Jaguar 1.5 Litre Saloon

William Lyons started his career with a small factory in Blackpool making Swallow Sidecars, shortly followed by a coachbuilt version of the Austin Seven, the Austin Swallow. In 1928 a new site was acquired in Coventry and production grew. The first complete car was the SS 1.5-litre Saloon. This used a 1,609cc side valve engine supplied by nearby Standard Motors. This was soon complimented by 2.5 and 3.5-litre models and, of course, the staggeringly beautiful SS100. The engine on the entry model was soon enlarged to a 65bhp 1,776cc unit and from 1938 the bodies were made entirely of steel, doing away with the earlier ash frame construction.

The performance of the 1.5-litre was not its strongest suit, however 70mph was attainable and road tests of the day praised the car for its sweet running and its ability to cover ground efficiently. It certainly looked good, too, and was soon dubbed the 'Wardour Street Bentley' thanks to its aristocratic style at a bargain price which appealed to the more raffish elements of the contemporary Soho set.

After the war the company name was changed from SS to Jaguar Cars Ltd. (for obvious political reasons) and production continued with the old pre-war model range. The term Jaguar MkIV was introduced retrospectively to differentiate the model from the MkV which gained independent front suspension. In all, some 10,980 1.5-litre SS and Jaguar cars were produced between 1935 and 1949 although survivors are now rare and seldom seen.

This 1946 example was purchased by the vendor some years ago as a restoration project having been found in a local garage. The engine was up and running when he first acquired the car and over the years he has undertaken a huge amount of work which has included the necessary body repairs, a respray in black, work to the chassis including brakes, a front axle overhaul and a lot of care lavished on the interior. The leather upholstery has been repaired as necessary and is now superb including new door cards, whilst a replacement headlining has been fitted around a completely rebuilt sunroof. The chromework has been done, with all exterior fittings present and in excellent condition. The woodwork is excellent, with all work being carried out to a high standard. The vendor was even able to purchase a “new old stock” carpet set, still in its original box, which accompanies the car.

Now in need of the final push for completion, the vendor has sadly lost the workshop space needed to be able to do this himself and so is very reluctantly offering this most original example for sale. A very rewarding project with most of the hard work and expense already taken care of, this old Jaguar will be a great winter project to get stuck into.

There are a number of boxes of components which accompany the car, the contents of which are listed below.  The vendor believes the car to be complete having carefully dismantled and documented it himself.

• Wheel discs – re-painted

• Genuine internal floor carpets (red) and fixing clips in original box from Jaguar Coventry.

• Red furflex trim.

• Windscreen.

• Dashboard components / dashboard switches /ignition - door and boot keys / chromed dashboard knobs / internal upholstery fixing screws (slotted) and cups / assorted nuts and bolts / fuses / various screws / interior mirror bracket / bulbs and switches.

• Assorted chrome / chrome door handles / chrome door beads and various other chromed items etc.

• Various chrome lever handles / chrome door fitments / chromed `C` fitch clip / chrome door escutcheons / chrome ash trays / plastic heater knobs / wipers / front door armrests (inc brackets) / door panel clips / roof lining material and nuts, bolts, screws.

• Front and rear number plates inc glass numerals – numbers & `D` lights (in original boxes) / rear light fitments / front seat runners inc timber packing sections / sun visors / original Jaguar spanners / heater fascia / throttle cable and speedometer & RPM gauges / dashboard securing bracket.

• Dashboard compartments (gloveboxes).

• Chromed – metal wheel inserts.

• Speedometer / speedometer cable / genuine (boxed) dashboard replacement switches / rev counter and assorted fixing screws and bolts.

• Steering column assembly.

• Polished wood dashboard fascia.

• Internal front and rear door upholstered panels.

• Upholstered rear armrests / all Internal polished wood inc window surround cappings / door fascia cappings / quarter light cappings / center pillar cappings and dashboard (glove box) polished wood fascias.

• Original log book / original instruction book / original service manual / genuine lubrication chart together with Castrol enveloped letter (dated 1959) and Motor Ration booklet.

• Heater / various original parts / 2 No trays of (assorted misc) screws - nuts – bolts etc and handbrake housing.

• Various rubber seals.