V8/5-Speed: 1954 Jaguar XK120 Drophead Coupe
One glance at the custom paint shade suggests that this 1954 Jaguar XK120 Drophead Coupe could be anything but average. If you harbor those suspicions, a closer investigation reveals that you are on the money. The seller installed an upgraded drivetrain to unlock better performance, although they include the original components for a buyer wishing to return this British classic to its factory form. Its presentation is hard to fault, and it is guaranteed to turn heads on and off the road. The seller listed it here on Facebook in San Diego, California. You could park this cool custom in your garage for $47,000. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder gippy for spotting this stunning beauty.
Jaguar released the XK120 in 1948, with the final car rolling off the line in 1954. It offered three body styles, with our feature car being 1-of-1,472 Drophead Coupes produced in left-hand-drive form. It is unclear what paint shade this car wore when new, but the Candy Red currently gracing its panels makes a bold statement. The decals on both doors suggest the choice may have been driven as much by the desire to create an eye-catching promotional vehicle as a cool custom. The paint shines richly, with no visible flaws or problems. The panels are laser straight, with tight and consistent gaps. There is no evidence of rust or glass problems. The exterior chrome sparkles as impressively as the paint and the beautiful wire wheels appear flawless.
Buyers faced a couple of engine choices when ordering their new XK120 in 1954. The range-topping 3.4-liter SE brought 180hp to the table that fed the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. It was the only combination capable of producing a sub-16-second ¼-mile ET, although, at 15.9 seconds, it was a close call! The Jag achieved this figure with the optional 4.55 rear end, and while it provided excellent acceleration, the car ran out of breath at 108mph. The seller includes the original motor and other components with this classic, but its existing drivetrain combination should provide performance that would have seemed unimaginable to the car’s creators. The seller describes the V8 under the hood as a 302ci Cobra racing unit, although its specifications are unclear. It is a safe bet that it churns out more than 180hp, which feeds the back wheels via a modern five-speed manual transmission. Forget a 15.9-second ¼-mile ET because I believe this Jag would blow that figure into the weeds. It is also worth considering that the weight difference between the original 3.4-liter six and this V8 would be minimal. However, the V8 featuring a shorter overall length would move the weight further back from the axle. That should improve the car’s handling and balance, allowing it to tackle twists and turns with greater poise than when it left the factory. The seller indicates that this XK120 is in excellent mechanical health and is fun to drive. That’s a claim I find easily believable and is why I would probably leave the car untouched to revel in all it offers.
Apart from the aftermarket wheel and shifter for the upgraded transmission, the seller left this Jag’s interior original and untouched. The seats wear Butterscotch leather that appears flawless, with the remaining upholstered surfaces and the carpet looking excellent. Some enthusiasts believe the defining features of an XK120 are the rich Walnut timber dash and door caps. This car doesn’t disappoint, with those components appearing factory-fresh. The gauges feature clear lenses and crisp markings, and although the wheel is an aftermarket item, it doesn’t look out of place in this classic.
This 1954 Jaguar XK120 leaves its new owner with several options worth considering. Including the original engine and other parts means the buyer should be able to return the car to its factory specifications easily. Reinstating the factory paint shade would be more complicated and expensive. Still, with clean and original vehicles consistently selling for more than $70,000 in the current market, it is worth considering. I would probably drive and enjoy the Jag in its current guise, at least in the short term. The additional power should offer satisfaction and impressive performance, and returning the car to its original form could happen as time and circumstances allow. However, I wouldn’t be in a rush to do that. Would you?
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Comments
Having the original powertrain in mothballs would be the best of both worlds. I could enjoy the performance with the ugraded gear, knowing that I had a well-preserved matching powertrain in reserve to bring it back to concours trim. Like a full-scale model kit you could build mild or wild.
It appears to be well done. A lot of folks will be upset by this but it looks like tons of fun
My dad used to say “any way you dress a cow, it’s still a cow”. He also said “beware of a pig wearing lipstick”. He wasn’t a farmer.
