2014-06-23 21:40:51 | pauls writes:

Car to be at auction 6/14
www.classicdriver.com/en/car/jaguar/ss-100/1937/235723

Auction description:
The ex-Norman Wisdom
1937 Jaguar 2½-Litre Roadster
Registration no. NW 100
Chassis no. 18064
Engine no. 252321

The SS100 Jaguar roadster offered here was formerly owned by Sir Norman Wisdom, OBE, who acquired the car in June 1962 and kept it until April 1978 when it passed to the current vendor. Born in 1915, Norman Wisdom was an actor, comedian and singer-songwriter best known for a series of immensely popular comedy films featuring his hapless onscreen character, Norman Pitkin: 'The Square Peg' (1958), 'On the Beat' (1962), 'A Stitch in Time' (1963) and 'The Early Bird' (1965). He later pursued an equally successful career on Broadway and in television, and only retired from acting in 2005 at the age of 90. Wisdom was knighted in 2000 and died in October 2010 at his home in the Isle of Man. He was also a dedicated motoring enthusiast, owning two Bentleys (registered 'NW 1' and 'NW 2') as well as this SS100.

Chassis number '18064' was supplied new in 1937. The car's early history is not recorded but there is a photograph on file showing it racing while carrying the registration 'DWA 535'. Norman Wisdom had the current registration 'NW 100' transferred to the car when he bought it in 1962 (see continuation logbook on file). The body and trim are different from those of standard cars, and it is believed that these differences were in place early in its life. The only other notified deviations from factory specification are external exhaust pipes, twin spare wheels and different rear lights.

'NW 100' has covered only some 1,000 miles in the last 20 years and will be serviced and MoT'd immediately prior to sale by marque specialist David Wall of Hoveton, Norwich, who has looked after the car since 1991. David's bills are on file together with one for £1,200 in 1995 from SS & Classic Restorations of Diss, Norfolk. Additional paperwork consists of a V5C registration document and a copy of Norman Wisdom's letter (dated February 1985) recalling that he paid £300 for the car, spent considerably more having it completely renovated and kept it at his home in West Chiltington, Sussex until the gardener persuaded him to sell it!