3,442cc DOHC Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
2 SU Carburetors
160bhp at 5,000rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
Front Independent Suspension – Live Rear Axle
4-Wheel Drum Brakes

*An original Hoffman delivered East Coast U.S.A. car
*A four owner car only
*Highly versatile and usable model, eligible for tours and rallies
*Offered with Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate

THE JAGUAR XK120

Told by the post-war Attlee government to "export or die", the British motor industry responded valiantly – none more so than Jaguar Cars, which was soon to become the UK's biggest US-dollar earner thanks in no small measure to the success of its XK120 sports car. Its striking appearance notwithstanding, the XK120 was conventional enough beneath the skin, being built on a separate chassis, featuring independent front suspension by means of wishbones and torsion bars, a live rear axle, and drum brakes all around. The body was the work of Jaguar boss William Lyons himself. The car's heart was, of course, the fabulous XK engine, a 3.4-liter six, boasting twin overhead camshafts running in an aluminum cylinder head, seven main bearings, and a maximum output of 160bhp. The XK120 set new standards of comfort, road-holding and performance for British sports cars and, coupe and drophead coupe versions followed.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

Resplendent in the period scheme of Pastel Green bodywork with a Suede Green leather interior it is hard to imagine a better-looking embodiment of what these cars offered in period. With exceptional modern looks and in drophead form the practicality of options for anything that an East Coast day might throw at you, the same rings true to this day.

This XK120 was the 199th Drophead Coupe to have been built and was sold through Max Hoffman's esteemed New York retailing agency, with its date of dispatch noted as June 21 that year. Research by its seller has found the car to have been purchased new by a Dr. William Spurck Prescott, a New York physician. He is reported to have accumulated some 53,000 miles with the car before laying her up in 1959 at his summer house in the Thousand Islands.

There the car would rest until Dr. Prescott's passing, after which in 2011 it was sold by his estate, when it came into the ownership of a Mendham, New Jersey collector. Although its mileage had not been excessive in its brief career of use, nearing its half century it was in need of attention and the decision was made to restore the car fully. This included removing the bodywork, repainting to the period scheme we see here in place of its original cream and tan, this work being completed by M&G Vintage Auto Restorations in Tuxedo, New York, under the direction of noted British car aficionado George Medynski. Terry's Jaguar rebuilt the cylinder head, which it should be noted is a slightly later Jaguar unit, the block is the original. While the cosmetics were worked on, the engine was rebuilt by MG 'T's in West Milford, New Jersey and likewise the transmission rebuilt, with a new clutch. A known 'Achilles Heel' for these cars is cooling and so during the radiator re-cored with five rows of offset tubes for greater efficiency, this work being done by Arctic Radiator of Rockaway, New Jersey. As the project came together, the wood trim was refurbished and the chrome plating entrusted to Librandi's Plating of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

All told, the restoration was finalized in Spring 2003 just in time for a debut at the Concours d'Elegance of the Eastern United States at Lehigh University, Pennsylvania where it won the Best Debutante award. It would pass to the last owner shortly after that and was acquired by the present in 2011. Since restoration the Jaguar has been carefully though regularly used, accumulating some 16,000 miles in the last 16 years, bringing it to approximately 69,300 from new. In more recent times, the gearbox was rebuilt by Quantum Mechanics of Oxford, Connecticut.

Included in this appealing package are a period roll of tools, period literature including original Jaguar Service instructions, together with photos and some invoices for the rebuild.