Footnotes

• What would turn out to be the final glorious incarnation of Jaguar’s fabulous ‘XK’ series of sports cars arrived in 1957. As its nomenclature suggests, the XK150 was a progressive development of the XK120 and XK140, retaining the same basic chassis, 3.4-litre engine and four-speed Moss transmission of its predecessors while benefiting from a new, wider body that provided increased interior space and improved visibility courtesy of a single-piece wrap-around windscreen, replacing the divided screen. A higher front wing line and broader radiator grille were other obvious differences, but the new model’s main talking point was its Dunlop disc brakes. Fade following repeated stops from high speed had been a problem of the earlier, drum-braked cars, but now the XK had stopping power to match its prodigious straight-line speed.
  Introduced in the spring of 1957, the XK150 was available at first only in fixed and drophead, ‘2+2’ coupé forms, the open two-seater version not appearing until the following year. Disc brakes apart, the chassis remained much as before, as did the 3.4-litre, XK, six-cylinder engine that produced 190bhp as ‘standard’ or 210bhp in ‘Special Equipment’ form when fitted with the ‘B’-type cylinder head. The four-speed Moss gearbox continued while overdrive and automatic transmission were options. ‘The Jaguar XK150 is undeniably one of the world’s fastest and safest cars. It is quiet and exceptionally refined mechanically, docile and comfortable… we do not know of any more outstanding example of value for money,’ concluded The Autocar.
  First registered on 14th March 1960, right-hand drive chassis number ‘827511’ is one of the last XK150s made and one of only 440 3.4-litre drophead coupés delivered with the optional Borg Warner automatic transmission. The car was purchased by the titled vendor in June 2004 via Hurst Park, having been in the hands of preceding owner Hayden Thomas Alton since the early 1980s. Prior to Mr Alton there is only one owner listed on the accompanying old-style green logbook: a Martin Small of West Molesey, Surrey, who owned the car in 1968.
  ‘827511’ was restored to show standard for Mr Alton by Southern Classics, of Chertsey between 1986 and 1990 at a cost of circa £60,000. Work carried out included an engine and transmission overhaul, repaint in Indigo Blue and a re-trim in Saville Grey hide by Suffolk & Turley. A measure of the restoration’s quality may be gained from the fact that on completion in 1990 the car won concours awards at the International XK Day and Jaguar Champion of Champions events. The mileage at time of completion was 83,000 and the total currently stands at circa 87,000.
  In addition to invoices relating to the foregoing, there are additional bills of file for work undertaken by Rectory Classics and K J C Bell in the mid-1990s, including one for the installation of a 3.8-litre engine in 1995. Presented in generally very good condition, the car is offered with the aforementioned old-style logbook and restoration invoices, 14 old tax discs, current road fund licence, MoT to August 2009 and Swansea V5 registration document.