Description
H&H Classic Auction @ The Imperial War Museum, Duxford/ Cambridgeshire
19th June, 2024 13:00
1938 SS Jaguar 100 2. 5 Litre
A Collector Grade example of the First Sports Car with the Jaguar Name
Estimate
£230, 000 - £270, 000
Registration No: DOX 996
Chassis No: 49032
MOT: Exempt
Owned by one family from 1938 until 2002, then a second family from 2002 - 2022
Believed to have only covered 20, 000 miles from when new in 1938
A very original example with matching numbers
Subject to recent engine overhaul and mechanical work
Widely considered as one of the most desirable and attractive sports cars of the 1930s and the first to bear the 'Jaguar' name, the iconic SS Jaguar 100 entered pre-production in October 1935 and was launched officially in 1936 as a much improved successor to the SS90 from which it was derived. Improvements included a host of mechanical improvements, most notable of which was upgrading the six-cylinder Standard pushrod engine from side-valve to overhead valve with a new crossflow cylinder head designed by Harry Weslake and William Heynes fed by twin SU Carburettors. The power unit was mated to a four-speed manual transmission with syncromesh on all forward speeds apart from first. With 104hp at 4, 600rpm, the car could be propelled to 60 mph in 12. 8 seconds and onwards to a top speed of 96mph.
Although a very capable touring car, the SS 100 was marketed purely for competition work and in 1936, its first major success came when Tommy Wisdom, crewed by his wife, won the International Alpine Trial - thus beating Bugatti and creating a name for the Marque on Continent. This would be the first of many successful rallying forays, which included class wins in the RAC events of 1937 and 1938 and the Alpine Trial was won outright once again in 1948.
In total, 190 2. 5 Litre and 112 3. 5 Litre SS100s were manufactured by the time production was ceased due to the outbreak of war, which also spelled the end of the 'SS Cars' name. However, the 'Jaguar' name became carried on with Sir William Lyons' company post war which went on to create some of the most exciting sports cars of all time, all of which owe their heritage to the SS Jaguar 100.
According to the buff log book on file, 'DOX 996' was first registered on the 30th March 1938 to Reginald Duckitt of Chester Road, Erdington and was supplied in the colour scheme of Gunmetal Grey over a Red Leather interior. Mr Duckitt appears to have only kept the car for two months, when ownership was passed to Ashmore's Auto Engineers Ltd of Roebuck Lane, West Bromwich who supplied the car to a Mr Alfred Simms. Mr Simms is believed to have kept 'DOX 996' on the road until 1955, for which there is a tax disc on file for this year and then until his passing in 1978, when ownership was transferred to his widow, Mrs Elsie Simms. Mrs Simms is believed to have contacted noted Jaguar Historian, Paul Skilleter, in 1979. Mr Skilleter is understood to have visited the car and noted that it was a very original, untouched machine at this point that had lain dormant for many years. From February 1980 Mr Skilleter was visiting Mrs Simms to document its restoration, which was being carried out by Mrs Simms' next-door neighbour who was also an SS100 owner, John Owen. It is understood that Mr Owen and Mrs Simms had a disagreement for whatever reason, meaning that the restoration stalled until 2002, when Mr Ben Hyams acquired the car in February of that year. A copy of the Classic Jaguar Association's SS100 Register from 1989 lists Mrs Simms as the owner of the car where it was described as being in restoration having not run for twenty years and only displayed a mere 19, 600 miles on the odometer.
According to the history file, it is understood that Mr Hyams enlisted the help of 'Auto Welding & Spraying' of Chart Sutton, Kent in around 2006 to complete the restoration and it would take a further seven years until the SS100 emerged as a complete car having been refinished in the very attractive scheme of British Racing Green over a Green Leather interior. Unfortunately, Mr Hyams never got to enjoy the car which remained static after he passed away and the car was kept in the family until 2022 when the car was offered for sale in need of some mechanical work due to an issue with the engine's top end. 'DOX 996' was subsequently sold to the current owner, himself an owner of a multitude of interesting and rare pre-war vehicles, and a full engine overhaul was completed along with other works to return this magnificent example of pre-war motoring to the road. Today, the odometer (which was zero'd at the time of restoration) displays only 275 gentle miles and the vendor believes that 'DOX 996' has totalled less than 20, 000 miles since new in 1938. The vendor has now decided, due to a recent bout of health problems, that he desires more of an enclosed car for touring than an open tourer and therefore with bucket list ticked, the car is offered for sale.
Upon inspection, we found that this fabulous early Jaguar is a very presentable example for which the vendor describes the paintwork and interior trim as being 'excellent' thanks to the quality restoration that the car was subject to and still remains fresh due to the relative lack of use since then. The Roadster is supplied with original Aero Screens plus sidescreens and a black Mohair hood which was renewed during the restoration. A turn of the key and a prod of the starter button immediately fired the magnificent straight six into life and the vendor has advised that it has been 'very trustworthy' and is 'ready to use' - for which he did for around twenty miles to the photoshoot and video session. It is understood that the transmission and clutch were also overhauled during the restoration, along with the wheels which have been painted body colour and shod with Blockley Tyres (including the two spares).
A rare opportunity indeed - if you are looking for an ever usable collector grade pre-war sports car that represents the earliest iteration of the Jaguar in sporting form, then surely 'DOX 996' is worthy of genuine consideration.
