1952 Jaguar MKV11

Following the drophead coupe version of the earlier Mk V, Jaguar built two prototype Mk VIIs in a similar style. The car would have been hugely popular in America but sadly the project came to nothing.

Step forward then our seller John, a Jaguar man through and through. He had the vision to create a Mk VII drophead coupe and the largely handmade car that we are offering for sale, is a testament to his steely determination and considerable skills set. The end result is something that could easily have rolled down the Browns Lane production line.

“What I was most mindful of,” explains John, “and especially after I discussed my plans for the car with former Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis, was if Jaguar had made a Mk VII drophead coupe, it would have been built on the same production line as the XK 120 DHC and therefore shared many of the same parts and style of hood.”

John’s story with the Mk VII begins some thirty years ago, when he bought a Mk VIII from a Los-Angeles-based dealer. After the deal was done, the dealer said he had another car for spares which he could have for free.

The green Mk VII turned out to be largely complete and rust free and with John preferring the older car, the Mk VIII was soon sold on. Fast forward three decades and the inexplicable decision was made to convert the Mk VII, which had languished more or less untouched since its repatriation to the UK.

John describes himself as an enthusiastic amateur, but we think he underestimates his considerable talents. He had previously rebuilt an E-Type and created a complete body for a military Jeep. He therefore fabricated the body himself, calling in specialist help when required.

Removing the roof was probably the scariest part, but once he had begun his attack with an angle grinder there was no going back!

The conversion was to take over two years to complete and we think you will agree, the end result is quite stunning. John has an eye for detail which combined with an excellent level of craftsmanship has produced a car that could have come straight out of a Jaguar showroom circa 1952.

One of John’s first tasks was to remove the body from the chassis, which was then shot-blasted and powder coated. Being strong, sturdy and more importantly separate from the body, it didn’t require any extra strengthening to support the car after it was turned into a convertible.

New shut lines were created for the longer doors and the B-posts were relocated further down the sill. The A-pillars and quarter lights were adjusted accordingly too.

Another pair of Mk VII rear doors were used to extend the front ones by some nine inches.

For the paint finish, John chose to use Aston Martin Racing Green rather than the Pastel Green in which the car was originally painted. The quality is outstanding.

A power hood has been fitted and this was a bespoke design by Classic Restorations in Perth, Scotland. The hydraulics are hidden discretely behind the rear seats, which robs a little of the boot space. It looks in our eyes like a factory conversion.

Flawless chrome completes the period look.

If you thought the exterior of this Mk VII was the star, wait until you see the interior!

John cut the front seats in half and added a mechanism to allow them to tilt to an angle to aid rear ingress, whilst a local upholsterer retrimmed the interior using leather in the original shade of Suede Green. The finish is quite flawless, the smell of quality materials, divine.

A carpenter was employed to extend the front door cappings with another piece of wood, covering both in new veneer to hide the join.

New tailored carpeting is fitted, complementing the upholstery rather nicely.

Climbing aboard it is hard not to be wowed by the sheer quality and attention to detail. The fit and finish is quite exemplary.

Boot space is still generous, even allowing for the hood’s folding mechanism, making this an ideal car for a touring holiday.

Folding the roof is a simple task. The switch for the mechanism hides behind a wood panel to the left of the steering wheel. The hydraulics soon swing into action, the roof folding away quickly and neatly behind the rear seats.

With the roof in situ, each of the four windows can be wound down separately, for that lovely pillarless coupe silhouette.

Other than fitting a distributor and alternator, the 3.4-litre straight six engine was left alone. However, to make the Jag easier to drive, John swapped the original Borg Warner three-speed automatic gearbox for a more modern ZF four-speed unit.

The engine produces a relatively lowly 160bhp, but the new gearbox kicks down faster, making the most of the power that is available. John reports that the motor pulls keenly, like all XK units and there’s that familiar twin cam roar, unmissable especially if driving with the roof down.

This is a car for lazy day cruising, the warm sun beating down, bathing the occupants with warmth, the wind gently tousling their hair. Sounds idyllic.

The engine bay itself is really quite stunning. Beautifully detailed and if you will excuse the hackneyed phrase, clean enough to eat your dinner off!

There are pictures in our gallery of the Jaguar’s underside too, and these are worthy of detailed inspection.

We know very little of the MK VII’s time in America. We know it left Browns Lane in January 1953, heading for distributor Charles Hornburg in Los Angeles. It was one of the very first Mk VIIs to be fitted with the Borg Warner automatic gearbox.

It was complete and largely rust free when John acquired it, making it an excellent basis for this interesting project.

On completion of the conversion earlier this year, the Jaguar was subjected to its first MoT test, which of course is passed with no advisories. The recorded mileage was 34,519 on the April test day. Around 600 carefully driven miles have been added to this since.

John estimates that all the work done has cost him somewhere in the region of £70,000. This figure does not include his time.

We always admire the home mechanic and restorer. However, rarely are they as talented as our seller John or indeed brave enough to tackle such a complicated project.

The result however is rather spectacular and is a car that Jaguar surely should have produced. The attention to detail is quite spectacular, thanks to John’s keen eye and his high level of craftsmanship.

Admiring glances are guaranteed on every outing and it is likely a small crowd will gather should you leave the car parked up unattended.

The hard work has been done and all the lucky new owner of this fine classic Jaguar has to do, is to look forward to some summer sunshine and the pull of the open road.

We feel sure that this unique Mk VII will attract a great deal of interest from the Jaguar community and classic car enthusiasts in general and we therefore are confident of a sale price between £50,000 and £70,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.