Probably true. If factory bodymen took the time needed to finesse panel fits and elevations to a high standard the cars would have had to be priced a great deal higher, and that would defeat Lyon’s winning marketing formula. Still, it wouldn’t surprise me if cars like Gable’s, which were sure to be widely photographed and publicised, were allowed special treatment on the assembly line, perhaps to the point of a loss leader. After all, the publicity and advertising value would more than offset the extra cost.
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So many people have claimed to have owned ex Gable XK120’s it is ridiculous
there isn’t even any actual documented proof that his aluminum car was 670003 it is only circumstantial that it was as there are so few cars that it could have been.
We definitely know that he did own 672282 as this is clearly photographed and rego documents etc exist to me it seems amazing he had purchased another car within 1-2 months ie 672623.
The material supplied on this car I see as not definitive proof that 672623 was owned by Gable, certainly I don’t believe that Barris records would have recorded the chassis number and do the factory records note Gable the purchaser of 672623? It would be great to see actual copy of original workshop sheets showing the Gable project more than just a typed sheet of jobs. The other essential item would be to see photos of the car prior to restoration. There were a great number of cars that had customizing work carried in the USA.
Love to proof beyond doubt that this actually a Gable car. Is there any chance of getting a good high quality copy of the photo with gable an cigarette?
terry
add for Carson top and the little badge that should be on it
Wow , Terry can you pm me a pdf of that!
Remember the shop was burnt down in 1956 ish or so…
I have tons of personal docs from previous owners , pictures , letters and paint chips . Pics from George himself documenting what he did and helped Joe C on the new restoration before he died.
In that picture of the add the marker lights are already off ,no badges yet and I can’t tell on the rear if that’s the other bumper or plate light? On second look it looks like the brake light!
Same spats,top, wheels, colors from the shades…
Terry, I got it, I was able to print it! Thanks …what a find!
Is that add yours
Thanks
Gtjoey1314
P.S. My gable picture is a copy from the wall .
Last owner has that copy and made me a copy of that…
You copy?
Maybe my printer guy can forward you something, I don’t know how big you can make it?
I must admit I can see no difference in the front wings “Front Fenders shaved”
Or “Headlights blended into front fenders” so really the mods seem to be removal of front sidelight pods and removal of rear number plate plinth. How was the rear number plate attached to the car?
The only sort of thing I can see is rear spats seem to be exceptionally flat from the pics!
Are there any photos of the car as it was first found prior to restoration?
Tons of pictures
You have to see it in person
It’s wonderful
I’ve got my mother in law and parents all with me tonite as everyone is up from Florida
Gtjoey 1314
No spears on the headlight pods nor motifs on headlight rims. Sidelights deleted. This chassis number would have had chromed sidelights.
I guess that’s what Barris called “shaved”, as in whiskers removed?
I saw it at JK Restorations in 2013, and I believe it had standard US sealed beam headlights then, as a standard US delivered car would have had. I remember there was no place to put a rear license plate and no reverse light.
Wonderful picture explaining what Rob was talking about …
Look at the color in the morning light!
Gtjoey1314
Good detailed photos of this car here.
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6012-1952-jaguar-xk-120-clark-gables/
Looks filthy …
Only kidding
I still did some detail work but overall it’s a wonderful car to the eye
Gtjory1314
Pretty cool!
A rollback, with a rollback cover…neat!
This is a fantastic and very important photo, We had determined from this photo that the car pictured is an early Alloy XK120 not a later steel bodied car with sidevents etc. Just being in the Barris workshop it may not have even been owned by Gable he may have just been a visitor of course.
We subsequent have found a better quality photo that more clearly shows it definitely being an alloy car ie no vent in wing side, larger windscreen rubber grommet is extremely clearly visible and it has the early side exhaust coming out under the wing etc so there is no doubt it is a Alloy bodied car.
This is the new better quality picture
Here is the old picture
My guess is it’s the alloy car with CA plate 56A 2 443. The aerial appears to be in the right place, though not leaning back like it is in other pics I’ve seen. Anyone know what chassis number that car is supposed to be?
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Hi Terry,
If it’s any help at all, here is another image of that vehicle. Sorry, I don’t remember where this image came from.
These three images I grabbed from a movie on tv.
It appears to be the same vehicle.
CA plate 56A 2443 is 670003.
Antenna definitely angled, not straight up.
Note the front bumper guards BTW, not always present on photos of this car with Gable in it.
What would Gable want with a hard top?
Easy enough to adjust the angle of the aerial, in my experience.
Aren’t the brake cooling holes, in the front, an indicator of a steel body?
I remember the car fondly
But sadly it has moved on to a new owner awhile back!
Gtjoey1314
it had it noted to sell on a facebook page just the other day!
I don’t know
I don’t do Facebook
Thankfully
Gtjoey1314
