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A rustbucket Jaguar car that was used as a chicken coop before spending 25 years entombed behind a false wall in a barn has been discovered.
The 1958 Jaguar XK150 drophead coupe belonged to a farmer who bought it as a restoration project about 30 years ago.
But it languished at one end of his barn where his chickens roosted in it. Unable to move it, the owner decided to brick it in and built a breeze block wall to hide it.
It was left to go to rust and ruin for a quarter-of-a-century before a car buff learnt of the rare motor’s existence and offered to buy it.
Even then he had no idea it was hidden behind a secret wall which had to be demolished to get to it.
The 1958 Jaguar XK150 drophead coupe belonged to a farmer who bought it as a restoration project about 30 years ago. But it languished at one end of his barn where his chickens roosted in it. Unable to move it, the owner decided to brick it in and built a breeze block wall to hide it
1958 Jaguar XK150 in Augsburg, Germany on September 29, 2019 (File Photo)
The dusty interior of the vehicle
The original documents for the vehicle
Despite being covered in rust and dirt, having ripped seats, a torn fabric roof and peeling paintwork, it is still worth £40,000 in the condition it was found in.
That is because the two-seater sports car maintains its original features, including its chassis and engine, and is highly sought-after among collectors.
Just 2,672 Jaguar XK150 drophead coupes were made by the British marque, making this one a rare find.
Once restored to its former glory the motor will be worth over £100,000.
It will be sold by Humbert & Ellis Auctioneers of Daventry, Northants.
The car’s rusted chassis
The steering wheel of the car
The engine of the car
A view of the rear of the car after it was removed from the barn
Auctioneer Jonathan Humbert said: ‘It is a matching numbers car that is in original and unrestored, untouched condition. There aren’t many of them around.
‘Our vendor is a car buff and heard that about this Jaguar. But even then he had no idea it had been hidden behind a wall in a barn for 25 years.
‘The former owner had shoved it up the end of an agricultural barn. Chickens had roosted in it before the owner decided to wall it in.
‘When our vendor turned up he had to ask where it was and they had to to bulldoze the wall to get to it. He bought it there and then.
‘We have had plenty of interest in it because it is ripe for restoration.’
The Jaguar in its new setting
The Jaguar in the barn
The engine of the car
Information about the component parts of the vehicle have survived
The speedometer of the car
The headlights of the Jaguar
The registration plate of the car
The Jaguar logo from the car
He added: ‘This car harks back to a time when British engineering was at the top of its game and when Jaguar cars were top of the shop.
‘Once this car is restored it will be worth at least £100,000.’
The Jaguar has a 3,442CC petrol engine and is capable of a top speed of 150mph. It was originally white with red leather seats and chrome bumpers and wheels.
It will be sold on Monday.
