2012-03-19 15:13:22 | Florian Seidler writes:

This car is in Ireland by Pristine Classics
www.pristine-classics.com

2012-03-20 12:04:01 | Peter Ingram writes:

A great find of a car believed lost. Only known reference an Ad in XK Bulletin Dec 1976 asking for a pair of doors Ex Michael Tynan of Dublin

2023-02-20 06:39:17 | pauls writes:

Car now offered at:

www.carandclassic.com/auctions/1955-jaguar-xk140-fhc-rhd-8WwMj8

1955 Jaguar XK140 FHC

Colour Old English White

Odometer 83,871 Miles

Engine size 3400

Auction DetailsSeller Type Private

Town Colbinstown

Location International

Country Ireland

Thick history file showing regular and significant ongoing maintenance

Dare and desirable - One of around 600 RHD coupes built in 1955

Race-proven 3.4litre 190bhp XK engine

Manual overdrive gearbox

High quality older bare metal respray with original interior

Just serviced including leads, plugs and fluids

£5,000 mechanical overhaul in 2015

Dry stored with limited use since 2012

Comprehensive history file including significant working during the 1990s

Regular servicing, most recently in February 2023

Limited use since 2012

Paintwork originally Birch Grey 

£5,000 spent on mechanical and brake improvements in 2015

Gearbox partially rebuilt in 2016

The Interior

Original burgundy leather interior in good, aged condition

Inertia reel three-point seatbelts fitted in 2015

Modern stereo discreetly hidden behind flap in dashboard

Some patina to dashboard wood veneers

Carpets in good condition

Door trims and wood veneer door cappings in good condition 

Stepping into this 1955 fixed head coupe you are immediately transferred back to those days. It is recognisably Jaguar as well as spacious and luxurious as a GT car should be. Jaguar’s records show that the burgundy interior on this car is correct. It appears to be original but well preserved, the leather showing signs of wear but without any cracking or discolouration. The same is true of the carpets. Both may be improved further by a professional valet to restore more of the colour. The rear seats are in good condition and a useful feature that improve the practicality and useability of the XK140 fixed head models. 

The lovely wood dashboard has its complete complement of Smiths dials and gauges. The veneer is cracking and crazing in places but is not unsightly. There is a modern stereo fitted, discreetly hidden away behind a wood veneer cover. 

Inertia reel seatbelts were professionally fitted to this car in 2015.

The Exterior

Resprayed in white from original Birch Grey

Older respray that has held up well but with limited, localised deterioration 

Specialist classic Vredestein tyres with pretty white walls and good condition chrome wires

Chrome a mixture of original and new 

Chassis appears to be in good condition

This car left the factory, according to records, painted Birch Grey, but has been professionally resprayed in what appears to be Old English White, a popular Jaguar colour. The work has held up very well and the car presents nicely. Its very limited use over the last 10 years perhaps explains why the paint remains in good condition, with none of the usual marks and stone ships typical of use. There are a small number of areas on the roof where corrosion is beginning to show through that the new buyer may wish to attend to before they worsen. There is also some bubbling around the base of the side marker plinths on the nearside wing top, which is a common weak spot on these cars.

The boot floor is another weakness on these big cars. This one looks very good and solid with no obvious deterioration. 

The big, heavy doors on XK140s have a tendency to sag over time. The doors on this car look generally good, although the driver’s side does look like it would benefit from some attention to the hinges or simply rehung. 

The exterior chrome is a mixture of original, with some signs of deterioration, and new. The boot chrome and badges were replaced in 2015.

The XK is of separate chassis construction so requires careful attention to the underside. The chassis is in very good, solid condition with no obvious signs of deterioration. The black underseal has flaked in some places so may benefit from reapplication. The offside silencer also shows some signs of deterioration.

The Mechanics

3.4litre straight six fully 190bhp XK engine 

4spd manual gearbox with overdrive

Coopercraft discs fitted in 2015

Brake overhaul in 2015

New fuel pump, master cylinder and alternator upgrade also in 2015

Gearbox partially overhauled in 2016

Regularly serviced despite limited use most recently on 2nd February 2023

The XK140 uses the long-lived and very durable XK motor, which remained in use on Jaguars right into the 1980s. So parts supply is very good and not particularly expensive. The 3.4litre displacement of the 140 is particularly smooth and sweet-revving. 

The indicated 83,871 on this car appears to be genuine judging by old invoices and MOTs. The car has covered only a few hundred miles since its last MOT in 2012 and appears to have been dry stored as part of the Seller’s classic car collection. 

The thick history file indicates that this car has received regular scheduled maintenance, with particular expense during the 1990s and within the last 10 years. 

Over £5,000 was spent in 2015. That work covered a braking system overhaul – including fitting Coopercraft discs and calipers – and replacing the fuel pump, clutch master cylinder and an electronic boot lock. The original dynamo was also replaced for a more reliable alternator set up.

The gearbox was partially rebuilt in 2016 due to a selector problem. The Moss 4spd gearboxes fitted to the XK are particularly hard wearing but selector issues are a known weakness. The car is fitted with overdrive, a useful addition that makes touring more relaxing.