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• Auction House:
  Mossgreen
• Sale Name:
  Collectors’ Cars, Motorcycles & Automobilia
• Sale Date:
  27 Nov 2016 ~ 2.30pm
• Lot #:
  86
• Lot Description:
  1954 JAGUAR XK120 DROP-HEAD COUPÉ
  Chassis no: 667283; Engine no: F 3602-7
• Notes:
  Jaguar's first post-war sports car was of course the XK120, launched at Earl's Court in 1948 and in production from 1949 to 1954. It was available originally as an open two-seater and then in coupé form from 1951, with the drop-head coupé introduced in 1952. XK 120 chassis number 667283 was one of the very last right hand drive dhc to leave the factory with just another dozen cars built after it. It was manufactured on the 2nd July 1954 and dispatched on the 15th July. Its first owner was Dr J.G.A Troup (1924 - 2004) who later became infamous in the late 1960s and early '70s during an illegal abortion practice trial. Jim Troup purchased the car through the distributor Brylaws (subsequently Brysons) Motors of Melbourne, it possibly being the last XK120 ever to be sold new in Australia, but certainly the last to arrive here as he picked up the car in the UK as a personal export delivery. The XK120 was very popular in the United States and the majority of the twelve thousand and fifty something units manufactured in total by Jaguar were in left hand drive with only just under 14% of these in right hand drive. Indeed we tend to forget just how rare a right hand drive drop-head coupé car is, with just 294 built accounting for less than 2.5% of all XK120 production. Rarer still to find a rhd XK120 dhc in such original condition and with such good provenance. This vehicle has been in current ownership for the last 38 years and has covered just over 75,000 miles in total. It was purchased in 1978 having at the time travelled 39,890 miles. This figure being confirmed at the time as genuine by Bruno Dabelstein an RACV engineer from Northcote who had owned the car himself for 13 years in its early life. According to John Elmgreen and Terry McGrath's excellent and extensive book 'The XK120 in the Southern Hemisphere', the registration expired in Dabelstein's name in January 1970 before being, "Re-registered in November 1972 by Ron Wylie of West Geelong, thereafter passing to Heaths Motors of Geelong (February 1975), Warwick Gillin of Highton (March 1975)". It then passed into the hands of current owner John Manfield. The fascinating thing about this desirable, useable and rare iconic Jaguar sports car is that due to its genuine low mileage and sparing but regular useage, it remains very much as one would have found it when new. Indeed the original 600 x 16" Dunlop Road Speed spare tyre remains in the bootwell. Adjacent to this is a complete XK120 tool roll. As confirmed by its Jaguar Heritage Trust certificate, 667283 is still fitted with its original 3.4 litre engine # F36002-7 and gearbox number OSL 1683 B. Dabelstein though had the engine bored, balanced and brought up to C-Type specification with red C-Type head by Jaguar racer Bob Jane's mechanic soon after his purchase. This C-Type head has the same matching number as the engine and indeed probably would have been factory fitted. Unusually, sometime prior to March 1962, Dabelstein also made the convertible drop head into a permanent hard top which remained on the car until its current owner returned it to its former guise and repainted it back to the original colour in two-pack enamel in 1990. With its outstanding pedigree, and dramatic looks penned by William Lyons now restored, this very low mileage right hand drive Jaguar XK120 drop-head coupé is being made available for sale for the first time in nearly 40 years. This vehicle will be sold unregistered
• Estimate:
  A$250,000 - 280,000
• Realised Price:
  *****
  

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• Category:
  Automobiles & Accessories

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.