In an ideal world, all project cars would be created equal. However, we don’t live in a perfect world, which means that classics with the potential to command a six-figure value can possibly be considered more equal than those with a five-figure potential. This 1958 Jaguar XK 150 OTS is one of the more equal projects on the market today, and returning it to its stunning best doesn’t look like it will be a difficult assignment. If a classic British sports car is high on your wish list, you will find the Jaguar located in St Simons Island, Georgia, and listed for sale here on Barn Finds Classifieds. The owner has set the asking price at $47,500.

The XK has only recently been removed from long-term storage, and while it might look slightly frayed around the edges, the time in hibernation hasn’t done a lot of damage. It started life wearing Cornish Grey paint but has undergone a color change at some point. The big news here is that while it is common to find these beautiful old classics with significant rust problems, this Jaguar is an exception to that rule. There is some rust present in the spare wheel well, but a bit of careful work with some patches should address these problems. The undercoat is peeling off the frame, but this reveals a lot of healthy-looking steel. The chrome and trim look like it could be restored without the need to replace anything, and I think that the beautiful wire wheels might respond positively to some work with a high-quality polish. My personal belief is that if the next owner wants to do this car justice, it should probably be dismantled to complete restoration work to a high standard. That might seem like a lot of work, but when we get to the question of potential values, you will see that it would be well worth the effort.

The XK 150 features a DOHC 3.4-liter 6-cylinder engine, which sends its 190hp to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission. That would have been enough to send the vehicle through the ¼ mile in 17.1 seconds before working its way to a top speed of 119mph. When you compare those figures with its traditional rivals, it stacks up quite well. The 1958 Corvette could trump the XK 150 over the short sprint, but the Jag could begin to leave the Chevy in its wake as speeds increased. It isn’t clear how long this one has been sitting for, but the owner has managed to coax the 3.4 back into life. He says that it will need a tune-up, but that is still impressive under the circumstances. It will also need to be thoroughly checked and some brake work performed before it could be considered roadworthy, but if you are into instant gratification, this Jag might tick the right boxes on that front.

The interior is a lot better than I expected, and there are only a few minor parts that are missing. The buyer will need to source inner door handles and window handles, and you can be sure that a few other items will probably crop up as the restoration proceeds. However, parts are readily available, and as you will see, the owner is giving the buyer a head-start when it comes to whipping the interior into shape.

Look at all of those trim pieces! I can spot a new carpet set, and new door trims, along with numerous other interior items. It looks like there is virtually an entire trim kit sitting there, which means that the buyer isn’t going to have to source much beyond the previously mentioned hardware. It’s also worth considering how stunning this classic would look if it were refinished in its original Cornish Grey with Black interior trim. That is a combination that screams classy in big capital letters.

Getting this 1958 Jaguar XK 150 OTS back to a mechanically roadworthy state would not seem to be a tough assignment. A small part of me would love to do that. I’d then go out and find myself a thread-bare tweed jacket. I can picture myself driving around cultivating the shabby-chic look. However, a much bigger part of me wants to see this beautiful car treated to a meticulous restoration. It should be well worth the time and effort because good examples can quite readily command values of more than $130,000. I hope that someone takes it on, and I hope that they do it soon. This is one of those classics where I long for one of our faithful readers to buy it and keep us updated on their progress throughout the restoration. I think that we would all appreciate seeing this Jag returned to its magnificent best.

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