Ron,
Research to date indicates the LEAD Hammers supplied for SS1 were not of the
same brand/supplier as those initially supplied for SS-Jaguar, so apart from
the now documented idiosyncrasies of sale date/enhancing SS1 originally
built in 1935, there is in simple terms a 1935 - 1936 demarcation re
Hammers. Certainly period pictures show SS1 Lead Hammers to be of a
different appearance to THOR made Lead hammers of the 1930s.
The first 1936MY SS-Jaguar were initially supplied with two size Lead
Hammers (smaller for 1-1/2 litre, larger for 2-1/2 litre) believed to have
been THOR supplied, but maybe still the same as SS1 supplier??? Don’t know
for sure - yet - nor exact date the larger THOR lead hammer was replaced
with a THOR No.2 size Copper-Rawhide hammer for 2-1/2 litre SS-Jaguar.
Communication with today’s THOR company advised that current MD’s father was
delighted to win contract during 1936 to supply SS Cars Ltd with THOR
Hammers continuing on until 1940MY SS-Jaguars, that as per my earlier
posting were initially No.2 size Copper-Rawhide not yet(nor marked) PATENT
501310, but seemingly also their smaller THOR Lead Hammers for 1-1/2 litre
cars - with the Size No.2 Copper-Rawhide hammers for 2-1/2 litre 1936/7 MY
cars then later also 3-1/2 litre cars. More work required on demarcation
dates, but that general thrust is sound and supported by period literature,
part numbers and memories of now elderly son, of THORS founder/owner, but
would be nice to find a copy of the recollected 1936 THOR/SS Cars Ltd
contract apparently not able to be found in THOR’s archives/papers.
AS before, the exact form of the No.2 THOR Copper-Rawhide hammer did evolve
over 1936 to 1952 period affecting detail of what was supplied to 2-1/2 and
3-1/2 litre SS-Jaguar and post-war Mark IV - and I do have good actual
examples of these evolving detail hammers.
But detail of the situation with the smaller hammer supplied to 1-1/2 litre
SS-Jaguar and then post-war 1-1/2 litre Mark IV remains ambiguous with the
THEORY being THOR Lead Hammers up until last 1940MY SS-Jaguars, but with a
No.1 SIZE Copper-Rawhide hammer being introduced for post-war 1-1/2 litre
Mark IV.
The 1-1/2 litre No.1 size THOR Copper-Rawhide Hammer is Jaguar Part Number
C.1068 (as per Spare Parts Catalogue J.1 and J.5 and internal SS Cars Ltd
Contract Drawings), whereas the No.2 size THOR Copper-Rawhide Hammer is part
number C.992 (as per J.2 and J.3 and J.6), noting these Part Numbers, and
this series of part numbers was only developed/introduced in 1943/44
replacing the pre-war part number series/logic.
What worries me about this seemingly sound THEORY is I am aware of an
extremely original local 1-1/2 litre Mark IV that has most (but not all) its
original tools, but includes a THOR Lead Hammer rather than the expected
C.1068 No.1 Copper-Rawhide. Now this may well be a case of a post-war
supply shortage of C.1068s to Jaguar, and an expedient of continuing with
pre-war Lead Hammer, or maybe a case of a post-new car replacement hammer
presuming/supplying the hammer as had been used on 1-1/2 litre SS-Jaguars.
So I am guessing to find an explanation for this anomaly in an otherwise
very original tool-kit.
But the fact that the tool-tray for a 1-1/2 litre Mark IV was the same as
for a 2-1/2 & 3-1/2 litre Mark IV meant that a replacement THOR No.2 C.992
would also substitute satisfactorily in the cut-out-space available, and
given the consumable nature of these hammers, its rare to find many original
THOR hammers still fitted to 1-1/2 litre cars (or 2-1/2 & 3-1/2 litre cars
for that matter).
An original No.1 C1068 or an original No.2 C992 is easily identified from a
post-Mark IV spare-parts-replacement by the exact form of marking/branding
on the hammer head, and subjective handle-shape variations.
Fortunately I have been able to assemble good original examples of the
evolution of both No.1 and No.2 THOR Copper-Rawhide hammers covering the
1936 to 1952 period (and later up to 1968 when Jaguar stopped using THOR
Hammers) so when my book on SS, SS-Jaguar and Jaguar tools/tool-kits finally
sees the light of day, there will be detailed photographs along with
hopefully better refined/developed text.
I would however like to get better information/photos/examples of the same
evolution of THOR Lead hammers, if not to yearly accuracy, at least mid
1930s, late 1930s and immediate post-war accuracy, as evidence to date
suggests little change if at all and nothing obvious as is case with their
Copper-Rawhide hammers.
Roger Payne - XK140MC OTS; E-Type 4.2 S.1 OTS; DSV8.
Canberra.-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pre-xk@jag-lovers.org [mailto:owner-pre-xk@jag-lovers.org] On
Behalf Of Ed Nantes
Sent: Saturday, 6 April 2013 11:39 AM
To: pre-xk@jag-lovers.org
Subject: Re: [pre-xk] THOR HAMMERS
In reply to a message from Ron Laurie sent Fri 5 Apr 2013:
I think the change to copper-rawhide was from 1936.
I can’t think of a logical reason
I don’t know that 1 1/2s stayed with lead but they kept the
smaller, different style knock ons. Which in some ways were more
durable, as the hammer didn’t hit a sharp corners.
Certainly post war 1 1/2s had the same hammer as 2 1/2 s and 3
1/2s.
I’m more inclined to believe that relative costs may be involved.
Lead hammers were deemed OK for SS1s with the same knock ons as SS
Jaguars.
But then there was a change from SS2 s to SS jaguar 4 cylinder
cars.
The original message included these comments:
Thanks for the great info. One additional detail is that
when SS Cars switched from lead to copper/rawhide hammers
(presumably with the introduction of the MY 38 cars), the
change was only for the 2.5L and 3.5L cars, the 1.5 L
saloons and DHCs continued to have the lead hammer in the
tool kit.
–
Ed Nantes SS
Melbourne, Australia
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