1937 SS Cars 100 SS Tourer

William Lyons motorcar company was originally named Swallow Sidecar and then shortened to 'SS'. The first models to be given the name Jaguar debuted at the Mayfair Hotel dinner preceding the 1953 British Motor Show. The Jaguar name soon applied to the SS I-derived SS Jaguar 2.5-Liter Tourer, powered by the Harry Weslake-upgraded, Standard-built six-cylinder engine and built in a small 105-car run for 1936 and 1937. The 1937 models had a few distinguishable features that set them apart from the 1936 models, specifically the large-diameter Lucas P100 headlamps. The 1936 models had Lucas QK596 units. Of the roughly 53 examples produced in 1937, it is believed that around 32 exist in modern times.

This particular SS Jaguar 2 ½-Litre Tourer is the 98th of the 105 built in total for both years of production. It left the factory in Suede Green paint over a matching interior. It left the factory in March 1937, dispatched and registered to Leigh Park Motors located in Datchet, Buckinghamshire, and given DKX 980 number plate. It still retains its Leigh Park Motors metal tag under the bonnet.

The vehicles early provenance is ongoing, however it was exported to the United States at some point before 1963. Its documented ownership history resumes in 1963. Soon after, the car underwent a restoration. It was in the ownership of David T. Lee of Bexley, Ohio until 1970. The next caretaker was Bernell Stewart of Gahanna, Ohio, who purchased it in 1970 from Mr. Lee and kept the car until 1977, when he sold it to Thomas E. Strickland of Nashville, Tennessee. On February 25, 1987, Mr. Strickland sold the car to Leland Scott, Jr. The Current owner acquired it from Mr. Scott and immediately commenced a total restoration to original specifications, with the process involving an estimated 2,000 hours of effort.

By Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2017