Member's Area

This well known club member and past editor of the Club Mag Bill Crook’s wonderful very rare XK150 3.8S Fixed Head Coupe.

Photos - click on the 'Photo'.   

In the late 1950’s this rare model was the fastest Jaguar sports car yet. It was further enhanced by the introduction of a modified 'S' version - first in roadster form, then Fixed Head Coupé and finally Drop Head Coupé, The 3.8-litre XK150S had a straight port cylinder-head, triple 2in SU carburettors, high compression pistons and a PowerLok differential, with 4 wheel power assisted brakes. Available from October 1959, the '3.8S' engine produced 265bhp, giving a 0 to 60mph acceleration time of 7.6 seconds and a maximum speed of about 136mph.  A fast car indeed!

 The disc brakes, torquey and powerful XK engine, high gearing, and spacious interior made the XK150S an outstanding grand touring car of its time. The XK150S prepared Jaguar customers for what was to come with the identically powered 3.8 E-Type.  Of the approximate 30,350 XK150’s produced, only 114 of the 3.8S FHC in right hand drive form were built, making this one of the rarest Jaguars made and Bill’s is one of them. His superb car is an original English home Market right-hand-drive XK150 3.8-litre 'S' Fixed Head Coupe, manual with overdrive. Manufactured on 15th July 1960 with chassis #T825307DN, and in its original factory colour scheme of Carmen Red with Biscuit leather interior. 

 Sold new via the original distributor Henlys of London and then on 22nd July to dealer Fields Engineering of Crawley. From there it was sold to its first owner, A.G.A. Mussard of Brighton.  The ownership history of the car after that is a bit vague but eventually it was sold to an American buyer. In 1996 it was bought by a New Zealander who intended to restore it but did not get very far. In 2006 Bill was offered the car and for more than a decade Bill undertook a huge amount of painstaking research during the car’s very comprehensive restoration. 

 He contacted the son of the original owner who helpfully supplied photographs which showed the British registration of 'AGM 500’ that it still wears. The photographs also revealed the car originally had a luggage rack and chrome wire wheels (still present on the car) and had been a factory press car as evidenced by a period photo that accompanies the thick history file. 

 The restoration itself included fully dismantling the body and stripping to a bare metal before being carefully removed from the chassis. Hundreds of hours were invested including bead blasting and carefully repairing any corrosion on the chassis, as were all the body panels. All mechanical components were sent for restoration or replaced. The engine, gearbox, brakes, triple SU carburettors and all other parts were overhauled. A stainless exhaust and alloy radiator matching the pressings of the original was installed.  The brake lines, fuel lines and wiring loom were replaced and a new distributor installed. Recently Bill had XK specialist Ian Munford install the renowned Ezisteer electric power steering system to the upper column. 

Since being restored, Bill has driven the car only about 6,000 miles. He comments, "I cherish its rarity. Of course, its outstanding good looks make it such a treasure too. I love the fact that people admire the car. They take photographs and want to touch it and sit in it. It drives very well, and on the highway, it is a pure delight to switch on the manual overdrive lever. We use the car for day trips out and on the occasional weekend away”. The car has given Bill huge pleasure, especially seeing it featured on the cover and on page 148 of Richard Waugh’s celebratory book Classic Jaguars in New Zealand published last year.  

 However, it is now time for another enthusiast of this wonderful Marque to own one of its finest products.

You can read previous club Magazines right here in our VAULT of previous printed editions. 

While you are at it, why not drop a line to our Magazine Editor Gerard Leeuw with your article for a future edition, whether it be a club run you've enjoyed, some DIY or garage repairs you've had done and experience you'd like to share, or even a family wedding where your Jaguar did the carriage work for the happy couple! Gerard can be reached on Editor.jagclubak@gmail.com

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