As many of you know, the wonderful E-Type hearse in Ed’s collection is from the equally wonderful cult classic film, Harold and Maude starring Ruth Gordon in an incredible performance, with music by Cat Stevens. The movie triailer is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mz3TkxJhPc
Interesting that I have not seen this car offered for sale either by a dealer or at auction. Has anyone else?
Ron
A little more web searching answered my own question.
I had forgotten that at the end of the film Harold and Maude pushed it off a cliff and the result is shown below. What a shame.
=Ron
Correction – they didn’t push it off the cliff, Harold drove it off the cliff!
The video is worth a look – and please turn up the volume.
A recreation exists, made with input from the original builder. It was shown at the JCNA annual general meeting & festival in Scottsdale, AZ last year, in conjunction with a special screening of the movie.
The hearse recreation has casket hardware etc just like the original and is based on a 2+2. It’s well made, if not to everyone’s taste…
Hi,
Ok, and what would you suggest should be done with Jack Hilton, who destroyed the only surviving of two built SS100 Avon Drophead Coupés?
A big hand to Dick Strever for saving the body and going through a great effort to turn it back into a car. BTW has anybody heard of him for a while?
And Terry, I don’t know what went wrong last year, but I will be traveling to Stoneleigh in March and I could get that one book for you and give it to Paul Skilleter if you like? I’ll PM or e-mail you about it once again.
Cheers,
Pekka T. - 647194
Fin.
Hi,
I can dig a few pics of surviving SS Jaguars from the Czech republic, even Estonia had an SS Cars distributor and a few cars were sold new in the 1930’s, unlike here in Finland where there was ONE SS1 privately imported as a used car in the late 30’s. Official importer started in 1949.
The European (and overseas) distributors are listed for instance on the 1940 SS Jaguar owner’s handbook.
Cheers,
Pekka T. - 647194
Fin.
At least both bodies have survived and can be reunited with the chassis one day when people see sense!
just saw the bit on book yes wonderful idea and yes please email me
regards terry tmcgrath@bigpond.com
Yes I do have contact with Dick , he made a great effort with the Newsome cars but I personally have doubts that the bodies would be reunited with the original chassis .
And of course in these cases the bodies were the originals to those chassis…
Van den Plas apparently purchased (SS100) Chassis No. 49064 before World War II with the intention of giving it a custom body. The custom body was not completed until after the war, and the creation was first shown at the Brussels Motor Show very early in 1948. The overall design is similar to the XK120, and I wonder how much William Lyons was influenced by Van den Plas. If I remember correctly, design work for the XK120 body didn’t commence until about mid-1948.
Sorry but that work looks to be inspired by either Delahaye or Figoni and Falaschi (phony and flashy).
… or Saoutchik.
Ron
I’m going to bring this discussion back to where I started it last week. I made a deal Friday to acquire #39064 and have it delivered to me in Michigan to begin a thourough restoration. Rich Foster, who has owned his 3 1/2 SS100 for decades, accompanied me for the inspection. The car is as represented; never restored, rather worn, many minor fixes like adding later relays etc, but feels like a car that had one owner for 50+ years.
Those of you that know me realize that I’m a mechanical engineer whose career kept me from getting the garage time I enjoy ( but did allow me to acquire some fun cars and have professional restorations completed), but now that I’m retired and about to move into a new house/workshop ( Lori calls it a garage with an attached house ) I’m back into hands-on car projects.
In the 70’s ! I restored a 1948 3 1/2 DHC that eventually was JCNA Natl Champion, even though we drove it to most shows. I’m having flashbacks…
So, the SS100 will join our XK120, 66Etype, 64 289 Cobra, and 71 Mercedes 280SE 3.5. All are convertibles.
Got any leads on a SS 3.5 block for me? Advice on parts sources? This acquisition is a good excuse for a trip to the Beauleu swap meet…
Dave
Hi,
Good luck, the pushrod cars have a special charm.
In addition to Beaulieu Auto Jumble you might consider visiting Stoneleigh twice a year (International Jaguar Spares Day). 
Cheers,
Pekka T. - 647194
Fin.
The Vanden plas roadster has many odd aspects
The auctioneer’s description describes it has having twin SU carbs, when clearly it doesn’t , They appear to be Solex or something similar. I haven’t heard of anyone finding the SS jag engine was improved by Solex over the SUs . I know the 1 3/8" SUs can be hard to find, but a little bit of work for a car with that price.
It also claims the car has independent front suspension… on an SS100 chassis?
If they modified it for that , it was hardly worth wasting an SS100 chassis to do it .\ The instrument faces apparently reproductions are an odd shade of blue, more like the Bugatti blue than the navy blue on SSs.
The style , for want of a better word, reminds me of hot rods, a lot of mismatched elements thrown together without much of a cohesive direction
The headlamps, P100s, always too large for SS100s, are from a WO Bentley, perhaps left over and found in the shop.
The windscreen rake is a bit over the top and what is noticeable is the difference in height of the rear bodywork over the front . Bill Lyons would not have approved. Lofty England particularly mentioned that Lyons had discussed with him the relationship between the height of the front and rear and the effects of interposing a windscreen between them.
The chrome trims appeared to have been applied haphazardly , perhaps using the drawing as a dart board.
It is in marked contrast to the Newsome bodies which reflect the style of a 30s English sportscar.
This looks ilke they had a premonition of Pebble Beach .
.
Dave, congratulations on the rescue of 39064. We will be looking forward to hearing more as your work progresses.
Ed, you are correct that 49064 has Solex carbs.
Frostick’s “Jaguar Tradition” has a 1948 picture of it in some sort of concours parade.
Mike, Lyons never confessed as to where he got his ideas for the 120, but a certain BMW 328 Mille Miglia racer from 1939 is sometimes mentioned by the more recent historians, although curiously it was not noticed by historians of past generations such as Montagu, Wherry and Frostick.
Best Regards all,
Rob
Hi Dave,
Rich is one of the good guys of our hobby and I hope that he is doing well! Back in 84 or 85 when we were new to E’s and first starting to show a 69 OTS, now my sons, that we had restored but knew little to nothing about JCNA judging. At one of our very first events, that happened to be in Fort Wayne Indiana which was Rich’s home club, he was one of the judge’s of our car and realizing that we were newbe’s he offered to go over the complete car with us after the event was over, which he did! I’ve never forgotten his thoughtfulness and over the years have had the opportunity to do the same for a number of others.
From your message I assume that you’re in Michigan, if so, where?
Bob
889076
Plymouth, Mi.
This chassis was not fitted with a body by jaguar before the war.
The rolling chassis only was sold to “Belgian Car distributors” 30th June 1947 and despatched to them on the 20th June 1947 along with two rolling MKIV chassis with all 3 having special coachbuilt bodies done by Vanden Plas. The S100 and one of the MKIV convertibles survive.
TI just now noticed the B and W pic taken of it when new.
What is odd, and unfortunate is the headlamps, The blurb about the car says they are original SS100 head lamps , built in. They may have been in the original pic, but not currently.
The change to the old Bentley P100s which are larger will mean the mudguards at the front will have been altered to fit them.
The Bentleys that had these bullseye P100s , different to those fitted on SS Jagaur saloons were a very large car, of the size of those ones regularly converted to blower Bentley reproach.
The headlamp rims have disappeared in its current for .
And the colour scheme has been altered.
While certainly not my favourite car , at least it was more balanced in its original form.
I notice the rad badge is a MK IV badge , not an SS 100.
Van den Plas (SS100) Chassis No. 49064 being built post war it was delivered with 2.5 litre postwar grille badge, postwar Jaguar wheel spinners and Jaguar ID plate.
