Vehicle Description
Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 1994 and 1996 - 2nd in Class
Award
Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate, delivered new via Appleyard of
Leeds
Restored by respected SS100 specialist Jack Rabell in the mid
'90s
1st place 1994 Spring Grand CCCA, Senior Winner
The archetypal pre-war English sports car can be seen in a Jaguar
SS100 with its long bonnet line, down-swept wings, raked fuel tank
rear end and cutaway doors. The model found instant success; Wisdom
won the grueling 1936 Alpine Trial in his 2.5 liter car and the
model would be successful on many other international rallies.
Just under 200 of the 2.5 liter model were made. Chassis # 49053
was built in August 1938 and supplied by the main agents Appleyard
of Leeds in March 1939 according to the Jaguar Heritage Trust trace
certificate. The early history of this car is unknown to us at
present, but by the 1990s it appeared in an auction in Las Vegas
and was purchased from there by Joe Glickman of La Jolla,
California and adding to his impressive Jaguar collection. He
entrusted highly respected restorer Jack Rabell to completely
restore the car starting from the frame up and to show condition,
which was an eighteen month project and which is documented with a
cd and some supporting photographs. Rabell's own SS100 had won many
show awards and the restoration of this car was to the same
exacting standards as his own car.
More than 20 years after its Pebble Beach Concours debut, this
SS100 2.5 liter-engine still shows wonderfully. Resplendent in
bright red with a tan leather interior and matching soft top, the
quality of the restoration by Jack Rabell shines as the car makes a
strong statement. Great chrome, paint and leather stand up today
and now it is time for someone to drive and enjoy this Jaguar as
intended. The engine fires right up 'on the button' as they say and
it pulls strongly in all gears and shifts smoothly. The Jaguar
Heritage Trust certificate shows that it left the factory painted
gray but when restored the owner chose a striking red over tan
leather color combination that looks extremely sporty. Eligible for
many great events this should be the perfect pre-war sports car to
tour with. One of only 65 that were built between 1938-40 from
which around only 50 are known to have survived, so commendably
rare.
