1957 Jaguar XK150 FHC

Talking about New Zealand, I couldn't help noticing this Jag for sale on the net. With my usual bias I'm drawn to the XK150 coupes a bit because I had a nice burgundy example when I was fairly young. At least I thought it was nice. I don't like the roadsters much, they look a little like blimps, but the coupes are good. If you had to have a Jag these are the pick of them, better than 120s, 140s and E-types I think. This one is in New Zealand and is described as "a modified street car which has been optimised for weekend track days." It was on an American site and priced at $55k USD.

It looks really tough without its bumpers and with the louvered bonnet and 8" wire wheels. The car is used in NZ Vintage Racing Club events, must be regularity events as there is no roll bar or cage.

The low back racing bucket looks good and that steering wheel is a Moto-Lita.

The engine is a 3.8 litre and has a C-type head, D-type ground cams, a baffled alloy sump and twin 2'' SUs. Behind it is a 5-speed Supra box and limited slip diff.The owner suggests coming to New Zealand to take delivery and running the car in the BRUCE McLAREN REVIVAL and the SOUTHERN FESTIVAL of SPEED in January and early February 2010. These are big-deal events and as well as the big-banger sports car races, there are F5000 races and Historic F1 races. Trevor is taking the Elfin over. There are races at the new Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, Pukekohe Park Raceway and Taupo Motorsport Park. Bruce McLaren died in 1970 while testing a new Can-Am McLaren in the UK and this year is the 40th anniversary of that tragedy and very special to Kiwis in particular and motorsport fans in general so the 2010 Tasman Revival Series is going to be big. Take a look at the NZ Bruce McLaren site. http://www.bruce-mclaren.com/

Anyway, my own XK was an XK150S which was a high performance version of the XK150. It did not have the optional 3.8 litre engine, being a 3.4 but was still good for well over 130mph. It had a 4-speed with Laycock de Normanville electric overdrive. They were made from 1958 to 1961 in roadster form with the FHC coming out in 1959.