Highlights
- Recently completed three year £148,000 restoration by Hilton & Moss
- All areas restored including bodywork, roof, paint, trim and mechanicals
- One of 668 RHD DHC XK150 and a matching numbers home market car
- Single-family ownership since 1987
- Desirable later 3.8L XK with twin SUs and optional factory overdrive
- Beautifully presented car in British Racing Green with tan leather
The Appeal
The final iteration of William Lyons’ beautiful XK works equally as a show queen and a usable classic grand tourer. This majestic British Racing Green RHD DHC 1959 car is ideally suited to either role thanks to a recently completed three-year restoration by specialist Hilton & Moss.
The history file reveals that this work, begun in 2022 and completed in mid 2025, cost £148,000 and not surprisingly covered every aspect of the car. There are invoices for a replacement chassis, engine work, gearbox rebuild, rewiring, retrim, suspension, brake overhauls and much more. The bodywork and paintwork have also been refreshed, and there is a brand new black fabric roof with retrimmed tan headlining to match the interior. The key to any XK restoration is the quality of the work - in this case, everything has been done by a very experienced model specialist. The car has been little-used since completion and naturally presents at a very high level.
We’re told that the car has been in the current family ownership since 1987 and, prior to the restoration, was used regularly for European touring. It is one of just 668 RHD home-market Drop Head Coupes and features the later 3.8L XK engine and optional factory overdrive.
This is a really fine example of the ever-popular later XK and one where the buyer gets to capitalise on all the recent investment.
History and Paperwork
- Original UK right-hand-drive car
- First registered in 1959
- Factory built in November 1959
- Previously painted red, which was changed in 1986
- DVLA records eight registered UK keepers
- Current keeper since October 2024
- Vendor advises that the car has been in current family since 1987
- Matching numbers confirmed by Jaguar Heritage Certificate
- Originally Sherwood Green with Suede Green leather interior and black roof
- Hilton and Moss invoices 2022-2025 detailing £148,000 of recent refurbishment work
- The vendor reports the car has completed several extensive European tours
- VIN number S827484DN confirms the car as 1959-built with overdrive
Summary of 2022-2025 restoration by Hilton & Moss (further details in photos):
- 07/25 - £2,074 - paint and body repairs, new mats
- 05/25 - £1,351 - soft top adjustments, door seals, mirror seals
- 03/25 - £7,860 - chassis wax treatment, roof retrim, general checks
- 02/25 - £2,978 - repair water leaks, roof work
- 10/24 - £780 - chroming work
- 09/24 - £1,893 - wood trim work
- 08/24 - £2,554 - trimming work
- 07/24 - £3,246 - roof repairs, road test
- 06/24 - £5,580 - wheel alignment, carburettors, brakes, battery, carpets, instruments
- 04/24 - £4,227 - cooling system, electrics, clutch work, fuel system
- 03/24 - £5,842 - trim work and other repairs
- 02/24 - £6,873 - various including clutch and brakes
- 01/24 - £6,449 - fuel system, wiring loom
- 12/23 - £3,092 - fuel system and fuel tank
- 11/23 - £2,547 - brakes and coolant pipes
- 10/23 - £2,976 - wiring
- 09/23 - £3,230 - wiring, paint
- 08/23 - £5,921 - chassis replacement, radiator etc
- 07/23 - £4,434 - chassis work
- 06/23 - £3,383 - refitting lights, wiring loom etc
- 05/23 - £10,588 - gearbox overhaul, cooling fan
- 04/23 - £3,813 - gearbox refit, disc brake overhaul
- 03/23 - £6,351 - general repairs
- 02/23 - £3,222 - sandblasting and axle repairs
- 01/23 - £8,233 - axle overhaul etc
- 12/22 - £6,909 - refit engine, underside treatment
- 11/22 - £13,046 - metal work
- 10/22 - £10,717 - strip down, fabricate repairs
- 09/22 - £8,547 - strip down
The Condition
- Comprehensive refurbishment recently completed by Hilton and Moss
- Refinished in dark British Racing Green with paint presenting very well
- Some very minor points to note to paint, such as edge chips as shown
- Bodywork renovated as part of the recent programme of works
- New chassis fitted during restoration
- Chromework presents well and appears to be a mix of original and replacement
- Some light tarnish to note to some chrome elements
- Slight wear to note to screen rubber surrounds
- Other seals replaced during restoration as above and in photos
- Chrome wire wheels in very good condition, as shown
- New black fabric roof with tan headlining fitted
- Matching black tonneau included
- Interior retrimmed in tan with green piping and matching carpets
- Wiring overhauled as part of recent restoration
- Accessories and instrumentation restored to working order
- Radio system upgraded
We suspect that XK aficionados will immediately appreciate what they’re looking at with this well-presented BRG XK150 DHC. The panel fit is an obvious tell, as is the quality of the paintwork and the attention to detail inside. There are a few minor points to note, but nothing that we feel errs beyond characterful patina.
You can review the extent of the work applied to this car in the list above and the photos. Highlights include a new chassis, which has also been treated, extensive metalwork repairs to the panels, new paint, new roof, retrimmed interior and sundry other minor improvements such as seals and trim items.
The Mechanics
- 3.8-litre straight-six engine with twin SU carburettors
- Four-speed ‘Moss’ manual gearbox with factory-fitted overdrive
- Gearbox rebuilt as part of the recent refurbishment
- Engine renovation work during the programme of works
- Carburettors, brakes, suspension and electrics all attended to
- Upgraded cooling and ignition systems
The XK150 is notable for its adoption of disc brakes, finally giving these big cars the stopping power to match their power. From 1959, when this car was built, the factory offered the car with the larger 3.8L 220bhp version of the XK engine. This car is so-equipped and is reported to be matching numbers. It also has the desirable factory optional overdrive unit. In factory terms, this car is an ‘SE’ model with the ‘S’ chassis prefix.
The car has been with the current family since 1987. We’re told that prior to the restoration, it was used regularly for European road trips, where its elevated specification would have no doubt come in handy.
The restoration by marque specialists Hilton & Moss touched virtually every single area of the car’s running gear and mechanicals. You can check that in the list above and the photos. The gearbox was rebuilt, the engine checked and renovated as required, and the suspension, brakes, cooling system, electrics and fuel system all attended to. We’re told that the car features an upgraded ignition and cooling system, both useful improvements for anyone intending to use these cars, but otherwise, it remains largely standard.
With few miles completed since all that work, this car is said to be in fine running order.
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