1958 Jaguar XK150 roadster £129,995
A Fifties tourer beautifully restored in the grandest style, and little used since, this XK150 is hard to fault. Rob Scorah
Dark blue over sand-coloured hide and topped off with a dark blue roof is a great combination for any roadster, but when it’s a fully restored XK150, it is stunning.
This example was sent to the US when new. When it was put up for sale in Florida in 1997 it was shipped to the UK, where it underwent a full mechanical and cosmetic restoration over the next six years and was converted to right-hand drive. A thick sheaf of photos in the history file document the work carried out – and the car has covered only 3000 miles since coming out of the workshop, so its condition is little changed.
Body lines run true, those famous Lyons curves retaining all of their original proportions. No gaps have opened up between metal and rubber dividers, and the underside looks solid and clean. There’s no corrosion or swirl marks in the finish; just in case its appearance had started to degrade, the car was repainted again in 2014. Chromework is bright and pitting-free. One small fault is that the driver’s-side roof catch is sticking, meaning that the roof remains up (like the body, in fine form). An as-new tonneau is stowed in the boot.
Despite such a low mileage in recent years, the XK hasn’t started to complain by leaking fluids or creaking in stiffness when let out on the road. The straight-six fires willingly and settles to a steady idle. Its (fresh-looking) oil is obviously getting round the motor pretty quickly; there are no teeth-gritting tappety sounds.
You’ll immediately notice the compliance and maybe also the slightly more modern feel of the drivetrain as you change gear. The car was given a five-speed box during the rebuild and changes are smooth, if still best not rushed.
There’s no shortage of grunt from the engine, which again delivers its power smoothly – especially towards 3000rpm where there’s a good deal of push. Oil pressure sits around 50psi and the water temperature needle remains mid-gauge in steady driving. The quality feeling is further enhanced by the cabin experience. At least as well-executed as when new, everything operates as it should and the test-drive is surprisingly wind noise-free. However, there’s a slight rattle somewhere in the top of the dash.
The big steering wheel sits in your lap. Suitably Fifties-vague in the straightahead position, but you immediately gain confidence in feel turning the long nose into a corner. If you do think you’re getting a bit too excited, the brakes pull the roadster up straight, time after time.
Credit to those owners who lavished money on this XK for its superb restoration. Buying one like this makes far more sense than doing the work on a cheaper car. But you can’t help wondering why they drove it so little. We’d be tempted to drive it every day.