2010-12-29 13:21:49 | pauls writes:

Car was at auction in '07
www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r

Auction description:
Sale 15342 - Sports Competition and Collectors' Motor Cars, F1 Memorabilia, Automobilia and Models, 22 Jun 2007
Goodwood Festival of Speed, Chichester, Sussex
Lot No: 377
1937 SS 100 Jaguar Roadster
Registration no. DUV 71
Chassis no. 18054
Engine no. 252018

Sold for £199,500 inclusive of Buyer's Premium

A superb and fully restored 2½-Litre example, chassis number ‘18054’ is listed in the SS 100 Registry and known to the Classic Jaguar Association. Its history file is truly extensive and includes period pictures, correspondence between various owners, renovation photographs, original buff logbook, numerous bills, expired MoTs, etc.
The original owner was Colonel Gray-Cheape in the UK. The car acquired the very special bronze-coated cylinder head early in its life. Factory records indicate that only 11 cars had these special heads and were primarily for competition use. ‘DUV 71’ contested many rallies in 1938/9 driven by Mr John Barlass before being stored during the war years. Purchased by a Mr R Swarbrick in 1946, it was taken on numerous continental holidays during his ownership, including a trip to Le Mans where it was timed at 98mph on the Mulsanne straight. The history file contains some splendid photographs of these various trips including pictures taken on Alpine passes in Switzerland. ‘DUV 71’ was next sold in 1951 to Performance Cars (a dealer) and subsequently appeared in 1955 in Motorsport magazine (a copy of the advertisement is enclosed with the history file). The car then passed to a Mr A Lawrence in Portsmouth. He sold the car in 1960 to a Mr M Beard in Buckinghamshire, who was to be the last UK-based owner for many years.
In 1961 the car passed to Capt. Hunter Moore Alverston, stationed at the US air base in Denham, who exported it from Dover to Ostend (the original ferry invoice is with the history). The Jaguar was driven to Marseilles and then two years later taken to Turkey, where it was temporarily impounded by the Turkish Government, and then back to the USA via San Francisco in June 1968.
The car spent the next 17 years in the USA in Captain Alverston’s ownership (there are many bills dating from this period) and in 1988 was bought from US dealer Terry Larson by Bob Heppel, who brought it back to the UK. Its new owner then commissioned a meticulous restoration (Jack Buckley/Fullbridge Restoration Company) changing the colour back to the original metallic grey. Accompanying photographs clearly show every detail both before and after restoration. The quality of the work is quite superb and the car has recently been serviced by Davenports. Representing a rare opportunity to acquire a fine example of the model that can be said to have started the Jaguar legend, ‘DUV 71’ possesses one of the most comprehensive history files imaginable as well as undisputed provenance.