Doone: I don’t know where you get your “cow” and “pig” descriptors from. When the Jaguar XK-120 first appeared in 1948 it was the fastest and most advanced sports car in the world…and it and its successors remained well-respected throughout the world, especially with five Le Mans outright wins during the 1950s. Some cow! Some pig!
Adam Clarke: if the 302 is a 1970s or ’80s hydraulic cam without dramatic modifications, it isn’t going to have much more power than the Jaguar twin overhead cam, twin carb powerplant, with hemispherical combustion chambers .I would suspect this is why the owner is keeping quiet about the engine’s performance. However, if indeed this is a fire-breathing 302, then the fact that there is no mention of the brakes should be a bit disconcerting. You see, the one weakness of the XK-120 and its 140 successor, was four wheel drum brakes. It was not until the Jaguar XK-150 that Jaguar became the first production car on the planet to get four wheel disc brakes. With an XK-120 with its four wheel drums, you get ONE good slam at the brakes, but further slams to avert accidents can be vey scary due to the considerable brake fade caused by the enormous heat. Inquiring about the brakes would be in order…
Thank you so much for the feedback, Laurence. I completely agree with you on the subject of brakes because although the photos aren’t great, I think I can spy drums behind the front wheels. I also placed a question mark over the subject of engine power because the description tells us little. The fact they refer to it as a “302 Cobra racing engine” implies it may produce respectable power figures. However, that is pure speculation and is one of many questions potential buyers may wish to pose. Thank you again for your input. I appreciate it.
Interesting points, but my Jaguar sense is tingling on this one. Is it possible this was a FHC & the top was whacked off? The full window frames & lack of a folded top are potential cues. Also-has the seller been vetted? Hmmmmm….
Crosley had 4 wheel disc brakes a few years earlier.
Rallye: you are technically right that Crosley had the first four-wheel disc brakes in 1949. Perhaps what I should have said is that Jaguar pioneered the use of disc brakes that worked. The discs in Crosleys had aluminium callipers that crumbled/seized in salty road conditions. The following year they had to switch them for Bendix drums. Around this time Dunlop, across the pond, was working with Jaguar engineers to adapt Dunlop’s successful disc brakes for jet aircraft, to the motor car. Their callipers were made of steel. They did squeak a bit, but what an improvement over standard drums!
The first SUCCESSFUL use of disc brakes occurred in 1954, when for the first time ever on a racetrack, they appeared at Le Mans on the new Jaguar D Type. The first SUCCESSFUL use of disc brakes on a production car was on the ’56-’57 Triumph TR-3. The first SUCCESSFUL use of four-wheel disc brakes on a production car was on the 1957 Jaguar XK-150. The 1969 Series II E Type Jaguar pioneered stainless steel callipers, with three of them on the front wheels (also a global first in 1969).
Laurence
I didn’t say they were good, just first.
Your criticism of the Crosley disc brakes didn’t mention the really small round pads.
I have a Jabro chassis that has the disc brake setup. If I were to race it, I’d change to the large drums. I’ll sell it, instead of racing it.
It doesn’t have a body.
Cow? Pig? You make no sense. Whatever you are smoking, it must be illegal.
Nice up grade.Do the names on doors come off??
What the crud is a 302 cobra racing unit??
I’d have to paint it an original color, but it looks like an easy change with all of the hard work done.
The 302 and tranny is at least 200 lbs lighter than the Jag 6 and original Moss box.
Although the original setup is no slouch, this would be fun!
DRV: would you consider the three-speed automatic that’s in there now to be fun? To each his/her own, but I would say that as it stands now, the XK-120’s value has been seriously compromised. One can mess around with a kit car or a cheap little classic, but doing to a pedigree classic what has been done to this one is desecration…even if the correct engine and box and clutch have been kept…because there is nothing cheap about all the king’s men putting Humpty Dumpty back together again.
who said it had a 3 speed automatic? The ad claims there is a five speed in it.
