Lost Jaguar collection for sale

Lost big cats found

A collection of historic Jaguars has resurfaced after being stashed away for more than 20 years by an enthusiastic collector.

During the 1960s and ’70s, the late Thomas C Hendricks added a one-of-three 1951 Jaguar Works-built XK120, a 1959 Lister Sports Racing Car and a 1954 XK120M Roadster to his collection.

These classic cars, alongside some tempting projects, will cross the block at Bonhams’ Amelia Island Auction on 2 March 2023 in Florida.

From an abandoned Le Mans project piloted by 1961 Formula One Champion Phil Hill to a concours-winning roadster, let’s take a look at these fabulous lots.

Runs in the family

Inspired by his father’s love of Jaguars, Thomas C Hendricks was a marque connoisseur and former chairman of the Washington Jaguar Club.

His varied collection has been stored just outside Washington, DC, for more than 20 years after his Costin-bodied 1959 Lister Sports Racing Car and rare 1951 Jaguar Works-built racing XK120 were last spotted at a C-type anniversary show in Nashville in 2001.

Hendricks had the collecting bug bad, and his passion for rare and significant models is reflected in the collection’s pre-sale estimates.

1951 Jaguar Works-built lightweight aluminium racing XK120 ‘LT3’ (est: $400-600,000/c£329,400-494,200)

One of the earliest cars from this collection is this one-of three XK120 racing car.

Three aluminium-bodied XK120s were produced as back-ups for Jaguar’s 1951 Le Mans campaign, which was eventually contested – and won – by the renowned C-type.

Although never raced at the Circuit de la Sarthe, two of the cars (LT2 and this car, LT3) did compete in America after they were shipped over to promote the marque.

Success in the States

In August 1951, Phill Hill finished first in class in LT3’s debut at the Sports Car Club of America’s Elkhart Lake race.

The American driver continued to campaign the car in 1951 and ’52, including appearances at Pebble Beach and Palm Springs.

Its success at the hands of Hill would’ve certainly satisfied West Coast distributor Charles Hornburg, whose idea it was to race LT2 and LT3 in the US as a marketing exercise.

More to come

Following the 1952 SCCA season, LT2 and LT3 were sold off, having proved their worth on track.

Six years after Hill’s campaign in LT3 he began racing in Formula One with Ferrari.

He eventually won the 1961 drivers’ world championship – becoming the first US driver to do so – in a Ferrari 156 ‘Sharknose’.

He had a bittersweet relationship with single-seater racing, however, and retired from F1 in 1964. He continued to compete in some sports-car series before calling it quits on his racing career.

Le Mans reserves

LT3 and its two siblings were built by Jaguar during the gestation of the C-type racer.

In 1950, William Lyons gave Jaguar engineers William Heynes and Frank Raymond Wilton ‘Lofty’ England the green light to produce a car to fight for the outright win at the 1951 Le Mans 24-hour race.

The engineers were wary of the project’s short timeframe, so they prepared three lightweight XK120 racing cars (LT1, 2 and 3) as reserves, in case the C-types were not ready in time.

Midlands to Missouri

LT1, LT2 and LT3 used the standard XK120 chassis but were rebodied using lightweight aluminium panels built by Abbey Panels in Coventry.

Apparently LT1 wasn’t completed in period – its aluminium shell was later bought by Jaguar PR executive Bob Berry, who bolted it to his XK120 chassis.

Following its time competing in SCCA races, LT3, which will cross the block with Bonhams on 2 March, remained in the US.

It was sold to Art Feuerbacher in St Louis, Missouri, who hired American driver Chuck Leighton to race the lightweight XK120 at various US circuits.

Under the bonnet

The straight-six unit under the bonnet produces an estimated 180bhp via a four-speed manual transmission.

While with its second owner, LT3’s cylinder head was swapped with that from a C-type that was also owned by Feuerbacher.

The component, marked E-1012-8, is still present today. It’s the only numbered part on the engine.

New home

Chuck Leighton bought the car from Feuerbacher and continued to race it until 1956.

Then, 14 years later, LT3 swapped hands once again. It remained in St Louis with car collector Jack Reuter, who added it to his impressive collection which included a Ferrari 166 Barchetta, Maserati 250F and a Bugatti Type 37.

Hendricks first heard of the car while he was displaying his treasured XK120M at a show, and he wasted no time in brokering a deal to buy this special machine. It joined his collection in 1974.

Unrestored racer

A restoration was mulled over, but it never materialised.

It is known that Hendricks got in touch with Hill and Hornburg to discover more about the car, and discussions apparently took place.

Today it remains in highly original condition, from its lightweight body to its period seats.

And it’s not the only racing car to emerge from Hendricks’ previously hidden collection…

1959 Costin-bodied Lister Sports Racing Car (est: $600-800,000/c£494,200-658,900)

The other competition machine that has emerged from the American collector’s garage is this Lister Sports Racing Car, and it is also going to go under the hammer at Bonhams’ Amelia Island auction on 2 March.

