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• Auction House:
  Mossgreen
• Sale Name:
  Collectors' Cars, Motorcycles & Automobilia
• Sale Date:
  19 Jun 2016 ~ 3pm
• Lot #:
  40
• Lot Description:
  1958 JAGUAR XK150 3.4-LITRE FIXED HEAD COUPE
  Chassis No: S 824302; Engine No: V 3239-8; This vehicle will be sold unregistered. This classic car presents a unique opportunity to enjoy a restored iconic XK150 with a recorded local history. It is accompanied with a photocopied spare parts manual. (2)
• Provenance:
  From the Estate of the Late John Calvert
• Notes:
  When a young William Lyons formed a small company building motorcycle sidecars, Swallow Sidecars, in 1922, one of the most successful and passionate stories in motoring history began. Lyons progressed to designing more stylish bodywork for cars, such as those made by the Standard Motor Company, and by 1931 the company's first car, the S.S.1 was on the roads. The arrangement with Standard allowed them to concentrate on coachwork and S.S. became known for rakish bodies suggesting sophistication, style and high performance. In 1935 the company made their own 2.5 and 3.5-litre engines and soon its first sports car, the SS100 Jaguar, appeared. Following the war, the SS name was dropped and the company became Jaguar Cars and the challenge for market and technical dominance commenced. Jaguar's saloon cars of the late 40s had pre-war underpinnings but William Lyons and Jaguar stole the London Motor Show in 1948, showing their exotic sports car with an exquisite body shape that stunned the world. Powered by a 3.4 DOHC straight-six motor, the Jaguar XK120 was an elite sports car for road use - the XK120 name designating its top speed in miles per hour. The orders flourished, leading Britain's crucial post-war export market to the USA. By 1950, the XK120 raced with resounding success. During 1951-1953, the XK120C, the fabled C-Type, was developed as an endurance racing version taking Jaguar on to years of success at Le Mans winning in 1951 and in 1953 and as a consequence the further development with the legendary D-Types, that won Le Mans in 1955, 56 and 57. In 1954, the XK120 was succeeded by the XK140. In 1957, the even faster XK150 was released and although bearing the design hallmarks of its predecessors, was a radically revised car. A single screen replaced the split screen, there was a shallower wing line at the doors and the bonnet was widened. The XK140's walnut dashboard was changed to leather. Suspension and chassis were very similar to the XK140 but driving feel was improved with the addition of rack and pinion steering. In his 1985 publication 'A Century of the Motor Car', motoring doyen Peter Wherrett wrote, 'The XK150 took all the ingredients that had made the XK120 so promising and combined them more effectively...its vices were less obvious and more manageable...it crystallised the motoring dreams of the 1950s.' The pinnacle of post war Jaguar design, the XK150's production ended in October 1960 after 2265 Roadsters, 4445 Fixed Head CoupŽs and 2672 Drophead CoupŽs had been built. Its successor, the E-Type began a whole new legend. This example for auction was bought by John Calvert from a dealer in Geelong circa 1999. According to both the Jaguar Heritage Certificate and the Elmsgreen and McGrath book, The Jaguar XK in Australasia, the car was despatched on the 24 March, 1958, to UK distributor Bellamy of Grimsby and sold to Bob Foster of Parkstone through the area dealer Austin Munk of Boston, Lincs, on 27 March 1958. It is believed this car was imported to Australia around 1967, with the owner residing in Eaglemont, Melbourne, before being sold to Checkered Flag Motors of Doncaster in March, 1969, to Jeff Ansell of Tugan, QLD, it then being in good condition. The car was damaged in an accident in July 1971. It was later owned by Mal Young of Pittsworth who sold it in a damaged state to Dennis Dean of Shepparton, Victoria. It was subsequently sold to Mal Creati in the same condition. This car might have remained unrestored during this era as the XK series was superseded by the E-type, in 1961. Although there was enough interest in the XKs for a significant number to be imported second hand, they were not yet considered classics and many deteriorated or restoration was forsaken, the cars being worth little and thus investing not viable. But, by the late 1960's, small bands of enthusiasts brought together by common problems relating to lack of parts and restoration services became dedicated to the preservation of XK models. As the E-type went out of production XKs values increased. Cars worth $2000-$3000 in 1973 were attracting 10 times that by about 1980 and the scene changed as restorations were justifiable. The subsequent increase in value and desirability is evident. The Calvert family inform us that a back to bare metal restoration was undertaken soon after purchase (c1999) by Stan Perkins and Ted Farquarson in Geelong and that in recent years the car has been regularly serviced and maintained by the late Peter McFarlane of Geelong. The car is fitted with a four speed manual transmission and presented in metallic blue livery with grey leather interior. Calvert maintained and kept this car in his collection until the time of his death in May, 2015.
• Estimate:
  A$80,000 - 100,000
• 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.