Here’s a desirable one. It’s only the second 1956 Jaguar XK140 MC Roadster featured here on Barn Finds in the past decade, and it looks like a solid candidate for restoration. This top-of-the-line Jag has been mothballed and in climate-controlled storage for over 35 years. The current seller bought it over 20 years ago as a potential restoration project but has reached retirement age and is thinning out the herd. Although it ran 20 years ago, it will need work to make it roadworthy again and the seller shares that the engine turns over by hand, but he hasn’t attempted to fire it up. Located in Youngstown, Ohio, this Jag is for sale here on eBay and is generating its share of online attention. As of this writing, 42 bids had been made with the highest bid reaching $50,000. The reserve has been met, so it’s going to the highest bidder and a new home when the auction ends on Sunday, January 16 at 5:41 pm EST.

The classic, sleek lines and styling of this Jaguar roadster still look great today doesn’t it? Created by William “Mr. Jaguar” Lyons and his talented team, the 140 series made its debut as a 1955 model, replacing the groundbreaking XK120 which was introduced in 1948 and had put Jaguar on the map. The XK140’s had a long list of improvements including rack-and-pinion steering, better braking and cooling power, more legroom and cabin comforts, and, most importantly, increased performance.

The seller includes documentation showing this featured Jaguar was built on April 27, 1956 and originally left the factory with a cream exterior, red interior, and black convertible top. At some point it was repainted in a classic British Racing Green which looks presentable based on the photos. The seller describes the exterior as “the body is in very good rust-free condition, there may be a few rust bubbles in the usual places, but all body gaps fit quite nicely and all body panels and parts appear to be original. The inner and outer rockers are also in good condition along with the frame and outriggers.”

There aren’t many detailed photos provided of the interior or engine compartment. The current black interior looks tired and would need replacing and there’s no mention of the condition of the convertible top. Special Equipment models like this one were designated as MC and were fitted with wire wheels, front fog lights (which are missing along with the bumper overriders), and the C-type racing cylinder head (developed for the C-Type Le Mans race car) which increased horsepower up to 210 at 3,750 rpm. They were also fitted with a four-speed manual transmission with overdrive.

Overall, this very special Jaguar appears to be solid and a good candidate for restoration. The seller admits there are “some rust repairs needed but it is very minor and not an entire panel”  and “it appears to be all there with the exception of the air filters and a few other small parts that are readily available.” Only 3,347 XK140’s were built in their three model years of 1955-1957 and restored examples can sell for up to $200k. It will be interesting to see where the next owner takes this rare and one of the most desirable of all postwar sports cars.