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1938 SS Cars SS 100 Navigation
William Lyons and William Wamsley established the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922 in Blackpool, England. Their first car debuted to the public at the Olympia Motor Show in London that year.
The range of sports cars built by the company that became SS Cars and then Jaguar evolved from the SS90 of 1935 to the SS100 2.5-liter of 1935 and finally to the SS100 3.5 liter of 1938. The exterior shape of these cars remained virtually unchanged, but many changes occurred under the simple, but effective body. These were the first S.S. cars to be called Jaguar. William Lyons said that the name represented the feline grace and elegance, power, and agility that set this car apart.
In 1936, Tommy Wisdom won the Alpine Trials in an SS100 and went on to race very successfully at Brooklands and Shelsley Walsh. Three SS100s won the team prize at the RAC Rally in 1937. When SS100 production was cut short by the Second World War in 1939 just 190 of the SS100 2.5-liter cars and 118 of the 3.5-liter variant had been constructed.
This car is a rare 'numbers-matching' example that was completed on December 14th of 1937 and sold in February 1938 to S. Walker of Dorset, England. The car remained in the United Kingdom until it was imported into the United States in 1958, spending the next 40 years in California. It was discovered in a junkyard prior to being purchased and restored by its current owner in April of 2005. Just 116 were produced.
The range of sports cars built by the company that became SS Cars and then Jaguar evolved from the SS90 of 1935 to the SS100 2.5-liter of 1935 and finally to the SS100 3.5 liter of 1938. The exterior shape of these cars remained virtually unchanged, but many changes occurred under the simple, but effective body. These were the first S.S. cars to be called Jaguar. William Lyons said that the name represented the feline grace and elegance, power, and agility that set this car apart.
In 1936, Tommy Wisdom won the Alpine Trials in an SS100 and went on to race very successfully at Brooklands and Shelsley Walsh. Three SS100s won the team prize at the RAC Rally in 1937. When SS100 production was cut short by the Second World War in 1939 just 190 of the SS100 2.5-liter cars and 118 of the 3.5-liter variant had been constructed.
This car is a rare 'numbers-matching' example that was completed on December 14th of 1937 and sold in February 1938 to S. Walker of Dorset, England. The car remained in the United Kingdom until it was imported into the United States in 1958, spending the next 40 years in California. It was discovered in a junkyard prior to being purchased and restored by its current owner in April of 2005. Just 116 were produced.
2022 Broad Arrow Auctions : The Passion for the Drive
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $450,000-USD $600,000
Sale Price :
USD $434,000
1938 SS Cars SS 100 Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the SS Cars SS 100
(Data based on Model Year 1938 sales)
1938 SS 100 Jaguar 3.5-Litre Roadster Chassis#: 39016 Sold for USD$434,000 2022 Broad Arrow Auctions : The Passion for the Drive | ![]() ![]() |
1938 SS 100 Jaguar 3½-Litre Roadster Chassis#: 39032 Sold for USD$415,000 2021 RM Sothebys : Arizona | ![]() ![]() |
1938 SS 100 Jaguar 3½-Litre Roadster Chassis#: 39048 Sold for USD$474,500 2018 RM Sothebys : Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
1938 SS 100 Jaguar Roadster Chassis#: 49049 Sold for USD$572,000 2016 RM Sotheby's : Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
1938 Jaguar SS100 3½-Litre Roadster Chassis#: 39064 Sold for USD$462,375 2016 Bonhams : The Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale | |
1938 SS 100 Jaguar 3½-Litre Roadster Chassis#: 39010 Sold for USD$583,000 2015 RM Sotheby's : Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
1938 Jaguar SS100 2½ Liter Roadster Chassis#: 49049 Sold for USD$231,000 2015 Bonhams : Greenwich Concours | ![]() ![]() |
1938 SS 100 Jaguar 3½-Litre Roadster Chassis#: 39032 Sold for USD$852,500 2014 RM Auctions at Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
1938 SS 100 Jaguar 3½-Litre Roadster Chassis#: 39010 Sold for USD$451,000 2014 RM Auctions - Amelia Island | ![]() ![]() |
1938 SS 100 Jaguar 3½-Litre Roadster Chassis#: 39039 Sold for USD$852,500 2014 RM Auctions - Automobiles of Arizona | ![]() ![]() |
1938 SS 100 Jaguar 2½-Litre Roadster Chassis#: 49028 Sold for USD$396,142 2013 RM Auction - London | |
1938 SS100 Jaguar 3½-Litre Roadster Chassis#: 39065 Sold for USD$402,737 2012 Bonhams - Collectors' Motor cars and Automobilia | |
1938 Jaguar SS 100 3.5-Litre Roadster Chassis#: 39032 Sold for USD$423,752 2011 RM Auctions - London | ![]() ![]() |
1938 Jaguar SS100 3.5-Liter Roadster Chassis#: 39048 Sold for USD$687,500 2011 RM Auctions at Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
1938 Jaguar SS100 3.5 Roadster Chassis#: 39058 Sold for USD$242,000 2010 RM Auctions - Sports & Classics of Monterey | |
1938 Jaguar SS Coupe Chassis#: 30182X Sold for USD$385,000 2010 RM Auctions - Sports & Classics of Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
1938 Jaguar SS100 3.5 Litre Sold for USD$368,500 2010 Gooding and Company - Pebble Beach Auctions | ![]() ![]() |
1938 SS100 Jaguar 3½-Litre Roadster Chassis#: 39051 Sold for USD$330,313 2010 Bonhams - Les Grandes Marques a Monaco | |
1938 SS Jaguar 2½-Litre Drophead Coupé Chassis#: 46131 Sold for USD$154,408 2010 Bonhams - Collectors' Motor Cars and Automobilia | |
1938 Jaguar SS 100 Chassis#: 39032 Sold for USD$341,000 2009 Sports & Classics of Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
SS Cars SS 100s That Failed To Sell At Auction
1938 SS Cars SS 100's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1938 Jaguar SS100 2 ½ L Roadster | 49044 | 2024 Artcurial : Retromobile | $200,000 | $300,000 | |
1938 SS100 Jaguar 3½-Litre Roadster | 39083 | 2022 Bonhams : Goodwood Revival | $400,000 | $500,000 | |
1938 Jaguar SS100 2½-Litre Roadster | 49028 | 2018 Bonhams : Goodwood Members Meeting | $250,000 | $300,000 | |
1938 Jaguar SS 100 3 1/2 Litre | 39067 | 2017 Gooding & Co. : Scottsdale, AZ | $450,000 | $525,000 | |
1938 JAGUAR SS100 3½ LITRE ROADSTER | 39083 | 2015 Bonhams : The Frederiksen Auction | |||
1938 Jaguar SS100 2½ Litre The Kuala Lumpur SS100 | 49034 | 2013 Coys Techno Classica | $265,000 | $285,000 | |
1938 Jaguar SS Coupé by Graber | 30182 | 2011 RM Auctions Villa d'Este | $210,000 | $300,000 | $400,000 |
1938 Jaguar SS 100 | 39027 | 2010 Bonhams Automobiles d'Exception á Rétromobile | $200,000 | $250,000 | |
1938 Jaguar 1.5-Liter | 2007 Christie's Exceptional Motor Cars at the Monterey Jet Center | $50,000 | $60,000 |
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1938 SS Cars SS 100
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