At the present time I have the very good fortune to have a nice collection
of cars that I enjoy very much. Included in 
this
small collection are ten vehicles, including three MGs and three Jaguars.
The Jaguars include a 1969 E-type 2 + 2 coupe - with automatic transmission
that is quite rare - and two XK-140s. The first XK is a fixed head coupe.
This is a specimen I have owned for about 35 years and when I acquired it
I paid only $400. However, we have to remember that that was 35 years ago
and since E-types were a hot ticket then, you could buy the XKs for a song.
This car is painted gold and I don't know if it is original or not but the
vinyl interior is definitely not. The car is basically un-restored, a good
running example that I drive about 200 miles per year.
But it's the second XK-140 that I want to write about today at the urging of your editor. This Jag is a good example of a 1956 drop head coupe, and I acquired it in 1985 for $3600 from a Mark R. Miller in Los Altos, California. The serial number is S818482BW. I learned about the car from an ad in Hemmings Motor News, made the deal and borrowed a trailer for the trip out and back to transport the new purchase. Here was his description of the car which was sold as is:
"The car equipment includes a c-type cylinder head with matching numbers,
wire wheels
and automatic transmission. Car needs total restoration. Although it is a
sound car in very restorable condition, all of the major areas need refurbishing,
i.e., paint, body, upholstery, top, wood, engine, brakes, chrome, etc. The
car does not run and has rust in the cylinders. Other mechanical parts are
in essentially unknown condition. The body is rust free except for one small
spot on the bottom of the passenger door. The right front fender has some
minor fire damage on the metal. I believe the paint is otherwise original.
The odometer reads approximately 59,000 miles which is quite likely since
the car has been off the road since 1968 after a carburetor fire. Wiring is
missing in the engine compartment along with some small pieces from the firewall."
He then lists all of the missing pieces. This was a fair and accurate description
of the Jaguar. I recognized that I was buying the metal only but that was
in good shape (except for the warped fender and a tiny rust spot). The original
color was Old English White. It needed lots of mechanical work after just
sitting for so many years but that didn't worry me at all. Overall I was happy
with my purchase. It should be emphasized that the XK-140 had an automatic
tranny which made it extremely rare. To the best of my knowledge Jaguar only
manufactured a few of these.
Driving the trailer out and back went well, except for the heater hose that
blew twice.
Since I was going to pick up the Jag in the area close to where the Rose Bowl
was being played I obtained tickets for the game, planning to combine some
fun with transporting the car. However, the local sheriff told me to forget
about parking the trailer and car in the area due to the game congestion.
Not knowing what to do I went next door to get some food. Miraculously I met
a friend of my cousin's from Minnesota there, and he had a place for me to
park so I was able to see the game and pick up the car, too. This looked to
me like a good omen.
When I got the Jag back in Minnesota (I live in Windom) I eventually got around to having the engine rebuilt. Fortunately I had a friend whose hobby was rebuilding engines. His name was Ozzie Haugen. He was from St. James. After removing the engine, he set to work for one year slowly rebuilding the engine with his masterful touch. He was a wonderful craftsman, but he sent the transmission to a friend of his for rebuilding. Sometimes these hobbyists can really do great work because they put the labor of love into their efforts - that was certainly true in this case as the engine is still perfect.
In the restoration of this car my efforts have been limited to disassembly and re-assembly of the component parts as needed. Thus the instruments were sent out for rebuilding to John Wolf in Willoughby, Ohio. I also farmed out the chrome bumpers which went to North Star Bumper Exchange. Other miscellaneous plating was sent to Sioux Plating Co. in Sioux Falls. The manifolds were re-porcelainized by K & R Restorations in Glendora, California.
For the all-important body and paintwork I turned to my cousin who is a professional
truck body paint man. He did all the body and paint work as it was intended
to be a driver only. I have been told by Jaguar Club members that the car
makes a beautiful appearance and that it only needs some color sanding and
buffing to take out the "orange peel." I enjoyed hearing that, of
course. Interestingly enough I have always loved the color of metallic light
blue so that's what he painted it. However, I never knew that this was a common
and popular Jaguar factory color! When I discovered that I was quite happy
because it now not only looked nice but also was original to boot. However,
unfortunately when the warped fender was repaired by my cousin he didn't get
all of the lead flux out of the repair and the acid in it caused blistering.
Then, when repainted, the color match was not too good, resulting in a slight
two tone effect. The only other problem is that the doors don't fit too well,
as I would like. I am afraid of opening up a can of worms here so I will leave
it alone. Remember that it is a funloving driver - not a show car that sits
in a garage under cover waiting to be trailered to the next show. I respect
and admire some of those, but that is not my style.
Right now the XK-140 is sitting in the shop waiting to be checked over for mechanical reliability. The anti-creep device on the transmission needs attention, and the transmission fluid tends to bubble over when the engine idles.
In 1986 I purchased a new and complete interior (navy blue) from XK's Unlimited
in San Luis Obispo. It was installed then except for the drophead top (double
insulated) which is still in the box, brand new. 
That
is also true of the walnut interior pieces which were refinished in 1986 at
the H.P. Co. in Harihan, Louisiana, but I never got around to installing them
until now. Harry Unger at Diamond Interiors came highly recommended to me,
so he will do the top and wood installation when the mechanicals are finished.
Finally, the Jag is equipped with painted wire wheels, but one of them appears to be out of balance so I have a replacement for it ready to be installed. The new tires came from Coker Tire in Chattanooga - they are Firestone 600x16 BFG blems with the correct 3 1/2" wide white walls.
It's been a long road for this good example of British sports car building, and I am happy to say that I am now about to begin enjoying it as it should be used - driving for fun and participating in Minnesota Jaguar Club social events with my wife.
David Blackstad
Jaguar Club of Minnesota