This XK120 features unique bodywork by famed Italian coachbuilder and design house Pininfarina. It was first delivered to a Mr. Max Hoffman in 1954, who was an Austrian-born, New York-based importer of luxury European automobiles into the United States during the 1950s. It is believed that Hoffman inspired Pininfarina to reinterpret the shapes of the XK and then unveiled it at the 1955 Geneva Motor Show. After the unveiling in Geneva, the XK appeared at the Autocar Show later in April that year and Australian magazine Modern Motor reported that it was due to be exhibited at the Turin Motor Show in 1956, but never arrived due to the owner wanting to take delivery of it. "There is little trace of the car’s history, but we are certain that Hoffman was the supplying dealer, then first owner of the car and that there was only one XK120 by Pininfarina produced, which makes this one of the rarest Jaguars in existence." (CMC).
After a full nut and bolt restoration taking 6,725 hours by world-class specialists Classic Motor Cars (CMC), the wraps came off this unique Pininfarina bodied 1954 Jaguar XK120 SE at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, USA.“Some of the original parts were impossible to find so we had to remake items such as the bumpers and chrome work by hand from photographs. We had to scan the front and rear end of the car and make mock ups of the lights, which were then scanned and 3D printed. Smaller missing parts were also 3D printed in-house. The rear window was missing so we also had to scan the window aperture and have a new rear screen made from the scan data.” (CMC).
Full engine and gearbox rebuild. Engine spec: XK 120 3.4 SE (C-Type Head) straight-6, Double SU H6 carburettor, 180 bhp (134 kW; 182 PS) @ 5300 rpm]. (classic-motor-cars.co.uk)
(Photos from goodwood.com)
