, and delivered via S H Newsome of Coventry to its first owner Howard Hobbs of Leamington Spa on 17th October. Howard Hobbs, originally a native of Adelaide in Australia, was the inventor of the Mechamatic gearbox, an early variant of the automatic transmission. This gearbox was used in a number of the Hobbs family cars and tested on the race track by Howard's son David, who started his long and illustrious racing career in the late 1950s while working as an apprentice for Daimler cars.
David's first serious forays into competition were races at Snetterton and Goodwood with the family Morris Oxford, suitably modified with his father's gearbox and a BMC MGB engine, but before long he had convinced his father to lend him the 140 and he duly entered the spring trophy meeting at Oulton Park on 2nd April 1960. At this stage the car was in very standard form and the race did not go well. On the last lap he hit the bank and rolled the car, crushing the windscreen and severely denting the bonnet and front wings. Fortunately the damage was largely confined to the bodywork and not so serious as to prevent Hobbs driving home. Over the following weeks the car was repaired and progressively uprated with a cylinder head, carburetors and disc brakes from an XK150S in an effort to increase power and braking performance. These modifications clearly paid off and Hobbs achieved a number of notable successes over the rest of the season with high-placed finishes at Snetterton, Silverstone and Goodwood.
By the end of 1960 the car was starting to look rather tired with the dents and knocks to be expected after a hard season's racing and it was subsequently sold on to Jack Tindell who had a new aluminium streamlined body fitted in 1961. In this form TAC 743 continued its competition career at the hands of Tindell, which included various club circuit races and the Brighton Speed Trials. By 1970 Rodney Bolwell had assumed ownership and continued to race the car with some success before it ultimately passed to Trevor Groom, who re-fitted the original engine and undertook various other repairs. Over a number of years Groom successfully raced TAC743 at a number of international and UK venues including Spa, Zandvoort, Monthlery, and the 2006 Goodwood Revival where he finished third in the Fordwater Trophy. With a desire to return TAC743 to its original condition, Groom had the car professionally restored, fitting a correct Drop Head Body and repainting it in its original Pastel Blue. Subsequently TAC743 has raced again at the Goodwood Revival and completed the Mille Miglia in 2015.
Offered in immaculate condition and with matching numbers this unique competition XK140 offers its new owner the chance to own a fascinating part of Jaguar's history and compete in the world's most prestigious events. Please contact us for further details, price on application.

2022-06-04 07:19:35 | pauls writes:

Car now offered at:

www.classicdriver.com/en/car/jaguar/xk-140/1955/856763

Now said to be in Rochford, United Kingdom, seller Cars International Heritage

Seller's description:

1955 Jaguar XK 140 SE DHC RHD Competition, Convertible / Roadster

Chassis number S807297

Competition car Yes

FIA Papers Yes

Drive RHD

Condition Used

Interior colour Red

Interior type Leather

Location UK

Exterior colour Blue

Gearbox Manual