Jaguar XK120 1951–1954 car dimensions: 4406 mm long, 1575 mm wide and 1346 mm high. Unladen weight is 1,295 kg.
The two-seat cabin features a walnut veneer dashboard, door caps and surrounds with lockable glovebox, ashtray and Smiths gauges. Wind-up windows, opening quarter lights, wool headliner, tinted sun visors and a heater are fitted as standard. A carpeted parcel shelf sits behind the seats. Controls feel period-simple with a large Bluemels wheel.
A rear trunk holds tools in a dedicated compartment and has lighting. Extra space sits on the parcel shelf behind the seats and in a storage box under the bulkhead. Fitted luggage cases and a boot-lid rack were optional. The spare wheel lives in its own rear compartment, limiting overall room.
No factory towing or payload ratings appear in period specs. An underbody steel shield was optional for rough roads. The SE package added stiffer rear springs.
The Fixed Head Coupé cabin feels more like a gentleman's club than a pure sports car, with a figured walnut dashboard and matching door cappings, quality Dunlopillo leather seats that are separate and adjustable, wind-up glass windows with opening front and rear quarterlights for ventilation, a standard heater, wool headlining, Perspex sun visors, lockable glovebox, ashtray, interior lamps, and a carpeted package shelf behind the seats for small items.
15 gallon fuel tank standard, larger optional
Fuel consumption around 17.2 mpg
Service schedule at 2,500, 5,000 and 10,000 miles
12-inch drum brakes all round
Heater standard equipment
The car runs on petrol via twin SU carburettors from a 15 gallon rear tank, with an optional larger tank available. Period figures put consumption at about 17.2 mpg for the Fixed Head Coupé.
Routine servicing follows the factory schedule with attention required every 2,500 miles, then at 5,000 and 10,000 miles, covering lubrication points including steering, suspension, and brakes. An official operating, maintenance and service handbook details the work.
Safety equipment centres on Lockheed hydraulic drum brakes of 12-inch diameter all round, which can fade under hard use. The steering column is telescopically adjustable. No crash-test ratings appear in the contemporary record, and seat belts were not part of the standard kit.
Keeping the car means watching for rust in the steel body and frame, especially around wheel arches and pillars, plus attention to the Moss gearbox and cooling system. Parts remain available, and the enclosed body makes it more practical for year-round use than the open versions.
Length 4406 mm, Width 1575 mm, Height 1346 mm, Wheelbase 2591 mm (XK120 1951–1954)
Sources: manufacturer data, Jaguar Mark VII and XK 120 Service Manual, jec.org.uk.