Jaguar World – July 2019

July 201 9\JaguarWorld|5 5

CLASSICDRIVE

SUFFOLKSS 100

LEFT:Surefooted

handlingmakesthe

SuffolkSportscars’

SS 10 0terrificfun

ABOVE:Gorgeous

radiatorgrillewith

theoriginalmotif

ABOVERIGHT:The

onlyindicationof

useisseeninthe

milometer

RIGHT:Fantastic,

authenticinterior

looksunworn

T

HEWINDblastsmyright

shoulderasitwhipspastthe

SS 10 0’sslenderwindscreen,a

feelingIknowwellfromdriving

manyoftheoriginals.Justas

Ihavedonecountlesstimesbefore,Iam

drivingaSuffolkSportscarSS 10 0,thistime

onthedelightfulSuffolkroadsasthesun

beamsfromaclear,bluesky.Thedifference

now,though,isthatfarfromabrand-new

examplewithjustahandfulofmiles,this

carhascovered33, 17 7milessinceitsowner

builtitfromasuppliedkitin 2004.

RogerWilliams,whofoundedSuffolk

Sportscarsmorethan 20 yearsago,has

workedhardtogethisbrandknown.Fully

trainedinJaguar,hewasnostrangertothe

BrownsLaneworksandimmersedhimself

inthemarque.AsaJaguarenthusiast

aswellasbeinginthebusiness,hehas

chosentorestoreanSS2,fourE-types

andtwofearsomeListerJaguars,which

werecampaignedinhistoricevents.There

wasalsoabriefflirtationwitha1 936

JaguarSS 10 0,fittedwithaMkVIIengine.

In 19 95,whenhemetTerryRowing,of

TRACEngineering,hewassotakenby

Terry’sSS 10 0replicasthatafterafew

meetings(asthesayinggoes)Rogerbought

thecompany.BeingbasedinSuffolk,he

re-nameditSuffolkSportscars.

Roger’sSS 10 0shaveawell-

manufacturedchassisandcarryalteredXJ6

runninggearwithachoiceofXKengines

andgearboxes.Thebodyismanufactured

fromGRP(glassreinforcedplastic)with

analuminiumbonnet.Manyofthekey

componentsaredesignedtobedirect

replacementsoftheoriginal.Indeed,TRAC

suppliedreplacementpartstoownersof

originalSS 10 0s.

Rogerhasrefinedthemanufacturing

processovertheyears,whilealso

accommodatingtheneedsofachanging

customerbase.Hisson,Fraser,wasalsonever

farfromtheworkshop,andalthoughhe

spenttimegatheringexperiencewithother

organisations,hewasalwaysathisfather’s

sideanditwasinevitablethathewould

eventuallyjointhebusiness.Thisfollowsthe

familytradition,startedbyhisgrandfather

whenhejoinedWHJohnsonandSonsin

1917 ,toeventuallybecomeadirectorofthis

multi-franchisedealershipinKingsLynn.

SuffolkSportscarsinitiallystartedby

supplyingcarsinkitformforenthusiastic

ownerstoassemblethemselvesorwith

theoptionofafullyfactory-builtcar.From

thoseslowbeginnings,thecompanyhas

expandedandnowoccupiesaworkshop

ofsome7,500sqft.Init,hisstaffhasbuilt

moreSS1 00 sthanJaguardid.

Whiletodaytheself-buildisstillan

option,mostcustomerspreferthefullybuilt

SS 10 0.Theyalsoreceiveacomprehensive

manualcoveringeveryeventuality,including

theprocessandbuildprocedureindetail.

Manyyears’experienceandcountlesscars

builthasledtoaslickoperation,whichtoday

alsoincludestheC-type.

Itwasin2 00 4thatButchandPam

BarnsdalesawaSuffolkSportscars’SS 100

ataclassiccarshowand,lookingfora

retirementproject,decidedthatoneinkit

formwasjustwhattheywanted.Despite

thepairhavingnopreviousexperience,

eightmonthslatertheprojectwas

complete–Butchhadapracticalapproach

andhadbeeninvolvedinavarietyofDIY

jobs.Italsohelpedtohavealocalmechanic

andmentoronhand,onewhohadhimself

beeninvolvedinseveralSuffolkbuilds.

ThespecificationButchchosewasa4.2-

litreenginereconditionedbyVSE.Although

notmodified,itwasfullybalanced,with

reciprocatingpartslightened.Carburettors

areapairofrebuiltSUHS8s.AnXJ6

manualgearboxwithcompactoverdrive

drivesabespokeprop-shaftintothe

speciallypreparedIRSassembly.

TheredinteriorisfinishedinredConnolly

leatherwithgreycarpets,neatlyfollowing

thegreypaintwork.Forcomfort,thereisa