Jaguar is known and loved around the world for two things: its cosseting luxury cars and its beautiful sports cars. The E-type may get all of the press today for its golden anniversary, but the SS Jaguar roadster was where the marque’s sporting line originated.
Jaguar celebrated its 75th anniversary during last year’s New York International Auto Show, and they had a privately owned, beautiful 1937 100 3.5 on display. This was one of the first overhead-valve engine cars that SS Cars would build with the new Jaguar nameplate that would, after World War II, become the company’s official name. Following the inline-six-powered, 90 MPH-capable SS 90 of 1935 was the nearly-100-MPH-capable SS Jaguar 100, which was built in 2.5-liter (191 examples) and 3.5-liter (117 examples, plus one Coupe) displacements between 1935 and 1940.
Here we have a later model, a 1939 SS Jaguar 100, for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller’s description:
This car was originally delivered to South Africa in 1938. The second owner acquired the car right after WWII where it was rallied and entered into other local racing venues in South Africa until the early 1950s. The third owner received the car in 1980 with an original engine that had thrown a rod. He had the car rebuilt completely and replaced the engine with a correct 3.5 litre engine. The fourth owner took possession in 1984, and it was taken to New Zealand in 1986. The car was then exported to Terry Larson, who is a famous expert on Early and Racing Jaguars. The car underwent an extensive restoration by Mr. Larson and then was sold to the fifth owner in Nevada in the 1990s. From there it went to the Prisma Collection in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1994. In 2000, the car was sold to its present owner in Texas.
The restoration has held up extremely well and the car is still in outstanding condition. In the last 10 years it has only gone to shows or concours events in Texas. In 2011 the car had a major tuneup and detail performed. The car is ready for sale.
See more Jaguars for sale on Hemmings.com.