1938 Jaguar SS100

The Jaguar SS100 is a legendary British sports car produced by SS Cars Ltd (which later became Jaguar Cars) between 1936 and 1940. Celebrated for its elegant styling and competitive performance, the SS100 was the first model to carry the Jaguar name. It was initially offered with a 2.5-litre engine, of which 198 units were produced, followed by a more powerful 3.5-litre version introduced in 1938, with only 116 examples built. Combining pre-war engineering with classic open-top roadster design, the SS100 remains one of the most iconic and sought-after vintage Jaguars ever made.

Dispatched on 1st February 1938 through the renowned Jaguar distributor Henleys of London, chassis 39029 was swiftly exported to Australia and sold to Melbourne resident Richard De Coudray Tronson.

During the war years, the SS100 changed hands a few times before being acquired in 1948 by Keith Thallon, then President of the Light Car Club of Australia. Thallon purchased the car with motorsport aspirations and immediately entered it into the Queensland Hillclimb Championship. On its debut at Whites Hill, the SS100 won its class and set a new course record.

Over the following two seasons, Thallon actively campaigned the SS100 in competitive events, culminating in an appearance at the 1949 Australian Grand Prix in Leyburn, Queensland. Wearing race number 15, the car started from the front row of the grid. Thallon chose to run without rear wheel arches to prevent stone damage from the rough surface. Unfortunately, a mechanical failure on lap 10 forced the car’s retirement from the race.

Later that year, Thallon offered the SS100 for sale. After a brief succession of owners, it was acquired in May 1961 by Greg Berkman. In a remarkable act of stewardship, Berkman retained ownership of the car for an extraordinary 57 years. Throughout this time, he meticulously documented every aspect of maintenance and servicing in a handwritten ledger, supplemented by a comprehensive collection of invoices and receipts.

After nearly six decades in Berkman’s care, chassis 39029 was sold and repatriated to the United Kingdom, where it joined an esteemed collection of rare and collectible Jaguars. Upon its return, the car was inspected and authenticated by the late David Davenport of Davenport Cars Ltd, a globally respected SS Jaguar expert. Davenport concluded: “This is in my opinion the most original 3½ Litre SS100 in unrestored condition. The car is very usable in this condition and is a pleasure to see such originality.”

Now offered for sale following a recent service by Pearsons Engineering, chassis 39029 presents an exceptional opportunity to acquire a highly original, matching-numbers 3.5 Litre SS100—undoubtedly one of the finest examples extant.