Notifications
Clear all
Forum 43
10
Posts
6
Users
48
Reactions
2,953
Views
Topic starter
10/02/2021 3:08 pm
A total of 25 XKSS roadsters would have been built in 1957, the year after the legendary D-type retired from a successful three-season career, but a fire in February 1957 at the Browns Lane assembly plant destroyed nine along with hundreds of other Jaguars under construction. See pictures below.
The top image is conversion underway shortly before the fire.
Following Jaguar's withdrawal from competition at the end of the 1956 season, a number of completed and partly completed D-types remained unsold at the Browns Lane factory. In an attempt to recoup some of the investment made in building these unused chassis, and to exploit the lucrative American market for high-performance European sports cars,Sir William Lyons decided to convert a number to road-going specification. Only minor changes were made to the basic D-type structure: the addition of a passenger side door; the removal of the large fin behind the driver; and the removal of the divider between passenger and driver seats. In addition, changes were made for cosmetic, comfort and legal reasons: a full-width, chrome-surrounded windscreen was added; sidescreens were added to both driver and passenger doors; a rudimentary, folding, fabric roof was added for weather protection; chromed bumpers were added front and rear (a styling cue later used on the E-Type); XK140 rear light clusters were mounted higher on the wings; and thin chrome strips were added to the edges of the front light fairings.
On the evening of 12 February 1957, a fire broke out at the Browns Lane plant destroying nine of the twenty-five cars that had already been completed or were semi-completed. Most of the surviving 16 XKSSs were sold in the US.
I have several Jaguar XKSS 1/43 models in my collection. I consider this Autoart version to be the most accurate.
In March 2016, Jaguar announced that it would be completing the original 25 car order from 1957 by building high-quality XKSS replicas to make up the remaining 9 chassis numbers of cars destroyed by the plant fire. The cars are expected to sell for more than £1 million each.
10/02/2021 3:13 pm
The pics of the fire are sickening to see. What a terrible shame.
Tony Perrone and Tony Perrone reacted
10/02/2021 3:44 pm
Missed the AA model, so I got the Premium X.
Topic starter
10/02/2021 3:45 pm
10/02/2021 3:51 pm
The pics of the fire are sickening to see. What a terrible shame.
My thoughts exactly.
10/02/2021 3:54 pm
I seem to remember reading an article on the road version when one came up at auction or had been sold privately in recent years, and the price was head spinning. People pay serious money for pedigree Jaguar Ferrari and the like.
David Green and David Green reacted
10/02/2021 3:54 pm
What a great post David and thread, gentlemen!!
David Green and David Green reacted
Topic starter
14/02/2021 11:18 am
Spot-On models, was a brand name for a line of diecast toy cars made by Tri-ang from 1959 through about 1967. They produced the earliest model of the Jaguar XKSS. This was in 1/42 scale.
Norev acquired the castings and are currently producing replicas of the Jaguar with revised bases.
I have more about Spot-On elsewhere in Forum 43.
15/02/2021 1:21 am
And speaking of XKSS models, here's three historic Jaguars...in a Jaguar. All Autoart items.
John F. Quilter
Eugene, Oregon USA