Of the 3356 XK140 OTS’s delivered, 550 are documented to survive. This is the VIN S810056 ... 9th delivered of the surviving LHD cars (6th of the US cars). It is a special equipment ‘MC’ car (denoting a high performance ‘C-Type’ cylinder head, fog lamps, twin exhausts, windshield washer, and a collection of engine refinements). The SU H8 2” sand-cast carburetors were a particularly desirable option with race history dating to the XK120’s. The race buckets would have been an option (and pretty much a necessity for anyone more than 6’ tall).
The car was in deplorable shape when I bought it from Joe Egle in Kansas City in 1992. For want of time & money, I didn't commission the restoration with Classic Jaguars of Austin, TX until 2006, and paced the spend across five years. The story from Joe Egle was that the car had had an engine fire in the late 60's and was dismantled with intent to restore (Joe Egle was on the title from 10 April 69). The original owner was Orrin D. Dodge Jr of Buhler Kansas (‘Bud’ as he was known to friends). They were farming folk who had come into the good fortune of finding oil on their property. Bud was in his early 20’s when he acquired the car. Regrettably he passed away in 2002, but I have been in communication with his wife, Mary and a close childhood friend. The original color is documented as Lavender Grey ... interior was Biscuit with Red piping ... the top was Fawn. This was confirmed to Mary by Bud’s son. Bud’s brother informed that Bud had a minor accident in 1966 or 1967 and took it to Salinas for repair. it is understood to have been re-painted red at that time. It appears likely that Joe Egle bought the car from Bud.
Reference the list following, the car has been restored with subtle upgrades to improve safety, handling, and reliability … though it remains 100% Jaguar. It has been finished in proper (and more flattering) XK140 colors - Pacific Blue, Grey leather and Blue hood.
’55 XK 140 [TX HE-702] Upgrades
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Series 1 E Type uprights
Wilwood brake kit including adaptor plates to convert from drum to disc
Wilwood Caliper Part # 120-9695
XK 150 rear axle with 3:54 diff ratio
XK 150 brake rotors – C-12988
Brake servo – XK 150 Part # C-19612-R
Braided brake kit
Koni shock absorbers (front – Part # 82-1027 / rear – Part # 82-1081)
Poly performance bushings – Dee Engineering
Control arm bushings – Part # 11-45037/8
End link kit – Part # 11-401-BL
Sway bar bushings – 11-42057
XK 140 alloy radiator – TCJAL140 (Ron Davis Racing)
5 speed gear box – CJ5XK based on the Tremec T-5 251
Alloy flywheel
Clutch kit 9 ½ inch diaphragm – HK-9702Q
Pro Race high performance crankshaft harmonic balancer – Pro Race Part # 64296
Crankshaft pulley to work with Pro Race damper – Double groove belt C-24291
SU Fuel pump – C-9688/1
Spin on oil filter conversion – TCJSOF/3 (Fram PH-16 oil filter)
Pressure release by-pass valve
XK 150 Oil pan
Breather catch tank – Pegasus Part # 2583
Gear reduction starter motor – TCJGR42
Delco alternator – Part # 334-2328
Lucas sports coil – DLB-105
Mallory ballast resistor – Mallory Part # 700
Mallory Unilite mechanical advance distributor – Mallory Part # 456780001
Magnecor plug wires – Part # 6700
Plug wire conduit
Interstate Red Top battery – Par # SC34U
Bucket seats – Guy Broad vintage race
Seat belts (three point)
Wooden steering wheel – British Autowood (Saul Chaplin FL)
Wooden shifter knob – As above
Dynamat Xtreme insulation
Grade 8 hardware throughout
Stainless steel exhaust (Falcon)