1937 SS 100 Jaguar 2½-Litre Two-seater Sports
Chassis no. 18050
Engine no. 250997

Launched for 1936, the SS 100 was the first real high-performance model produced by SS Cars Limited and used a new Weslake-developed overhead-valve engine in a shortened SS 1 chassis. The introduction of the OHV unit was considered to justify the adoption of a new name for the series, SS Cars boss William Lyons later recalling "I immediately pounced on Jaguar as it had an exciting sound to me". ('Jaguar' would be adopted as the marque name in 1943, 'SS' having by then acquired a somewhat tarnished reputation).

'SS' originally stood for the Swallow Sidecar & Coachbuilding Company, which had been founded in Blackpool, England by William Walmsley. The company branched out into motor manufacture in 1926, its first major success being an attractive sports saloon on the Austin Seven chassis, the design being the work of Walmsley's partner, one William Lyons. Relocation to Coventry followed and the Swallow range expanded to include models on Morris Cowley, Wolseley Hornet and Standard Sixteen chassis. Marque status arrived in October 1931 with the launch of the SS 1, the chassis of which was supplied exclusively to Swallow by Standard, who also provided the six-cylinder sidevalve engine and four-speed gearbox. Although unspectacular in performance, the SS 1 went some way towards establishing the pattern for future Jaguars, combining sporting good looks with a better-than-average specification and all at a bargain price.

By the time the SS 90 sports car arrived in 1935, William Heynes had joined as Chief Engineer. Based on a shortened SS 1 chassis, re-engineered by Heynes, the SS 90 again demonstrated Lyons' consummate skill as a stylist, its long bonnet, smoothly flowing wings, cut-away doors and truncated tail making it every inch the epitome of the 1930s sports car. Although good for 90mph, the SS 90 was handicapped by the limitations of its sidevalve engine, a deficiency that would soon be rectified by another of Lyons' new recruits, gas-flow consultant Harry Weslake. Launched in 1936 alongside the 2½-Litre saloon, the SS 100 Jaguar sports car marked the company's first use of the 'Jaguar' name. Beautifully styled in the manner of its SS 90 predecessor, the newcomer employed a shorter, 102"-wheelbase chassis and a revised version of the 2,663cc Standard six which, equipped with Weslake's overhead-valve cylinder head and breathing through twin SU carburettors, now produced 104bhp.

Although a fine touring car, the SS 100 was marketed as primarily for competition work. Its first major success came early, if somewhat unexpectedly, when Tommy Wisdom, crewed by his wife Elsie, won the arduous International Alpine Trial in 1936, beating Bugatti and bringing the fledgling marque to the attention of the Continental public. This would be the first of many successful rallying forays, including class wins in the RAC events of 1937 and 1938, and the Alpine (outright) again in 1948. Around 190 2½-Litre and 116 of the later 3½-Litre cars had been made by the time SS 100 production was prematurely ended by the outbreak of war.

Chassis number '18050' was delivered by Henlys, Manchester to its first owner, Jack Harrop, in December 1936, that year's cars being the first to carry the 'Jaguar' name. Harrop entered the car in the 1937 RAC Rally, which he won, achieving the highest score among all the classes. The 1937 RAC Rally is on record as having some of the worst ever driving conditions, with heavy snowdrifts to battle through. That same year Harrop entered the Monte Carlo Rally and won the RSAC award for the top entrant from Scotland. At the time of delivery, the car went to Switzerland where Jack Harrop lived. He served as a fighter pilot in WW2 and sadly was killed in action.

SS Jaguar Cars featured a picture of '18050' in their 1939 sales brochure under 'Sporting Success' (copy on file). '18050' is also featured with pictures in several motoring journals of 1937 including Speed magazine, some of which are in the accompanying file. There are also some action pictures taken of the car crossing the finishing line in Monte Carlo and during the rallies. '18050' is also featured in Andrew Whyte's book, SS 100 Super Profile.

After the war the car ended up going to the USA, eventually ending up in the ownership of William Martin, a prominent SS 100 collector. In 1993 William sent the car back to the UK to be garaged by a friend for eventual restoration. However, the restoration never happened and the SS languished in the garage for the next 17 years until 2010, when William realised at the age of 80-plus years he was not going to get around to the restoration and decided to offer it for sale to the current vendor. William travelled to the UK from his California home to visit the vendor at his home to discuss the deal and proposals for the car's restoration. He was very keen that it should be a sympathetic restoration and needed to satisfy himself on this point before agreeing the sale. The restoration took 10 years to complete and included the following work:

• Engine completely rebuilt by specialist (the block is endorsed with the SS 100 by the factory)
• Gearbox rebuilt by a specialist, and a new propshaft made using the original yokes
• Chassis medium-blasted and then hot zinc sprayed followed by three coats of specialist chassis paint
• Ash body frame removed and all joints re-glued; gusset-strengthening ash built in; frame re-skinned; new plywood floors, all as original
• Springs overhauled and new Silentbloc bushes fitted
• Original Luvax shock absorbers overhauled and refitted; André Hartford shock absorbers replaced
• Original brake shoes relined and all rods plated and refitted
• Total electrical rewire using Autosparks (Lucas) wiring loom
• All brightwork removed and refurbished (re-chroming undertaken by Derby Plating)
• QK596 headlights restored by Vintage Headlight Restorations
• Steering rack overhauled by Holman Engineering
• Total interior re-trim with new leather throughout by restoration specialist John Foy using original trim patterns and detailing
• New door cards, hood, tonneau cover, side screens and carpets.
• All dashboard instruments overhauled and re-calibrated by a specialist

The repaint was undertaken by a specialist coachwork sprayer in the original SS colour of Maroon. The car sits on a set of new MWS wheels with New Zealand rims and Blockley tyres. With the car are the restored SS 100 jack, tools, and a starting handle. During the restoration the car was inspected and verified by David Davenport of Davenport Cars Ltd (specialist restorers of SS Jaguars from all around the world). Throughout the restoration the vendor emjoyed the help and support of some of the world's leading authorities on the SS marque: David Davenport, Alan Crouch, Jaguar Drivers' Club, Alan Gibbons, and from Australia John Clucas and Ed Nantes.

The SS 100 was one of the fastest and best-handling sports cars of its day, as its competition record both before and after the war bears witness to. Representing a rare opportunity to acquire an historically significant example of the model that can be said to have started the Jaguar legend, '18050' is eligible for a wide variety of the most prestigious historic motor sports events.