New Jaguar owner here! Why on some XK120’s is the air filter in the front of the grille and others(most) are directly on the carburetors?
Hi Dave:
Welcome. The OTS models had pancake-style air filters on the carbs, however, the FHC and DHC models had the air cleaner in front of the radiator with a duct running inside the front wheel well up to the carbs. I believe the thinking was to reduce air intake noise in closed cars. However, having switched my DHC to individual filters many years ago and driving it almost exclusively with the top down I don’t notice any noise.
Chris.
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Thank you! I think the forum will be seeing a lot more of the automobile as I start to awaken it from its 57 year slumber!
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Hi David:
Wow! From your previous photo of the engine bay your car looks pretty complete, although I note the coil has been re-located to the inner wing. I will be interested to see further photos as the restoration proceeds. What is the chassis number of the car and what is your location? I have owned my 1953 DHC since 1963 (chassis #677577 July build), but as it has spent all it’s life in southern Ontario it suffered badly from the deadly tin worm prior to my ownership.
You will find a lot of expertise and excellent advice on this Forum and, while I am personally by no means an authority on DHCs, after 60 odd years of ownership I am glad to offer whatever guidance I can should you require it.
Regards,
Chris.
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Thank you Chris! I’ve owned many Brits, but never a Jaguar! My chassis number is 677123. And it’s an all matching numbers automobile with the only rust being in the battery box… which is not uncommon… the rest of the body, frame and floors have surface rust but just on the surface.
Looks forward to going down this rabbit hole! Dave
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Thanks Rob, love the FHC!
I am sure you will soon get expert opinion, but when a vehicle is as original looking as that one, some say its best to change as little as possible.
I have a friend that owns a MKV looks a bit like that, its utterly original, he is the second owner, bought it of the widow of the first owner who was a near neighbor, over 40 years ago, he is a vehicle restorer amongst other things, and does amazing rebuilds on vintage vehicles, but he told me he has only changed ball joints on the MKV
Dont change the hose clamps 
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I’m a conservationist at heart, I only plan on doing what’s absolutely necessary to get her back on the road and safe!
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Mines 677698! (DHC)
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Very cool! Is there info on how many DHC were built in 1953?
the wire mesh does not filter air much…keeps birds out unless they decide to nest in it. Soooooo…get some thin air cleaner foam–often found in lawnmower section of hardware stores, and .cut into strips that you wedge in all around the filter openings…right over the mesh…easily removed-replaced.
Nick
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JDHT has produced production charts.
xk_models.pdf (141.4 KB)
Philip Porter’s book “Original Jaguar XK” 2nd ed. also has monthly production charts, and I recommend this book if you are just starting your Jaguar book collection. Yours was built in May 1953.
Hi David:
According to Philip Porter in his book “Original Jaguar XK” a total of 1,269 DHCs were built in 1953 comprising of 167 RHD and 1,102 LHD. It would appear your car was probably built in April of 1953
Chris.
That was one of the more amazing things to me about my DKW’s: they had not so much an air cleaner, but a tuned air silencer.
All they had was a coarse steel mesh in them, and, like you say, they’d keep out the larger rocks and the smaller birds. However, with proper maintenance – and this is back in the day, when this was a meaningful number! – they’d go 100,000 miles… !!!
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True deal, cuz w/o the silencer/bird filter, a Deek engine wont run for sour owl puckey!
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Welcome David, looks like a dream barn find car! The chassis number caught my interest for two reasons:
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Good advice! Thank you