Literature

OTTERCRAFT LTD

‘Replica’ is a word frequently used to describe the present-day look-alike versions of great cars of the past – but it is a misnomer.  According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, a replica is a ‘Duplicate made by the original artist of his picture, etc. facsimile, exact copy’. 

We make no claim therefore that the Steadman TS100 is a ‘replica’.  In appearance, however, it is a faithful reproduction of ‘Bill’ (later Sir William) Lyons’ purposeful, functional and strikingly handsome SS-Jaguar 100 of the mid-1930’s, the beautiful lines of which have been turning heads and provoking envy for more than 50 years.

Nor do we pretend that it is an ‘exact copy’ (internally, that is) of the original.  We could very easily have produced a car that was authentic in almost every detail – but what would have been the point?  It would neither have been a true SS100, nor a modern car, but a modern fake with all the disadvantages (except the looks) of a car built 50-odd years ago.  We maintain therefore, that those changes which we have decided to make, in the light of 50 years of development in the design, layout and construction of motor cars since the SS100 was first built, have resulted in an altogether better car.  But we have steadfastly retained the poise, balance and lines – and above all the individuality – of the breathtakingly beautiful car conceived by ‘Bill’ Lyons so long ago.  Lord Byron, we feel, might almost have had this car in mind when he wrote the lines: …that there are things which time adorns, not wears, and to which beauty obstinately clings’.  

We could, for example, very easily have used the leaf springs and beam axles of the original, with the limited spring deflection and bumpy, ‘quick’ ride that the old-type suspension provided.  But why use out-dated layouts when today’s all-round independent suspension does the job so much better?  And, to provide the absolute rigidity required if all-round independent suspension is to do its work properly, we have based the car on an extremely stiff, fabricated modern chassis-frame. 

We could have retained the externally-mounted, 17 gallon fuel tank at the rear, unprotected except by the spare wheel – a layout much favoured by British sports car manufacturers in the 1930’s.  But why adhere to a layout that is frowned upon by today’s Construction and Use Regulations on the grounds of its vulnerability and consequent fire risks – and one, incidentally, which adds substantially to insurance premiums?

With no difficulty at all we could have mounted the engine in its original position, too far forward in the chassis-frame and retained the SS-100’s undesirable feature of inherent under-steer.

But why perpetuate handling shortcomings when a slight repositioning of the engine will change the weight distribution and produce a much better balanced car?  And, had we been real sticklers for originality, we could have retained the old Girling rod-operated drum brakes – but they would have been wholly inadequate in today’s traffic conditions on a very high-performance car.  If the truth were known, they were scarcely up to their job on the SS100 itself – so the TS100 has modern disc brakes front and rear.

By incorporating these and other improvements the results of today’s know-how and techniques, we have achieved something of which Sir William Lyons might have approved – a car perhaps that he would have produced himself in the 1930’s, if today’s components and knowledge had been available to him at the time.  From the TS100’s earliest conception, we have sought to reproduce the beauty-of-line of a singularly beautiful car – but not its out-dated short-comings!

So far as the TS100’s specification is concerned, we have used components from the production Jaguar XJ6 almost throughout – either completely reconditioned, or brand new, with the price adjusted accordingly.  The carburettor version of the 4.2 litre (258 cu. In.), twin-o.h.c., 6 cylinder engine, with its power output of 180 b.h.p. (DID) at 4,500 r.p.m., and 232 1b./ft. of torque at 3,000, gives a power to weight ratio on the XJ6 of 104 b.h.p. per ton – and a top speed of almost 120 m.p.h.

For the TS100,  with a kerb weight only two-thirds that of the XJ6, the power to weight ratio increases to the impressive figure of 160 b.h.p. per ton.  The effect of this increase upon the XJ6’s already impressive acceleration figures can be imagined – and, for those more concerned with the out-and-out maximum speed, the reduced weight means that the engine will pull a higher axle ratio.  The gearbox – 4 speed manual or 3 speed automatic – is standard XJ6, with standard ratios.

Front and rear suspension units are also standard XJ6 – double wishbones at the front, with coil springs, lower wishbones a t the rear with fixed-length drive-shafts, and telescopic dampers all-round.  Combined with these suspension units are the standard XJ6 power-assisted all-round disc brakes (285 mm dia. front: 264 mm rear).  With the reduced weight of the TS100, these give a truly impressive braking performance. 

To suit this reduction in weight and to lower the car slightly on the suspension, we had no fewer than 16 sets of coil springs made up, varying in length and rate, finally settling upon slightly softer springs of reduced length, after extensive experiments.  The effect of this change has been two-fold – not only does it improve the ride, but it has enhanced the look of the car aesthetically.  At first we had wondered how the ‘wheel arches’ beneath Bill Lyons’ beautifully proportioned, flared wings would match-up with the smaller diameter and much wider wheels ands tyres of the XJ6.  The outcome has been very successful, with the wheel-arches better filled, yet still allowing plenty of room for the increased suspension deflections.

The body is panelled throughout in 16-gauge aluminium, mounted on the fabricated steel chassis-frame.  To give protection to the steel fuel tank, we have slightly altered the rear-end treatment so as to contain it within the luggage boot.  Tank capacity has had to be reduced to eight gallons; but with the ‘easy driving’ fuel consumption of slightly over 20 m.p.g. for the XJ6, and allowing for the reduced weight of the TS100, this should give a brim-to-brim mileage of around 200.  The single spare wheel, gives added protection to the fuel tank, is mounted in the traditional SS100 position, vertically at the extreme rear of the car.