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I can’t think of too many scenes more exciting than this. A 1951 Jaguar Xk120 Fixed Head just sitting in someone’s barn, it’s the kind of find many of us dream of. Sadly, this once incredible and lovely car is now in rough and rusty shape. XKs are in serious demand though, so I have no doubt someone will save it, let’s just hope they do it before the situation gets any worse (sitting on a dirt floor in a barn isn’t doing it any favors). The seller claims the engine turns over and even fires up, it just won’t run. That’s really the least of its concerns though. If you’d like to save this Jag, you can find it here on eBay Ellijay, Georgia with a current bid of $11k.
I’m curious as to how it got covered in leaves if it’s been in a barn.
I have had a barn and there were gaps near the bottom of the walls. My barn therefore had leaves – windy place too, but a large exchange of air is good for the equipment.
Kurt
The framing and plywood of said “barn” look pretty new for in situ “barnfind”. As does the newer metal sliding window.
Note to my future collector self:
When parking a rare car in storage as a future investment, remove the hood/bonnet and leave the windows down.
Raced hard and put away wet, you can tell by the racing slicks on the front wheels :)
I think you are mistaking racing slicks with totally worn out tires. I have had more than a few in that condition
I once bought a brand new car (make model unimportant) and the front tires were completely worn out at 2300 miles. Since it was still under warranty, I took it back to the dealership and told them I wanted them replaced. The service writer looked at the tires, then the odometer. “Huh,” he grunted at me. “You must be a MEAN man in the turns…”
Will be a beautiful car once finished but there’s a long and expensive road from here to a finished product. Bidding at $14K.
$18,100 with 6 days to go.
Ad was pulled.
When I was a poor design student living in the Old Town Triangle neighborhood of Chicago there was one, in only slightly better condition, parked on the street and for sale for $900.00. I’d seen it several times being driven so I knew it ran. I didn’t have $900.00 then and I don’t have 80-100K for a restoration now. I’ve lusted after one of these since then. (45 years?)
I think it’d be fun to do the necessary repairs only and drive the snot out of it as is. Alas, it is off the market and out of my realistic price range anyway with a start bid of $11,000.
Ah, well.
While I really think they are beautiful they are not that comfortable to drive. They tend to be stiff and more of a point and squirt car. For the day they were amazing but not compared to other cars of the 60’s and 70’s.
Also that interior is a pain in the ass to get right. Most of the rest of the car is very basic to restore. The big bits that are tough is getting the valves shimmed properly. Not difficult but very time consuming even if you have done a few. Again totally throw away the wiring harness and get a new one. That one action will solve more problems than you might think.
I have been in a few XK-120 roadsters and a 150 coupe and on a fall day they are a thing of beauty and will stop traffic wherever they go.
My first car was a 1954 XK 120 purchased for $900 in 1965. It was a thing of beauty and thus began my passion for all things automotive. Fun to drive and to see and be seen in!!! If only I had kept all the wonderful cars I owned!