2023-01-05 12:35:09 | pauls writes:

Car at auction 1/23

themarket.bonhams.com/us/listings/jaguar/mkv11/91639176-9b04-4fd4-9836-856f26c95 ...

Auction description:

Seller John lucas

Location: The Market HQ, Abingdon, United Kingdom

Seller Type: Private

Odometer Reading: 35132

Chassis Number: 735018BW

Engine: 3400

Gearbox: Manual

Steering position: Left-hand drive

Color: Green Metallic

Interior: Green

Estimated Price: £50,000 - £70,000

Following the drophead coupe version of the earlier Mk V, Jaguar built two prototype Mk VIIs in a similar style. The car would have been hugely popular in America but sadly the project came to nothing.

Step forward then our seller John, a Jaguar man through and through. He had the vision to create a Mk VII drophead coupe and the largely handmade car that we are offering for sale, is a testament to his steely determination and considerable skills set. The end result is something that could easily have rolled down the Browns Lane production line.

“What I was most mindful of,” explains John, “and especially after I discussed my plans for the car with former Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis, was if Jaguar had made a Mk VII drophead coupe, it would have been built on the same production line as the XK 120 DHC and therefore shared many of the same parts and style of hood.”

John’s story with the Mk VII begins some thirty years ago, when he bought a Mk VIII from a Los-Angeles-based dealer. After the deal was done, the dealer said he had another car for spares which he could have for free.

The green Mk VII turned out to be largely complete and rust free and with John preferring the older car, the Mk VIII was soon sold on. Fast forward three decades and the inexplicable decision was made to convert the Mk VII, which had languished more or less untouched since its repatriation to the UK.

John describes himself as an enthusiastic amateur, but we think he underestimates his considerable talents. He had previously rebuilt an E-Type and created a complete body for a military Jeep. He therefore fabricated the body himself, calling in specialist help when required.

Removing the roof was probably the scariest part, but once he had begun his attack with an angle grinder there was no going back!

The conversion was to take over two years to complete and we think you will agree, the end result is quite stunning. John has an eye for detail which combined with an excellent level of craftsmanship has produced a car that could have come straight out of a Jaguar showroom circa 1952.

On the Outside

One of John’s first tasks was to remove the body from the chassis, which was then shot-blasted and powder coated. Being strong, sturdy and more importantly separate from the body, it didn’t require any extra strengthening to support the car after it was turned into a convertible.

New shut lines were created for the longer doors and the B-posts were relocated further down the sill. The A-pillars and quarter lights were adjusted accordingly too.

Another pair of Mk VII rear doors were used to extend the front ones by some nine inches.

For the paint finish, John chose to use Aston Martin Racing Green rather than the Pastel Green in which the car was originally painted. The quality is outstanding.

A power hood has been fitted and this was a bespoke design by Classic Restorations in Perth, Scotland. The hydraulics are hidden discretely behind the rear seats, which robs a little of the boot space. It looks in our eyes like a factory conversion.

Flawless chrome completes the period look.

On the Inside

If you thought the exterior of this Mk VII was the star, wait until you see the interior!

John cut the front seats in half and added a mechanism to allow them to tilt to an angle to aid rear ingress, whilst a local upholsterer retrimmed the interior using leather in the original shade of Suede Green. The finish is quite flawless, the smell of quality materials, divine.

A carpenter was employed to extend the front door cappings with another piece of wood, covering both in new veneer to hide the join.

New tailored carpeting is fitted, complementing the upholstery rather nicely.

Climbing aboard it is hard not to be wowed by the sheer quality and attention to detail. The fit and finish is quite exemplary.

Boot space is still generous, even allowing for the hood’s folding mechanism, making this an ideal car for a touring holiday.

Folding the roof is a simple task. The switch for the mechanism hides behind a wood panel to the left of the steering wheel. The hydraulics soon swing into action, the roof folding away quickly and neatly behind the rear seats.

With the roof in situ, each of the four windows can be wound down separately, for that lovely pillarless coupe silhouette.

Underneath

Other than fitting a distributor and alternator, the 3.4-litre straight six engine was left alone. However, to make the Jag easier to drive, John swapped the original Borg Warner three-speed automatic gearbox for a more modern ZF four-speed unit.

The engine produces a relatively lowly 160bhp, but the new gearbox kicks down faster, making the most of the power that is available. John reports that the motor pulls keenly, like all XK units and there’s that familiar twin cam roar, unmissable especially if driving with the roof down.

This is a car for lazy day cruising, the warm sun beating down, bathing the occupants with warmth, the wind gently tousling their hair. Sounds idyllic.

The engine bay itself is really quite stunning. Beautifully detailed and if you will excuse the hackneyed phrase, clean enough to eat your dinner off!

There are pictures in our gallery of the Jaguar’s underside too, and these are worthy of detailed inspection.

History Highlights

We know very little of the MK VII’s time in America. We know it left Browns Lane in January 1953, heading for distributor Charles Hornburg in Los Angeles. It was one of the very first Mk VIIs to be fitted with the Borg Warner automatic gearbox.

It was complete and largely rust free when John acquired it, making it an excellent basis for this interesting project.

On completion of the conversion earlier this year, the Jaguar was subjected to its first MoT test, which of course is passed with no advisories. The recorded mileage was 34,519 on the April test day. Around 600 carefully driven miles have been added to this since.

John estimates that all the work done has cost him somewhere in the region of £70,000. This figure does not include his time.

2023-05-12 08:21:59 | pauls writes:

Car returns (or remains) to market 5/23

www.carandclassic.com/auctions/1952-jaguar-mk-vii-drophead-gZXBD4

Auction description:

1952 Jaguar MKVII 1 of 1 Drophead

Colour Green

Odometer 35,132 Miles

Engine size 3400

Auction DetailsSeller Type Private

Town Uithoorn

Location International

Country Netherlands

Beautifully crafted two-door drophead coupé 

Hydraulically operated convertible hood

Expertly crafted, extremely clean inside and out

All European import tax has already been paid

First registered 15th December 1952

Road Tax and MOT exempt 

UK V5C, which states that the car was ‘Rebuilt — assembled from parts some or all of which were not new’

Non transferable registration mark

First registered in the UK in June 2022

Heritage certificate on file

Originally sold via a dealer in Los Angeles

One of the first Jaguar Mk VIIs to be fitted with the Borg Warner automatic gearbox

Operating, Maintenance and Service Handbook

MK7 CHASSIS book