1936 Jaguar SS 100

1936 Jaguar SS 100

Jaguar SS 100

Jaguar SS 100

Jaguar SS 100

Introduction:The SS 100 was designed by Sir William Lyons.The SS-100 was a lot of sports car for the money, yet only 116 of the 3.5 litre version and 198 of the 2.5 litre version were produced from 1936 to 1938.The SS100 was built between 1936 and 1940 by SS Cars Ltd of Coventry, England. The last one is though to have been delivered in 1941. In 1936 the name Jaguar was given to a new Saloon car and from then on to all the cars. Following the war, due to the connotations then attached to the initials SS, the company was renamed 'Jaguar'.

Specifications:Built on a 102-inch wheelbase, this car is powered by a 3.5 litre overhead valve, six cylinder engine that sports dual SU carburetors. The horsepower was rated at 125 at 4,350 rpm.'The Autocar' magazine reported the new 2.5-liter (20 Royal Automobile Club horsepower rating) car, with the windscreen lowered, to have a maximum speed of 95 mph and a zero-to-sixty mph time of 13.5 seconds. With the 3.5-liter (25 RAC hp rating) the top speed reached the magic 100 mph with a best of 101 mph over the quarter mile and the 0-60 mph coming down to 10.4 seconds.

Comparison: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.

Conclusion: 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'.