1935 SS Cars SS1

The Swallow Sidecar Company was founded in 1922 by William Walmsley and William Lyons, becoming S.S. Cars Limited in 1934, and Jaguar Cars in 1945. The company originally made motorcycle sidecars before developing bodies for passenger cars. The business extended under the ownership of S.S. Cars Limited, building complete cars made in association with Standard Motor Co., and many wore the model name 'Jaguar.'

At the Motor Show at Olympia in 1934, SS Cars Ltd appeared in the manufacturers' section rather than the coachbuilders' section of the exhibition. At the show was the Airline Saloon offered with either 16 or 20 horsepower engine options, the latter costing only a modest £5 extra. The Airline Saloon joined the Tourer and Four-light to complete the SS range. The 16 horsepower was based on that of the Standard Ensign and the SS1's low, under-slung chassis was designed by Lyons and supplied exclusively to Swallow by John Black's Standard Motor Company, which also provided the 2.1/2.6-litre six-cylinder side-valve engines and four-speed manual gearbox (with synchromesh on 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears). It used a cruciform-braced chassis complete with an underslung rear axle, all-round semi-elliptic leaf-sprung suspension and cable-operated 12.5-in drum brakes. SS1 design elements included a long bonnet, cozy passenger compartment, and helmet-type front wings. The interiors housed a well-stocked dashboard, sunburst-pattern door cards and sculpted leather upholstery. The sporting persona coupled with better-than-average specification and reasonable pricing foreshadowed Jaguar's future and its success prompted the discontinuation of the Swallow-bodied cars in 1933.

Revisions in 1933 brought an uprated engine with alloy cylinder heads and improved manifolding. For 1934 the SS1 gained a new wide-track chassis and slightly enlarged Standard engines of 2,143cc and 2,663cc. Four body styles were offered with revised styling and in this, its final form, the SS1 remained in production until 1936, by which time 2,503 examples had been made.

The SS1 used either a 2- or 2.5-liter side-valve six-cylinder engine while the SS 2 used a 1-liter, four-cylinder side-valve engine. The SS90 had a 2.5-liter side-valve, six-cylinder engine and its name was derived from its claimed 90 mph top speed. The six-cylinder engine was installed in a short chassis of the SS2 and only 23 examples were made. The SS 100 arrived near the close of the 1930s and used either a 2.5- or 3.5-liter engine. A total of 198 examples were built with the 2.5-liter and 116 of the 3.5-liter.

by Dan Vaughan

Drop Head Coupe

The company we now call Jaguar had its beginnings in 1922 as the Swallow Sidecar Co., which manufactured motorcycle sidecars. Founder Sir William Lyons had greater ambitions, and beginning in 1927 he used his skills to mainly make bodies for the Austin Seven while operating as the Swallow Sidecar & Coachbuilding Co., in Coventry, United Kingdom. To express his styling vision fully, Lyons and the Swallow engineers designed a frame that would accommodate specific coachwork, which would include an engine mounted closer to the cowl and the wheels pushed further to the front. The result was the SS1 riding on a 112-inch wheelbase with an incredibly long hood, powered by the company's 2.5-liter, 20 horsepower (55 HP actual) in-line 6-cylinder engine.

The S.S. 1 debuted at the London Olympia Motor Show in 1931. It was a close-coupled coupe, and the first car that was designed by William Lyons. Revisions arrived in 1933 as Lyons came up with a much-improved radiator design and a new saloon body. He also showed this Drop Head and Airline Coupe designs. With the lower roofline, long bonnet, and sporty design they looked much more expensive than they were in actuality.

The name Jaguar was first used on a 2.5-liter saloon in 1935, the SS Jaguar. Due to the negative connotations of the term SS, the name was faded out and all models became known as simply Jaguars following WWII.

