Personal

Car Stuff

Extras

1938 Jaguar 3 1/2-Litre SS100 Two-Seat Sports Tourer

Lot No: 244 - A Sale of Important Sports, Competition and Collectors' Motor Cars and Fine Automobilia
Goodwood Revival, Chichester, Sussex, 1 Sep 2006
Ex-Donald E. Williams
Chassis no. 39002
Engine no. M501E
Sold for £155,500 inclusive of Buyer's Premium

This long-preserved SS100 is a most attractive example of the pre-war sporting model which did so much to establish Sir William Lyons’s Coventry marque as pre-eminent amongst British sports car manufacturers, combining – as his advertising department’s legendary phrase put it – grace, and pace.
The Standard-engined SS100 was a manufactured by SS Cars Limited between 1936 and 1940, or perhaps 1941 when the last example is understood to have been delivered to its first owner ex-works. Sir William’s company had of course begun its historic existence manufacturing Swallow Sidecars in Blackpool, and in 1936, after the move to Coventry and the launch of significant production car manufacture, the name ‘Jaguar’ had been adopted for a new saloon model, and thereafter – increasingly – for all the cars produced. Sir William’s policy of combining elegance and manufacturing quality with high performance and – crucially – prices which really did offer extraordinary value for money, proved to be a recipe for rapidly accelerating success…until the Second World War intervened.

Following the war, due to the unfortunate connotations then attached to the initials SS, the Lyons concern was renamed Jaguar Cars Limited.

The chassis for the SS two-seat sports cars had been a cut-down 8 foot 8 inch wheelbase version of the longer frame originated for the sister 2½-litre saloon, a model produced in much larger volume. The shortened chassis had first emerged in 1935, underpinning the SS90 sporting model. Suspension featured half elliptic leafsprings front and rear with beam axle front and live-axle rear ends. The chosen engine was a development of the old 2½-litre unit manufactured by the Standard Motor Company, subsequently modernised from its original side-valve form to overhead-valve with a new cylinder head designed by William Heynes and airflow expert Harry Weslake. Their joint efforts increased power output from 70bhp to nearer 100, the unit breathing through twin SU carburettors. In 1938 the engine was further enlarged to 3½-litres – as in this example offered here - and with this enlargement in displacement, power output increased to some 125bhp. The four-speed gearbox featured synchromesh on the top 3 ratios. Girling drum brakes were used and the complete SS100 weighed-in at a little over 23 cwt (2,600 pounds, 1,150kg).

When tested by The Autocar in 1937 the 2½-litre car was found, with windscreen lowered, to achieve 95 mph maximum, while its 0-60 mph acceleration time was 13½- seconds. With the 3½- litre power unit, the SS100 indeed achieved the magic 100 mph with a best of 101 mph while 0-60mph came up in 10.4 seconds.
In 1937 the 2½-litre version was priced at £395, while in 1938 the 3½-litre’s price-tag was £445. A handful of these SS sporting models were supplied to outside coachbuilders as chassis only.

But above all it was Sir Williams Lyons’s peerless styling which attracted strong demand for the SS90 and SS100 models. Building upon the pioneering sweeping-fendered designs of the present Lord March’s gradfather, Freddy March, Sir William produced faultless proportions in his early Jaguar cars. Overall only some 198 of the 2½-litre and 116 of the 3½-litre models were. Amongst them, only 49 were exported, of which this is one.

This car was delivered new on November 25, 1937 to new York City, USA. The only other information we have on the car – although research is ongoing and more will be known in time for the Goodwood Revival Meeting viewing – is that it was at one stage owned by Mr Donald E. Williams of San Ramon, California, by which time it had been restored and was finished in red with black interior. This Jaguar SS100 has been preserved for many years in the german museum, having been acquired by Mr Peter Kaus via Jack Braam Ruben from Don Williams and the Blackhawk Classic Auto Collection on July 4, 1988.