Purr-fect setting for a rare BIG CAT

FULLY-RESTORED ONE-OFF JAGUAR ORIGINALLY BUILT IN 1954 GOES ON SHOW IN CALIFORNIA

A RECENTLY restored classic, which could be the rarest Jaguar ever, has gone on show for the first time in California.

The 1954 XK120 SE by Pininfarina is a one-off as it features unique bodywork by the famed Italian coachbuilder and design house Pininfarina.

The car underwent a full nut and bolt restoration by world-class specialists Classic Motor Cars (CMC), based in Bridgnorth.

The wraps came off the unique Pininfarina bodied XK120 following the restoration project at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California on Sunday.

The car was enthusiastically received by collectors and aficionados at the event and finished second in class O-2 Postwar Closed.

Peter Neumark, chairman of the employee ownership trust that runs CMC, said: “A great result. It was a privilege to take the cover off this longlost Jaguar at one of the most important concours in the world.

“The car was admired all day and we are delighted to be bringing a trophy home as a further testimony to the skills, dedication and attention to detail that we have in our business.”

It was first delivered to Max Hoffman in 1954, an Austrianborn, New York-based importer of luxury European cars into the US during the 1950s. Mr Hoffman was a renowned petrol-head of the time who inspired the production and refinement of several vehicles from many manufacturers. It is believed he persuaded Pininfarina to reinterpret the shapes of the XK and unveiled it at the 1955 Geneva Motor Show. After the unveiling in Geneva, the XK appeared at the Autocar Show later in April that year. It was due to be exhibited at the Turin Motor Show in 1956 but never arrived due to the owner wanting to take delivery of it.

David Barzilay, chairman of CMC’s operating board, said: “There is little trace of the car’s history, but we are certain that Hoffman was the supplying dealer, then first owner of the car and that there was only one XK120 by Pininfarina produced, which makes this one of the rarest Jaguars in existence.”

In 2015, CMC purchased the car from a German man who bought it in the USA in 1978 with the intention of restoring it.

The planned restoration did not take place and the owner eventually decided to sell it.

The team of CMC specialists faced a number of challenges during the restoration, from finding the original paint colour to remaking the bumpers and rear window screen.

Mr Barzilay said: “Some of the original parts were impossible to find so we had to remake items such as the bumpers and chrome work by hand from photographs.

“We had to scan the front and rear end of the car and make mock-ups of the lights, which were then scanned and 3D printed. Smaller missing parts were also 3D printed in-house.

“The rear window was missing so we also had to scan the window aperture and have a new rear screen made from the scan data.”

During the pre-restoration inspection it was found Pininfarina had used the original XK body as a basis, and that, at some point in its life, the car was painted Burgundy and had the seats covered with tan leather.

A great result. The car was admired all day and we are delighted to be bringing a trophy home. Peter Neumark