The body was finished in Battleship Grey from the factory and was refinished in red under prior ownership. Features include a tan soft top with matching side curtains, a two-piece windshield, fender-mounted side mirrors, chrome bumpers and trim, and polished dual exhaust outlets. Paint chips and bubbles are noted on the driver-side door, and cracks can be seen in the paint throughout the body.
Red-finished wire wheels secured by Jaguar-branded knock-offs are mounted with BFGoodrich Silvertown whitewall tires.…
The body was finished in Battleship Grey from the factory and was refinished in red under prior ownership. Features include a tan soft top with matching side curtains, a two-piece windshield, fender-mounted side mirrors, chrome bumpers and trim, and polished dual exhaust outlets. Paint chips and bubbles are noted on the driver-side door, and cracks can be seen in the paint throughout the body.
Red-finished wire wheels secured by Jaguar-branded knock-offs are mounted with BFGoodrich Silvertown whitewall tires. Braking is provided by drums at all four corners. Service in January 2017 included replacing the front wheel bearings and seals, ball joints, shock absorbers, bump stops, tie-rod ends, steering gaiters, steering mounts, and rear spring shackle bushings.
The right-hand-drive cockpit was trimmed in red from the factory and was reupholstered in tan leather with matching dashboard trim, door panels, and carpeting. Features include door pockets, a passenger grab handle, and a dashboard-mounted rearview mirror.
A four-spoke steering wheel features an aftermarket cover and fronts Smiths instrumentation including a 140-mph speedometer, a reverse-sweep tachometer with an inset clock, and auxiliary gauges for amperage, fuel level, oil pressure, and coolant temperature. The inoperable five-digit odometer shows 60k miles, and true mileage is unknown.
The 3.4-liter inline-six features double overhead camshafts and twin SU carburetors. The engine underwent a rebuild from January 2017 to June 2018 at the hands of Vantage Motors of Stamford, Connecticut, a process that included disassembling the engine; machining the cylinder head, block, connecting rods, and flywheel; rebuilding the carburetors; reassembling and resealing the engine; polishing the valve covers; fitting an aluminum radiator and hoses; and replacing the exhaust. Receipts provided in the gallery below for the engine rebuild as well as the aforementioned suspension work and the transmission service referenced below total more than $40k.
Cylinder-head stamping G4785-8 matches the number listed on the data plate and on the Jaguar Heritage Trust certificate.
Power is routed to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission that was resealed concurrent with the engine work.
The Jaguar Heritage Trust certificate indicates that the car was manufactured in August 1955 and dispatched to Henlys in London, England in November 1955. The factory-recorded serial numbers and color scheme are also detailed on the document.
A copy of the 1982-issued V5 Vehicle Registration Document from when the Jaguar was still located in England indicates that the car was first registered in April 1957.