Description
One of only 195 right-hand drive Jaguar XK120 fixedhead coupes produced this original UK, matching numbers car is a rare car indeed. More unusual still is the metal sunroof which is believed to have been factory-fitted.
This XK120 was manufactured in February 1954 and dispatched to Appleyards dealership in Leeds. The car was first registered ‘NWT 216’ which relates to the West Riding of Yorkshire. Originally finished in Lavender Grey with Suede Green interior the car was repainted White with a Red interior when it was restored. The first owner of the car was a R H Hewsholme of Oakworth in Yorkshire. Little is known of the cars early history but it does retain its continuation log book which records the car's ownership through the 1960s. By 1960 the car had made its way down to Surry and was owned by Anthony Griffith. In 1962 the car was sold to David Scott-Barrow for Horsham in Sussex and then on to Eric Hall for Crawley in Sussex. Then in 1964 this XK made its way to Essex in the hands of a Brian Stewart before heading south to Eastbourne. Then in 1966 the car was brought by an Anthony Simpson who lived in Chidham, West Sussex which is just up the road from our current workshop. It seems Mr Simposon kept the car for the best part of a decade before selling it to a Derek Wilcox of Pendlebury near Swinton in 1975. By this time it seems the car was rather tired and in need of restoration.
It was purchased by a Mr Cheeseman of Cumbria in 1981 who set about a full nut and bolt restoration to a very high standard. Mr Cheeseman kept the car to a very original specification retaining the steel wheels, spats and the very unusual sunroof. The car remained in Mr Cheeseman’s care until he passed away in 2014.
The car today has been well maintained and has some charming patina as a result of being an older restoration. It is unusual to see an XK120 still running steel wheels and spats and this originality makes this a rare and charming car. The metal sliding sunroof is beautifully engineered and looks very similar to that fitted to Jaguar saloons of the time. We have never seen another XK with a sunroof of this type but the quality of work and the engineering lead us to believe that this must have been factory fitment. The car also benefits for an aluminium radiator and an electric cooling fan.
This is an opportunity to own a very smart, original and unique XK120. The car is of such interest that it was even the cover feature of Classic Jaguar Magazine as can be seen in the photos.
