Description
This car was supplied via Hornburg in Los Angeles in 1955. It is a matching numbers ex showcar that has been modified to make it suitable for long distance ‘adventure rallies’. We have a Heritage Certificate for the car, showing that it was originally cream with a black piped red interior and black hood. It was despatched to Los Angeles on 14th of February 1955.
We originally purchased this car in the USA in October 2002 on behalf of it's titled owner, after a 9 month search for an appropriate left hand drive XK 140DHC. After it had been suitably modified (see below), he drove it from Panama to Alaska, from north to south of South America, from London to Tuscany and back, all around the Mediterranean, including Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria etc. In 2016 he drove it 10, 000 miles throughout the USA, from south to north, and west to east in just 3 weeks.
We have photos of the original bodywork restoration being carried out in the early 90s under the auspices of the previous US owner Dr. William J. Morton of Canton, Georgia who was the final US owner from whom we bought the car. The body restoration photos show that the car was extremely sound before it’s restoration. The car won numerous concours events all over the eastern US in the 90s.
After the XK 140 was imported back into the UK, it was extensively modified to ensure that it was suitable for the type of arduous long-distance rallying the new owner planned to undertake.
the modifications list is:-
5 Speed Gearbox (T9) Modified clutch and flywheel to suit.
New crown wheel and pinion to suit new gearbox ratios
Upgraded front disc brakes and servo
Alternator and upgraded electrics
Electronic ignition
Spare coil mounted on cylinder head
Aluminium expansion tank and Kenlow fan
Various additional power take offs in cockpit
Isolator switch, plus fuel pump cut off
Full safety harnesses
Fixed wind deflector
Fire extinguisher
Larger capacity fuel tank
Sump Guard
Fitted luggage
Brantz Trip Computer fitted in glovebox
The car drives very well indeed with no issues.
There is quite a bit of US history that comes with the car, especially regarding its US concours successes, and post importation to the UK, and there are all the invoices present for the work done (mostly by Orchard Restorations of Heathfield, or Tim Walker Restorations of Aylesbury) . The owner spent considerable sums on this car to ensure that it performed well and reliably in the exacting role for which he used the car
