Where would be a good place to look for the chassis number on a 1937 3.5L ss100?
It is on the RH chassis rail near the trunnion housing on the vertical surface.
Strictly speaking I think 3 1/2 ltres didn’t come in until Model year 1938 they should have a chassis number in the series 39***
Thanks Ed,
I was looking on the wrong side of the car. I will take another look in the am.
The 3.5 litres started in 1937, I have the birth certificate from Jaguar. I can not remember without checking, but there were at least 8 cars for that year, maybe more.
The model year cars were always introduced at theMotor Show of the previous year. So some 1938 model examples will have been produced in 1937. In the same way that my 1937 model SS saloon was registered in Nov 1936.
But if I ordered parts based on the 1936 date of manufacture I could end up with the wrong items.
Colin,
If you refer to Alan Crouch’s SS & JAGUAR CARS 1936 - 1951 book he provides all that detail.
The very first 3-1/2 litre Saloons were referred to as 1938 Model Year, but the first chassis number 30001 was made in October 1937, with some 545 1938MY saloons made up to 30545 in July 1938.
The first 1939MY 3-1/2 litre Saloons from 30546 were made from August 1938 on.
There were no 3-1/2 litre DHC actually made in 1937, the first 36001 being made in March 1938.
The first 3-1/2 litre SS100, 39001 was made in October 1937 with the last 39118 being made in July 1939, but Alan Crouch doesn’t refer to them being 1938MY nor 1939MY, presumably the small numbers made not warranting the MY marketing for each yeras Earls Court Motor Show.
He also shows pictures/locations of Commission Plates, Engine Number stampings, and Chassis Number stampings.
If you have, or are looking at acquiring any SS-Jaguar, this is a book well worth buying.
If you want a very specialised and detailed book on just the SS100 Model, the recently published John Clucas book is supreme and without peer, and will detail everything you ever wanted to know about SS100 - and a lot more.
OK. I checked the r/h frame and found nothing so far. Referring to the trunion housing, I guess that would be the front axle leaf spring rear mounting??? Thats the only thing to me that resembles a trunion housing.
That’s where it is on my '38 SS saloon 40051, the rear mounting of the right front leaf spring, and also just above it on the chassis frame.
Not to be knocking Allan nor his excellent book, but according to page 169 he thought mine would not have it. Admittedly its very faint and hard to see.
According to John Clucas excellent reference on SS100 he chassis umber is stamped about10" to therear f the trunnion housing. In practical terms it is often faint as it’s hard to stamp bigger number stamps in steel that is part of a chassis frame. An engine block it’ dead’ and cast iron and the stamp can mark it fairly easily,but the chassis frame is like trying to stamp a spring. It doesn’t offer much resistance to the stamp but springs away. And the location is only approximate, stamping probably given to an apprentice or similar. ad subject to ood and imminence of lunch break.
Thanks again Ed,
I will wipe the area down with paint thinner and take another look.