1958 Jaguar XK150 OTS

This splendid car comes to us courtesy of a vendor who has seen, driven and owned more Jaguar XKs than most of us could reasonably hope to shake a stick at.

His expert connoisseurship apropos these fine cars is only equalled by his diligent selection and curation of those he has personally owned.

The example we have with us today is typical of the standards he expects, maintains and sets.

Delivered new to its original distributor, Jaguar Cars, New York, in 1958, the car’s first owner was a man by the name of Charles Counts.

We can’t be certain, but we believe this Charles Counts to be the renowned exponent of Appalachian-style pottery techniques (b.1934, Kentucky – d.2000, Nigeria).

The work of this artist, designer, teacher, poet, intellectual, philosopher and all-round Renaissance man deliberately blurred the lines between artist and artisan and can be seen in many of the world’s most prestigious galleries and museums.

Either way, this matching numbers Jaguar XK150 SE OTS was alive and well in the USA (we know it was living in Pennsylvania in 65’-’66) until it came to these shores in 2013.

It was first registered here in 2016.

The car was extensively, comprehensively and fastidiously restored between 2013 and 2016, when it was subject to a comprehensive and fastidious chassis-up, body-off restoration.

Southern Axle Services were commissioned to rebuild the back axle, with the new interior supplied by Aldridge trimming. The brightwork was also refurbished and refinished, a stainless-steel exhaust added, and new MWS International 60-spoke chrome wire wheels fitted.

Further work was then carried out in 2020-2021, much of it by the highly respected Oxfordshire firm of Hightone Restorations.

Some of the restoration work included a full engine rebuild, a new hood, the extensive application of cavity wax, the fitment of a battery isolation switch in the glovebox and the very clever (and useful) addition of a battery charging connector that can be accessed without dismantling half of a front wing.

The vast history file attests to the amount, nature and cost of the work done, and includes photographs of the work in progress.

Indeed, we imagine that SNG Barratt’s share price probably peaked during this car’s restoration, as the list of parts purchased from them relates to everything from the clutch, flywheel, brakes and suspension (including polybushes) to new ‘J’ headlights, water pump, wiper motor and many other items too numerous to mention here (but shown in the documents section).

As a measure of the attention to detail lavished on this car during the no-expense-spared restoration work, the entire wiring loom was replaced.

Now, the wiring loom is clearly not the biggest-ticket item on a major restoration project.

However, designing and fitting one can often be more time-consuming, difficult and headache-inducing than trying to explain quantum mechanics to a Jack Russell.

That’s why it’s frequently left off the list of jobs done during a ‘full’ restoration.

Well, it’s been done on this car.

And that should tell you something.

We have driven this magnificent machine and feel duty-bound to report that it goes about its joyous business with oodles of capability, panache and engineering integrity.

Everything is properly screwed together and free of any extraneous squeaks, rattles, sighs or moans.

The gear box is as smooth, slick and satisfyingly lubricious in its action as an otter’s pocket watch.

The steering is true, predictable and weighty.

The legendary DOHC straight-six engine picks up speed and presses on with commendable eagerness and enthusiasm.

The disc brakes and matching Avon Turbosteel radials give it all the grip and stopping power you could realistically wish for in a car that rolled off the production line in the year the microchip was invented, My Fair Lady took to the London stage, and Jerry Lee Lewis first shared the distressing news about his Great Balls of Fire.

In short, it’s really very, very good indeed.

The condition of the bodywork is pretty much beyond reproach and, XK150 aficionados will be delighted to hear, the panels, panel gaps and shut-lines are considerably more consistent and even than those found on many of this model’s contemporaries.

There are no dinks, dents or creases of any significance whatsoever that we can see.

The bright red paintwork fair pops and sings with vibrancy, shine and lustre.

On a fine summer’s day, you could probably see this car from space.

Not least because all of the car’s chrome-work, including the splendid wire wheels, is equally dazzling.

The badging, lights, trim and other exterior bit and pieces are all in fine fettle.

The black fabric hood is also in fine order. It goes up and down, fits and stows precisely as it should. The tonneau cover is following the same script.

The tyres look to be only lightly acquainted with the surface of a road and seem to have a good deal of life and service left in them.

There are one or two small paint chips on the front wings around the headlamps, and there’s a crack in the paint under the nearside headlamp.

Some paint has rubbed off on the edge of the bodywork just ahead of the passenger door.

There’s a crack and a chip in the paint just beneath the centre of the rear bumper.

It’s an equally impressive story on the inside.

The black leather seats, trimmed with red piping, are supportive, comfortable and fully functional.

There is no creasing or other signs of use or wear that we can see.

Everything is in unimpeachably good condition.

The door cards, carpets, mats and roof lining are all exemplary.

The Moto-Lita steering wheel, short-throw gear lever and handbrake are nothing short of splendid.

We didn’t press every button or tweak every toggle, knob or switch but, as far as we can tell (and from what the vendor says), everything does precisely what it’s supposed to do.

The boot, which contains a tool roll and a spare wire wheel, is as good as the rest of it.

Everything in the shiny, bright, clean and lovely engine bay is as right and proper as you could wish.

The undersides of the car appear to have plenty of structural integrity and there are no signs of anything to worry about whatsoever, as far as we can see.

You will need either a young helper or a robust surgical truss to help you lift the history file from its shelf.

Every aspect of the car’s restoration is exhaustively detailed, photographed, recorded and annotated therein.

The car doesn’t currently have (or need) an MoT, but it’s MoT history dates back to October 2016, at which point its mileage was recorded as being 70,854.

It comes with plenty of keys and a Jaguar Heritage Certificate attesting to its authenticity and ‘matching numbers’ status.

We think this is just about as good as an XK150 SE can get outside the obsessive and slightly weird world of concours.

And it wouldn’t take much time or money to turn it into a podium contender in that territory if you wanted to.

All the heavy lifting has been done by other people – and ones who weren’t frightened to spend the correct (big) amounts of money and see the job right through to the end (see our earlier comments abouts wiring looms).

We’re confident to offer this fabulous car for auction with an estimate of £70,000 - £80,000.

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’.