Lawrence, your description fits perfectly to that of a pig wearing lipstick! Don’t look at the words on the surface, but rather the deeper meaning as contained in your sentence that ” The value has been deeply compromised.” That’s the true meaning of the phrase ” a pig in a poke”. Ha ha ha ha!
Blast! It’s an outrage, it is. You want a bloody Cobra, go buy a bloody Cobra,,,can be heard in pubs across Coventry. You know, apathy could be our countrys biggest problem, ,,but who cares? This completely changes the heart of this car, something British engineers never considered, the in-line 6 was their crowning achievement, and what it was all about. I’ve always considered the Jag, simply the best of the best, and much to this builders dismay,( and pocketbook), I think they ruined it.
A beautiful car with all the original parts coming with it is the best of both worlds. I like it. As for taking it back to it’s original color, the colors available in those years weren’t so hot. Tearing it all apart just to paint it doesn’t really make sense from a financial standpoint. It’s needs a buyer who likes it just like it is and I’m sure there are plenty of those.
Nothing more disappointing than the sound of a GM or Ford starter motor coming from a Jag.
Considering how most Lucas starters in those days had a squared section on the armature shaft so the driver could apply a “spanner” and free the jammed starter drive, it should be a relief to hear a reliable Autolite/Motorcraft starter actually crank over without jamming or kicking out.
After reading your comment I had to stop and think. Never gave that a second thought. 40 years same starter never had a problem. It was nice not having to find a jump when the battery died. Just grab the tire iron stick it in the bumper and give it a yank. Off you go. I found domestic starters to be less reliable. It doesn’t matter anyway because you missed the point of my comment. Which was that domestic starter is hanging off the bottom of a domestic engine. Come to think of it. It’s been years since I’ve seen Jag sedan with a 350. Wasn’t a modification that stood the test of time.
So true. I had a ’62 Jag MkII with a Ford 302. Sounded blasphemous. Couldn’t stand it … I sold it after about 6 months.
Yeah, it should have the gear reduction sound a cranking 426 Hemi makes, that would be one wild ride.
First, in the day, it was described as a $12,000 engine in a $6,000 car (or similar proportions – today it would be a $100,000 engine in a $50,000 car) Second, chrome wire wheels look terrific, but, I remember plain old steel wheels on the 120 and painted wire wheels on the 140. My XK 150 S had chome wire wheels including the spare! And it left the factory in dark blue but by the time I bought it, running well, it had been repainted metalic purple/pink. When it ran, it RAN, the rest of the time, about 3/4 of the time, it sat waiting for a part or a diagnosis. SO, I would love to have this car and I would drive it almost every day when there was no salt on the roads.
Stock XK-120s look and sound great, but since this one is already altered, I’d just add front disc brakes and drive it. Purists will hate it, but the rest of the world will love it.
Lots of interesting comments and I agree with many of them. Having the original drive train certainly is a plus, even if you had no plans of using it. The comment about brakes is valid and I think a must do with this car. I drove an older MG with V-8 power and it scared the Hell out of me. The power to weight was off the charts and it didn’t like to stop. The one thing I would want with this car, would be paint it an original color. I have never liked candy apple red and it is a dead give away something is not right with this jag. Much better choice than the flood car ,IMO.
Great looking Car. If it runs as good as it looks LEAVE IT ALONE. Why change anything if you want a neat old sporty car without a lot of downside waiting on a diagnostic or wait on parts to drive it. Shut up and enjoy it! It doesn’t have to be original to run great, without breaking down every time you turn around. Besides how many Jaguar mechanic’s are there close by?
Reliability is one of the major components of a ¨good¨ car, never mind the well meant intentions of the original engineers. If a car is unreliable, it by deffinition, is a bad car.. This Jag gives the buyer the best of 2 worlds, it´s a gorgeous Jag and it will start in the morning. Happy motoring, Cheers and Beers!
