January in Wales

I took the "Lady" out for the first time since early December and was intent on giving her a good run to make up for standing time, but only got as far as Caersws (about 4 miles away) and decided it was just too cold to go on so I turned around and went home again. I know I should have put my Biggles hat and goggles on but it does feel silly to wear them. The Sun nevertheless hammered me on the face and I had to look for something to ease the redness. Oh well it was still a great pleasure to drive even that small distance after such a time. Cheers John

I've got one of those - and I'm selling it!

Andy from the Stourbridge area (UK) saw the article on the brand new kit and responded:

Wow, a brand new kit. Is it possible to get a copy of the build manual?
I am selling a completed one - see my ebay ad"

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200431185286

I can't download the pics from Ebay but take a look as it doesn't look as though it needs a great deal of work and is a gift at the moment! It's the same colour scheme as the brand new kit - Coffee and Cream.

Aladdin's cave of SS100 replica parts

Well, not quite but I have been contacted by a gentleman in California who has a complete unbuilt kit from Classic and Automotive.

Most of the parts are still wrapped and it's a fantastic opportunity for someone to build their own replica. As far as I know the only company building replicas these days is the Suffolk Sportscars company which is pretty

much perfection, though at a price.

He may be persuaded to part with it but he is not prepared to split. (I would

have loved the folding screen and the narrow seats !). Carriage and import duty to the UK would probably be impractical but any readers of this blog in the US or Canada could take advantage of what is probably a unique opportunity.

The parts that are not shown such as the body tub, chassis doors etc are wrapped and stored in the attic.

This chassis is designed to take VW mechanics but I believe was al

so offered

with a Ford front engined option and I think these moulds were the basis of the British Carisma prototype. The owner even has a donor Beetle but it looks far too good to me to break as these are now classics in their own right.

Anyone interested should contact via this blog and serious enquirers will have their detail forwarded to the owner.

Please remember where it is and the transport implications.

A Christmas gift - Carisma Century Build manual

John Williams, a fellow Carisma Century owner, has painstakingly scanned a complete Carisma Century build manual and I am making this available to any interested parties via this blog. Please email ocheye@mac.com if you would like a copy.

I will pass on your thanks to John for this Herculean effort.

Merry Christmas

Christmas present ?

How fortuitous that my Christmas present should appear on EBay this week http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1937-SS-Jaguar-2-1-2-litre-Sports-100_W0QQitemZ300378614941QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item45eff5ec9d#ht_1218wt_1144. All I need now is for my numbers to come up on Saturday.

We can all dream can't we?

All I want for Christmas is.........

...well this Saoutchik bodied SS100 would do just nicely though I would settle for a plain, ordinary, bog-standard one ! For that matter the book this pic is from would be nice http://www.saoutchik-jaguar.de/jahreszeiten.htm. I'd even settle for a magic wand to sort out my wiring as my garage is a bit wintry up here in the frozen north.

Can I take this opportunity to wish all visitors to this blog a great time over this coming holiday season and a happy and prosperous New Year. Keep dropping by and feel free to contribute!!!

Steadman TS 100

This Steadman tS 100 has been for sale all over the place. EBay, Total Headturners, I want that one etc. I don't know if it ever actually sold. Prices have differed somewhat. They were, I believe, handmade in the 70's in Hayle in Cornwall and were pretty expensive. They're Jag powered. According to the Suffolk SS newsletter of 1998, it used XJ6 front and rear subframes and was six inches wider than the original. The wheelbase was too long and the car suffered from very low ground clearance. It cost £36000 almost 20 years ago. I think it could, perhaps, have benefitted looks wise from larger diameter and slightly skinnier wheels. It may have cured the ground clearance problem but probably would have compromised the handling. It's very nice just the same and I wouldn't say no to one!