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18/07/2011, 21:25
Story And Images By MURRAY HUBBARD
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There is an old saying that you don’t ‘get a second chance at a first impression.’ That adage really sums up this vehicle, a 1940 SS Jaguar 2.5 litre saloon. We spotted the car at the 2011 RACQ Motorfest in Brisbane on July 17. This SS saloon was the 1939-built version of the 1935 SS Jaguar saloon, the first to wear the Jaguar name produced by Sir William Lyon’s S.S. Cars Ltd. The vehicle’s elegant lines, build quality, power - not to mention those magnificent head lamps - set the tone for the Jaguar company for decades to come. It is now regarded as an iconic pre-war sports saloon.
The term SS, which is clearly visible above word `Jaguar’ under the `leaper’ bonnet emblem, stands for `Standard Swallow’. The SS moniker was intended, after WW2, to become the new name for the S.S Cars Company. However, Hitler spoiled that name with his infamous SS troops, that were reviled in Britain during and after the war. Instead of adopting the SS name, Jaguar was chosen in 1945 to take the company name forward.
Our featured car was built in 1939 and delivered to South Africa in 1940 where it underwent restoration during the 1990s. It came to Australia in 2005 and undergoes constant improvements to quality and originality. The car is simply stunning. It is easy to see the evolution from this to the Mk IV and then the post-war icons starting with the sports car range with the XK 120 along with subsequent saloon cars. It is believed to one of less than 10 surviving 2.5 litres saloons from this era.
The SS Jaguar has a number of design features that come together in an irresistible package. While the headlamps look, and are, massive they need to be viewed in proportion with the huge front mudguards. They also flank the tall vertical grille at the front of a very long bonnet. The mudguards then sweep down to form a narrow running board under the suicide doors - front and back - before dramatically rising to form the rear mudguards. These then sweep down with the boot line matching this elegant sweep. This was Jaguar’s take on the classic design that dominated luxury European brands during the early to late 1930s. The back window is narrow in height and width and while it suits the car’s design would have severely impeded the driver’s rear vision.
These first SS Jaguar cars came with three engines, all supplied by the Standard company, of 1.5 litre, 2.5 litre and 3.5 litre. The 1.5 was a straight Standard engine while the larger engines were Standard blocks with the head development undertaken by Jaguar. The 2.5 was in fact 2664 cc in a straight-six format. After Jaguar finished with the engine it developed 105 bhp at 4500 rpm and was linked to a four speed manual transmission. Top speed was around 138 km/h.
A road test of the SS Jaguar 2.5 litre saloon when it was fresh to the market makes interesting reading. “The 2 1/2-litre Jaguar is one of the best looking cars on the road today and a prolonged road test showed conclusively that beauty, in this case, is far from being skin deep.
“It is difficult to imagine a more successful blending of utility and good looks, nor is it easy to think of car costing less than (GB) pounds 400 which has such an inspiring road performance combined with such high quality workmanship.”
“So often the combination of a low roof and a long bonnet line means lack of visibility and headroom. In the case of the Jaguar no such disadvantages exist. The steering wheel falls nicely to hand and there is a splendid forward view showing both front wings and making the placing of the car at speed an affair of certainty and security.
“Then again, a really well-proportioned exterior is so often spoilt by a flamboyant interior. The Jaguar has no tendency to towards the ornate.” The SS Jaguar has a classic British ‘club’ appearance of leather upholstery and wood trim. All that is missing is a fireplace. Yet, the reviewer is right. It is not ornate.
“The gearbox deserves high praise because the synchromesh action is particularly effortless and rapid, but one of the most attractive features about the 2 1/2-litre Jaguar is the way in which it can be driven for long periods in top gear. Such treatment involves no hardship to the engine or transmission, and high averages may be achieved.” The reviewer obviously enjoyed his 1600 km road test in just a three day period.
The evolution of the Swallow Company is interesting. It was founded by William Lyons and William Walmsley in 1922. By 1926 Lyons wanted to go into coach building and the company was re-named Swallow Sidecar and Coach building and a year later the ‘Sidecar’ name was dropped altogether although Swallow Sidecar Company continued. In 1934 the company was renamed S.S Cars Ltd., and in 1945 it was renamed Jaguar Cars Ltd.
The Swallow Sidecar and Coach building Company built its first car bodies on chassis supplied by other makers such as Austin, Fiat and Swift from 1927. This led to Lyons wanting to produce his own line of cars - the original SS Jaguars that started with the 2 1/2 litre saloon and sports models, the SS 90 and SS 100. In this context the importance of our featured SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon cannot be underestimated.
PRICE WHEN NEW
395 British Pounds.
SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: 6 cylinder in-line
Bore: 73.0 mm
Stroke: 106 mm
Capacity: 2664 cc
Power: 19.84 h.p.
B.H.P. 97 at 4500 rpm
Chassis: box section
Springs: semi elliptical
Brakes: Girling
Tyres: Dunlop 18 inch x 3.50 inch
Fuel tank: 14 gallons
PERFORMANCE
0 - 60 mph: 17.0 seconds
Standing quarter mile: 20.6 seconds
Top speed: 90 mph (138 km/h)
ECONOMY
19 m.p.g.
WEIGHT
1524 kg
DIMENSIONS
Length: 4720 mm
Width: 1680 mm |
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