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Starting From Bare Metal: 1956 Jaguar XK140 FHC

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The seller of this 1956 Jaguar XK140 fixed head coupe has been accumulating parts to restore the car as a family project for his in-laws for three years. Now the family has decided to sell the car. It’s located in Ozark, Missouri and is listed for sale here on eBay, with bidding starting extremely low but there is a reserve not yet met.

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The seller included this picture of the car before it was taken apart to give you a better idea of what it could look like once completed. Apparently at one point the car had been fitted with an Oldsmobile engine, but the seller has located a period Jaguar drivetrain and is including that in the sale.

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At least there’s no hidden corrosion in this car; all the rust damage is there in the open to see. And there’s a lot of it. Perhaps that’s the reason for passing the project on at this stage, although it may be because the owner of the car has died. After bead blasting, the body has been epoxy-coated to prevent further rust taking hold.

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The seller describes other parts that will be included as well, such as a spare hood, some panels for the driver’s rear and both the original chrome and some extra components. They also describe the seats and rest of the interior as “good, even better than good.” That could save some major expenses during restoration!

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The right rear fender is shown here; another one of these is one of the “extra” parts that is included with the sale. While what I see is repairable, if you aren’t doing it yourself the metal work alone will run into the many thousands of dollars. On the other hand, the vast majority of that is labor, especially if you cut the rust out and make your own patch panels. This may be the only way for a dedicated enthusiast to ever own this type of Jaguar. Is this possibly your dream car? Let us know in the comments below!

Comments

  1. Avatar van

    Great I think
    Love XK140
    You have to really want this
    Whoever works on the car will make the money, professional or DIY.
    If you pay for quality work it may not pay off

    Like 0
  2. Avatar Bent T Spanner

    In the early 1970’s I was offered and bought a 1956 Coupe that ran and drove. A month or so later I was offered and bought a second 140 Coupe; the twin of the first. It also ran. Both were automatics, but had less rust than this example. I accumulated some parts including two NOS doors.
    The restoration costs are much higher than a comparable open Jaguar, as the interior has a lot of expensive leather, wood and cloth. The value as a restored car is much less. I sold my cars and parts as a package. I should have made the better example into a “dependable” driver, but they were the 4th and 5th project cars, and I needed storage/shop space.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar van

    Wow I don’t think anyone else likes this cat
    That may be a sign

    Like 0
    • Avatar Michael Rogers Member

      It will probably fly to the UK! there one can buy ANYTHING FOR IT they just need a VIN and any good bits they don’t need to replace. I have a friend that used to gather all the Brit hi end stuff, box it up in ocean containers and ship it there Bingo a new (old) jaguar!

      Like 0

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