The Jaguar XK 140MC was the successor to the XK 120 and was in production from the end of 1954 until 1957. This Drop-Head is one of only 2,310 built in left-hand drive during the model’s lifespan. It is listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in Hanover, Massachusetts, and is offered with a clear title. The seller has set the opening bid on this classic at $24,500.
This Jaguar makes for a tragic sight in its current condition. Time has not been kind to it, and the new owner is going to face a mammoth job restoring it to its former glory. The positive aspects of this car are that it appears to be largely complete and that items such as the exterior trim and chrome, and highly desirable items such as the original fog-lights and wire wheels all seem to be present and should all be able to be restored. There are a few panels that may be able to be salvaged or restored, but essentially the majority of the body and its structure is beyond help and replacement parts will need to be sourced. Likewise, the chassis is apparently rotted beyond repair. Coupled with the fact that something heavy such as a tree has fallen across the rear of the car and appears to have bent the chassis means that this is another major component that would need replacing regardless of the rust.
The interior of this once beautiful Jaguar is just as tragic as the exterior. The car has reportedly spent an extended period exposed to the elements, and this has virtually destroyed the interior. This was once the highly desirable red leather interior, but apart from the possibility of saving the seat frames, there is little here that could be salvaged. Even the gauges would be suspect due to the possibility of water entering them and damaging the delicate inner workings.
Thankfully that fantastic and original numbers matching 3.4 liter DOHC straight six engine is still present. When new this engine, which was fitted with the C-Type cylinder head, produced 210hp. Mated to that is the original overdrive transmission. The seller doesn’t provide any information about the state of the drive-train, but it’s a virtual certainty that the whole thing will require a complete rebuild. Thankfully it appears that the drive-train is entirely complete.
Out of interest, I did some searching to ascertain what parts are available to restore this XK 140MC and was pleasantly surprised to discover that virtually every part is available, including new chassis and bodies. The bad news is that this isn’t cheap. However, the starting price for an XK 140MC in the current market is around $100,000 and from there they can reach around $200,000 for a pristine fully restored example. This Jaguar XK 140MC was a beautiful car when new, and it may actually make economic sense to return it to that state.
One nice thing about “early access”, one gets to see the foolishness that’s coming up. May I be the 1st, of many, I suspect, to say, you’ve got to be kidding. Like the shells of big Healey’s, this must be all that’s left. Now, I’m not that narrow minded to know what Jag parts can go for, but to restore this clearly shows, you have more money than brains.
On the other hand, with patina being all the rage, maybe fix the brakes, and drive it as is. Can you imagine the horror on the Pebble Beach brats faces, rolling in with this? That, my friends, would make my day.
I just learned something new today Howard. I didn’t know they served brats at ‘the Beach.’ The thought of brat juice running down an elbow and onto the fender of a Delahaye seems like the Concours attendees have lightened up a bit der hey? Don’ ya’ knowwww.
THIS doesn’t bother me at all, it was never an “every mans ” car anyway. If some rich trust-fund baby wants to price this up skyward, who cares? It is the 60s American cars that I grew up with and drove that the ultra elite have priced out of my reach.
…almost escaped the crusher.
At least in the crusher it would have been a pleasant memory instead of a modern day Frankenstein.(made from many different parts, just a facsimile of being what it is trying so hard to represent to be. ) Then again, as said above, who really cares? It is not like I will ever be able to see it anyway, it will be only available to be viewed by the well heeled of society, and brother, that sure a’int me! Not in my social circles, that’s for sure.
Very fixable. Just needs time, patience, and skill or, perhaps the basis for a period type special. Unfortunately, those qualities are getting harder and harder to find these days.
Beverly Hills, Gullwing Motors,MB Vintage in Brook Park and now we introduce you to Hilltop Auto. What took us so long?
