Ramsport are pleased to offer for sale this remarkable example of a Jaguar XK120 Fixed-Head Coupe.

Supplied new by Henlys of London to the Famous lady racing driver Miss P M Burt ( Patsy) and first registered in January 1954.
The Jaguar was among Patsy's first competition cars. Driven by her in a variety of sprints and hillclimbs, it continued to chase silverware in the hands of second owner Robert Rees Esq.

Having toyed with the idea of a Nigel Dawes' car (and indeed turned down a freshly completed example), the late Richard Colton acquired chassis 669108 and having it transformed into his own version of an uprated XK120 Fixed Head Coupe. Overseen by Michael Stewart of Stewart's Classic Motors (who had achieved numerous concours wins with his own XK120 OTS), the project took a year to complete (1996-1997).

Responsible for refurbishing the chassis and body, John Brown of Leaping Cats relocated the engine / gearbox mounts so that rack and pinion steering and a tubed XK140-type radiator with `closed circuit' cooling could be fitted. The suspension was enhanced via Leda telescopic rear shock absorbers, competition springs, one-inch diameter torsion bars and a stiffer anti-roll bar, while the brakes and rear axle were upgraded with four-wheel discs and a limited slip differential respectively. Aside from a Monza-style fuel filler and reprofiled arches (the latter necessitated by the presence of larger 15 x 6J wire wheels), Richard Colton wanted onlookers to be unaware of `all the goodies under the skin!' Green with a Cream smooth & Green Suede leather interior finished with beautiful walnut trim; this magnificent car is one of the most iconic and evocative classic British sports-cars to be found anywhere in the country.

Originally built as a mere testbed platform to showcase Jaguar’s new XK engine, the car was met with such a positive reception that Jaguar elected to immediately put it into production, at which point it was officially the fastest production car in the world. The “120” in the cars name denotes the recorded top speed of 120mph, though a prototype with a longer gear-ratio and special aerodynamic windscreen recorded an average top-speed of 135mph in a test in Belgium.

This XK120 has been endowed with no small amount of alterations and adjustments which have transformed an already fantastic driver’s car into a truly astounding one. Several cosmetic adjustments made to the XK120 after this car’s production year that Jaguar themselves implemented have been applied. Later XK120’s had reprofiled wheel arches to allow the fitment of 15” wheels and had the beading around the edges removed, resulting in a sleeker appearance. The cosmetic improvements that this car has enjoyed representing only the very tip of the iceberg.

A considerable amount of attention from the experts at Rob Beere Racing, the world-renowned Jaguar racing engine-builders, with a 3.8l racing engine being fitted featuring a wide array of carefully selected components. These include straight port heads, a lightened flywheel, electronic ignition, forged Accralite pistons, bespoke exhaust manifolds, wide-blade balanced and shot-peened rods and a high capacity oil pump and cooler; which culminate in over 260 bhp and 268ftlbs of torque.

Whilst the above detailed improvements have resulted in seriously impressive performance, this XK120 is far from the spartan racing machine that the under-bonnet improvements might imply. The cars cabin has received no small amount of attention to maximise the practicality, comfort and appeal of the driving experience. The most significant adaptation that has been made is a vast improvement in the space and position of the driver and passenger seating, which has been achieved by first removing the storage bin located behind the seats and in front of the rear bulkhead, then altering the shape of the bulkhead itself behind the driver’s seat allowing a far greater range of adjustment of the seating position. The resulting effect of this change in unison with the fitment of an XK140 steering wheel, with a 1” smaller diameter than the original wheel, is that a driver of 6ft or more will find the car far less awkward to drive than a conventional XK120. The loss of the behind-seat storage is a sacrifice that bears little consequence, however; as this has been compensated for via the addition of an E-Type central armrest and oddment box between the two seats.

Elsewhere in the cabin, further convenience improvements include the addition of a radio and speakers, interior and map-reading lights above the windscreen, separate oil and water temperature gauges, an electronic tachometer and calibrated speedometer, door-mounted map pockets, a hazard warning light and an electrical kill-switch.

For further information on this or any of our other vehicles please contact Ramsport

Genre

Sports Cars