Jagazette December 2005
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Page 14 JAGUAR BOOK REVIEWS By Club Member Dave Hobson This review covers two books at either ex- close-up detail. They also show several custom bodies, treme of both cost and age. Both are a valued part of at least some of which were made to replace severely my library. Both appeal to different Jaguar audiences damaged sheet metal. Some were truly beautiful. and both are very unique and desirable items. Sadly, the early cars, especially open versions, have become rather pricey. The days when one could THE FORERUNNERS OF JAGUAR buy a decent SS100 roadster for $5,000 are long gone, IN AUSTRALASIA and S.E. ASIA, and provide yet another reason for those of us who lived through the '60s to reminisce. The book likewise by John Clucas and Terry McGrath published by PJ is expensive, at $300 for the cloth bound version. Publishing Company. Available stateside from Golden (The leather bound versions have already sold out at Cat Publishing, Golden Colorado (303) 489-3955 or $500 each, and as this is written there are only 17 cloth visit <www.jaguarbooksite.com> bound copies still available for purchase here in the Note: Steve Kennedy, owner of Golden Cat Pub- states.) The good news is that there are only 500 cop- lishing, has written much of the judging manual for ies in the entire run, and I believe all are personally JCNA, and has written what I believe to be the best autographed by both authors. Just like the cars they reference book on Jaguars from the beginning of pro- describe, you're looking at a rather exclusive collector’s duction to the current day. item, which will hopefully grow in value with the passage of time. I Jaguar expert Paul Skilleter, who owns PJ Publishing, introduces Dave Hobson can't imagine anyone ever again putting together a competing volume the book on the flyleaf by stating "If you thought you knew all about with this kind of effort or dedication. If you're into the early cars, in the forerunners of Jaguar, think again... Extraordinarily comprehensive and full my opinion, this is a must-have book. of fascinating new details." And now, for the other end of the spectrum: For readers not familiar with Jaguar History, the company started as a builder of motorcycle sidecars (termed "chairs" by the English) and was named Swallow Sidecar Company at its founding in 1922. It evolved to Swallow Sidecar THE ULTIMATE JAGUAR SALES BROCHURE and Coachbuilding Company in 1926, and as might be guessed from the name FOR THE SUPER V8 PORTFOLIO change, began putting very stylish custom bodies on chassis from Austin, Morris, Standard, Wolseley and other contemporary British cars. A few Fiats even In recent years, Jaguar Cars has done a superb job in their advertising litera- ended up with Swallow coachwork. By the early 1930s, the company began ture. Photographs are masterfully done, and the accompanying text is beautifully building its own line of cars and was incorporated as SS Cars in 1933. In 1936, written. The people in charge of the program do a great job of creating the urge William Lyons, the styling genius whose beautiful designs were already making a to reach for one's checkbook! This particular item, however, has to be the all highly favorable impression on the motoring public, began calling his 1936 se- time ultimate sales brochure. I don't recall ever seeing any sales literature in hard dans (saloons) SS Jaguars. When production resumed after World War II, the bound book form, and I somehow doubt I'll see it again. Even my Rolls Royce initials "SS" had acquired a very unsavory reputation, so the initials were sales brochures are in regular softbound format. dropped, and the entire line began to be marketed as Jaguars. Jaguar currently features regular and long wheelbase sedan models, as well If you're a fancier of the early SS cars from the 1930s, this is a must-have as a choice of trim (standard and Vanden Plas,) along with regularly aspirated book. Even though importation of European cars didn't really get under way and supercharged engines. The Portfolio Edition is the ultimate expression of here in the US until after WWII, the Australians and other members of the com- what they currently offer, and I believe includes as standard all available options, monwealth looked to England for their upscale cars, and Jaguar was happy to including long wheelbase, power adjustable rear seats, video screens in the back ship a sizeable amount of its production "down under." of both front seat headrests, supercharged engine, and Vanden Plas interior trim In what must have been a true labor of love, the authors appear to have with a few upgrades specific to this model alone. Interior wood is a satin finish tracked down nearly every scrap of SS (Jaguar) related paper in Australia, New (I believe a first for Jaguar). and the exterior comes in just two colors, a Black Zealand, and Southeast Asia, including old photographs, sales and service in- Cherry and Winter Gold, a champagne color, which looks similar to the Topaz voices, advertisements, contemporary newspaper articles, shipping documents of the late 1990s. The front fenders feature sculpted aluminum "power vents," and registration information. The book concludes with elaborate documentation just ahead of the front doors, another item specific to this model which imitates on each of the vehicles from SS (Jaguar) during that era. Cars are indexed by the fender vents on the new XK-8. The windows are double thickness glass, for current owner, original owner and registration number (which stays with the car both insulation and sound deadening, though all the 2006 model XJs now incor- throughout its life in the Commonwealth), and a register which lists by model all porate that feature. I understand that only 150 cars came to the states, which of the cars known to currently exist anywhere in the world. means approximately one per dealership. At a sticker of about $115,000 with no The photographs, all in black and white, are valuable for a number of rea- discount, it's significantly above the mid-$90,000 sticker for a Super V8. I would sons. They detail running production changes, and allow the reader to see what guess that the price premium is the reason used to justify this one-of-a-kind bro- the cars looked like in "as delivered" condition, as well as how they looked as chure. time and use began to take a toll. They include several photographs of various Jaguar of Livermore, where I picked up the brochure, has sold their only early Swallow bodies on other maker's chassis. Given the rarity of those cars car, and I'd suspect most of the other dealerships have sold their allotted vehicle here in the states (I've never actually seen one), they allow the reader to appreci- as well. Which brings up the good news. Presumably, your closest dealership ate how a stylish body could enhance an otherwise dull car. They even feature could be induced to pass out their remaining brochures at the usual price (free) if approximately 300 historic pictures of the cars in competition, along with a few they have no more cars available? This particular brochure is definitely the of what they looked like after mishaps with cars and other obstacles. (Tort liabil- crowning item in my automotive literature collection. It may be something that ity lawyers today would probably salivate over the near total lack of any sort of would be a worthwhile edition to your library as well. Since depreciation is an barriers or other safety devices such as protective helmets). unfortunate reality with any new luxury car, I'm thinking about adding a car to Separate Paragraph for the restorer; it provides a wonderful inspiration to my collection to match the brochure 2 - 3 years in the future at a lot less than compare what look like hopeless hulks shown as found and in their current re- $115,000! stored condition. Things like registration and other data plates are shown in Dave Hobson JAGazette December 2005 .