This unique Pininfarina-bodied 1954 Jaguar XK120 SE
was unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, following a full
restoration that took 6,725 hours. This XK120 was first delivered to a Mr Max
Hoffman in 1954, a New York-based importer of luxury European cars during the
50's. He was also a petrol-head and is believed to have inspired Pininfarina to
reinterpret the shapes of the XK.
Initially unveiled at the 1955 Geneva Motor Show,
this car also made appearances at the Autocar Show later that year, although
never made it to the Turin Show due to the owner wanting to take delivery of
it.
The full restoration saw the car get a completely
new front end, new rear quarter panels, inner arch panels, boot floor, sills
and door skins. The chassis had to be fully repaired and repainted, while the
front and rear bumpers needed to be rebuilt.
A full 80% of the original chrome work needed to be
remade, including the rear screen and screen surround. Inside, the interior
needed a full re-trim, while the engine and gearbox had to be rebuilt. The 1954 Jaguar XK120 SE by Pininfarina is powered
by a 3.2-liter straight-6, good for 182 PS (180 HP) at 5,300 rpm.