This example was shipped from England to Argentinian tango performer Ada Falcon, via Buenos Aires importer and dealer Ehlert Nash Motors. This rare SS 1 Coupe spent 80 years in Buenos Aires before arriving in the United States. In 2015, it arrived in Miami and has remained in the care of its current owners ever since.

This 'Drophead Coupe' has a rakish and sporty appearance, but was really a value-based proposition in its day, costing less than most competitors.

Four Seater by Vanden Plas

This SS1 Saloon was bought new by Mr. Arthur Watt of Hertfordshire in England. Decades later, in 1993, it was discovered in Switzerland by its current owner - and ten years later he was able to purchase the car, which by then needed a complete restoration.

Drop Head Coupe

The first S.S. 1 was introduced to the public at the London Olympia Motor Show in 1931 as the S.S.1 Close-Coupled Coupe, and it could justifiably be called the first car that was completely designed by William Lyons. After a revised design in 1933, Lyons came up with a 1934 model range with a much improved radiator design and a new saloon. He also showed this Drop Head Coupe design and an Airline Coupe. With the lower roofline, long bonnet and sporty design they looked much more expensive than they really were, establishing a tradition that Jaguar was to maintain for many years.

Tourer

In 1929 Sir John Black of the Standard Motor Company and William Lyons of the Swallow Sidecar Company teamed up to produce a one-off sports car; in effect this was the first SS sports car. Later, in 1931, the Standard Company built a chassis that was intended only for Swallow bodies. This union between the two companies, now called Standard Swallow or more commonly 'SS,' grew, and in 1933 the SS Cars Company Ltd was formed. It offered a variety of body styles, chassis, and configurations from 1934 through 1936.

After a long period in storage, this SS1 2.5-Litre Tourer was purchased by its current owner in 2012. The car was in very good, although non-running condition, and it had all its original components. It was restored in 2014.

Airline Coupe

The first SS1 was introduced by SS Cars at the London Olympia Motor Show in 1931 as a Close-Coupled Coupe. It was the first car that was completely designed by William Lyons, well before the glory days of Jaguar. After a revised design in 1933, Lyons designed the 1934 model range, including a stylish new saloon. In 1934 the SS1 model lineup grew again with the introduction of the Four Light Saloon built by Lyons' own Swallow Coachwork company. The Saloon was called the 'Four Light' due to its four side windows, and it was much roomier than previous models. Automobile production ceased during World War II, and in 1943 Lyons dropped the 'SS' in company and marque names and formed the Jaguar marque.

The SS1 Airline was only in production for a period of two years, from 1934 to 1936, during which time 624 were built out of the total production run of 4,254 SS1 cars of all types. Like many cars of the period, the Airline followed the fashion of streamlining. Its design has been attributed to William Walmsley, William Lyons' original partner. During its production run, the SS1 underwent considerable development and was available with several different body styles. Swallow Sidecar (SS) founder William Lyons was not particularly happy with the style of the original car, and the 1933 models acquired a new chassis, underslung at the rear, and long flowing wings, and a lower roofline. From 1934 onward the SS1 had a larger engine, and further models were added to the 1935 range, including the Airline coupe. This Airline is one of 601 produced SS Cars of Coventry, England, and one of only twelve survivors. It is believed that this is the only SS1 Airline still with its original body, chassis, engine, and dual RAG carburetors. It is restored in its original silver paint and special light blue leather upholstery.

This 'all silver' Airline Saloon was built to celebrate the 25th Silver Jubilee of King George V of England. This car has been exhaustively researched and restored over a 25-year period to exacting standards. Complete ownership history is documented with matching number chassis, engine and body running on original RAG carburetors with consecutive serial numbers.

The Jaguar SS1 was produced from 1934 through 1936. These were a further evolution of William Lyons' Swallow coach-built bodies that had been used on various types of chassis during the late 1920s. Morris, Fiat, Austin, and Standard were a few of the automakers that commissioned the Swallow bodies.

