In an off chance it might be still around, I'm try to chase down history of an XK120 my mother claims she owned in the mid-50's.

She sold the car to her brother, who was stationed at Pearl. But after fixing it up, he had to leave it in Hawaii after he was posted elsewhere.

She claimed it was a 1949 LHD with a soft stop. However, from what I've been able to find out, Jaguar didn't make the XK120 as a LHD Drop Top Couple until 1954. She may have recalled incorrectly, or the top may be aftermarket. I have no idea.

Any suggestions or responses will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

I am fairly sure that the car your mother had would have been a roadster. ie a soft top. The fixed head coupes and drop head roadsters came a couple of years later
If it was a 1949 model it would have been an alloy body over an ash wood frame. Nowadays highly desirable and worth into hundreds of thousands.
Jaguar aimed very precisely for the United States markets after WW2. The UK government was trying to develop its export trade and guaranteed supplies of materials to companies who were exporting.
Suggest you google "Jaguar XK120" for more information
Cheers

 

Thanks for the reply. I think I'm looking more for info about a specific vehicle, not so much XK120's in general.

My understanding is that the majority of the1949 XK120's were LHD's built for the North American market. And, that all built that year were OTS roadster models, meaning no top at all. From what I've read, the DHC model of the XK120 (i.e. a "convertible" in modern language) wasn't even offered until 1953.

She had told me that the top on this car was very hard to put up, so she drove with it down all the time. Which makes me suspicious that it really was a 1949 model year.

I should add that this was during the 1950's in Southern California, a time and place where almost anything was available second hand. or modified, or.... Her younger brother had originally purchase the car, then sold it to my mother, who later sold it to her older brother. (Her younger brother was apparently a wiz at procuring 'stuff'. He later acquired and locally raced a (wooden) 12 Metre Sloop).

It's quite possible that a third-party convertible top might have been added to a 1949 model XK120. However, in looking at photos of one, it doesn't seem like the windshield frame would support any such attachment. Still, if this car was indeed a 1949 model then, as you said, it IS very rare and probably worth a whole lot money right now. Can't really tell unless the car is found.

Anyway, I'm just trying to take advantage of the collective knowledge of this forum to see if I can track down the history of this car, if it even exists anymore..