COMPUTERISED JAVELIN

[Leo Bolter]

I was browsing through a magazine today and came across this account of electronic controls that are fitted to a Javelin (yes, I do mean a Jowett Javelin!). Sounds really up-to-date, state of the art stuff to me. The mod certainly brings the car up to the expected “luxury” of today’s modern car driving!

I include here a shortened/slightly edited version of the account. I’ll post the full article in a couple of days time which will reveal just who has done this magic. (A message for those interested in this "update" . . . "Please form a orderly queue"!)

I quote:

“COMPUTERISED JAVELIN

Xxxxx has redone the dash in original birdseye maple and it looks really beautiful. But, in the centre there is a display screen and a series of buttons. This computer covers about 45 different functions at the touch of a button giving such things as instant fuel use in a given circumstance, or overall consumption, or exactly how far you travel on the fuel left in your tank under the conditions prevailing and so on. But the most intriguing part is the fact that you can now program the car to travel at any speed between 25m.p.h. and the car's top speed . . . . and without touching the accelerator the car will accelerate to the preset speed and maintain it regardless of winds, gradients etc. If you touch the clutch or brake pedal then the car will go back to manual, but merely by touching the cruise button the computer takes over again to bring the car back to the correct speed which incidentally comes up on the display electrically timed far more accurate than the cars speedo!”

[Keith Andrews]

The fuel consumption/distance is an aftermaret flow meter in the fuel line....these have been around for couple decades in various forms
The cruise control units also....conect into thebrake light switch..bit more complex to fit.
45 functions....
O2 , MAP, throttle postion, rpms, even knock sensor (if some of those are what they are refering to,) I have as a data logger on the 40 yr old technology on my Camaro...
most sensors (other than the wideband O2 which produes its own voltage and has a 12v source for th heater circuit) run on a 5.5 V power source...either resistance like a temp sensor or on/off in the case of the knoxk sensor.

You dont need and ECU (in car computer module) to run these.

This sort of thing ...like data loggers is using 21st century technology for tuning/ monitoring old school cars. A sort of step up from old school tuning by ear of the pre 60s into using timing lights, CO/HC montors of the 60s thru to 80s.
The big difference is 21st century tuning is at least 19 times more effective than what we used in the latter 20th century.
The cost of a data logger is less than the cost of a day tuning on chassis dyno...

such technology as dash readouts as with the Javelin, has been used in the NZ and Aussie classic/vintage hot rodding fatuernity for several decades now

[Forumadmin]

Data logging is easy compared to cruise control. I suspect that LB has something up his sleeve (or leg)

[Keith Andrews]

Data logging is easy compared to cruise control.

No not really..one has to mount gauges, run wires mount sensors..And the 'universal' cruise control kits out of the states for old cars are mount solenoids/sensors, run wires etc also.

[Jack]

Leo, all this computer controlled car stuff is great, but does it have a DVD player, massive amplifier and at least 4 subwoofers in the back? If it does, are they interested in selling?

[Leo Bolter]

Hi Jack.

This car may very well had all that . . . I wouldn't be surprised, but the car surely would have had a wireless. And, I'll bet if it did it would be bound to have a cunningly concealed aerial . . the owner was clever like that! It would, of necessity, have been a AM one as FM wasn't "invented" as far as NZ Radio broadcast was concerned. Now that's given away a bit of a vague clue as to the era of the mysterious "Computerised Javelin" article . . and maybe who's car it was referring to too . . . .

I'll put you knowledgeable people, experts in the realm of "Jowett Clever Buggers", out of your misery over the weekend . . . if someone doesn't work out "who dunnit" and post the name before I do.

Cheers.
Leo.

[Leo Bolter]

Firstly and most importantly, I must report the recent death of Leao Padman at the age of 88 on the 5th of this month (July, 2011). I have just this evening found out about this sad occasion.

It was he of course, and the Javelin, that was being referred to in my original “mysterious” post in his thread.

Leao was a brilliant but fairly reclusive man whom I met only once lots of years ago. He lived with his partner of many years, Bobby Campbell*, in Dunedin. On the occasion we met, he supplied me with a used piston and rings so we could get home when the Jupiter piston had a ring come through the top. This was while Val and I were on an extensive tour of the South Island. Right away we got on famously, but I’m lead to believe that if he didn’t take to you, then you would be “out of luck”! I was able to see the famous Javelin at that time (although it was a non-runner . . . mods were being carried out I seem to recollect). I understand he was trained in electronics and was reputed to have made his own reel-to-reel tape recorder amongst, no doubt, other things that used electrickery! . . . . Things like the “Computerised Javelin”!


Here is the original article as printed in the Wellington Branch Newsletter of September 1980


COMPUTERISED JAVELIN


With thanks to the Editors of the Christchurch branch newsletter.
(Probably written by Vic Morrison as a Editor in 1980.)

You might think that Leao Padman and Bobby Campbell couldn't improve their Javelin, well you would be very wrong. They were up from Dunedin recently and let me drive their computerised Javelin. Leao has redone the dash in original birdseye maple and it looks really beautiful but in the centre is a display screen and a series of buttons. This computer covers about 45 different functions at the touch of a button giving such things as instant fuel use in a given circumstance, or overall consumption, or exactly how far you travel on the fuel left in your tank under the conditions prevailing and so on. But the most intriguing part is the fact that you can program the car to travel at any speed between 25m.p.h. and the car's top speed and without touching the accelerator the car will accelerate to the preset speed and maintain it regardless of winds, gradients etc. If you touch the clutch or brake pedal then the car will go back to manual but merely by touching the cruise button the computer takes over again to bring the car back to the correct speed which incidentally comes up on the display electrically timed far more accurate than the cars speedo!

But that's not all, this Javelin would have the lightest steering of all, an absolute dream to drive, but I'll let you guess how this has been achieved. I will tell you however, that it is not power assisted and there are none of the usual steering rattles that Javelins can have.

CURRENT NOTES: (Written by Leo B. and based on recent enquiries made with those who were more acquainted with Leao and the car.)

The light steering mentioned above, is thought to have been achieved by making longer steering arms, so increasing the leverage available to the driver. It is understood that the car has been converted to Rack and Pinion steering since, and that is how it’s presently set up.

After the above account was written, apparently the car went on to receive further “modernization” in the form of electric windows, automatic headlight dipping, automatic windscreen wiping when raindrops were sensed (and probably etc. etc., if the truth be known!). The Computer and Cruise Control referred to above would have probably been in use for several years before the “Road Test” and article were written.

Leao was also famous for his modifications and improvements to several Javelin/Jupiter engines (certainly he was well known and respected in NZ . . . I understand he also had the factories’ blessing and was in touch with their development team about his improvements). Somewhere around 17 to 19 of the Padman Engines were modified . . . early ones were bored out to 1600cc. The later engines were 1752cc and produced 90 BHP, but at the same time were very smooth and still quite road tractable. The changes he made were not entirely focused on power increase, but also encompassed improved their reliability issues. As an example I remember seeing completely sealed spark plugs where each plug cap had it’s own breather.

You may have sensed that my “obituary of sorts” and further information above is a smidgeon vague . . . for this I apologise. I hope it will not be the source of incorrect information about one of the “legendary” and much respected members of the Jowett enthusiasts fraternity. I trust that there’s someone out there who can correct any miss-information I have written and (hopefully) add to the background of this man’s life and achievements.

* Bobby is the actual owner, I’m told.

Leo.

[Forumadmin]

You have wetted our appetite! Is there a possibility of a pilgrimage to see the vehicle and give it some real analysis?