i'm thinking about buying one - i've targeted the XK150 as the right car for me (disc brakes). any thoughts about how to think about price ranges?

thank you in advance.

 

Welcome to the forum wsf80,
When a vehicle goes from the used car level to classic or collectible status, the rules change. The Jaguar XK150 is such a vehicle.

Desirability, condition, originality and provenance all play a part in the value. Where both Coupe and Convertible versions were available, the Convertible usually attracts a premium. Location is also a factor as transportation and import duties can be high.

The difference in cost between a restoration project and a concours example is enormous. I can find a complete FHC requiring full restoration advertised in CA for under $30K and a fully documented show condition example in NJ for $125K.

A quality restoration almost always exceeds the final value unless the vehicle is especially rare.

It comes down to what you want to spend either immediately for a usable car or spread over a period of time for one requiring work.

Graham

 

Great advice and very well put by Graham as always wsf80...

Any update on where you are with this or any further thoughts?
Hope to hear

 

i found a terrific car but its $75,000. i used proceeds from a sale of a car to buy two other vintage cars. I'd like a XK150 but would like to drive others to see if they drive as well but aren't as costly.

 

Hi,
I have a 1961 XK-150 FHC with factory sunroof that is for sale. It's a very nice driver car. I'm the second owner since 1966. White with red leather. Contact me if you would like additional details.
Thanks,
It's in the forum garage area as well. Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum - Garage Portal

 

Hi i am interested. how do i reach you?

thanks.

 

Hi wsf80-I've sent you a private message via the forum-let me know if you didn't receive it.
Thanks!

 

Graham is completely right about desirability, condition, originality and provenance. Also, his comments about the model. The OTS (roadster) generally commands the premium. The drop head coupe (dhc) and the fixed head coupe (fhc) are behind. The 150 S model (with 3 carburetors, instead of 2) always commands a premium in any of the three models. And there are a few 3.8 liter models that fetch higher prices. There may be a few 3.8 S models around, but I would definitely investigate before buying. Even some of the 3.4 S models are actually conversions.

It really depends on what you are purchasing it for. I bought a fhc because I personally like them and wanted a practical driver. If you want a driver, the 150 is far better than the 140 or the 120. It is roomier, has disc brakes all around and represents the pinnacle in the development of the XK line.

I paid $30,000 for a complete car. Complete in that all the parts were there. However, it was not running, and there wasn't one part on it that was in good condition.

I did a complete body-off restoration, but created a driver, not a show car. It has many pricey upgrades (that you wouldn't have to do) that are sympathetic to the original car and hardly noticeable but add greatly to its performance and drivability.

That said, the car was only an ordinary early 150 that wouldn't have been highly collectible. I put an unreasonable amount of money into it and it took me 7 years, but I absolutely love the car now that it is done. It is a thrill to drive and completely usable. I drive it almost every day.

I recently saw a rare 150S fhc on eBay that had reached $15,000. Again, it was a very complete car but the body was full of rust and that would have added greatly to the restoration costs. However, only 100 lhd models were built, and it was a matching numbers car. I would have bid on it if my wife hadn't stopped me. Perfectly restored, I think it would have been a valuable car.

That car had not yet met reserve and probably would have had to go much higher before there would be a successful bid. But if you are trying to get an idea about what a top-end collectible fhc project car would cost, that would be a good place to look. I don't know if you can track down auction histories once they are closed, and I didn't follow the auction to the completion.

If you just want to buy a garden-variety, drivable fhc that you can hop into and go, strangely, the price for that it isn't dramatically higher than a complete project car. A basket case fhc with major parts missing and major body damage will set you back $10,000 to $15,000. A complete fhc project car is at least $30,000. Good unrestored fhc drivers range from $40,000 to $80,000. A friend of mine bought a perfectly restored 3.8 liter dhc (but not a show winner) at RM Auctions a few years ago for $110,000.

So, like Graham says, it all depends on what you are looking for, what you want to do with it, and how much effort you want to put into it.

There are publications that give quotes on recent sales of specific cars. They give a very good idea of the market. Unfortunately, it has been a while since I was doing that and can't name them. You might look at ads in Hemmings Motor News. They always have lots of them.

I spent 7 years and an amount of money that I don't even want to add up ($80,000 -$100,000) to get where I am today, but I loved every minute of it and love the car.

Let me know if I can be of any help.