Current Family Ownership (acquired in 1984)
Chassis: 18051
Engine: 251106
Campaigned in the 1937 Monte Carlo Rally by Original Owner J.F.C. Wellings
Originally Finished in Rare and Desirable Lavender Grey over a Blue Interior
Offered from 39 Years of Single Family Ownership
Retains Matching-Numbers Engine per Its Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Certificate
Historic SS100 with Outstanding Provenance
2,664 CC OHV Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
Twin SU Carburetors
100 HP at 4,250 RPM
4-Speed Manual Gearbox
4-Wheel Girling Mechanical Drum Brakes
Front Solid Axle with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs and Adjustable Friction Dampers
Rear Live Axle with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs and Adjustable Friction Dampers
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UK V5
See UK Registration/Import Status Guide in catalogue.
Although just 198 examples were built through 1938, the original SS100 2 1/2 Litre model found tremendous success in competition, serving as a cornerstone of Jaguar’s rich motor sports legacy. This historic example perfectly illustrates the qualities of aesthetic beauty and thoroughbred performance that have made this prewar Jaguar model so sought-after among collectors.
According to the accompanying Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Certificate, this lovely Jaguar SS100, chassis 18051, was completed in January 1937, finished in Lavender Grey paint with blue upholstery. Distributed through Henlys Limited of London and delivered through Page Motors of Epsom, the Jaguar was sold new to J.F.C. Wellings, a friend of William Lyons and an aspiring young rally driver. Within days of its first registration, Wellings drove the SS100 to John O’Groats, from where he took part in the famed Monte Carlo Rally. A fantastic period photo on file pictures the Jaguar on the rally, and the same photo was also featured in the January 1937 edition of The Autocar, which describes the event. Wellings finished 31st Overall and was awarded Third Place in class in the post-rally concours – a testament to the captivating design of the new Jaguar.
By the 1970s, the Jaguar benefited from restoration work by David Barber’s renowned SS Restorations Company and was then proudly displayed at the Midland Motor Museum and the Stratford Upon Avon Motor Museum. In 1984, the Jaguar was acquired by the current owner’s father, an engineer, longtime collector and Jaguar enthusiast, who, as correspondence on file shows, consulted David Barber before the purchase, as Barber knew the car so well. By that time, it had been repainted red. The MOT certificate from February 24, 1984 shows that the car had covered just 272 miles since its restoration. In 1986, the owner undertook further refurbishment, including an engine rebuild, and a larger oil sump was fitted, with the original sump wisely retained and accompanying the car today. The extensive history file includes correspondence between the owner’s father and various Jaguar experts, including author and Jaguar historian Andrew Whyte, author Graham Robson, and ‘Hollie’ Hollenbeck, founder and long-time editor of the SS Register.
The Jaguar has been driven approximately 7,000 miles over the past 39 years, on rallies both in the UK and overseas, and has been shown at several concours events, winning multiple awards. It was also featured in a number of publications, including Thoroughbred and Classic Cars, and photographed for the library of the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, as an example of the definitive SS100. Finished in red with blue leather upholstery, and still presenting well with its Brooklands windscreens and painted wire wheels, this SS100 is a unique and highly collectible example of an important prewar Jaguar model. With fantastic provenance and rare Monte Carlo Rally history, this SS100 represents a significant opportunity to acquire a fascinating example of a landmark Jaguar sports car.
