XK120 restoration project and Facel Vega HK500 set to tempt collectors at Barons

Filed under: Classic News |
Jaguar XK120Barons’ annual Jaguar Heritage sale always – and not surprisingly – attracts a large crowd of Jaguar fans, all looking to add to their collection. This year’s sale on June 16th at Sandown Park features one particular lot that’s likely to catch the eye of any enthusiast looking for a restoration project that’s not excessively demanding on their time or pocket. And, as Barons caters for all car fans, it also features some very interesting cars not built by Jaguar, including a rare Facel Vega HK500.
The 1953 XK120 is already well on the way to becoming a Jaguar fan’s dream car. Bought as a project from a Jaguar Spares Day in 2012, it is now part-restored to chassis level and running and driving, with chassis and suspension stove enamelled, new prop shaft, rebuilt gearbox etc.  The gleaming engine is described as ‘very sweet’.  What the car now needs is the body panels (which come with the car but not attached to it) re-sprayed and re-attached, plus electrics and new interior trim (though the seats are newly, and smartly, re-trimmed in red). An excellent way to short-circuit a longer restoration, this project carries an estimate of £24,000-£25,500.
Barons’ June 16th sale gives collectors a chance to buy a very rare and exotic Facel Vega HK500. The HK500 was the choice of royalty and celebrity when new, and HK500 owners in period included Stirling Moss, the King of Morocco, Francois Truffaut, Ringo Starr and Tony Curtis. This example was imported into the UK in 1990 by the vendor, and has been dry stored ever since. Work has been done so that the car starts, runs, and drives. It is thought that very little work would be required to pass an MOT, so the car could be restored, or even used as it is. The estimate for this very original Grand Tourer is £58,000-£64,000.
Facel Vega HK500More big cats…
No Jaguar sale is complete without at least one MkII, and Barons has a trio of them on offer, each of which has been in its respective ownership for half a century:
‘6737 PE’ is a 1962 2.4 MkII which has been the subject of a great deal of love and care and not a little expenditure during its lifetime, the past 50 years of which have been in the hands of one gentleman owner, who died earlier this year. Some £30,000 has been spent on this car since 2006 alone, including a high quality re-spray in the original Opalescent Bronze, and the fitting of wire wheels and Coombs-style rear spats. The interior is original. Estimate: £13,000-£14,500.
The 1960 MkII 3.8 is a very early example, and features recessed sun visors and a pendant throttle pedal. The vendor has owned the car for more than 50 years, so it is not surprising that it comes complete with a very comprehensive history file.  Estimate: £15,000-£16,500.
The third MkII is a very original, 1960 2.4, which has been in the same family (father and son) since 1964. The mileage of 51,900 is thought to be correct, and the car underwent light restoration in the 1990s. Estimate: £8,750-£10,250.
Other Jaguar entries include a rare, 1990 XJR-S. This genuine JaguarSport car is believed to be one of only 80 still recorded in the UK and carries an estimate of £4,750-£5,750.
Another rarity is the 1987 Daimler Double Six Series 3. This particular car is believed to have been a Jaguar Cars Director’s car, and is totally original, with every extra, including the (large!) Motorola phone it was equipped with when new. Estimate: £6,000-£7,500.
With its Cranberry paintwork, the 1988 Daimler XJ40 is a very attractive car, and its mileage of 30,000 from new should make it even more attractive to collectors. Its full service history shows 28 Jaguar service stamps, and it is equipped with walnut picnic tables, electric sunroof and original toolkit. It is fantastic value for money at £6,000-£7,000.
For fans of marques other than Jaguar…
International Harvester is a name seen on American tractors from the early 20th century to the 1980s, but the company didn’t only make agricultural machinery; from 1907 onwards it also made pickups. The green 1938 D2 pickup going under the hammer at Sandown Park is a classic piece of American engineering, with the sleek Art Deco hood so typical of the period, echoing the road cars of Packard and Cord. It would make a very distinctive promotional vehicle for a business, or an unusual and charismatic form of personal transport. Estimate: £13,000-£14,500.
The ‘collectors’ car section of Barons’ sales is a great place to look for future classics. Entries in this element of the sale include a stunning, low mileage 2003 BMW M3 (£6,000-£8,000), a very fine 2006 Mercedes-Benz 500SL with Bose hi-fi upgrade (£10,000-£12,000) and a magnificent Mulliner-specification 2004 Continental GT with quilted leather interior (£22,500-£24,500). Still on the Bentley theme, there is also a low mileage Bentley Arnage Red Label, in outstanding condition, representing excellent value at £17,000-£19,000.
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