It was initially raced with a Chevrolet V8 engine, but is now powered by a Jaguar six-cylinder unit. It’s been campaigned at various British circuits and enjoyed an outing at Le Mans for a special 50th-anniversary race.

Apparently Hendricks was drawn to the car not because of its on-track merits, but by the swooping Frank Costin-designed body.

From the ashes

Following a large fire at Jaguar’s Browns Lane factory in Coventry, the marque took a step back from international racing.

In its absence, Brian Lister leapt at the chance to use Jaguar’s six-cylinder twin-cam XK power unit in his competition cars, and from 1957 his firm entered a successful era on the international sports-car racing stage.

Early cars were campaigned by American racer Briggs Cunningham’s team – they dominated the SCCA’s US Road Racing Championship in 1958, driven by Walt Hansgen.

New look

By 1959, Lister was in need of a more aerodynamic shape to keep up with the competition.

Frank Costin, a successful aeronautical engineer, set about creating a more slippery body for the otherwise competitive Lister-Jaguar.

Costin’s portfolio was impressive: he’d worked on bodies for both Lotus and Vanwall’s Grand Prix cars, and was behind Maserati’s 450S Le Mans Berlinetta.

The re-profiled Lister was a success on track and the Cambridge-based company continued to prove its worth.

Out of the blocks

This car, chassis BHL 125, was delivered to first owner Ron Brightman in 1959.

Brightman wasted no time in getting his new car on track. Following a March debut at Snetterton that year, BHL 125 made further appearances at Oulton Park, Goodwood, Brands Hatch and more. 

During this time the car was powered by a 5.7-litre V8 from Chevrolet; it had a bonnet bulge so Lister engineers could wrestle the big unit into the chassis.

Strangely, after a busy 1959, Brightman appears to have not used the car again and he sold it two years later.

Racing return

From 1963-’70 the Lister-Jaguar enjoyed a second wind in competitive motorsport with its new Surrey-based owner.

During this time its Chevrolet V8 was also swapped for a wet-sump Jaguar XK powerplant.

BHL 125 changed hands a couple more times and its fourth owner, Chris Drake, drove it in a celebratory race for the 50th anniversary of Le Mans in 1973 – its last competitive outing.

Retired racer

The car eventually caught Thomas Hendricks’ attention and in 1976 he visited the UK to purchase BHL 125.

The car headed to the US with him where it was used sparingly – its last notable outing was at a 50th-anniversary celebration for the Jaguar C-type in Tennessee, alongside LT3.

As a result, BHL 125 remains very original and it’s sure to grab plenty of attention when it goes under the hammer at Amelia Island in March.

1954 Jaguar XK120M Roadster (est: $75-110,000/c£61,700-90,600)

Hendricks’ father, Carl, was also a Jaguar fanatic and he bought this XK120M Roadster in the mid-1950s.

The ‘M’ model (for modified; they were badged ‘SE’ for Special Equipment in the UK) was a step up from the standard XK120: pressed steel bodywork, twin exhausts and a new cylinder head were upgrades inspired by the marque’s recent stints at Le Mans.

Much to Thomas Hendricks’ dismay, his father sold the Birch Grey roadster in the late ’50s.

Concours star

Fast forward to 1961 and Thomas Hendricks was ready to settle down with his wife Susan. The couple had saved enough money for a house deposit… until Hendricks discovered that his dad’s XK120M was for sale.

With the search for a first home now on the back burner, the XK120M returned to the Hendricks’ family, where it remained for more than 60 years.

The car was well cared for and, alongside success at various concours events, it was chosen to represent the model on Jaguar’s New York Auto Show stand in 1968.

Hendricks’ XK120M has never been restored and Bonhams recommends a full recommission before it hits the road again.

1961 Jaguar E-type ‘flat-floor’ Roadster (est: $30-40,000/c£24,700-32,900)

Three barn-find projects are also being offered as part of the collection, including this 1961 Jaguar E-type Roadster.

It’s clear from the above photo that a restoration project will be no small task, but the results could be massively rewarding.

It’s supplied with a hardtop, and has a pre-sale estimate of $30-40,000 (c£24,700-32,900) prior to crossing the block with Bonhams in March.

1951 XK120 Fixed Head Coupé and Roadster

A 1951 XK120 Roadster (middle) and Fixed Head Coupé are also part of the ‘Lost Jaguars’ collection.

Like the E-type, these will require a fair bit of attention before they’re back on the road, but this is reflected in the pre-sale estimates: $20-30,000 (c£16,500-£24,700) for the Roadster and $10-20,000 (c£8200-316,500) for the Fixed Head Coupé.

Both will be offered with no reserve and either could make an appealing prospect for classic Jaguar fans.

Amelia Island stars

These lots will be sold as part of the Bonhams Amelia Island auction on 2 March at Fernandina Beach Golf Club, Florida.

Viewing is possible on Wednesday 1 March and before the auction on Thursday.

Plenty of other classic cars will also cross the block, including a 1966 Ferrari 500 Superfast Series 2, a 1951 Porsche 356 Pre-A 1300 Cabriolet and a 1935 Packard Twelve Convertible Victoria.

Further information is available on the Bonhams website.