This 1950 Jaguar XK120 (chassis 660206) is a historically significant and long-term–owned example of Jaguar’s first post-war sports car, finished in British Racing Green with a black interior and showing an indicated 85,520 miles* (TMU) on its odometer. It is powered by a 3.8-litre inline-six engine paired with a four-speed manual transmission driving the rear wheels.

The XK120 debuted at the 1948 London Motor Show, introducing Jaguar’s new XK twin-cam engine and setting the template for the marque’s sports cars for decades to come. With its elegant lines, advanced engineering, and top speed exceeding 120 mph, the XK120 was the fastest production car of its era and remains one of the most admired post-war British sports cars.

This particular example was completed on 25 August 1950 and dispatched directly to New Zealand the following month. Early ownership is undocumented, though records show that it was acquired by David Silcock in 1966, who modified it for competition use in the Production Modified class. It later passed through several custodians before being purchased by the current owner in November 1982, who has now retained the car for more than 43 years.

The car is featured in The Jaguar XK120 in the Southern Hemisphere by Elmgreen and McGrath, including a magazine article documenting its racing preparation and a flying lap of Pukekohe in Auckland.

When purchased from Charlie Conway of The Chequered Flag in Auckland, the XK120 remained largely in its racing configuration. It has since been rebuilt with an emphasis on maintaining originality and preserving its 1950s and 1960s character. The body was removed for restoration, with repairs carried out to the front chassis section and extensive metalwork performed across the panels. The passenger door, sections of the left front mudguard, and the boot lid were reconstructed from scratch due to prior damage.

The interior has been re-fitted with plywood floors, an aluminium parcel tray, carpets, and door trims for improved comfort. Aero screens have been refitted, along with a hand-fabricated C-Type–style “fly” deflector.

The car’s braking system has been upgraded with XK150 front disc brakes and uprated calipers, while the rear retains ventilated drums with modified backplates and cooling scoops. Brake lines are stainless braided, and the system remains unassisted. The suspension has been enhanced with competition torsion bars and sway bar, along with Gaz adjustable shock absorbers. The rear axle retains its original ENV housing, now fitted with a limited-slip differential. The car rides on ventilated 16-inch steel wheels fitted with new Michelin X 185 tyres.

The 3.8-litre inline-six engine has been rebuilt with performance enhancements, including cleaned and polished ports, D-Type–specification camshafts, and extractors. It now runs twin 2-inch SU HS8 carburettors, as the original Webers were no longer fitted when the car was acquired. The crankshaft, pistons, flywheel, and clutch assembly have all been balanced, and the car features an E-Type diaphragm clutch, aluminium radiator, oil cooler, and large electric fan. The gearbox has been reconditioned with new bearings and steel synchro rings, though it now carries non-standard gearing.

The car was repainted around 15 years ago and is showing light blistering in places. It is noted to run hot under certain conditions, and the gearbox is slow to shift, both consistent with its age and competition setup.

Included with the sale are a full windscreen, roadster folding roof and side screens, tonneau cover, and the original engine (requiring a rebuild) along with the head stamped with the original number. Documentation includes a serialised copy of The Jaguar XK120 in the Southern Hemisphere (chassis 206), original owner’s manual, reprinted handbook, and a parts manual.

As per Trading Garage Terms and Conditions, although Trading Garage has completed the following checks, bidders must satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of the description and undertake any research they feel necessary before bidding. All listings are sold in Australian dollars.

There are no security interests recorded on the PPSR against the serial number, and it is not recorded as written off or stolen.