Specification
| Model | Jaguar XK140 Fixed Head Coupe |
|---|---|
| Chassis | 804053 D/N |
| Body | J4122 |
| Engine | G 2909-8 |
| Gearbox | JLE28043 (Moss four-speed with overdrive) — now a Tremec T5 |
| First registered | 7 April 1955 |
| Supplying dealer | Coombs of Guildford |
| Colour | British Racing Green, as delivered |
| Trim | Suede green — originally brown, the other factory option |
| Heritage certificate | 28737 |
Body
The car is a fully matching-numbers example. The one qualification is the gearbox: the original Moss four-speed now lives in a wooden crate, with instructions that it is not to be separated from the car, replaced by a Tremec five-speed.
Exelby is relaxed about the point, and says so plainly:
Whilst critical when evaluating multi-million pound Jaguar C-Types, the relevance of matching numbers is a hotly debated topic for their more numerous family members. To some it's absolutely essential. For me, as a serial restorer and upgrader of old cars, not quite so important.
The car's identity plate was cleaned rather than replaced — the modern habit with high-end restorations — and lacquered to stop it deteriorating further.
The car it nearly wasn't
He had wanted an XK120, and went to Manchester to try one:
Even at five foot nine I struggled to get comfortable, with the steering wheel in my lap and its boss just an inch or so from my sternum — and better to not think about the solid steel steering column bolted to the chassis!
The 140 gave him three more inches of cockpit and rack-and-pinion steering. "It doesn't sound like much, but what a difference it makes."