When the restoration of this Jaguar was started, the owner had some big dreams for it. They wanted it to make it a better car to drive, something that could go faster, be comfortable on the highway and be more reliable overall. Restoring an XK150 back to original isn’t cheap, but making one better than original is extremely costly. Over $110k was invested into the restoration, plus another $10k in parts. Sadly, the owner passed away and the car was sold off by their estate. It’s now up for grabs here on eBay in Wylie, Texas with an opening bid of $49k.
Between buying the car, restoring and upgrading it, the previous owner invested well over $164k into it. Restoring a car like this isn’t ever cheap, but clearly no expense was spared on this one. The paint work alone had to have been a small fortune.
There’s no word on what all was done to the engine, but I’m sure a decent amount of money was spent on it as well. The seller states that it does run and even drives, it just needs someone to finish putting it together.
This is a rather sad story really. The previous owner was so close to having it finished when they passed away. I just hope they were at least able to hear it running. It’s also a shame that so many parts have gone missing as a result of the estate moving the car around so much.
Most of the big parts are still with it, but here’s what the seller knows for sure is missing: driver side exterior door handle and trim, driver side interior door handle, driver side window crank, driver side ash tray, driver side door inner window stops and brackets, both door latch rods, trunk handle, trunk locking mechanism, rear bumper, rear license plate frame, speedometer gauge glass and some other trim.
I’m sure once you start putting it back together, you will find that there are more bits missing, but hopefully that’s not the case. Even if it is, this shouldn’t be too difficult to finish putting back together. If you’ve always dreamed of having a like new XK150, but can’t afford the cost of fully restoring one, this could be a killer buy. It’s going to need new upholstery, all the glass installed and the rest of the trim sourced and installed, but that shouldn’t be too difficult. So what do you think, is this nearly finished project something you’d want to take on?
An XK150 coupe, assembled, running, & complete with CORRECT engine and transmission is priced lower than what is being asked for this non-standard project. The broker selling it knows this.
If Walt at Vintage Jaguar Works did the car, it’s right and the adds ie alum radiator and 5 spd only enhance driveability of this car!
164k “invested”… does that include the TV show cast’s salary for the year.. sorry for the owner’s passing, but this cannot be for real. I did a first year XK 120 to COMPLETION for 70k less. With a rare powder blue interior to boot. Nonsense..
I own a concours 150S OTS. This car appears to be fairly correct. No huge mods I can see. Head color paint is a bit funky shade but eadily corrected. Coil incorrect, but lits of other stuff very correct. A new interior is $5K plus another couple of grand for other parts. The value of this depends on how well resto was done. Body fit looks good. It’s not an “S” and because it’s a ’58 it has to have the 3.4L versus the later 3.8L engine. I think $40K is likely if things were done well. If this were a 150S, finished price would be nearly $100K. But this one isn’t so far off of price as some think.
What do think of a value of a 150 DHC
Gary, a good source for values is the Hagerty guide, thiugh it is slightly optimistic. There is a big gap between condition 1 cars versus 2 and below. It used to be that only OTS’s were highly valuable but now DHC’s are gaining popularity. Based on excellent condition but not concours IMO you would likely see $75K -$100 K. If it is an “S”, add another $50-75K. You didn’t mention year. If a later 3.8L engine, more. True, highly correct, highly judged concours 150S OTS’s will bring $200K+.
I suppose, in a hobby like this, you are going to have good stories and sad ones. They seem to go hand in hand. While it is sad, remember, this person wasn’t sitting at the nursing home looking out the “staring window”, they were rebuilding their fine Hagwar, and probably helped take their mind off other things, like deteriorating health. This is an outstanding job, and I only hope, someone DOES get a good deal on this, compared to what’s already been put into it, and it doesn’t get flipped 10 times. The old guy didn’t get to ride in his Jag, but rest assured, get this finished, and he’ll be right there with you in the jump seat, with a big smile on his face. This is where a kid, if any, should step up and say, “yeah, my old man built this”. What ever happened to that?
Is that a Jeep CJ8 Scrambler in the garage?
For you guys who don’t “get” or “like” patina , here’s a perfect example. So much invested. “The paintwork alone must have been a small fortune” and now the car sits unfinished and the deceased owner never got a chance to enjoy. Even if the owner didn’t perish before the finish it’s unlikely this car would have been driven much. Bird poop and bug splatter washes off. Complete ,drive and enjoy. Part of the fun is keeping these things running in the form they were intended.
Well said :)
I know this car and the former, now deceased owner, and appraised it along with a number of other cars, mostly Jags, in the owners’ collection back in 2011, when he was alive. He spent an inordinate amount of money on this car to make it exactly what he wanted and Vintage Jags did an outstanding job, but did not complete it for various reasons.
The owner did drive it albeit only in his yard, sitting on a box, and without the benefit of completion even to the stage you see it in now. The workmanship and quality of the paint and body is exceptional.
An interior kit is more on the order of $7500-8000. Then you have to install it. So there’s that labor cost if you have it done by someone else, and, frankly, you should. Miscellaneous missing parts will add another small pile of money.
At this price you’re in over its real value. Nevertheless, a beautiful car and someone for whom money is not the determining factor, will buy a great car
As an aside, the former owner did drive all his cars and enjoyed every one. He was proud of his collection, worked some on all of the cars and loved to tell anyone who would listen about everything he knew about each car, which was substantial. Whether or not you agreed with the decisions he made regarding the restoration of his cars is of no matter.
My thoughts exactly. He had several other cars to drive as well but obviously wanted this one done the way he wanted it done. It was his decision and I applaud him for getting as far along on it as he did.
How do you misplace an entire rear bumper.? Did it get swept up by the broom while tidying up the shop floor?
Interesting question. I pulled up the old Appraisal pics and found two that show the rear bumper. One still in the wrappings from the plater and one a couple weeks later when I went back to do more work, showing the bumper unwrapped and sitting on a blanket partially assembled with one overrider.
I owned a ’60 XK back in the late 60’s and when it ran it ran faster and better than anything I owned later except my current Audi supercharged V6. But the tinworm got it good, and one day it just stopped, and so it did not “run when parked”. It spent a few years in a barn, then the barn got sold, and the Jag had to go. $300. Aluminum hood and truck, so they, at least, did not rust. Chrome wire wheels, one would not come off, was torched off, and ruined in the process, but at least the spare was a full size chrome wire wheel.