1955 Jaguar Mk VII M

This motor car is being sold as part of an overseas collection. It has been imported under the Bonhams temporary admission customs bond and is therefore subject to the lower rate 5% import tax if the car is to remain in the UK & purchased by a private individual. The 5% is calculated on the final selling price. For example, if the car sells for £12,000, then £600 is added, making the total amount payable of £12,600.

The winning bidder will receive a receipt for the final hammer value, and proof that HMRC fees are paid. If the car is subsequently exported abroad within 30 days then these fees are refundable.

Lastly, there will be a nominal administration fee of £250 for processing the NOVA application, and payable direct to the shipping company. A completed and processed NOVA will provide you formal proof that all duties & taxes are paid in UK and thus allow you to register the vehicle with the DVLA

In common with the majority of cars in this collection, this vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section.

We have not started or driven the car so cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.

It is available for view and inspection at our HQ near Abingdon and we will be delighted to show the car to you and/or your appointed engineer.

This LHD auto 1955 Jaguar Mark VII M is in exceptional cosmetic condition, reflecting the fact that it has been a California car from new and has been on static display in the vendor’s collection since 2008.

Of its total mileage of 75,467 today, just 680 have been added in the last 20 years.

We have tracked the car down to a 2002 Barrett-Jackson auction in the US. The auction notes at that time are as follows:

“Lot #29 - car was purchased new in San Francisco by a Denver mine owner. I am the third owner who [sic] purchased it in 1989. I have fully restored the car and had it certified by Jaguar Heritage. It was entered in the Jaguar International Concours in Colorado Springs….and received a score of 98.91 points and came 2nd in the Championship Class.“

This is a seriously handsome car and, we feel confident, one of the best you are likely to find anywhere.

We say that with the proviso that it needs recommissioning and that we can’t attest to its mechanical condition.

The blue paintwork has a good depth of shine to it and the chrome work is bright, shiny and free from discolouration, pitting or foxing.

The lights and badging are in fine fettle. The sunroof fits tightly and is fully functional. The removable rear ‘spats’ are equally good.

The shut lines are consistent and even. The panels are largely untroubled by any dinks or dents of real consequence.

The doors close sweetly and precisely.

Some of the rubber trim around the windows is cracked or perished. The n/s wing mirror has worked loose.

There is a chip to the paint on o/s/r and the n/s/f doors.

The paint at the tops of the doors below the windows is a little ‘orange-peely’ in places.

The good news continues unabated on the inside, where quality, authenticity and originality are evident wherever you look.

The grey leather upholstery is in very good condition, with only the lightest creasing visible on the comfortable and supportive front seats. The back seats look as if they’ve never seen a passenger.

The door cards are in fine fettle, as is the headlining. The carpets, too, are very good, although is some slight discolouration where they meet the bench seating in the rear.

The wood and veneers on the dashboard and door cappings are gloriously rich and carry the patina of their age very lightly.

It all adds to the ‘gentleman’s club’ ambience that makes the interior of this Mark VII M such an appealing place to spend some time.

The instruments, steering wheel, column shift, handbrake and original radio all look very good.

We can’t make any claims about the functionality of switches, knobs, levers, toggles, buttons, dials or other electrics as we haven’t been able to start the vehicle.

The boot is solid and contains a spare wheel.

Lifting up the carpets here or in the rest of the car reveals a standard bloom of rust dust but nothing that rings any alarm bells with us.

From what we can see, the undersides are strong, sound and untroubled by anything that looks as if it might threaten the structural integrity of the vehicle.

It’s pretty much what you’d expect to see underneath a California car that’s spent the last 14 years in dry storage.

The engine and engine bay appear to be clean and dry and, as far as we can tell, everything is in its right and proper place.

The car comes with no history, no service records and neither an MoT certificate nor a V5.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

We haven’t been able to start or drive the car so our understanding of it is somewhat limited.

In our opinion, this Mark VII M is in fundamentally excellent cosmetic condition, both inside and out.

It looks like what it is: a car that spent its first 53 years in salt-free California; that has been the recipient of a major, high-quality restoration; that secured podium positions at concours competitions; and that has been on static display since 2008.

Provided, of course, that the car’s engine and mechanicals prove to be in good working order, this car has the potential to either once again win a concours rosette or simply give its next owner years of very classy automotive pleasure.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of £12,000 - £16,000, plus Bonhams bond payment and £250 NOVA fee.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.