Hmmmm… wonder what Carol Shelby would say. It’s been a history of British car with American muscle that has made history more than once. Maintaining the original running gear for a “backup” makes this even better. I have a ’50 Austin A40 with a 302 that gets plenty of looks at the shows. Purists are disgusted so I made a small plaque that says, “Carol Shelby Approved”. That usually puts a smile on most faces. Consider the Bristol, Acica, Cheetah and winning drag cars such as Austins and Hillmans. Just sayin’.
I did a frame off restoration on NXK 120 S in the 80s. The smartest thing this guy did was yank that engine out and put that little cobra engine in. England wasn’t too smart on their engines at the time, and this replacement seems to fit perfect, and more reliable. Jag had a double overhead cam engine that was good but you always had to tinker with it. This car looks great not sure about the price unless the original engine comes with the package.
My roadster had front discs on it and a 260z 6 cylinder engine. Daily driver reliability and it sounds just like my old 54 roadster.
I appreciate old cars and trucks for their style, but modern cars are better for driving in every way. Why keep old and, undependable and dangerous equipment if you want to drive it? This XK is a great way to put on a million smiles. Give it brakes to match the power, especially since I live in mountain country and drive it everyday when the roads are clear.
I put together a plastic model of this car back in 1955 and loved it, thought it was such a good looking car. My favorite,
however was the 53-54 MG. I remember one of the owners of the Wichita Beacon (now deceased) who owned this car “it looks great, and when it runs, it runs, but most of the time it just looks great sitting in my driveway”, I agree with the posters that said “buy the car because you love it”…. some of you guys get too techy for me.
Even if you like the custom paint and engine swap, doing them was just plain stupid. The cost would have paid for a full restoration, and the value would be 2 – 2.5 times greater. I am sure the seller is kicking himself.
A couple of practical issues I see in the post: No photos of the back-end of the car, it’s missing it’s front fender vents, it also appears that the whole convertible top mechanism is MIA. I actually like the car as it sits, but it needs a top, fender vents and a view of the back-end (and underside) of the car for me to pursue it.
tompdx: you are right. An XK-120 with a 302 is going to fetch LESS than HALF of the value of a properly restored example. All the bravado by some about how much “better” and more “reliable” the more recent American heart transplant will be, just can’t alter this free marketplace reality of a bastardized pedigree classic fetching so much less. While a big deal has been made about the original motor and gearbox (clutch?) coming with the car, I doubt very much that they are in rebuilt condition, or the seller would have been glad to leave them in and have full market value. We can therefore assume that the drivetrain is shot, hence the 302 and modern tranny, are at least in part, there as a cheap alternative to doing things correctly. To rebuild the engine, Moss gearbox and clutch will all cost the down payment on a house. I also wonder whether under the shiny, but also very incorrect paint, might there be areas where a magnet would not stick?
We are all assuming that the body is immaculate, but lots of bondo/rust under smoothly-sanded panels, is often part of what comes with these sorts of “specials”…so I would suggest that any prospective buyer also check out the filler/tin worm situation.
In closing I will say that there are XK-120 plastic kit cars out there (such as the CMC Eagle), either requiring restoration or finishing, that are far more logical candidates for all this V-8 and modern transmission business. Mess around with a pedigree classic and the value takes a serious vertical nosedive. A nicely restored XK-120 is a delight to drive, and if serviced correctly and according to the manual, by a classic Jaguar mechanic, it will give you over 200 thousand miles of trouble-free motoring. Yes, I know it doesn’t jive with the “if not an American V-8 drivetrain it’s junk” crowd… Some things never change.
I was the fortunate owner of a similar UK/USA joining. Mine was a 62 Austin Healey 3000 with a 271 hp Ford 289, mated to a Jaguar XK140 gearbox that still retained the electric overdrive. Jaguar radiator kept it cool, but the TORQUE of the FoMoCo Engine tossed out the spokes on the rear wheels at a scary rate. The builder, Ron Kilborn, Metals Professor Extraordinaire, at SUNY Oswego NY, took to a set of solid steel 14″ GM rims, cut out the 5 lug holes on a lathe, took the Healey knock-offs, trimmed them up and with a 1.5 degree angle, press fitted then arc welded them… Just offering, GREAT CAR to have a JAG without the “Prince-of-Darkness” electrics!… MY car would make telephone poles look like a picket fence when the “go” pedal was engaged, I can imagine this beautiful Jag would do the same! Best of luck to both buyer & seller… truly UNIQUE!
