1958 Jaguar XKSS 3.4 OTS

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Description

November 2025 Update: Our team has just wrapped up our second XKSS build, which is similar to our 1959 British Racing Green XKSS example. This is the second of two XKSS alloy bodies we acquired from a true craftsman panel builder who fabricates state-of-the-art vehicles. The team created the first car as an in-house “demo,” and this second XKSS is now complete, and available!

We chose a great color combination for this second build, featuring a striking pairing of Jaguar Dark Blue over a Red interior. The XKSS is powered by a Jaguar XK-140 MC 3.4-liter red-head twin-cam engine and equipped with Weber carburetors, a spin-on oil filter, an alloy-finned radiator with auxiliary fan, a gear reduction starter, Tremec T-5 five-speed transmission, a custom-made and balanced driveshaft, a rebuilt early 1961 E-Type rear end, early Series 1 E-Type front suspension, adjustable front and rear shocks, Wilwood brakes, and original Dunlop peg-style alloy racing wheels with three-eared knock-offs.

Instrumentation is period-correct Smiths, complete with all the proper British knobs and switches to give the interior a truly authentic look. Additional details include a D-Type three-spoke steering wheel, battery cut-off switch, and 1-2-3 electronic ignition. The exhaust system features Classic Fabs custom-made headers feeding into a stainless pipe and side-exit muffler, while the aluminum gas tank is fitted with a quick-fill cap.

With the build now complete, our team has entered the final phase of logging test miles and performing post-build sorting to ensure that every aspect of this XKSS performs flawlessly. This exceptional example represents the culmination of meticulous craftsmanship, engineering precision, and dedication to Jaguar’s legendary racing heritage - contact us for more info today!

History

The Jaguar XKSS is a road-going version of the racing car, initially built in 1957. Only 16 were built and sold at the time. Nine were destroyed in a factory fire in 1957. In 2016 Jaguar announced that a small production run of nine "continuation" XKSS reproductions would be hand-built to the original specifications to complete the originally scheduled run of 25. Following 's withdrawal from competition at the end of the 1956 season, a number of completed and partly completed remained unsold at the Browns Lane factory. In an attempt to recoup some of the investment made in building these unused , and to exploit the lucrative American market for high-performance European sports cars, decided to convert a number to road-going specification. Only minor changes were made to the basic D-type structure: the addition of a passenger side door; the removal of the large fin behind the driver; and the removal of the divider between passenger and driver seats. In addition, changes were made for cosmetic, comfort and legal reasons: a full-width, chrome-surrounded windscreen was added; sidescreens were added to both driver and passenger doors; a rudimentary, folding, fabric roof was added for weather protection; chromed bumpers were added front and rear (a styling cue later used on the ); rear light clusters were mounted higher on the wings; and thin chrome strips were added to the edges of the front light fairings. By early 1957 a total of 16 of the planned production run of 25 XKSS's had been completed at Jaguar's plant. On the evening of 12 February a fire broke out, destroying the remaining nine in mid-production. All of the destroyed vehicles had been destined for North America. Most of the previously built 16 XKSSs were also sold in the US.