Lot 205: 1960 Jaguar XK150SE 3.4-Litre Coupé

What would turn out to be the final glorious incarnation of Jaguar’s fabulous ‘XK’ series of sports cars arrived in the spring of 1957. As its nomenclature suggests, the XK150 was a progressive development of the XK120 and XK140, retaining the same basic chassis, 3.4-litre engine and four-speed Moss transmission of its predecessors while benefiting from a new, wider body that provided increased interior space and improved visibility courtesy of a single-piece wrap-around windscreen. Cleverly, the new body used many XK120/140 pressings, the increased width being achieved by means of a central fillet. A higher front wing line and broader radiator grille were other obvious differences, but the new model’s main talking point was its Dunlop disc brakes. Fade following repeated stops from high speed had been a problem of the earlier, drum-braked cars, but now the XK had stopping power to match its prodigious straight-line speed. Overdrive and a Borg-Warner automatic gearbox were transmission options, the latter becoming an increasingly popular choice. Steel wheels remained the standard fitting, though most XK150s were sold in SE (Special Equipment) specification with centre-lock wire wheels.
In barn storage for the past 25 years, this late-1960 Jaguar XK150SE Coupé is equipped with the desirable manual/overdrive transmission and appears to have had only three owners from date of first registration. The vendor advises us that ‘900 AOM’ has been repainted at some time (from blue to green) and that the engine, although still a 3.4-litre unit, is believed not to be the original. Running and driving, although with inoperative brakes, the car is lacking a windscreen but otherwise appears substantially complete and highly original, and thus represents a sound basis for restoration. Sold strictly as viewed, the vehicle is offered with old-style logbook and Swansea V5 registration document.