1950 Jaguar XK-120 Alloy Roadster

The history of the Jaguar XK 120 dates back to an experimental '100' coupe which was built in 1938 for the Earls Court Motor Show in London. It has many design styles that would later be found on the post-War XK120. The first Jaguar XK 120 was built in just six weeks and displayed at London's Earl Court Motor Show in 1948. The first 242 cars that were built were clothed in aluminum panels over a wood frame. In the post war era, aluminum was not being rationed like steel. Plus, aluminum was easy to work with.

The Jaguar XK120 proved to be so popular, that they were eventually forced to switch to steel bodies, which could be built much faster, and in larger quantities.

The name XJ120 signified the car's top speed. This was made possible by the new 3442 cubic-centimeter double-overhead camshaft, six-cylinder engine which gave the roadster a 126.8 mph in speed trials on a public road in Jabeke, Belgium. Factory driver Ron Sutton drove an example - with the top down and the windshield removed - to a timed speed of 141.51 mph.

Between 1949 and 1954, Jaguar built 7,631 XK 120 models. 2,678 of those were coupes, built between 1951 and 1954. The drop-head coupe arrived last, with 1,769 produced in 1953 and 1954. Just 242 examples were bodied in aluminum.

This particular example is a rare Alloy Roadster that was built on February 13th of 1950 and delivered to Jaguar Cars in Brussels, Belgium. It left the factory finished in black with a two-tone Biscuit leather interior, and a black convertible top. The car's original owner was Guy Gernay, who retained it for 28 years.

The car's second owner was Rick Camparetto of Long Island, New York, who purchased it in 1978. He drove it for ten years and then commissioned a thorough restoration.

The current owner purchased the car in 2014.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2016