Jaguar SS

GB, 1931 to date

(1) Swallow Coachbuilding Co Ltd, Coventry, Warwickshire, 1931 – 1934

(2) S.S. Cars Ltd, Coventry, Warwickshire, 1934 – 1945

(3) Jaguars Cars Ltd, Coventry, Warwickshire, 1945 to date

William Lyons and William Walmsley started the manufacture of sidecars in Blackpool in 1922, following this up in 1927 with a line of handsome open and closed sporting bodies on popular chassis such as Austin, Morris, Fiat, Swift and Standard. The company moved to Coventry in 1928, and from the Swallow saloon version of the 16hp Standard came the first SS I of 1931. This used Standard mechanical components throughout, but a special underslung frame was made for the Swallow through the 2.054cc 6-cylinder sv engine was left untuned. The long bonnet, diminutive coupé body and helmet-type front wings gave it a distinctive look, which suggested a price in the region of £1.000 – the SS I car, in fact, cost £310. A 2½-litre 20hp engine was available, and there was a companion SS II car based on the 1.052cc Standard Little Nine. A sale of 776 SS machines the first season was remarkable for a new make at the depths of the Depression. The 1933 6-cylinder SS car models with full-flow wings were better proportioned, and a sports tourer by SS was available for the first time. 1934 SS cars had X-braced frames, synchromesh gearboxes, and larger and more powerful engines – the 2.7-litre SS Twenty gave 68bhp. Twin carburetors and a higher-lift camshaft featured on SS cars in 1935, in which year the SS car company’s first sports car made its appearance: this SS 90 was sold only with the 20hp engine, and had a short chassis and slab-tank two-seater bodywork.

The Jaguar name first appeared in 1936, on a handsome 4-door Jaguar sports saloon, with a 2.7-litre ohv 104bhp engine, still made by Standard, but redesigned by Harry Welake and W.M. Heynes. These Jaguar cars were good for 85 – 90mph and the Jaguar car sold for only £385. The sv SS I and SS II models were continued for one more season with Standard engines, a Standard unit also being used in the 1.6-litre version of the Jaguar car, but much more exciting was the short-chassis ohv Jaguar SS 100 two-seater. Its handling was tricky, but it proved hard to beat in British rallies of the later 1930s. In 1938 the 2½-litre was continued, but the small sv four had given way to a 1.8-litre unit, used after the war by Standard in their versions of the Triumph. A new 125bhp 3½-litre was listed not only in saloon and drophead coupé forms, but also as a SS 100 two-seater, offering a genuine 100mph for only £445. Over 5.000 SS cars were sold in a year interrupted by war. The 1940 SS models were available with heaters.

In 1945 the SS name of the company was changed to Jaguar Cars Ltd, and the sidecar interests were sold. Under idderent ownership the Swallow company was responsible for the Swallow Doretti in 1954.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS

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Stoewer

D, 1899 – 1939

(1) Gebrüder Stoewer, Fabrik für Motorfahrzeuge, Stettin, 1899 – 1916

(2) Stoewer-Werke AG vorm. Gebr. Stoewer, Stettin, 1916 – 1939

The Stoewer car factory developed out of the Stoewer ironworks and was among the pioneers of the German car industry. After manufacturing motor cycles, tricycles and quadricycles for two years, Stoewer turned to cars in 1899. The first Stoewer car had a rear-mounted 2-cylinder engine. 4-cylinder Stoewer cars followed in 1901, and electric Stoewer cars were also produced. Best known were the 2-cylinder Type T Stoewer car (2.280cc and 3/12PS), the 4-cylinder Stoewer P4 (3.052cc and 11/22PS), the Stoewer G4 (1.500cc and 6/12PS) and the 6-cylinder Stoewer P6 (8.820cc and 34/60PS), evolved in the 1905-1907 period all Stoewer cars with shaft-drive. The Stoewer B1 of 6/16PS and the Stoewer B6 of 9/22PS which appeared in 1910 were also built by Mathis under licence. The G4 Stoewer car was the basis for the Stoewer B5, which Stoewer car in 1912 became famous by setting up a record at Brooklands with 67.7mph. The new range of Stoewer cars which appeared in 1913 was also based on successful earlier cars. They were the Stoewer C1 (6/18PS), Stoewer C2 (10/28PS) and C3 Stoewer car (6-cylinder and 19/45PS). Shortly before the outbreak of World War 1 the Stoewer car range was headed by the F4 Stoewer car with a 4-cylinder, 8.8-litre 33/100PS ohc engine. After the war an enormous Stoewer car appeared, the Stoewer D7, using a 6-cylinder 11.2-litre 42/120PS aero engine, as well as some conservative sv 4- and 6-cylinder Stoewer cars with rear wheel and transmission brakes. Front wheel brakes appeared on Stoewer cars in 1925. Stoewer introduced 8-cylinder Stoewer cars in 1928. These were the Stoewer Superior, Stoewer Marschall, Stoewer Gigant and Stoewer Repräsentant with engines ranging from 2-litres and 45bhp to 4.9-litres and 100bhp. The Stoewer car firm re-entered the economy class in 1931 with the V5, a front-driven Stoewer car with a V4 1.188cc engine, followed by the front-drive models R140 (1.369cc), R150 (1.488cc) and R180 (1.769cc). Another 8-cylinder was the front wheel drive Greif V8 with a 2.488cc engine, which was replaced by the conventional 6-cylinder 3.609cc Arcona Stoewer car in 1938. In 1934 the 1½-litre 4-cylinder Stoewer car and 2½-litre V8 Stoewer car were shown at the Brussels Salon by Monsieur Dewaet under the name D.S. (Dewaet-Stoewer). The Greif Junior was built under Tatra licence with an opposed 4-cylinder 1.474cc engine. It succeeded the Röhr Junior. In the middle of the range was the Stoewer Sedina with a 4-cylinder engine of 2.4-litres.

Production of private Stoewer cars was given up at the outbreak of World War 2 in 1939. The Stoewer car factory was destroyed during the war and production of Stoewer cars was not resumed.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; HON   

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com