FOR SALE: 1957 Jaguar XK140 Roadster (Cream)
Cream Exterior with Saddle Leather Interior and Brown Canvas Top; Original XK140 Body and Interior with Modern Chassis/Suspension and Modern Jaguar AJ16 Fuel Injected 6-cylinder Engine with 5-speed manual Getrag 290 Gearbox; Only 1700 Miles Since Completion; Built and Maintained by Fox Motorsports.
$199,500
This 1957 Jaguar XK140 MC Roadster was previously titled in Brea, California (since at least 1983) and last used on the road in 1987 (California black plate—March 1987 tab). It was then put into storage until eventually finding a home with noted Arizona-based Jaguar specialist, Terry Larson. In late 2010, the XK140 was inspected in Arizona by Fox Motorsports at the request of a long-time client who was interested in owning a classic XK140 Roadster with modern driving characteristics (modern engine, gearbox, chassis/suspension, brakes, etc.) but with a stock/original look. Given the non-matching engine and transmission that was fitted, this 1957 XK140 was an ideal candidate for an upgrade. The restoration/build started in early 2011 when the car was shipped from Terry Larson’s shop in Arizona to Fox Motorsports in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Once at Fox Motorsports, the car was disassembled. The original Jaguar XK140 chassis was sent to Bonefied Customs in West Michigan where it was studied, measured, and duplicated. A new, modern chassis was built using rectangular box section steel tubing with additional bracing for torsional stiffness (see photos). Custom suspension parts were fabricated by Kugel Komponents, Inc. of La Habra, California and include De Dion-type rear independent rear suspension, limited-slip differential, inboard disc brakes, and single adjustable coilover dampers. The chrome-plated wire wheels were custom ordered from Dayton Wire Wheels and carry modern tires (215/65R-16). The braking system is from Wilwood.
A Jaguar AJ16 4.0-litre inline 6-cylinder was sourced from Colorado (from a 1995 Jaguar XJS with only 45,000 miles). The AJ16 engine internals are stock but it uses a custom oil pump and fuel injection system. The stock cylinder head features six custom individual throttle bodies originally from a BMW M3 (E46). They’ve been built/modified into a one-of-a-kind fuel injection system. The six individual throttle bodies are mounted to a custom backing plate fabricated by Fox Motorsports with intake ram tubes from Kinsler Fuel Injection. The engine was then dyno tuned and tested at Baker Engineering in Grand Haven, Michigan. The exhaust system was custom built for this XK140. Over 40 hours were spent hand fabricating the equal-length exhaust header. The header separates into twin exhausts. The engine bay was designed/set up to hide most of the wiring and components. A Getrag 290 (5-speed manual) gearbox was sourced from England. The Getrag 290 is the same manual gearbox offered by Jaguar on XJS/XJR models with the modern AJ6/AJ16 engine.
The interior was reupholstered in saddle (light brown) leather. Period bucket seats were used instead of the typical XK140 bench seat. These bucket seats tilt forward on custom brackets for access to the space behind the seats. During the interior build/restoration, original switches, gauges, trim parts, door panels/latch pulls, and leather-covered paneling were used and are present. A period-style (with modern internals) speedometer with digital odometer was fitted. The convertible top and tonneau cover were made from modern brown top material (Note: the convertible top is included but not currently installed due to the owner’s use of the car only in dry/warm weather.).
This XK140 MC Roadster is in excellent condition and has been kept under the fastidious care of Fox Motorsports since completion in 2013. The body work and paint (paint by Dutchboys in Schoolcraft, Michigan) are finished to an extremely high standard and complimented by excellent chrome (done by Advanced Plating in Portland, Tennessee) and the noted period-correct interior details. The car also had a full, in-depth paint detail by Dutchboys after final assembly and paint curing. The car has had regular cleaning, waxing, and chrome polishing regardless of use. Regular maintenance work has been performed by Fox Motorsports despite the low miles (including annual full fluid servicing—oil, coolant, brake fluid, and fuel—and fine tuning/tweaking, as needed). The car starts, runs, and drives beautifully and has only covered 1718 miles since completion in 2013. It’s very quick, sounds fantastic, and offers a wonderful balance of old-school Jaguar charm with the advantages of a modern chassis, engine, and gearbox. The suspension has been professionally corner balanced (weight: 2825 pounds). This XK140 has never seen snow/salt, isn’t used in the rain, and has always been kept in climate-controlled storage (and on a battery tender) when not in use.
Items included: carpet floor mats, convertible top, cockpit tonneau cover, and owner’s handbook (reprint of original XK140 handbook)
$199,500
