Matt Harwood Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) *SOLD* The last time I had one of these was about a year ago. It was a white-on-red '56 XK140 and I listed it for $99,900. It sold in about 6 hours on eBay for full asking price. The fellow who came to buy it said only about a dozen words before gathering it up and hightailing it out of town. I called him a day later and asked if everything was OK, and his reply was, "Yes, love the car. I just wanted to get out of there before you realized you left $15,000 on the table." Yowch! Point taken. The market on these cars is skyrocketing and price guides are obsolete before they can be printed. But these cars aren't about values or investments, and I really think that's what's hurting the hobby the most. Buy a car you love and use it as intended is always the best plan, and if it appreciates while you do it, well, consider that a bonus. And I will say that driving this car is simply a delight. It's had a comprehensive restoration to a very high standard, but it's no trailer queen. No, it's been driven which also means it's sorted and operates correctly. The paint is gorgeous British Racing Green, just the right color, although it's always hard to capture this particular hue in our studio for some reason. But it's the right green, with just a hint of yellow to it. The bodywork is beautifully finished, super straight, and shows no signs of the dreaded tin worm that can turn these cars into dust in pretty short order. The doors fit well, the hood doesn't jiggle, and someone was clearly sweating the details when it went back together. All the chrome has been treated to show-quality plating and it just glitters against that dark green paint. This car also wears an unusual set of headlight guards that are integrated into the headlight rings themselves, a setup I've never seen before but which I really like. In the interest of objectivity, I usually like to mention any flaws a car may have, but quite honestly, the cosmetics on this car are exemplary. But to be honest, I think the interior is the jewel in this car's crown. Not the usual tan, it's a lovely butterscotch leather that's so rich that you can't resist touching it. It's beautifully done in correct patterns and looks incredible! The XK120 is obviously pretty basic, but the parts that are there are artfully done, from the 4-spoke steering wheel (which I believe is an aftermarket piece, it seems a little too thick and a little too small in diameter) to the Smiths gauges that spring to attention when the engine fires. The floor-hinged pedals are tightly grouped, so wearing heavy boots is out, but the tiny shifter lever flicks through the gears like a toggle switch. All the gauges work, the lights work, even the heater works, so it's been properly sorted. It does have a top frame and two tops, the original one and a newer one made of vinyl; none of them are on the car but they're all included. We left the top off because 1) nobody uses it anyway, and 2) you have to cram it behind the seat where it not only gets wrinkled and mildewy, but it also reduces seating space. There is, however, a full tonneau cover so you can close it up when you're leaving it unattended. The trunk is correctly finished in matching materials and includes a correct spare tire, a full tool roll, jack, and knock-off hammer. These cars tend to get a ton of scrutiny from the experts because nobody wants to make an expensive mistake. No worries here because this car totally nails it. One, it's numbers-matching, including the block and head. Two, it's the more desirable MC-spec, which uses the C-Type head for more compression and 20 extra horsepower. And three, it's been fully rebuilt and tuned so that it runs superbly. None of the legendary fussiness, just get in, turn the key, let the fuel pump pressurize itself, and hit the button. It starts quickly and easily and idles smoothly even when it's ice cold. No stumbles or lumps in the power delivery and the twin carbs are properly synchronized so that it pulls cleanly throughout the rev range. It makes plenty of oil pressure at idle, the generator generates plenty of electricity, and it's simply a joy to drive. The 4-speed manual transmission shifts very cleanly and the clutch is smooth and progressive, not grabby. The underside has been properly restored but it's been driven, so it's not perfect, but the demerits could probably be erased with a weekend of detailing. But you don't really want a trailer queen, do you? There's a new stainless steel exhaust system that sounds magnificent and chrome wire wheels are fitted with appropriately tall blackwall radials for great handling and ride but still look right. This is an achingly beautiful car. Yes, prices are on the move and I think this is a smarter investment than an E-Type, whose values have been deflating as of late, but again, if you buy this car as an investment, you're doing it wrong. It's one of the most road-worthy cars of the '50s and there's simply nowhere that it won't be welcome. We're asking $129,900, and at the moment, that's the right price. Thanks for looking! Edited June 20, 2016 by Matt Harwood (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motoringicons Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Gorgeous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unimogjohn Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Matt, very well presented and priced. Based in the pictures it looks to be almost back to original standards. A great value and car for someone to drive and enjoy. And they are fun to drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty12 Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Great presentation. That is a great car with a wonderful color combination. It won't last long... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Sigh....I really should drag out my 140 and restore it before I get too old to enjoy it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 20 minutes ago, Restorer32 said: Sigh....I really should drag out my 140 and restore it before I get too old to enjoy it. Yes. Yes you should. I drove this Jag for about 30 minutes this morning before "officially" putting it on display in the showroom, when it won't get used often, and it was just joyous to drive. The engine sounds wondrous, the steering talks to your fingertips, and even though the Moss gearbox is notorious for crunching gears (especially the 1-2 shift if you rush), I relished blipping the throttle and dropping from 4th to 3rd just to hear the engine wind past 3500 RPM. Never mind that it's gorgeous, it's just wonderful to drive. It does not feel archaic or primitive, it feels like a sports car is supposed to feel, and I think it works best at about 8/10 speed, where you're enjoying the drive but still staying well within its [modest] limits. So yes, at least get yours running before you're too old to fold your legs into the cockpit and before the manual steering gets too heavy for you and before you just don't feel like having the wind in your hair and the song of the engine in your ears. God I love this car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 I last drove mine as my daily driver for a year in 1968-69. Been sitting untouched ever since. Now that I'm semi retired I do intend to work on it, assuming Son will give me a space in the shop now that the business is officially his. Nothing like the sound of an XK Jag at full purr. Now I'll have to stop at the warehouse and look at it on my way home. Thanks for the memories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 My dad is 91 in August and he can still climb in to my Mom's 140 MC roadster. Ours was very reliable for many many years as my mom would drive it every day in the summer. Only issue was that it get warm at stop lights and make you worried but never actually boiled over. When my dad pulled out the radiator recently he figured out that the fan was on backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 I never had any overheating issues with mine. It was a very reliable car. Stopping the thing was my problem. The year I drove it I was recuperating from having both kneecaps crushed. I regularly used both feet on the brake pedal. Loved the way those counter rotating speed and tach gauge needles would swing toward each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted June 20, 2016 Author Share Posted June 20, 2016 SOLD! I know it wouldn't take long, but now I'm wondering if I once again let it go too cheap. Full asking price AGAIN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithbrother Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 What did YOU pay for it? JUST KIDDING. hehe Happy for YOU and BUYER. Dale in Indy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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