1952 Jaguar XK120 FHC

This quite extraordinary Jaguar XK120 FHC is as near to immaculate as you’ll get without disappearing down the bottomless rabbit hole that is the world of concours.

Manufactured in 1952, the car was dispatched that same year to a Los Angeles Jaguar distributor by the name of Hornburg. It returned to the country of its origin in 2015, whereupon it was subjected to a restoration of the highest quality, with absolutely forensic attention to detail, apparently regardless of any time or cost implications.

Since being restored it has been kept warm, dry, safe and pretty much unused by three owners, the last of whom is the vendor.

As well as being faithfully and expertly restored inside, outside, underneath, mechanically and aesthetically, the car has received subtle but, we think, very welcome upgrades in three key areas: namely, it now has a 5-speed manual gear box, disc brakes and a stainless steel exhaust system.

The result of all this hard work and passion is a sensitively restored vehicle that not only looks sensational but also starts, goes, handles, rides and stops exceptionally well.

The condition of this car is nothing short of remarkable, particularly when you consider that it first put its rubber on the road in 1952, when Louis Armstrong, Vera Lynn and Bing Crosby were in the charts, High Noon was in the cinema and Princess Elizabeth had just become Queen Elizabeth II upon the death of her father, King George VI.

It’s just possible that you might be able to find a better example of a XK120 FHC somewhere in the world. But we’re fairly certain you’ll spend a long time looking and, ultimately, you’ll probably return home empty-handed.

This one is pretty much in a league of its own.

The silver paintwork is lustrous and gleaming. Unsurprisingly for a car that’s been subject to a chassis-up, bare metal, nut and bolt restoration, there is no rust visible anywhere. The panels and bumpers are free of any dinks, creases, scuffs or scratches. The shut lines and door gaps are consistent and even.

Slam these doors shut and your ears will be met by the positive metallic thud of perfectly aligned mechanisms, not the slightly wobbly rattle so familiar to owners of lesser classics.

All the chrome work is shiny and bright. The chromed wire wheels with knock-off hubs are immaculate, as are the tyres. You will look in vain for evidence of stone chips, road rash or other unsightly evidence that it’s ever been let outside on its own.

In general, the car’s condition is exceptional even for a vehicle with just 127 miles on the clock, let alone nearly 70 years under its belt.

There really is virtually nothing to raise a judgmental eyebrow or provide grounds for a tut or a shake of the head.

After staring at it for several hours, the only thing we could find that was in any way less than perfect was a slight ripple in the paintwork just below both headlights. It’s as if gravity has just got slightly ahead of the drying paint in two tiny areas.

You’ll have to look hard to find it.

The interior of this car is just glorious. A sumptuous symphony of beautiful, glossy wood veneers, rich, red hide and thick crimson carpets.

The winged seats are expertly upholstered in pristine red leather. As with all XK120s, you may need to warm up with some yoga moves before you can get into the seats, but once in you’ll find them comfortable and supportive.

The fabulous quality of the restoration workmanship is evident in everything from the glorious wooden dashboard and veneered door cappings to the interior handles and the Smiths instruments and dials. We particularly like the glove box (which really is only big enough for a pair of gloves) and the pull-out coin tray beneath the instruments. They’re both immaculately lined with green baize that would look entirely at home on a snooker table. Too cute for words.

As far as we can tell, everything electrical works and does what it’s meant to do. The gear lever (and gaiter), steering wheel and handbrake are in similarly irreproachable condition, as are the carpets, mats, door cards and headlining.

Opening the boot reveals, unsurprisingly, an immaculate, red-carpeted interior and a bespoke case for the spinner removal tool and mallet. The compartment underneath contains a full-sized spare wheel, which is, of course, in fine condition.

Lift up the carpets anywhere in the boot or elsewhere on the car and you’ll see…no rust anywhere whatsoever.

Faults? Well, there is a trace of glue visible here and there around the rubber seal on the boot and there is a slight indentation to the passenger seat bolster where it’s been touching the door handle. But we’re just being picky now.

All in all, the interior of this car is a simply splendid place to be and is really very classy indeed.

Underneath you’ll find yet more evidence to support our claim that this car has spent most of the last 6 years lying on a chaise longue with its feet up.

Everything is in perfect order and, reassuringly, even areas that will never see the light of day have been expertly painted and finished. There is a light bloom of rust dust on one or two pipes, but it’s entirely superficial.

The engine bay is a thing of beauty and a joy to behold. The famous Jaguar XK twin-cam 3.4 litre engine is clean enough to eat your sushi off and, with just 127 miles on the clock since being fully rebuilt, isn’t run in yet.

Looking at the sheer number of invoices from classic Jaguar parts specialists SNG Barratt, I think we can safely assume that their ‘Customer of the Year’ award for 2015 went to the then owner of this car.

Everything – and we mean everything – that needed replacing, restoring, refurbing, fettling, tweaking, buffing or burnishing has been addressed and sorted. You’ll need a wheelbarrow to take all the bills and invoices away with you.

The car comes with a Jaguar Heritage Trust Production Record Trace Certificate.

OK, so we don’t have a service book full of stamps or a history file to cover its years cruising up and down Californian boulevards under azure skies.

But that’s of no concern to us whatsoever.

Just look at this car. It’s as near to faultless as makes little or no difference.

And if you’re still not convinced, take it for a drive. And if even that doesn’t do it for you well, frankly, we don’t know what would.

The car doesn’t have a current MOT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very good standard.

We think this is just about as good as an XK120 can get outside the obsessive world of concours. And it wouldn’t take much time or money to turn it into a podium contender in that territory if you wanted to.

All the heavy lifting has been done by people who clearly knew what they were doing and weren’t afraid to raid the piggy bank as and when necessary.

It’s beautiful, usable and pretty much adorable in every possible way.

 Go on. You know you want to.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of £76,000 - £90,000.

Inspection is always encouraged (within Govt. guidelines of course), 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’.