A Jag fan's dream

The Jaguar community on this side of the Tasman is taking a keen interest in a Melbourne auction on Monday of a 1956 Jaguar XK140 SE roadster.

The car has a high profile in Australia in classic rallies.

A Jaguar club member in Auckland said he expected one or two New Zealanders to bid on the car.

The XK140 is one of 3353 roadsters built between 1954 and 1957.

But the limited-edition SE model was factory-fitted with racing C-type cylinder head and larger twin 2-inch SU carburetors, boosting power of the classic 3.4-litre double overhead camshaft engine from 190bhp at 5000rpm to 210bhp at 5700rpm.

Matching numbers and a certification plaque on the dash confirm its SE credentials.

The XK140 up for auction was originally a left-hand-drive model delivered to America.

It was converted to right-hand drive while being restored in 1999.

The work included sandblasting the chassis and suspension, repainting, and new sills, B-posts and bulkhead C-sections made from 1.2mm zinc-aluminium.

The engine was rebuilt, the brakes refurbished, a stainless-steel fuel tank installed and all fuel lines were replaced.

Re-chroming was done, all the gauges reconditioned, the interior re-trimmed, and a new wiring harness fitted.

The only major departure from original specification is the replacement Toyota Supra five-speed gearbox and clutch, although the original Moss gearbox has been retained in case the buyer wants to return the car to its original configuration.

Since its reconstruction, the car has covered only 17,220km, including four Classic Adelaide events and club rallies.