History report by Dan Mooney
| 1950 Jaguar XK120 (Chassis # 670131) History report by Dan Mooney |
Go to Team CJ restoration log for this vehicle |
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Chassis # 670131, an alloy bodied Jaguar XK120 roadster, was completed at the Jaguar factory on February 10th, 1950. It was dispatched to the Charles Hornburg Dealership in Los Angeles on March 22nd, 1950. Charles H. Hornburg, Jr. was the first Jaguar dealer in the US and the man most responsible for introducing the Jaguar brand to the North American market. In many ways, Hornburg's enthusiasm and success selling Jaguars in the US was pivotal to the very survival of Jaguar Cars in the difficult years following the war.
When the XK120 was launched at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1948, Hornburg was famously quoted as saying "I'll take them all!" It is said that he actually took 2,000 advanced orders for the sensational new XK120 sports car, one of which was obviously chassis number 670131.
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| William Lyons visiting Charles Hornburg in California - 1950 | 670131 still retains its original matching number engine and transmission |
The first owner of the 670131 was Stephen Duma, a 32 year old real estate broker in Pasadena, CA. In 1951, Stephen Duma married Monica Whalen, a successful actress, singer and radio show host who worked on the Art Linkletter Show. Ms. Whalen was something of a celebrity at the time, counting Bing Crosby and Bob Hope among her circle of friends. We have spoken to Monica Whalen's daughter, Kelly Sullivan, who was six years old when her mother married Stephen Duma. She clearly remembers that her stepfather had a 'fancy sports car' at the time! She describes Duma as being tall, dark, handsome, and a little "flashy".
