1953 Jaguar XK120 Drophead Coupé Special Equipment
- Colour
- Birch Grey over red leather
A left-hand-drive Jaguar XK120 Drophead Coupé in Birch Grey over red leather, chassis S 677020, built on 12 March 1953 and dispatched to California through distributor Charles Hornburg. The twentieth Special Equipment drophead built, it was ordered new by Bertha A. Brown of Lake Forest, Illinois, and remained within her family for nearly six decades. Believed by marque specialists to be among the very few surviving examples in essentially unrestored condition.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold £92,000 (≈ $115K)
- 1954-08-28 →Factory deliveryBertha A. Brownfull documentation
Ordered directly via West Coast distributor Charles Hornburg; original invoice and handwritten order form survive. The car remained largely unrestored during family tenure.
- → 2013InheritanceCharles Brownpartial documentation
Inherited from his mother Bertha; exact transfer date unknown but the car stayed within the Brown family for roughly six decades total.
- 2013 →Private saleBritish sports car collectorpartial documentation
Described as a well-regarded enthusiast focused on British marques; acquired the car from the Brown family.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Maintenance
The original wooden dashboard panels were replaced with new ones; the original panels are retained and accompany the car.
- —Bodywork
The road wheels were repainted at an unspecified point, representing the only clearly identified cosmetic alteration to the otherwise largely original exterior.
The paintwork and interior are otherwise considered to be in unrestored original condition.
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