1956 Jaguar XK-140 Roadster

This 1954 Jaguar XK140 Roadster was offered for sale at the 2007 Christies auction of 'Exceptional Motor Cars at the Monterey Jet Center.' It is white with a red leather interior, white piping and sand top. It is powered by a six-cylinder engine with twin overhead camshafts and is capable of producing 190 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel drum brakes.

The XK120 was produced for six years and was followed by the XK140 which was introduced in October 1954. It had the same XK shape but brought many new changes such as stronger bumpers and turn signal indicators set into the front fenders. The engine was moved three inches forward in the engine bay allowing more interior room for the driver and passenger. handling was also improved by this three-inch difference.

The engine was given steel, rather than cast-iron, main bearings which helped in coping with the increase in horsepower. The transmission was given closer gear ratios which made significant benefits for the driver. An eight-blade fan and a larger radiator were adapted to help keep the engine cool.

Exteriorly, a chrome strip could now be found on the vehicle's hood and trunk. The vehicles were still available in coupe, roadster, and drophead coupe configurations. The top speed was achieved at around 121 mph.

The 'SE', the Special Equipment models, were given wire wheels and Lucas FT 576 fog lamps positioned above the front bumper. Numerous other small changes to the body and a different 1.75-inch SU carburetor were added to the changes. In the European market, the SE cars included a C-Type head.

This example was first owned by an individual from East Overland, Ohio, and was delivered in a black paint scheme with a red interior and a sand top. The history of the vehicle is lost to time until 2003 when it came into the present ownership. At that time it was treated to a restoration and then shown with great success at various events and doing rather well in JCNA events. It has been awarded the 2003 JCNA Regional Concours Champion Class D-01 Driven Division, and 2004 and 2005 JCNA Overall North American Concours Champion Class D-10 Driven division.

At auction this car was estimated to sell for $80,000 - $100,000. It is complete with side curtains, a color matching bag, and a replacement tool kit from Welsh Enterprises. The estimated value proved to be accurate, as a high bid of $93,500 was enough to secure this vehicle.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2007