Jaguar XK120 Roadster

Former owner John Ripley: Lieutenant Colonel of the U.S. i director of the museum USMC History & Museums Division.

Built in Jaguar with the features of the car that broke the speed record at Spa Francochamps in the year 1939.

Jaguar XK (1948-1961)

Models Jaguar XK, are without fear of exaggeration, the sporting purists of the brand Jaguar for its entire existence. Had an unprecedented impact on the sales of the manufacturer English,and were the first new cars produced in its entirety after the Second World War. It was revolutionary in its time and an instant success. This model is today regarded as an icon of the motor racing sport of all time.

The Jaguar XK was designed with the purpose of introducing a brand new engine XK work of William Heynes, an inline six-cylinder 3.4-liter displacement and an excellent new chassis simply with the intention to generate publicity and possibly win a few competitions and thus increase the sales of the sedans.¹

All the models were manufactured with side skirts (fender skirts) to cover the rear tires, an element that enhanced visually the surface curve of the silhouette, however, when, beginning in 1951 it was offered as an option-spoke wheels (rays) with central fixture, the sills had to be removed on these models to make room for the center nut. The spoke wheels were 16 inches, and were available in termination of the color of the car or in contrast, addition of silver or chrome.

As optional equipment offered on the model "SE" (special equipment) special equipment, with a higher degree of performance than the standard range: with a more powerful engine of 180 bhp, spoke wheels, firmer suspension, dual exhaust and headlights auxiliary mark Lucas. Other versions even more powerful were available with a cylinder head of competition "C-type" (C-type) with 210 bhp.Versions with special equipment known in the U.S. as well as the M, and when incorporating the cylinder head of the type-C as an MC.

Several accessories were provided for the competition pilot, such as windshield reduced in size to improve the aerodynamics of the roadster, tank of fuel and cover tonneau metal among others.

XK120

Its first model, the XK120, was presented at the British International Motor Show" at the "Earls Court Exhibition Centre" on the 27th of October 1948 and it was the intention of Jaguar at that time, exhibiting his new and powerful 6-cylinder engine that propulsaría to the new sedans of the manufacturer English, who would know later as the Mark VII. In A hurry and without much refinement, the engineers at Jaguar gave the task of designing a model of sport that would use a cropped version of the chassis of the sedan, and of course, the new longitudinal-engine of six cylinders in line 3442 cc, with camshaft in cylinder head (DOHC), cover, cylinder light alloy and two carburettors (Skinners Union) coupled to a manual gearbox four-speed. The bodywork was hand made using aluminum with reinforcements and floor made of ash wood, the project was completed so close to the show date, there was no opportunity or chance to prove it. Although there was no doubt of the attractiveness of its design, not even the own William Lyons, the founder of the company Jaguar, and a great visionary, could not have imagined the success and the reception that his model had by the general public and the press car.

The success by little results in an embarrassing failure when Jaguar realized that there was no way that I could comply with the more than three hundred orders that came out of this, its first presentation. The vehicle, with its aluminum body hand-made and their reinforcement of wood was not only expensive to produce, but their production was extremely slow. Jaguar got borrowed components from other models in its line and even other cars English (as the differential of Aston Martin) to be able to comply in part with the demand and the orders that resulted from the exhibition of "Earls Court".

240 cars were completed and delivered in this way and it was not until 1950, when production officer with a body of steel came out for the first time in the workshops of Coventry. Jaguar jobs is a marketing very astute for the new XK120, ensuring that their ads would reach a speed of 120 miles per hour (193,12 km/h). There is No doubt that the powerful engine XK 160 hp had a strong impact among the enthusiasts, but it should be noted that the daring and sensual body became a success instanténeo among the most famous Hollywood stars, such as Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Clark Gable and Lauren Bacall.

The XK120 was available in the beginning as a Roadster – Open Two Seater" (OTS) in the vernacular anglo-saxon – the way in england to describe a true convertible, model whose soft top, hid and disappeared entirely behind the seats, I could get in and no one be removed from the car. The Roadster had side curtains removable canvas and plastic on doors alloy and lightweight. The interior was very spartan and unadorned wood, but with an instrument panel (dash), leather-wrapped, from 1951, all the models included armchairs type bacquet with leather trim and heating.

In 1951, Jaguar introduced a second body type Coupe (hard-top) of the XK120, also known among enthusiasts as the "Fixed Head Coupe" (FHC), and in 1953 a third version, the "Drop Head Coupe" (DHC), convertible when a convertible top of best quality, lined inside, and when down was out of the car, this body had the windshield fixed contrary to the roadster that was detachable.

The XK120 was in production between 1948 to 1954, a period in which were produced 12,055 cars.²

Evolution of the XK

Gradually from 1948 until its last model in 1961, the Jaguar was modifying its popular sports model in making changes, subtle, but significant. Let's see how Jaguar was able to make these changes without altering the appearance or personality of what was his model of more sales in the fifties:

The grill

If we look at them from in front of the XK120 has a grill oval with thirteen bars and the emblem of the "Growler" (cat roaring) in a kind of finished tanning placed on the bonnet; the XK140 has a grille with seven vertical bars, and the emblem traditional with the initials of Jaguar is integrated into the frame of the grille, with a chrome trim in the center of the hood to the windshield; the XK150 has a grill wider with 16 bars and he returns the emblem of the Growler, but continuously integrated into the framework of your grill. The XK150 is also the first Jaguar sports integrate the mascot of the "Leaper" on the hood, just behind the grill. The first XK150 also integrated in the trunk lid the emblem of Jaguar where you listed the brand as winners of the race of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1951, 1953, 1955 and 1956, the last production of the XK150 added in 1957 to their achievements.

Windshield

The models XK120 and XK140 both used the design of the windshield is divided, or of two flat parts, the XK150 was introduced to the windshield of a single piece of curve, which contributed to a more modern appearance, although the lines of the bodywork had trends less curves, all 150 now had windows in the doors windows manuals to provide a cab more air tight.

Bumper

It should be noted that the XK120 had thin bumpers (fenders), minimalist two-piece, chrome-a bit rustic, but very of the time. The XK140 changed the design for a bumper bar to a complete straight and to the XK150, with its new radiator grille and added a curve to the center of your bumper in one piece to accommodate the aggressive new design.

Technical data sheet