2007-09-12 15:53:13 | Joseph Drew writes:

I purchased this car from an owner in Conecticut earlier this year. The car drives very well and is in near original condition. Any help on the car's history would be appreciated.
J Drew

2007-09-15 00:52:27 | John Elmgreen writes:

Sold new in Australia and "lost" until now. Would love to know more. - John E

2008-06-20 07:30:31 | pauls writes:

Ebay item 6/20/08
www.sierraclassics.com.

2008-07-03 06:35:01 | pauls writes:

Car returns to ebay 7/3/08
cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Jaguar-XK-120-1950-JAGUAR-XK-120-ROADSTER_W0QQitemZ31006 ...
Current bid $36,200 reserve not met, 10 bids, 8 days left in auction.

Previous auction ended at $42,306 reserve not met after 28 bids.

2008-08-19 08:33:55 | pauls writes:

Car returns to ebay 8/19/08
cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Jaguar-XK-120-1950-JAGUAR-XK-120-ROADSTER_W0QQitemZ31007 ...
Current bid $6,766 reserve not met, 4 bids, 9 days left in auction.

Previous auction ended at $45,101 reserve not met after 27 bids.

2008-10-21 08:00:19 | pauls writes:

Car returns to ebay 10/21/08
cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Jaguar-XK-120-1950-JAGUAR-XK-120-ROADSTER_W0QQitemZ31009 ...
Current bid $26,100 reserve not met, 7 bids, 3 days left in auction.

Previous auction ended at $50,400 reserve not met after 9 bids.

2009-12-15 11:03:47 | pauls writes:

Car was at auction in the UK 12/09

www.classicauctions.co.uk/lotdetail.php

Auction description:

Lot : 37

1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster

Raced at Bathurst by Chester J. Flynn

SOLD for £77000

Registration No: 956 XUR

Chassis No: 660185

Engine No: T.B.A.

CC: 3442

Colour: Silver

Trim Colour: Red

MOT: Sept 2010

Sold at 77,000 GBP

On the basis that right-hand drive XK120 Roadster production began with chassis number 660001, this particular example - chassis 660185 - is a notably early car. Reportedly dispatched to Brylaws of Melbourne, Australia on 14th September 1950, the Jaguar was allocated the Victoria registration number `SZ 999' on 27th November 1950. The following year saw the two-seater entered for the Australian Sporting Car Club's Easter Monday Bathurst Road Races. Held on March 26th 1951 at the Mountain Panorama road circuit, the event comprised seven races and attracted an estimated crowd of 35,000 people. Piloted by General Motors executive Chester J. Flynn, chassis 660185 duly took its place for The Production Sports Car Handicap (6 laps). The Australian Motor Sports magazine (April 1951) ran the following account of the race:

"The new starting clock clearly visible to all on the grid, ticked away the seconds; then the starter's flag dropped, two maroons burst, and the meeting was under way. All competitors started at once, handicap allowances being deducted after the finish; as was to be expected the XK120 Jaguars were first round the corner out of the pit straight, and first up the Mountain Straight. Hope Bartlett, making a comeback to racing with his XK120, was in the lead at the end of the first lap; not far behind him was Bill Patterson, driving the Mrs Luscombe XK120, then came Flynn (XK120), Doug Whiteford (A90) after an interval, and the rest of the field . . . During the next lap, Bill Patterson slipped in front of Bartlett coming down the mountain, and Whiteford was fifth; the next lap nearly saw the end of Patterson and the Luscombe Jaguar when Bill came over the top of the mountain on to the downhill esses, the length of McPhillamy Straight ahead of Bartlett, much too fast, locked on his front brakes, and jumped the ditch to hit a public address speaker . . . Meanwhile, Hope Bartlett increased his lead lap by lap, to cross the line a comfortable winner on time from Flynn on the other XK120 and Whiteford on the Austin A90".

