Im looking at buying a 1954 XK120 to restore.... the title says

W91758S

and 10140329616125644 - hard to read the copy but nothing came up on the forum under the vin check?

can anybody help? or call Jake at 936 777 4818


cherrs

 

Nothing I'm familiar with. Can you post a picture or give more details on where you get these numbers, VIN wasn't invented in 1954, BTW.

 

back before VIN #s, many states (Calif did) used the engine number, rather than the perhaps better chassis frame number. The W number is the engine number..the final 8 of the number being the compression ratio of the head. This number W9175-8S should be on the head..the S indicates a Special Equipment model (higher lift cam and a whole package of mods including wire wheels). This same number will be on the engine above the oil filter on a small flat..below the much larger engine part # on the block. If the engine and head numbers are the same good...heads were often replaced. The engine number should be on the data plate on the firewall (scuttle). The chassis number is often hard to find on the frame..left side..below exhaust and just ahead of master brake cyl. It is also on the front cross member in front of the radiator (but not always). XKs ar referred to most often by chassis number..so when re-titling it is good to have it changed to the chassis number. (often must be inspected..to make that change).,

 

W91758S is the engine number for the car
W indicates XK120
9175 is the number( there were more than 12,000 made)
8 is the compression ratio
S is 'C' type head should be painted red)

XK 120 had chassis numbers
66**** RHD
67**** LHD
These were the main identifiers of the car

There will definately not be a VIN number, the number you quote is nothing to do with a Jaguar XK120

Chris

 

I also hava a Calif car which was titled with the engine #. I recently changed the title to the chassis #, with a bit of discussion at DMV needed, and an inspection and some other factory documents showing the proper references to these cars is by chassis #, not to mention that should an engine be changed and no longer with the car..then what? It is worth while to find the numbers on the car: do not trut the data plate on the firewall:..engine # on the flat above oil filter and the hard to find chassis number on the top surface of the frame, below exhaust..kinda near brake master cyl, usually under some grease and paint, often barely half stamped. It is quite important to find both, Then you will know for sure what car you have, when mfgd and may other details that can be found by engine and chassis #s as to what parts it should have..or not. Also affirming that the long number posted is not a Jaguar number..must be a state reg # or similar. The XK engine numbers run thru a W series, then from1953 Nov begin with F, and then the 140 engines begin with G.
The original head on an xk120 Special Equipment model (S on engine and Chassis).is silver or bare aluminum and is NOT red, ever, unless it is a replacement 140 C head, or painted red incorrectly later by an owner (often done once the 140 C came out) . (XK140 did have a red C type head, the S head now standard on the 140, sometimes green) )If it is the head that the car had from new the number in the sparkplug galley will be the same as the engine number. If the head is a replacment..and many were..then the number can be quite a few different things..an earlier head, a later one, a head from a sedan (saloon), and yes, a later C head which in some but not all cases might have originally been red. Some heads were green, blue, even later on the 150S..gold. Do reseach once you have the chassis and engine #s to find out what should be on the car..many years have passed, a lot could not be original and this can affect value as well as choices you may have in a restoration..to original..or not. With these numbers Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust can provide a certificate of mft with orig color etc. A caution to those posting..such as the head being red on a 120 S..please do not post incorrect info from a guess, or someone elses mis-info:..do look things up and post accurately..things live a long time on the internet.

 

For correct cylinder head colors, see: Concours | Jaguar Clubs of North America and scroll down to the "Cylinder Head Color Table" on page 59.

FYI - the only acceptable cylinder head colors for any XK-120 (incl. C and D Types) is AL. XK-140 heads are also AL, except for the C-Type head (red). No XK-140 heads were green.

Nick is correct that the "S" designates "SE" or "Special Equipment", AKA "Super Sports" model in Jaguar-speak.

Hope this helps.

 

If this car is to be restored as a "Franken-XK120", consider some upgrades (which would negatively affect the value of a matching numbers car):

- Disc brakes
- Rack & pinion steering
- good curved bucket seats (some 120s had these, or maybe from an early E)
- and most importantly, a louvered bonnet. There is lots of space around the engine, but heat does not escape easily. If my car were not already a fully restored, matching numbers car, I would absolutely consider this....

FWIW, YMMV, yadda yadda.....

 

The cylinder head also has a unique number. It is at the forward end of the head, on the rear-facing side of that large boss which houses the cam drive gears, facing the spark plug valley. This number won't tell you if it's orginial to the car, but it will tell you what it is (i.e. for which type engine it was intended - 3.4L XK-120, 3.4L XK-140, 3.4L XK-150, 3.8L XK-150, etc etc). Definitions for these numbers exist, but (with apologies) I can't put my fingers on them right at the moment.... But they are out there.

 

a few bits..the # on the head, front, facing spark plugs is:
if original to car AND engine will be the same as the engine # found on the flat above the oil filter assy, AND thus both of those will be the same as on the #s ID plate on the engine side of the firewall, and would be the same as on a Heritage Certificate.
if the head number is different than the ID plate, but the engine number is as on the ID plate, then the head itself is a replacement head..the # will be as was on some other engine...that it was taken from, maybe a 120, maybe not, or rarely a replacement head from the factory.
If the head # and engine number match but are different than the ID or a Heritage Cert, then the entire engine/head are a replacement from original, maybe from a 120, maybe not..the #s on head/engine will tell you.

OK..I would NOT add bonnet (hood) louvers, I would NOT change the steering nor the brakes, nor the seats, tho yes, certain racing buckets were available, the cars steer and stop just fine. You "might" consider a modern 5 spd sycho gearbox..but it changes the "character" of the car..Moss box shiftin has it's own character and feel that is part of the 120 mystique. If you want all the modern things..get a new Jaguar F Type. My car is as original except for tires and a wood steering wheel. Drives great. I don't have to apologize for any changes. Let's keep Jag xks as they were.