In 1931 Standard produced a chassis that was intended only for Swallow bodies. This union between the two companies would result in the Standard Swallow, more commonly known as 'SS.' Within a few years, in 1933, the SS Cars Ltd was official and offered a variety of body styles, chassis, and configurations.

In 1934 the SSI model line-up grew in versatility with the introduction of the 'four light' salon body. It was given this name due to its four side windows. Inside, it offered more room for the occupants than prior versions.

Automobile production ceased during the Second World War. At the conclusion of the War, Lyons dropped the 'SS' name and formed the Jaguar Marque.

by Dan Vaughan

The origination of the SS letters designated by Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons has always been debatable. As his original firm was known as the 'Swallow Sidecar Company', that seems a logical explanation. The SS-100, was the first in a long line of high-performance production cars that looked as fast as they went. They were one of the first cars to bear the Jaguar name, although at the time it was just a nameplate; it wouldn't become the corporation's umbrella brand name until after World War II.

William Lyons was born in 1901 and became a keen motorcyclist in his teens. This lead to a friendship with William Walmsley, an individual who was building motorcycle sidecars in a garage on his property. Soon, Lyons was assisting Walmsley's business, and soon the Swallow Sidecar Co., was formed.

The company was formed on September 4, 1922, Lyons' 21st birthday. Production was small at first, but soon drew the attention of the motoring press. This led the company to broaden its horizons to motor cars.

The Swallow Sidecar company became the Swallow Sidecar and Coach Building Co., in 1926. It would continue to move towards full-scale car production. In 1931, the word sidecar disappeared from the company's name, became the Swallow Coachbuilding Co., Ltd. The acquired new facilities in Coventry, which was in close proximity to the Standard Motor Co., Ltd, which supplied engines, underpinnings, and other parts for the Swallow company. A short time later, the companies name was again changed, this time to S.S. Cars, Ltd. and became a publicly-held company.

The SS90 made its debut in 1935. It had a long, louvered hood and low slung coachwork. The 2.7-liter Standard side-valve six-cylinder engine was suitable but was not a performance powerhouse. It did, however, served as a transition step between the SS1 roadster and the SS100. In total, only 21 examples were produced.

The SS100 had a similar underslung chassis similar to the SS90. The wheelbase measured 104 inches. Under the hood was a Standard six-cylinder engine with a new overhead-valve design with aluminum pistons, augmented by a robust bottom end and seven main bears. With the help of two SU carburetors, the engine was capable of producing just over 100 horsepower at 4500RPM, compared to 68 horsepower.

The engine was fitted to a four-speed gearbox with synchromesh engagement in the top three gears. 15-inch Girling aluminum drum brakes were rod-actuated and brought the 18-inch center-lock Dunlop racing wheels to a stop. The suspension was typical for the period, with semi-elliptic leaf springs at all four corners.

The SS100 soon earned a reputation for its performance and handling characteristics. Along with performance, the car had rakish good looks. The '100' in its name was supposed to represent its top speed, but in testing the car did not achieve this figure. Its top speed was close, at 95 mph. Zero-to-sixty was achieved at about 12 to 14 seconds.

Further work was done on the engine, increasing the bore from 73mm to 82mm, and the stroke received similar treatment, being stretched from 106 to 110mm. This resulted in a displacement size increase from 2664cc to 3486cc. Valve diameters expanded, connecting rods were a high-strength steel alloy, and the crankshaft turned in sturdier main bearings. The compression ratio was reduced from 7.6:1 to 7.2:1, and the engine's peak output rpm diminished slightly, thanks to the longer stroke—from 4,600 rpm to 4,250.

Horsepower rose from 102 to 125 horsepower. A new transmission, driveshaft, and differential were added. The result was a zero-to-sixty time in just over 10 seconds and finally capable of topping the 100 mph barrier.

