FreeWheeling Classic Cars in the Bascom
Mark Chmar of the Highlands Motoring Festival has worked diligently to curate exceptional examples of rare automobiles for the FreeWheeling exhibition. The following automobiles are a sampling of the cars that will be on display at The Bascom, and are representative of the caliber of vehicle viewers can expect to see inside the gallery. A special thank you goes to the lenders of these amazing automobiles whose willingness to share their private collections with the public is greatly appreciated.
Clark Gable's 1954 Jaguar XK 120 OTS
1965 Jaguar Series 1 E-type
In 1948, William Lyons, Jaguar’s founder, created one of the most innovative and captivating cars of the era. The XK120 was so modern, it established Lyons as a legend in his own lifetime. The actual design took three months and a handbuilt prototype was completed in time for the 1948 Earls Court Motor Show. And at 120 mph, it was the sustained top speed of the new car.
Legend has it that when it went on display for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961, none other than Enzo Ferrari remarked that the E-type (known as the “XKE” in the U.S.) was the most beautiful car he’d ever seen. Mr. Ferrari knew a pretty car when he saw one and he might have been one of the first to express the sentiment, but an incalculable number of others have said virtually the same thing and they’re still saying it 60 years later. Designed by noted aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer, the E-type was meant to cheat the wind, but its glass-covered headlights, long hood, short rear deck and compound curves also coincidentally looked great.
The XK 120 was competition ready, and was the fastest production car in the world achieving 132.6 mph when first introduced. With a 0 to 60 mph in 10 seconds, and a quarter mile in 17, the XK120 dominated immediate post-war racing. It handled superbly and had a successful racing history. Sixty percent of production ended up in the U.S. The engine design was so advanced, it was used until 1985. MGM Studios purchased this car for Clark Gable. They had the Los Angeles dealer install the Borrani wire wheels. The car was actually registered to the studio, as was customary, but maintained for Gable’s use exclusively. MGM subsequently sold the car to long-time set designer, who restored it in 1981. A complete frame-off restoration has just been completed by Special Cars Only of Oldsmar, Florida. The Jaguar won Best Of Class Award at the 2006 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
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With a 0-60 time of around seven seconds and a 150 mph top speed, the Series I E-type was near the top of the early 1960s food chain and was indeed quicker than numerous sports cars with a much higher price tag. A 2+2 coupe was added to the coupe and convertible body styles in 1966, and the 2+2 was the first E-type to be available with an automatic transmission. Parts are easy to find and not terribly expensive for any version of the E-type.
