By today's
standards the SS Jaguars are neither particularly fast nor particularly
comfortable but back in the 1930s they were some of the fastest saloon
cars on the road and compared very favourably with cars selling at
considerably higher prices.
SS Jaguar
& Bentley Compared
SS Jaguar
2½
litre & 3½ litre
Derby Bentley with Park Ward coachwork
The impressive
achievement of SS company founder,
William Lyons, can be better understood when you make
comparisons with the rather similar looking Derby Bentley of the
period. The Motor generally tended to extract slightly higher
performance figures than The Autocar but with a factor of three
price difference you have to be impressed by the Jaguar. (The Jaguar
was also
available with a 3½ litre engine for a further
£50.)
The Jaguars were
slightly smaller in outside
dimensions when compared to the Derby Bentleys but their interior was
larger in most respects. The level of internal appointment was
remarkably similar although the Bentley was probably more relaxed due
to its slightly higher gear ratios.
Top speeds were
very similar but the Jaguars
appear to give some advantage in acceleration from rest whereas the
Bentley wins in the mid range for overtaking.
A number of
different body styles were offered
for the Bentley from various coachbuilders but those from Park Ward
were popular and fairly typical. Comparing the Bentley's appearance to
the Jaguar it would be difficult to argue that the Bentley was the more
elegant. The various elements, wings, bonnet and body shell of the
Jaguar all form a more unified whole and the proportions and shut lines
also look to be better thought out.
SS
Jaguar 2½litre
Derby
Bentley
SS
Jaguar 3½ litre
Price
£395
£1510
£445
Length
15'
6"
16'
0"
15'
6"
Width
5'
6"
5'
8"
5'
6"
Weight
32
cwt
34
cwt
32
cwt
Max Speed
87
mph
88
mph
91
mph
0 -60 mph
17.0
sec
17.1
sec
15.4
sec
0 -50 mph
10.6
sec
12.7
sec
9.0
sec
0-30 mph
4.7
sec
4.9
sec
4.1
sec
30-50 in top
9.4
sec
8.0
sec
8.5
sec
30-50 in third
8.1
sec
6.6
sec
7.7
sec
mph/1000rpm
20.16
mph
22.12
mph
21.34
mph
Test mpg
19
mpg
17.5
mpg
17
mpg
SS
Jaguar 2½ litre & 3½ litre interior
Derby
Bentley interior
Shown here is the car purchased by King Carol of Rumania
standing outside the SS works in late 1937. (The CKV 655
registration is a Coventry series from Sep -Dec 1937)
Note
the prototype F
Gordon Crosby mascot, that became an optional accessory costing 2
guineas.
The
advert for the SS Jaguar
mascot
A Jaguar advert showing an SS 2½ litre car. Right: The
actual car
S
Below are
some pictures from the restoration of SS Jaguar
2½litre JVS 620
These
include:
Grinding in the gearbox synchro cones.
Making trim panels and a pleated leather door skin.
Cylinder head overhaul.
Modifying steel con-rods from 1½ litre cars for use
in the
2½ litre including making new small end bushes and reaming
them
to size.
Setting up the rear axle gear tooth meshing of the crown wheel and
pinion and adjusting the backlash thereafter.
Installing new bushes and oil seals in the steering box.
Replacing steering king pins.
Creating a replica of the (broken) boot lock using brass
sheet and tube.
Installing new
headlining cloth. Creating
replica wooden arm rests for the rear seats to replace rotted out
originals.
Click on the pictures to see
engineering drawings.
Some
articles written for the SS Register of the Jaguar Drivers Club in
years past