I own a completely restored XK 120S with plack and numbered match. What is it worth?????? What I like about this supposed bastardized XK120 is it is Totally drivable. It can be enjoyed, serviced at your local oil changer, simple oil filter, no syncing the Carbs, nice paint (not even close to what the factory painted), comfortable. Not a racer, especially with all the hyper cars out there today. Just a fun car that lost its original engine and being enjoyed by others. Not all cars have to be sold for monster profits, but just driven to enjoy. Oh and by the way, the bodies were not metal, but made from aluminum bodies.
Rod L: I don’t think you own an XK-120S. If you do, then you don’t know what the body of your car is made of. Only the first few XK-120s made in 1948 were aluminium–made by hand on wooden bucks. Before the production year was over, the switch to steel occurred, so that the car could be series-produced. The XK-120S, with its power upgrade and twin exhaust pipes, didn’t come along until the 1950s. Also, aluminium, while an alloy, is also a metal.
A buddy of mine had three of these, a stocker, a parts car and a 348 tripower one. Guess which one got driven the most.
Wow, sure it a nerve, as expected. One chap has the audacity to say the Jag motor was nothing special. While I find it tough to dignify that response with an answer, let me conclude this by saying, I’ve always considered the motor to be the heart and soul of a vehicle. From a lowly French twin to a mighty V-12 Detroit. To remove said motor, is just not fair. AGAIN,,,if it wasn’t for British engineering, we might all be speaking German today. The DOHC , while marketed after the war( 1948) was the pinnacle of motors. It also claimed to be able to balance a nickel on the head, ala Packard. To put those motors down, one simply has no experience with one. They were no more troublesome than any other make.
Listers,
Look at the wood header rail at top of windscreen. There are blemishes were screws have been.In each corner and the center. These would be the closings for the top. Please where IS the top?
Dropped coups have chrome finishing over the side drop glass. But where IS the top. On a drophead coupe the top is rather bulky.
Oh contrar. The S series did have Aluminum bodies. I have a number matching XK120S that I bought for $800 in 1969. I know because I had to hire a fab guy to repair the door hinges, and it cost me a fortune ($250). Engine was typed and rebuilt by Garrison, Fresno. Nothing was ever replaced on this car, it was removed and rebuilt, especially the pot metal windshield posts. So, break your little history research book back out and study a little more, big boy. And you will see this car for sale, right after I die. You better bring a big checkbook. Oh and yes, I never had it up to the 151mph that they were boosting about, but it has seen over 130 with me driving.
Rod L: When I saw your XK-120S mention my mind played a trick on me and I was thinking of the XK-120M. First of all, only the first 242 XK-120 roadsters were aluminium-bodied. Second, there never was such a thing as an XK-120S. There was an XK-150S, but that’s it…no XK-120S and no XK-140S. The XK-120M of 1951 had higher lift overhead cams and a twin exhaust, and all built were steel-bodied. Also, Jaguar never claimed that any Jaguar XK series variant could do 151mph. That sort of claim did not come about until the E Type.
It is a little confusing since hood, doors and trunk on my 54 xk120 roadster were aluminum. Correct no xk120s.
Ray Lancaster: it need not be confusing. The first 242 XK-120s were the only cars considered “aluminium-bodied”. When cars have things like an alloy bonnet or doors and the rest is steel, it isn’t considered to be an aluminium-bodied car. Take another example, such as an Austin-Healey 3000. The deck lids, both front and back, are aluminium, but an Austin-Healey 3000 isn’t considered to be an aluminium-bodied car. To be so, the whole body needs to be alloy.