1951 Jaguar Mark V DHC

First registered on 27th June 1951, this car was one of the very earliest to leave the production line.

The first owner was an American woman working at the US Embassy in Hanover Square, London.

She had the car for just one month before she was recalled to the States. The car’s third owner (from 1980 onwards) was a gentleman in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, whose research revealed that one of the car’s rather unexpected claims to fame was that it had once been driven around Silverstone by none other than James Hunt.

Apparently, Mr. Hunt was curious to discover how fast it might be on a race track.

A major restoration was undertaken between 1989 and 1991 by Arnetts of Bournemouth, H.J. Timms and various other bodywork, mechanical, electrical, trim and paint-shop specialists.

During this time the car was repainted in its original ‘Gunmetal Silver’ and reupholstered in red leather, rather than the blue leather with which it left the factory.

The car starts and runs, with a healthy-sounding engine.

The brakes felt perhaps a little sticky but, as with the rest of the mechanicals, we sense that the car would almost certainly benefit from being given a decent run-out and a basic service – not least because it’s covered fewer than 1,000 miles in the last 20 years, so maybe one to trailer away and have a full health check before spirited use.

From a few feet away the car presents very well and it’s immediately evident that the bodywork is pretty straight, true and free of dinks, dents, creases and other significant aberrations.

Move a little closer and some issues with the paintwork become apparent.

Pretty much everywhere you look the paint is - variously - patchy, streaky, blotchy, blemished, stained or tarnished.

We’re of the opinion that a vigorous professional machine polish would go a long way to rectifying much of this.

Other aspects, though, will need a different approach.

There is micro-blistering in a few places and what looks as if it could be some nascent bubbling here and there.

Some surface rust has crept in where a patch of paint is missing from the top of the section of bodywork between the driver’s door and the rear wheel arch on the same side.

The chrome is pretty decent throughout, as are the wheels.

The black fabric roof is intact, goes up and down as it should, and although a little faded, is free of any significant faults that we can detect.

Ditto the fabric cover under which the lowered hood sits.

The lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings are in reasonable condition.

The interior has survived the passage of time with a good deal of resilience.

The red leather seats are fine, front and back, and have yet to earn more than a few light creases, let alone any ingrained patina of the sort you might expect to find in a car of this age.

The wood is spilt and lifting on the passenger door capping and there are patches of lacquer missing from the dashboard wood trim.

It looks as if some damp is affecting the wood just to the right of the driver’s-side dashboard glove compartment.

The red carpets are broadly good, save for a strip of trim coming away on the right-hand side of the driver’s footwell.

Aside from a couple of patches of scuffing, which might be improved with some decent leather colouring and feeding products, the door cards are good, too.

The instruments, dials, knobs and switches all look good and, as far as we know, everything does what it’s supposed to do.

The boot is OK and contains the detachable rear wheel spats – which are in very decent order.

It also contains some boxes of spare parts, some spare trim, and a car cover.

The engine and ancillaries look to be clean, dry and tidy, with everything in its right and proper place.

However, when you lift up the bonnet you’ll see cracked paint and some bubbling in the section of bodywork between the windscreen and the engine bay.

The car’s undersides look pretty solid and possessed of structural integrity to us but, clearly, you’ll want to see for yourself.

Today, this venerable DHC is showing 75,146 miles on the odometer.

In 2005, the number was recorded as being 74,583.

So, as you can see, this car has been somewhat less that busy over the last two decades.

The car was the subject of an older but apparently very comprehensive restoration in 1991, in which all and any contemporary bodywork, mechanical, drivetrain and electrical issues were addressed and dealt with.

A further major overhaul of the suspension and braking systems was undertaken through Maidstone Sports Cars in 1995 and, in 2017, further attention was given to the brakes and wheel bearings with parts ordered through Worcester Classic Spares Ltd.

‘MGO 126’ comes with a thick history file bristling with receipts and invoices covering much of its life since (and including) its restoration in the early 90s.

The car has had a new battery fitted in the last few days.

Yes, the paintwork is decidedly past its best and will, at the very least, require a good session with a skilled machine polisher.

But we think that the underlying quality, scarcity, elegance and style of this fine RHD Jaguar Mark V 3½-Litre DHC more than merits the time and effort required to restore some, most or all of the car’s considerable former glory.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £25,000 - £30,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.