Registration: BSK 644

Chassis Number: SE672666

Engine Number: B7162-8

Odometer reading 95950 miles

The Jaguar XK120 was manufactured between 1948 and 1954 and was their first sports car since the SS100 which ceased production in 1940. It was launched in roadster form at the 1948 London Motor Show as a show car for the new Jaguar XK engine. It caused a sensation thus persuading Jaguar founder and design boss William Lyons to put the car into production. The 120 in its name referred to its top speed which made the XK120 the world's fastest standard production car at the time of its launch. It was available in two open versions; first as the roadster, then also as a drophead coup from 1953 and also as a closed, or fixedhead coup from 1951. With alloy cylinder head and twin side-draft SU carburettors, the double overhead-cam 3.4 litre straight six XK engine was comparatively advanced for a mass produced unit of the time. With a standard compression ratio of 8:1 it developed 160bhp. This same basic design of the XK engine, later modified into 3.8 litre and 4.2 litre versions, survived into the late 1980s. This Jaguar was red with a tan leather interior when she was originally exported to the United States for the dealership Hornburg, USA. At some point while the car was stateside it was changed to the current colour of white. The present owner purchased this elegant Jaguar from Kansas City and in 1989 brought her home. Throughout his tenure the vendor has regularly used this car in touring rallies and sporting events while always maintaining and upgrading the car. During the period of 1998 to 2015 this Jaguar roadster benefitted from uprated rear springs, front and rear Koni suspension upgrades, an alloy fuel tank and radiator, Blockley tyres and a stainless steel exhaust. The principal repairs during this period were replacement sills, a complete engine rebuild including a period block replacement and a Moss gearbox rebuild. The documented costs for these works were £26,000. Following a carburettor fire in 2015 a comprehensive restoration project was undertaken. The remit was to maintain as much as possible of the character of the car. We are informed £44,500 was spent on body restoration, engine and carburettor rebuild, electrics and suspension. Unfortunately the original tan leather interior was beyond repair so a complete retrim was undertaken by Mike Thomas trimming of Petersfield at a cost of £8,500. The result of this work is one of the most fabulous examples of an XK120 Roadster we have seen. Ready to be enjoyed immediately BSK 644 would make an excellent addition to any enthusiastâ s collection.