From The Classifieds: 1939 Jaguar SS 3½ litre Drophead

There was a time when the Jaguar name applied not to a marque, but to a mere model in the range of cars produced by the Swallow Sidecar and Coachbuilding Company in the UK.  

The company started making motor vehicles in 1926, changing its name to SS Cars Limited in 1933. The Jaguar appellation came in 1936, when the company introduced an overhead valve version of its two-seat SS sports car, named the Jaguar SS100.

Legendary designer William Lyons, who partnered William Walmsley in the founding of the Swallow Sidecar and Coachbuilding Company, recalled the prophetic naming of SS Cars' new model some time later when he reportedly said: “I immediately pounced on Jaguar as it had an exciting sound to me.”

The Jaguar SS100 is now a treasured symbol of the British car-making industry and has attracted scores of replicas over the years. It is one of today's most highly valued vintage cars.
 
In 1937, SS Cars added a luxurious two-door five-seat Drophead Coupe to a varied range of new models using a 1.5-litre four-cylinder and 2.5-litre and 3.5-litre six-cylinder engines. Bearing the Jaguar symbol, the Drophead Coupe was designed to combine the pleasures of open-to-the-sky motoring with a cosy, quiet interior when the roof was up.

The discontinuation of the SS name, for obvious reasons, saw the company renamed Jaguar Cars Limited in 1943, beginning a significant phase in England's reputation as a car manufacturer that continues to be upheld today despite significant changes in ownership and country of origin. Post-war, the SS Jaguar sedan became simply the Jaguar Mark IV that was built from 1945 to 1949.

This black 1939 SS Jaguar 3½ litre Drophead Coupe advertised on carsales.com.au comes from the time when the SS badge carried a less ominous meaning than it acquired during the years of World War II.

The owner, who lives in South Australia, says it is the only 3½ litre SS Drophead in Australia and is “rarer than an SS100”.

The owner is asking $175,000 for the car, which is described as an “excellent investment.”

It is described as “An older restoration” but is in very good condition. It’s almost possible to smell the wood and the red Connolly leather interior just looking at the photographs.