1951 JAGUAR XK 120
1951 Jaguar XK120 OTS
When 120mph changed everything.
Jaguar unveiled the XK120 in 1948 and it transformed the company’s reputation almost overnight. Sleek, modern and powered by the remarkable new twin-cam XK engine, the car combined elegance with genuine performance in a way few manufacturers could match. Capable of 120mph, an extraordinary figure for a production car at the time, the XK120 quickly established Jaguar as one of the most exciting sporting marques of the post-war era.
An early Jaguar XK120 Open Two Seater with documented history, long-term ownership and the benefit of significant restoration and ongoing specialist maintenance. Supplied new in 1951 by Appleyards of Bradford and finished in a classic period colour combination, the car has been carefully maintained in recent decades and remains a very usable example of Jaguar’s landmark post-war sports car.
Few cars define the optimism and engineering ambition of the early post-war years quite like the Jaguar XK120. When it appeared in 1948 it was nothing short of sensational: a sleek, modern sports car powered by Jaguar’s remarkable new twin-cam XK engine and capable of 120mph, making it the fastest production car in the world at the time. More than seven decades later, the XK120 remains one of the most recognisable and admired British sports cars ever produced.
This particular XK120 Open Two Seater was manufactured at Browns Lane, Coventry on 15 January 1951 and delivered new shortly afterwards on 12 February 1951 by Appleyards of Bradford. Finished originally in Silver with Red upholstery and a Gunmetal hood, the car was supplied to its first owner, George Oldroyd of Batley in West Yorkshire.
The car’s provenance is supported by a Jaguar Heritage Certificate issued in January 1993, confirming its original build details and specification. Around the same time the XK120 was recommissioned and re-registered, beginning the well-documented period of its more recent history.
Ownership during the 1990s included Nigel Forsyth of Hampshire between 1993 and 1997, after which the car was sold by Paradise Garage in Clapham in July of that year. It subsequently passed to Tony Gomersall of Harpole, Northampton, before being acquired in May 2001 by its current owner, who has remained its long-term custodian.
Throughout this period the XK120 has been regularly inspected and maintained by Peter Ockwell of A.S. Ockwell Ltd in Peterston Super Ely, Cardiff, a respected specialist, ensuring careful ongoing mechanical attention.
In 2012 the car underwent an extensive programme of restoration and mechanical overhaul. The body was dry-stripped, repaired where necessary and refinished, while a thorough mechanical recommissioning addressed the carburettors, cooling system, electrics, suspension, brakes, timing and gearbox. Additional work included a new exhaust system, the sourcing of a pair of original spats and various detail improvements.
Subsequent years have seen continued sympathetic maintenance and improvement. Notable work includes a cylinder head rebuild by Guy Broad in 2017, the fitting of five new Pirelli Cinturato tyres in 2016, and the installation of a lightened flywheel and clutch in 2013. Other work has included rebuilt carburettors, replacement starter motor, Odyssey battery, fan belt, carburettor adjustments and the addition of an electric cooling fan to improve usability in modern conditions. The car retains its original operating and maintenance handbook, together with a record of servicing and specialist attention over many years.
£74,995