Howard is stuck in 40 year old working class mode (again)………I sold one that was just as bad 15 years ago on eBay. (Mine was a drop head coupe) It sold for something like 15K to a guy in England that flew to California, bought a 20 foot shipping container, packed every part in bubble wrap and shipped it back to Great Britain. It was finished in 3 years and the buyer was very happy. Every part of these cars is being reproduced and every nuance about them is known. These are body on frame cars that are mechanically simple, the electrical and other systems not so much……but this car will be happily restored (or recreated) and back on the road. In today’s world there is a good chance it will be done in Eastern Europe because the costs are much less and the quality is world class. The suppressed cost of a visually daunting project frequently makes this kind of project advantageous. Everything is going to need done anyway. Why not take the advantage of a modest entry cost……….Howard…..stick with something you know like a Diamond T truck……………you will have a more Harmonious outcome.
I see your being your usual rich guy sarcastic nose in the air self Dave. Even if your right you don’t have to be a dick about it.
I love tweeking Howard, I admit………my car was much worse than this one, didn’t have a matching engine, carbs, was totally disassembled (not always a bad thing). I am not a rich guy by most standards…..but have made and continue to make a good living dealing in similar projects. I am much more optimistic and even handed when evaluating something that intrestests me and have been fortunate enough to own, enjoy and profit from many. I currently have 20 or so projects going, everything from airplanes, boats, Packards, 6 Mercedes and my most recent purchase a huge grooming snow cat. A proper evaluation with cold numbers is always nessisary whether you go buy it or not. I make a lot of money from people with quick visceral opinions on things they have little knowledge of the item. Like my 300SEL 6.3 bought at auction while the airbags laid down. Everyone thought the car had been low riddled and was just a 280, until I took a new battery and starteded it the day after the auction. In 10 min the car was at ride height, running smoothly and we drove it. 100 miles Home. The car still lays down with long storage but the value has gone from the 1500.00 I paid for it to around 60K…………..
“Now there you go. Harmonious waves, already. ” — Oddball.
I used to know a Jag guru back in the 70’s. He loved Jags, but disliked most of the Jag owners. He took one of his prized 140s to a Concours and decided that his shop was a lot more satisfying, and driving the cars alone was nirvana. He went on a Jag rallye once, and ended up working on broken Jags….. for free. What fun.
It isn’t even funny when a Jag owner will try to get a discount on his rebuild bill, and wants to pay prices from 40 years ago.
I think your giving Howard A to much credit. Do you think he even knows what a Diamond T truck is?
I happen to like the way Howard thinks, and what’s the crap about being in “working class mode”? That’s a little elitist, don’t you think? Working men made this country, it wasn’t the rich boys who sat around cocktails making deals, oh they needed to be made, but without the working men, those fat cats could have done nothing. I am an educated man, but I have great great respect for the everyday men and women of this nation who actually produce, not just on paper. Those are the people who have been erased from this equation, damned unfair if you ask me. Howard, keep up the great posts, I enjoy reading all of yours.
I am all in Billy! If you are talking trucks of any scale, Howard and Geomechs have forgot more than than i will ever know. I salute them! triumph1954 must have got here today. And I will say I do enjoy Dave Wrights posts for the most parts. Except for the tweeking Howard part. We are here for old car talk and I enjoy the journey. Myself, I probabley ask more questions than make comments. And I am 63. Love learning the car hobby. Take care Billy, from an everyday man. Mike.
Don’t worry Billy, in my 35 years in trucking, I’ve dealt with “Dave Wrights” all my life. He doesn’t bother me. I try to stick to vehicles I know, but stuff like this just grinds my gears, and it’s my father in me that has to express that disgust. You’re correct, being a truck driver, I dealt with other similar class people, and we didn’t drive no stinkin’ Jaguars, much less ship parts overseas in bubblewrap. We drove Ford Aerostars. We were hauling the containers that the “Dave Wrights” needed so badly to make their fortunes. Thanks for the support. We can’t all be Chief’s, you know.
As for triumph1954, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt of not knowing who I am, but I’ve been around trucks for over 40 years( you name it, I drove it) and I owned Diamond T’s, and am very familiar with most all trucks, say back to the 30’s. I’ll admit, Jaguars, not so much, outrageous prices for rusty hulks dug out of the earth, regardless of the make, sorry, you’re gonna hear about it from me.
Thanks Mike, not sure how this got here, oh yeah, rusty Jaguar hulks for the price of a small home in the UP,,,
Here Howard: Ref. your reply below, I have you trumped. 49 years in aviation. Airline owners to charter operators, both large and small, large trucking owners that own aircraft and owners of large corporations that own aircraft that think they own you. This country was built on labor.
