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Drophead In The Barn: 1956 Jaguar XK140

xk140

Fellow Barn Finds writer Jeff L uncovered this XK – thanks, Jeff! It’s located in Canton, Michigan and is up for auction here on eBay where bidding has risen quickly to almost $20,000. I’m guessing the seller is flipping the car, as there are also pictures of the car on a trailer and then cleaned up a little in a driveway with some muscle cars in the background. The XK140 improved a lot of the issues with the original XK120, including more interior room and less engine heat transmitted to the cockpit, and to some is even more desirable than the original XK120, even though auction prices don’t generally reflect that. The drophead coupe version here offers a true fold-down top as opposed to the roadster version. The car looks remarkably solid in the pictures shown and is said to be complete; extensive pictures of the removed components seem to back this up. 1959 license plates and some 1960 newspapers have me wondering if this has really been off the road for that long. The seller states that the car has been in climate-controlled storage for 30 years and that the seats were removed and carefully stored 25 years ago and look great. As only the third owner, I hope they have gathered a lot of the history around the car, why it was taken off the road so soon and what issues remain. I wish I were in a position to look closer at this one; I’d love to know it’s back story!

Comments

  1. Avatar jim s

    $25400 with reserve not met, 27 bids and more then 3 days to go. this is going to get very costly. i too would like to know more on the history. great find.

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  2. Avatar DENIS

    I have always loved the 120/140 but never owned one. I’m currently 3 projects behind so this is not in my future…

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  3. Avatar charlie Member

    I owned an XK 150S, when it ran, it was for l966, 6 years old, an exhilarating experience, incredible acceleration, your ass was on the floor against the rear axel, legs and arms straight out in front of you, then that long hood, the most rush I ever got out of my 30 or so cars over the past 59 years. Chrome wire wheels including the spare. But breakdowns were many and parts hard to find. Eventually gave up and sold it for the $300 I paid for it. I passed up an XK 140 convertible in excellent condition, but it was right hand steering (I had a right hand steering MG and knew the shortcomings), and it felt “loose” and everything rattled. A shouda.

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  4. Avatar Keruth

    Can anybody enlighten me about the “MC’ option they talk about?
    Long gone are the days when you could buy “just another old Jag” days, eh. 27k and 29 bids! I wouldn’t say no to this, crackers and all, ha ha. Tr’s and Fiats are what I can afford now!
    Now talk Porsche bubble fellows!

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  5. Avatar bcavileer

    Eh? Lots of work in the front end… hood etc. Fender lamps were frenched in the fenders originally, where are they? I know they moved above the bumper at some time but when?
    Crazy money and I am looking at it. Hmmmm. I did anXK 120 years ago, it was not an alloy car. Very pretty white with blue interior. Was a blast to drive., but I am somewhat smaller in stature and fit in the cockpit well. Got in high, cost a fortune to straighten out and barely broke even on the sale. Doubt i will repeat the same venture even though it is a shame not to bring it back. Hmmm. P.S. broke even with invested $$$ not with all the time invested.

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