> If memory serves me jaguar did not make a 1939 SS100. I believe it was
> made by a company called SS. But then I may be wrong. I'm not sure exactly
> when SS changed its name to Jaguar, but I suspect it was about 1939.
>
> Yours in confusion,
>
> TeriAnn
Hope I can help [solve some confusion] a little.
We all know Swallow Sidecars started in a small building in Blackpool,
England. Their first cars, graced with the now famous SS title, were
produced about 1931. The Jaguar name was first introduced on a new
range of cars announced in 1936. SS models of the time were based
largely on components supplied by the Standard Motor Company.
The 2663cc SS100 was produced from 1936 to 1940. The 3485cc version was
produced from 1938 to 1940. However, virtually all car production (all of
it?) was stopped in 1940 while the factory turned over to aircraft and
munitions work to support the war effort.
When peace was restored, the SS title wasn't because by now "SS" had
an entirely different meaning to the world after the horrors of the war.
Production of the Jaguars 1 1/2-, 2 1/2- and 3 1/2-Litre cars was revived
in 1945. Jaguar's next sports car appeared in 1948... the XK120.
As for the name of the car actually appearing on the SS100, there were
no stencils. I don't know about the rear of the car, where designations
appear on most cars, but the picture I have in front of me of a 1938 SS100
shows a winged emblem on the top of the radiator grille (can't make out
the word at the bottom of the emblem, but it could be long enough to
be "Jaguar").
There is also a "100" in a small oval badge dead-centre of the horizontal
crossbar joining the two headlights that crosses the centre of the radiator
grille.
At the centre of the front bumper there is a raised hexagon (same height as
the bumper, so its fairly large) with the initials "SS" filling it.
This particular car (registration CYB 304) in the picture does not have a
"leaping cat" affixed to the top of the radiator cap. An unidentified
picture next to it (registration CKV 250, which looks like an SS100) does
have the "leaping cat" on the cap.
[Information from "The Complete Catalogue of British Cars" (1974)]
Cheers!
- Garry Archer
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