Anyway, at the I-80 truck plaza, there is a story (and pictures) about an indy trucker that installed a 40 horse helper engine in the front of his main engine. Ten bucks says you didn’t drive that one.
However, there was one trucker that had a 140 DHC with a B-25 throttle quadrant that sat next to the steering wheel on the left hand side of the cockpit. He could lean the engine out at turnpike speeds. That was in the KC area in the early 70s.
That’s great, really, nobody should be out trumping anybody here, and I understand Daves position, my 40 year old working class mode just never allowed for such frivolous purchases, and I might remind Dave, someone with a 10 year old working class mode,( if any) isn’t going to be buying these rusted hulks. People with money just don’t remember what it’s like not to have money. They can enjoy trading vintage Jaguar parts among themselves, and that’s ok, I guess. Again, who would pour $100g’s into this, and all the headaches of a full restoration( waiting on that one of a kind A arm, or whatever), when you could just go out and buy one already done, sign ze papers,( or peel off the cash) and be motoring that very day. Heck, money clearly is no object anyway.
24,500 dollars for this? . A number matching motor, every bit of this junker will be a replacement part . So it will hardly be original , so what the numbers matching to ?
nothing that money wouldnt fix! yikes! beyond help.
Part…that’s all I see here and not enough to justify the entry bid price.
I want some of what this seller is smoking.
I’m thrilled that Barn Finds has such experienced people with. them.
This is absurd. Pass on it.
An Air Force pilot friend of mine stored a 54 XK-120 in my garage while he was deployed back in the 80s. I was tasked with taking it for, “a brisk Sunday morning drive every week” while he was gone (his words). I relished my Sunday mornings that spring and summer!
The local cops were not amused by the lack of a muffler, but they let me go (twice) with a warning. I don’t know if this model came that way, but I convinced them that the car never had a muffler, just straight pipes. I have no idea if they did or not!
I learned a lot about Lucas Electrics (Why do the British like warm beer? Because they have Lucas refrigerators), and SU carbs. When I had trouble with it sputtering one week, I stopped by a shop that specialized in Jags, Austins, and other British makes, and he asked, “Have you oiled the carbs lately?” I looked at him like he had a third eye… He put some 3 in 1 oil in the top of the carbs, worked the sliders up and down a few times, and said, “Good to go.” He was right – and all along I thought I was being punked!
Good memories
Cut the front end off in total to hang (carefully) on my office wall, pull the wire wheels and the few bitsa that remains, to sell, and I’ll junk the rest, thank you. But not for $24K. $7500.00 at the most.
Why would anyone suffer through this restoration? Such a project would cost an easy 2000 hrs, plus parts.
Maybe a 140 pickup…..?
Shooting brake conversion!
I know I’m going to get some push back and that’s fine by me. I’d take the drive line wheels and everything from the dash forward I’d restore what I could, but as for the back half I’d build a custom boat tail body. As for the frame as a welder fabricator and mechanic I’d build my own chassie to suit my boat tail body. But there is no way this POS is worth $24k – $6k tops and that’s only if the engine and trans are salvageable. This is a hurting unit that you’d really have to give your head a shake to want to take it on as a restoration.
This car needs the right buyer with the perfect combination of money, unrealistic dreams, no common sense, and one that doesn’t care if he or she spends far more money than this car is worth in the end. They sure are nice in the end if it should ever get there. This car won’t be restored it needs to be remanufactured. I see a few parts that can be saved, enough to keep it’s identity. I can restore anything but it needs to be worthwhile. I would rather have a rust free original that was t-boned by a truck. Maybe an $8,000-10,000 project and I would still wish I didn’t buy it.
How much for the vin??? Sure you can replace…with new repros…the frame and body..it’s called re-shelling….and when finished you state that fact i’m OK with that.But don’t call it restored.
Looks like a $24,500 parts car, but if something can be created from it, who cares? I can assure you, it won’t be my money being spent, but if someone has the money, and desire, more power to them.
Sad when an endangered species becomes road kill …
You win the Best Comment Award!
https://www.garagestylemagazine.com/rodney_s_column
Thanks!