Thursday 7 April 2011

Rats Nest to Concours - Jaguar XK 140 FHC SE/MC

I'd like to welcome Geoffrey Horton a new contributor to 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres'. Geoffrey got in touch with me regarding research on my Carden blog, he is the grandson of George L Ward one half of Ward and Avery who some of my readers from rowdy.com may remember as being responsible for manufacturing the Carden designed AV Monocar.

01 San Francisco Presidio Concours d' Elegance 0

For 13 years Geoff worked at an apartment complex where every day the 70 year old owner of a silver XK140 FHC/SE had promised Geoff his car.

02 m Ai Zmxs

When the owner died the promised car disappeared, still in shock some weeks later Jeff saw this particular car in the San Francisco Chronicle for $3,000 he did not hesitate to pick up the cash and take a his trailer along with a bottle of Jack Daniels to collect it.

03 Jaguar engines

The previous owner of this vehicle told Geoffrey it had been running fine prior to storage for 14 years in a barn. When Geoffrey purchased this car it was a rats nest, they had eaten the interior and were storing dog food in the wool headliner.

05 CCI00005s

The condition of the car as we now see it is the result of a four year body off restoration. Since 1986 the car has won numerous awards at Concours events including Palo Alto, Hillsborough, Carmel by the Sea, Neillo Serrano and SF Presidio.

04 c Ob Ck Hs

The car completed on the 21st September 1955 has it's original engine and gearbox. More information on the XK140 model can be found on the Big Cat in Northern Rhodesia - Jaguar XX 140 FHC blog.

06 Vjz OAjs

I'd like to thank Geoffrey for taking the time to send me his photo's and look forward to sharing more of his concours photo's in the months to come.

Hope you have enjoyed today's concours edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' and that you'll join me again tomorrow. Don't forget to come back now !

4 comments:

  1. That car has it all (style and class).

    ReplyDelete
  2. You did it again! You brought back memories long forgotten. My brother bought a 1956 XK-140 MC Jaguar roadster in white. What a wonderful car to be driven around in. He drove me out to the SCCA races held in Cuberland Maryland. This is as far west that I had every been.
    When I got my license to drive I was able to drive this wonderful car.
    I remember shifting it like the MG TD my brother also owned. I was shocked to see that I was at 70 mph instead of 40! Wow was that car fast. Then one night I was driving a young lady on a date, when an animal ran out into the road. Inexperienced as I was I hit the brakes and yanked on the steering wheel. Around we went like a top. Luckily no other cars were on the road, no damage, other than my pride. I have never tried to avoid an animal since then.
    Thanks for the memories.
    John

    ReplyDelete
  3. Spray your car engines, wiring, etc... to protect your car from nesting & chewing rodents: rats, mice, squirrels, rabbits
    Go to www Rataway .com for moew details

    ReplyDelete