2026-08-11 11:41:42 | pauls writes:

Car on BaT. Note, no title date is given, however this VIN would likely apply to a very early MKVIIM, probablhy 1954

bringatrailer.com/listing/1954-jaguar-sutton-bodied-special-2/

Custom-Bodied Jaguar Special

Seller: GKC

Location: Newport Beach, California 92663

Chassis: 738187

Custom-Bodied Racing Special

17k Miles Shown, TMU

Jaguar 4.2-Liter XK Inline-Six

Triple Weber Carburetors

Four-Speed Manual Gearbox

Blue w/ White Le Mans Stripes

Black Vinyl Upholstery

Aluminum Bodywork

Custom Steel Tubular Frame

16" Wire Wheels

Four-Wheel Girling Disc Brakes

Front & Rear Solid Axles

Spax Shocks w/Eibach Springs

Front & Rear Panhard Rods & Torsion Bars

Headrest Fairing & Roll Hoop

Kirkey Bucket Seats

The Diehard Racers Log Book

Private Party or Dealer: Private Party

Lot #258104

This Jaguar Special is believed to have been assembled in the 1950s by Kirke Leonard in the Los Angeles area with aluminum bodywork crafted by metal shaper and fabricator Jack Sutton over a custom tubular frame equipped with a Jaguar powertrain. Sold in a state of disrepair in the late 1970s, the car underwent refurbishment work by in the 1980s before participating in a number of vintage races and events. It remained with its prior owner from 1989 through 2022, and the seller acquired it after it was listed on BaT in May 2022. It rides on solid axles with torsion bars and Panhard rods at each end and also has covered headlights, a headrest fairing, blue paintwork with white stripes, and a roll hoop. Work under current ownership has involved reconditioning the 4.2-liter XK inline-six’s head, rebuilding the triple Weber 45 DCOE carburetors, retrofitting Girling disc brakes, overhauling the suspension, adding Kirkey bucket seats, and more as detailed below. Subsequently driven in the 2025 Monterey Historics, this Jaguar Special is now offered by the seller on a bill of sale in Newport Beach, California, with a racing log book issued by The Diehard Racers, period photos, documents from current ownership, and a Montana title in the name of the seller’s LLC that list the car as a 1954 Jaguar Sutton Special.

Previously finished in red, the body is believed to have been repainted in blue with white Le Mans stripes as part of the aforementioned 1980s refurbishment work. Reinforcements were also reportedly made to the frame and body at that time. It remained with its prior owner from 1989 through 2022, participating in a number of vintage races and events. A collection of photos from the car’s history can be viewed in the gallery, and images of the car on track at Laguna Seca, on display at the Automobile Driving Museum, and on the lawn at Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance and The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering can be viewed in the prior listing.

The car features aluminum open-cockpit coachwork over a steel tubular frame of uncertain origin. A wrap-around windshield sits ahead of the cockpit, and the louvered hood is secured by a leather hood strap. Further details include a rectangular central mirror and a driver-side Raydyot mirror with a machined-turned housings as well as a Jaguar nose badge, covered headlights, fender vents, and rear quarter louvers.

Work under current ownership has involved remounting the headlights, adding a front tow eye, modifying the headrest fairing and roll hoop, and installing round Lucas tail lights. The seller notes various chips, dents, and areas of paint touch-up.

The silver-finished 16″ MSW wire-spoke wheels are secured by two-eared knock-offs and were mounted with 5.50-width Dunlop tires under current ownership. Girling disc brakes were fitted in place of previously installed Dunlop units, and further work by the seller has involved reinforcing the steering box as well as replacing the front spindles.

The seller installed the pair of Kirkey fixed-back bucket seats trimmed in black upholstery, a Simpson five-point harness, and a Simpson latch-and-link belt is installed for the passenger, and the battery was relocated to behind the passenger’s seat. A Safecraft fire-suppression system, a dash-mounted fuel and electrical kill switch, and additional cabin insulation were also fitted by the seller.

Additional features include a drilled accelerator pedal, door pockets, and Hardura-style floor coverings.

The wood-rimmed 15″ steering wheel and quick-release hub were fitted under current ownership. Smiths instrumentation consists of a 140-mph speedometer, a 6k-rpm tachometer with an inset clock, and a combination gauge for oil pressure and water temperature. The Stewart-Warner fuel level gauge to the left is inaccurate, and a Lucas ammeter is mounted to the right along with a clocked VDO tachometer. The five-digit odometer shows 17k miles, approximately 200 of which have been added under current ownership. The Smiths tachometer bounces, and true mileage is unknown.

The 4.2-liter DOHC inline-six features a block stamped with number 8L177127, which can be viewed in the prior listing, as well as a “big valve” cylinder head with Type C–badged valve covers. Induction is through triple Weber 45 DCOE carburetors, while the exhaust system features three-into-one exhaust headers that flow into dual outlets ahead of the right-rear wheel. Work under current ownership is reported to have included reconditioning the cylinder head and rebuilding the carburetors as well as installing an upgraded alternator, a high-torque starter, a PerTronix ignition, a Carter fuel pump, and an 18-gallon fuel cell from Fuel Safe Systems. The seller notes an oil leak and recommends tuning the carburetors.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Moss four-speed manual gearbox linked with a Salisbury rear end. Updates under current ownership are noted to have involved replacing the engine and transmission mounts, resurfacing the flywheel, fitting a Borg and Beck clutch assembly, re-sizing the clutch master cylinder, adding separate clutch reservoirs and installing driveshaft safety hoops.

The suspension incorporates solid axles at each end, each with Panhard rods, torsion bars, telescopic shock absorbers, and coil springs. Changes under current ownership have involved fabricating replacement shock mounts, fitting a Chalk Stix front anti-sway bar, installing Spax adjustable shocks, and adding Eibach springs with adjustable perches.

A racing log book issued by The Diehard Racers, records, and other documentation are included in the sale along with a collection of period magazines.

Chassis number 738187 and body number J0 300 are stamped to a reproduction brass tag affixed to the firewall. The former sequence aligns with a 1954 Jaguar Mk VII M saloon, while the latter appears on a homebuilt tag affixed to the rear of the chassis. The VIN on the Montana title is 738187.