There were 190 examples of the 2.5-liter SS 100s to leave the factory. There were 118 examples of 3.5-liter vehicles. A SS100 Coupe was created for the 1938 London Motor Show at Earls Court but never made it past the prototype status.

by Dan Vaughan

In 1935 the 'Jaguar' name sprang upon the scene for the first time with a completely new saloon and sports car range. William Heynes had been working to produce a completely new box section cruciform braced chassis for a vastly improved new model range. Meanwhile Weslake had been turning his talents to the Standard engine and by adopting overhead valves he succeeded in increasing output from 75 hp of the previous 21/2 litre sidevalve engine to no less than 105 hp. For the new chassis and engine unit, Lyons designed a fresh body style, less flamboyant than previous models, yet still stylish. Indeed it was closer to contemporary Bentleys which cost nearly four times the price!

Sophistication was increasing, and now customers were offered four doors for the first time on an SS. Indeed so different were the new models that it was felt that a new model name was needed. The Company's advertising agency suggested 'Jaguar' and though Lyons took some persuading, it was finally adopted. Thus the new cars would be known as SS Jaguars. The 'Jaguar' name was an ideal choice - feline grace and elegance, combining docility with remarkable power and agility. The cars have matured and developed to justify the analogy in every way. With typical showmanship, Lyons had arranged a lunch at the Mayfair Hotel in London to launch the new model to the press a few days before the 1935 Motor Show. The SS Jaguar 21/2 litre saloon was unveiled to much favourable comment and the assembled company were asked to guess the price. The average guess was £632. The actual price… just £395.

All the earlier SS designs had been superseded with the exception of the larger Tourer body which lived on with a revised radiator grille and the fitment of the new 21/2 litre engine. The superb new sports car design, which had been glimpsed just briefly as the SS 90, reappeared in similar form as the SS Jaguar 100. With a revised treatment around the fuel tank area at the rear, and more importantly, the adoption of the new chassis and engine, the company now produced a sports car to be proud of. For many, the SS 100 is a pre-war classic amongst sports cars. The price, incidentally, was just £395. This new model was to be used to considerable effect in competitions, both national and international.

In 1936 the motoring journalist Tom Wisdom, driving with his wife Elsie, won the International Alpine Trials in an SS 100. This car, which came to be known as 'Old Number 8' was run very successfully at the Brooklands circuit by Wisdom and in the Shelsley Walsh hillclimb by Coventry garage and theatre owner, Sammy Newsome. A year later a team of three cars was entered by the factory in the RAC Rally, the premier rally event in Britain. The team, which included the Hon. Brian Lewis (later Lord Essendon) took the Manufacturer's Team Prize but outright success eluded them. Instead the event was won by a privately entered SS 100! A new, enlarged 31/2 litre engine had been developed and tested in 'Old Number 8'. In September 1937, this engine, together with a new 11/2 litre unit, joined the 21/2 litre version in a completely revised model range. The new models were not very different in appearance, distinguished from their predecessors by the lack of the side mounted spare wheel, but the range now employed 'all steel' construction. Additionally the old Tourer was replaced by Drophead versions of the saloon in each engine size.

Heynes had designed a further stronger chassis for the new body construction resulting in more interior space and bigger doors. Prices ranged from £298 for the 11/2 litre saloon to £465 for the 31/2 litre Drophead Coupe. The new 31/2 litre engine was fitted to the '100' model and this gave genuine sports car performance with sixty miles per hour reached from a standstill in 10.5 seconds and a top speed of over 100 mph. At £445 the bigger-engined SS 100 was in a class of its own. Meanwhile the experimental 31/2 litre unit fitted to 'Old Number 8' was being increasingly modified. Responsible for this work was a man who had accepted the position of Chief Experimental Engineer with SS in 1938. His name was Walter Hassan, a man destined to become a legend in the motor racing world and one who would play an important role in the Jaguar story. For the Motor Show of that year Lyons had designed a stylish closed body for the SS 100. Reminiscent of the Bugattis of the period, just one was made before the outbreak of World War Two decreed an end to car production.

by Jaguar

by SS Cars