Despite finishing first and second on the track, Bartlett and Flynn were demoted to 2nd and 6th places respectively once the handicap had been applied. Chester `Chet' Flynn was an American by birth and seems to have been some kind of international troubleshooter for GM. Returning to America in 1952, he is presumed to have taken chassis 660185 with him if only because the Roadster is known to have been resident there for a long while. Flynn is recorded as having campaigned a XK120 at Bridgehampton and Watkins Glen later that same year but it is unknown whether it was his ex-Bathurst mount or not. By 1954 he was working as Production Manager at GM Venezuela and had acquired a left-hand drive XK120 for further circuit duties. Either well paid by GM or a man of independent means, Flynn contested the Sebring 12 hours in 1955, 1956, 1957 and 1958 helming a Mercedes-Benz 300SL `Gullwing' on the first three occasions and a Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa on the last; he also ran a Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa in US national / club races and ended his competitive career with a nasty but non-fatal spill aboard a Porsche 718K.

Although discarded by Flynn the Jaguar appears to have found safe haven in North America. Originally finished in silver with red leather upholstery - the livery it pleasingly sports today - the XK120 had been painted black by the time Mr Terrel of Connecticut acquired it in 1982. Apparently, the subject of a rolling restoration between 1985 and 1992, the two-seater passed through the hands of Joseph Drew of Olympic Valley, California and Sierra Classics of Reno, Nevada before entering the current ownership. Riding on correct type steels wheels - just as it did at Bathurst in 1951 - chassis 660185 is described by the vendor as being in "very good" (electrical equipment, four-speed manual gearbox) or "excellent" (engine, interior trim, bodywork, paintwork) condition. While, he adds that the two-seater "drives very well" and benefits from "full weather equipment". Worthy of close inspection, this early steel-bodied XK120 is offered for sale with V5C Registration Document, MOT certificate current until September 2010 and sundry paperwork (including a copy of the Australian Motor Sports magazine race report).

2014-09-25 11:27:18 | pauls writes:

Car offered at:
www.purnellclassics.co.uk/stocklist_detail.php

Sellers description:
Jaguar XK120 OTS - 1950

This is a rare early XK120 OTS Chassis 660185 with excellent photogaphic evidence of early Australian race history in Australia at Bathurst in 1951. It also has American race history having been owned and driven on both continents by Chester "Chet" Flynn.

This car is also featured in the 2011 edition of Jaguar World in a comprehensive 4 Page article all about this car

Chassis 660185
Engine W1969-7 3442cc
Gearbox JH 3937
Body No F1759

Despatched to Brylaws of Melbourne on the 14th September 1950. Registered in Victoria on the 27November 1950 with the registration number SZ 999. Bought by Chester J Flynn the well known American race driver and raced by him at Bathurst when he resided in Australia in the early fifties.

Documents and photographs from the Bathurst Race and Australian Motor Sports dated April 1951 give a fine commentary of the race which took place at the Mount Panarama circuit on Easter Monday.

The car features in the latest and excellent book from Terry McGrath. "The Jaguar XK120 in the Southern Hemisphere". This book is sure to be the major research tool for Major auction houses Collectors and people seriously involved in Jaguar XK Classic Cars.

The car is in excellent retored condition in all regards.

The car is matching numbes and has its original engine and Studless Camshaft covers and special eqipment specification with dynamo and C Type exhaust system. The car has also retained rear wheel spats and original drum brakes. The car has its original ventilated front drum brakes from its early race history. now fitted with a high efficency aluminum radiator.

Beautifully restored in 2009. This rare and early XK120 OTS has the benefit of substanniated Bathhurst Race history.

The XK120 is also thought to have raced on 24 May 1952 when entered by Chester J Flynn at Bridgehampton on Long Island when he came 3rd in "The Hamptons Production Car Race". He also entered XK120 At Watkins Glen on 20 September 1952. Chester J Flynn it is understood returned to the US early in 1952 with the XK120.

Pleasingly since the publication of Terrys book evidence has now become available of races in the US including Watkins Glen.

The registration for the XK in the United States was 52366. This shows that Chester J Flynn entered these races driving the XK120

This world travelling XK120 OTS drives beautifully and its documented history make this a special car for the collector of fine and historic sports cars.