1952 Jaguar

XK-120 Roadster FiRSt Owned By Clark Gable - Customized By George Barris

Barris Gold with Red Leather interior, Red Carpeting, George Barris Customization, Custom Carson style Beige padded hard top, Exceptional concours restoration with collector ownership since, Matching numbers, 3.4 Liter 6-cylinder engine, 4-speed manual gearbox, First owned by Clark Gable, Jaguar Heritage Certificate, George Barris Certificate.

This XK-120 was built on July 23th, 1952 and delivered in Los Angeles, CA on August 13th, 1952. The 120 was purchased by none other than famed Hollywood superstar, Clark Gable. Gable had a love affair for fine automobiles with a collection including early Dusenbergs, Packards, Mercedes 300SL and of course the Jaguar XK-120. Gable was awe struck when Jaguar unveiled the new design in 1948. So much so, Gable owned the very first XK-120 delivered to the West Coast. This XK-120 was Gables third and last 120 he owned.

Upon purchasing, Gable sent the 120 to Barris Custom Shop run by George and Sam Barris of what would become a world-renowned customization shop known as Barris Kustom Industries, known for many movie cars, hot rods and other very special one-off vehicles. Documentation from Barris shows the modifications done for Gable and this XK-120. Originally delivered in Battleship Grey as the JHTC shows, Barris repainted the entire car in Gold-Bronze. Further changes include headlights blended into the front fenders by shaving the trim from the headlights and shaving the turn signal plinths. The wing mirrors were removed as well as the license plate holder to shaved blended into the line of the trunk lid. A removable hard top was built to mimic the Carson Top (documentation included), which features a Red leather headliner and Red leather trimmed parcel shelf. To complete the custom affects, a pair of subtle Barris Kustom badges were appointed to the bottom of each A-pillar.

With few details after Gables ownership, this 120 was discovered in 2010 and was owned by a well-known collector from Chicago, IL. The car was sent to marque specialist, Jim Kakuska of JK Restorations in Oswego, IL. The restoration was performed to top concours quality standards leaving no stone left unturned totaling over $350,000. The 120 wears a superb new shade of Barris Gold, very close to the Gold-Bronze paint Barris applied many years ago. The car retains its original steel wheels and wheel spats.

Since restoration, this very special and unique XK-120 has seen exceptional collector-owner care and has been maintained regardless of use. It has been prominently displayed on the Concours lawn at numerous events around the country including the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours dElegance, 2019 Amelia Island Concours, 2019 Greenwich Concours dElegance, as well as multiple concours events over the past few years in the Connecticut and Long Island, NY areas.

One of the most iconic sports cars of the 1950s, this XK-120 represents the very best in build quality and craftsmanship throughout and would be a welcome addition to any collector or collection. This is an opportunity to own a very special piece of both automotive and Hollywood history. All facets of this 120 are simply superb. With full matching numbers, an elegant color combination, Clark Gable ownership and George Barris custom work, this XK-120 is completely dialed-in, fully serviced and ready for immediate concours or touring use. It is eligible for some of the worlds foremost vintage rallies, including the famed Mille Miglia. The XK-120 is complete with custom made trunk luggage with Clark Gables initials, George Barris documentation with Certificate confirming customizations, Custom Carson style top documentation, Jaguar Heritage Certificate, spare wheel, jack, tools and service records.

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