Highlights

• Rare and desirable UK RHD model
• Matching-numbers car
• Full restoration at a cost of over £30,000
• 13th of just 294 right-hand drive XK120 Drophead Coupes made
• Only 1,200 miles driven since restoration
• Huge history file

The Appeal 

The Jaguar XK120 caused a sensation when it was unveiled at the 1948 London Motor Show – staggeringly beautiful and eminently desirable, it was the fastest road car that money could buy. Its legacy has endured across the generations, and this particular example is very special indeed.

The thirteenth RHD Drophead Coupe built (out of a total production run of just 294 cars in this configuration), its first owner was a Lieutenant Colonel in Lincolnshire; in 1969 it was bought by a Norfolk farmer who took it off the road for restoration, and it was subsequently sold to a British Airways pilot in 1984, then a Sussex-based collector in 1999.

In 2004 it was exported to South Africa for a full restoration by marque specialist Jaguar Classic Restorations (Cape) and we can see from the sheaf of invoices in the history file just how comprehensive this was.

At a cost of over £30,000 over a number of years, this matching-numbers example was treated to a full ground-up restoration, with the body and chassis stripped, perfected and refinished, the drivetrain rebuilt and the interior retrimmed.

No stone was left unturned and, aside from the addition of an electric cooling fan, it’s all been completed to correct original specifications – and it’s only covered around 1,200 miles since the restoration. The car was repatriated in 2018. Tastefully executed and sublimely presented, this Jaguar is thoroughly enjoyable to drive, and most certainly one for the purists in particular.
 

The History and Paperwork 

• V5 
• Heritage certificate
• Previous South African registration documents
• Documentation for export (2004)
• 2019 – invoice for £2,149 – steering wheel, boss, clutch adjustment, etc
• 2013 – invoice for ZAR16,961 (£744) – attention to boot and spare wheel well
• 2009 – invoice for ZAR13,228 (£580) – bodywork, differential, cooling and electrics
• 2008 – invoice for ZAR10,225 (£448) – steering and electrics
• 2008 – invoice for ZAR19,435 (£853) – bodywork, carburation and electrics 
• 2007 – invoice for ZAR142,500 (£6,232) – fine blasting of body and chassis
• 2007 – invoice for ZAR10,354 (£454) – body, trim, suspension, brakes, etc
• 2007 – invoice for ZAR4,199 (£184) – woodwork, etc
• 2007 – invoice for ZAR34,430 (£1,510) – interior trim, etc
• 2007 – invoice for ZAR9,804 (£429) – gearbox
• 2007 – invoice for ZAR11,150 – (£488) – engine, gearbox
• 2007 – invoice for ZAR 8,887 (£389) – engine, electrical
• 2006 – invoice ZAR14,274 (£625) – woodwork, cooling, electrical
• 2006 – invoice for ZAR5,213 (£228) – trim, etc
• 2006 – invoice for ZAR2,760 (£120) – polishing wood veneer
• 2006 – invoice for ZAR8,414 (£368) – cooling, electrical, etc
• 2006 – invoice for £1,332 – dash instruments, windscreen and seals
• 2006 – invoice for ZAR10,225 (£447) – woodwork, electrical, etc
• 2006 – invoice for ZAR7,969 (£348) – engine, fuel, brakes, etc
• 2006 – invoice for ZAR6,595 (£288) – trim, etc
• 2006 – itemised list of parts from SNG Barrett - £1,187
• 2005 – invoice for ZAR11,713 (£512) – cam covers, front bumpers, wiring, etc
• 2005 – invoice for ZAR6,492 (£284) – trim, window frames, etc
• 2005 – invoice for ZAR21,000 (£919) – interior retrim
• 2005 – invoice for ZAR12,631 (£552) – floor panels, steering box, etc
• 2005 – invoice for ZAR14,230 (£622) – engine build, etc
• 2005 – invoice for ZAR18,190 (£795) – gearbox build, etc
• 2005 – invoice for ZAR12,997 (£568) – clean and paint carbs, strip gearbox, etc
• 2005 - itemised lists of parts from SNG Barrett - £156 & £606
• 2005 – invoice for ZAR8,318 (£363) – distributor, wiring, etc
• 2005 – invoice for £608 – green leather hide
• 2005 – invoice for ZAR14,091 (£616) – wheel cylinders, power steering, etc
• 2005 – invoice for ZAR36,787 (£1,608) – engine work, sandblasting, etc
• 2004 – invoice for ZAR5,016 (£219) – blasting of engine parts
• 2005 – invoice for ZAR34,318 (£1,500) – suspension, bearings, joints, etc
  
  

The Condition

• Full body and chassis restoration
• Full interior retrim

The restoration work was comprehensive, and you can see from the even shutlines and gleaming trim that a lot of attention has been paid to the details. The body panels are all straight and true and free from any evident corrosion, with all of the proper trim present and correct. The rear wheel spats are a tasteful addition, and the colour-matched wheels wear quality Vredestein Sprint Classic tyres with plenty of tread.

The light lenses and window glass are in good order, and the soft-top is a high-quality item that’s easy to raise, affix and lower, with a zip-out rear window.
 
 The interior has been beautifully retrimmed in supple green hide, while the dash dials have been replaced and the wood trim polished to a show-worthy shine. All of the instrumentation is functional. It’s dry and tidy inside the boot, with a matching spare wheel with good tyre, and there’s a fire extinguisher behind the passenger seat.

 The only aesthetic criticism would be a few areas of ‘orange peel’ to the paintwork, which we’ve tried to highlight faithfully in the photographs. It’s not evident from a distance, but has a rougher texture here and there up close. With the outstanding quality of the build throughout, remedying this paintwork would surely be the final flourish, if the new keeper were so inclined.

The Mechanics

• Engine rebuilt
• Gearbox rebuilt

It’s an impressive mechanical package in this car, the XK120 being the first model to be fitted with the legendary XK straight-six – an engine of such prowess that it endured for four decades. The 3.4-litre twin-cam unit features an aluminium head and twin SU H6 carbs, putting out 160bhp and working with a 4-speed Moss manual ’box.

This car has enjoyed a full engine and gearbox rebuild as part of its restoration, and it’s running beautifully – the engine starts and idles readily, and pulls keenly through the revs; the gearbox is as slick as it ought to be, while the car rides well on its supple suspension and the brakes feel strong. A great all-rounder, and a very pleasurable car to drive.
 

Summary