Description
Pavilion Gardens | Buxton, Derbyshire Viewing: Tues 28th July from 1pm Auction 29th July, 2026 12:00 Location: Pavilion Gardens St John's Rd, Buxton SK17 6BE Registration No: AVM 65Chassis No: 300895MOT: Exempt One of just a handful of surviving SS 2 Tourers in existence Supplied with the larger 12hp (1. 6 Litre) Standard engine An exciting and worthwhile restoration project that appears to have the majority of its components Supplied with the V5C registration document and green continuation log book dating back to 1966 Offered from a deceased estate “The SS 2 is a car designed to meet the ideal of those who desire a small car embodying all the refinements usually associated with the most expensive models. The grace of line appeals to the artistic taste, and the interior appointments signify the refinements characteristic of a luxury car” – Swallow Coachbuilding brochure. Launched at the October 1931 London Motor Show, the SS 2 began life as little more than a dramatically re-bodied Standard Nine. Available in Saloon, Coupe and (eventually) Tourer guises, the ‘baby’ SS gained a bespoke underslung chassis in late 1933. More than a foot longer than the outgoing platform, the new cross-braced frame showed off William Lyons’ styling to far better effect (indeed, its 8ft 8in wheelbase was later adopted by the SS Jaguar 100). Featuring all-round semi-elliptic leaf-sprung suspension, Hartford friction-type shock absorbers, Marles Weller cam and lever steering, 12-volt electrics and four-wheel drum brakes, the revised SS 2 could be had with a choice of 10hp (1343cc) or 12hp (1608cc) engines. Sourced from Standard, these torquey four-cylinder sidevalve units were rated at 32bhp and 38bhp respectively. Allied to four-speed manual transmission (with synchromesh on 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears), they reputedly allowed the model to reach speeds of between 60mph and 70mph. Far rarer than the Saloon or Coupe variants (if only because it was in production for less time), the SS 2 Tourer was just as well appointed. Supported by an ash frame, its two-door body boasted an integral luggage trunk, folding windscreen, generously stocked dual cowl dashboard, flowing wings, individual rear ‘armchairs’ and good quality leather upholstery. Priced at £260 (10hp) or £265 (12hp) when new, the SS 2 Tourer has long been prized for its aesthetic appeal. Rare as the proverbial hen’s teeth, some sources put the number of known survivors at less than a dozen. Undeniably one of the rarest machines from Jaguar’s history available on the market today, chassis 300895 is purported to have been first registered as ‘AVM 65’ on the 29th June 1934. Little is known of its early life; however, it had evidently entered enthusiast ownership by the 1960s, and a green continuation logbook on file records that it was in the ownership of a Mr Peter Lansley of Umberleigh, Devon from March 1966. We don’t know much more about its whereabouts during the following two decades, but in 1988, the late owner, Mr Michael Kane, purchased it from Karman Shipping Services Ltd of Greenwich, London in a derelict state, along with another early Jaguar, with the intention of performing a complete restoration. Mr Kane evidently had good intentions, as several photographs that he took document the stripping down of the car to the bare chassis. There is much correspondence on file between him and the renowned restorers, A. B. Price Ltd of Warwickshire to suggest that he was considering them for the manufacture of a completely new body and re-enamelling of the chassis, however they appear to have only got as far as restoring the elegant Art Deco radiator shell in 1991. It is understood that Mr Kane lost enthusiasm for the project at this point, and the car has remained in its disassembled state, with Mr Kane passing away in 2024. Now, the family has chosen to offer to the market for the first time in nearly fourty years, and it represents an excellent and rare opportunity for the enthusiast. It is supplied with many boxes of parts and is largely believed to be complete including the original 12hp Standard sidevalve power unit, and the history file contains its all-important UK V5C. ** Bidding will take place live at the venue, online via our H&H website, by telephone and commission - T&Cs apply** Entry by catalogue and can be purchased for £20 (admits 2...
