Funny Jowett display story

[dougie]

Beat this guys,
At the all British day a couple of years back we had a very well dressed gentleman come up and declare"Jowett,never heard of it".Not usually lost for words I asked if he had a car there on display? He replied that he did and when asked what it was he quietly said that he had a Rolls Royce.This was too good to miss,so I replied"Rolls Royce,never heard of it."His mate standing nearby nearly collapsed as did Brian and Barry who were sitting enjoying their coffee.He took it very well and had a good laugh with us, and we then told him the life history of Jowett.

Then there was the young guy who went to great lengths to impress his girl by explaining at length that the polished pully visable through the grill was the supercharger.We didn't have the heart to correct him.

[Keith Andrews]

LMAQ

We Had our Jowett Displat at the Ellersile Concourse de eleigance a few weeks ago...the best of the best of all NZ car clubs...
Anyway rhe Shelby AC Cobra guys where there,,,So I wonderered over looking at these things with their big block Fords engines...and one of their club guys was handy...so said " Hmmm nice to see a few Engish cars here"
His mouth nearly hit the ground...speechless...a couple of this club cronnies where behind, nearly doubled up in laughter at his reaction.

[dougie]

We call the modern replica Cobras,Tuppaware cars.
Most of the owners don't know or care about the history.
We have to put up with the damn things at historic race meetings???While real historic cars can't get a start because of the number of entries.
If they were true to the name they would be aluminium and handle like a set of books falling from a book case.

[Keith Andrews]

modern replica Cobras

Dont u guys have many genuine Shelbys over there...
The Cobras produced here in NZ ...workmanship is top notch...they are exported back to the states...

[Robin Fairservice]

I have made up a sign which says "Engine down here" with 2 arrows that I put under the bonnet. One man opened up the boot looking for the engine!

[TedAllen]

And of course, ' Wasn't the Javelin based on the design of the VW beetle ? ' they say as they ask you to open the boot and show them the air-cooled two-stroke nestling within !!
I remember collecting a Dax Cobra from the New Forest in Hampshire when I ran a recovery service
Would this be a plastic one ? I seem to remember it had a strange gearchange.
I took it to Stranraer for shipping to Northern Ireland for a classic car dealer
I shifted some unusual stuff over the years...the rarest being the Waldron Wayfarer...I wonder where it is now.
Ted.

[dougie]

We had a bloke call out to his mate"hay look at this kit car with a VW engine in the front"@#$%#@ stupid @#$# then he says "why would you put the radiator behind the engine ?"
"Where would you put it ? "was Brians reply.
I remember telling one dic$ head that the radiator was an early type intercooler.I think he believed me.Bit of a worry,that.
Then there was the young guy at the servo who asked what kind of kit the Jupiter was.I told him "mate that is the real thing".
What would they make of the Wylie Javelin GP car,I wonder,or a pre war Auto Union.

[Keith Andrews]

Reminds me of a couple pics on the NZ JCC site
http://www.jowettnz.sytes.net/nzrally04.html
The last 2 on the page.

[PAUL BEAUMONT]

Dougies initial story reminds me of a show I attended a couple of years back with my non-too-tidy Bradford, along with a mate with another Bradford. In the field we were parked alonside a mid 1930's RR limo all decked out as a wedding car, with the owner unashamedly touting for trade and standing guard in case some errant child put a sticky finger on it.
We opened the bonnets of the Bradfords and collected the usual crowd of knowledgeable folk who wondered at the "2 stroke" "air cooled" strange motor that grandad used to own!!! and quite happily ignored the RR.

[Keith Andrews]

We opened the bonnets of the Bradfords and collected the usual crowd of knowledgeable folk who wondered at the "2 stroke" "air cooled" strange motor that grandad used to own!!! and quite happily ignored the RR.

I spent yrs at 'rod shows etc...
One thing that I find very aparant at car club shows with Jowetts...there is always ppl actually hanhing around, chatting, looking under over in our cars..from all ages
So many of the 'flash' clubs jags mustages ferraii etc the ppl just wander thru and often have times with no one
This always amazes me...and the degree at which it happens.

[Mike Allfrey]

G'dday From The Still Sunny South,

My Jupiter was on display once and Joe Public commented that, "Jowett made a good copy of the Subaru engine". Where the hell do they come from?

Another gem, on one of our Fly The Flag Tours, we had just come down from Mount Hotham and the Jupiter was on display. I was quietly listening to "knowledgeable" comment from a loud-voiced group leader. As his group walked past the Jupiter, he was heard to announce with great authority that "All Jowetts were air cooled and had front wheel drive>" I said nothing and casually opened the Jupiter's maw and sat back. One of the group looked back and called to his leader, "Hey! The Jowett's bonnet is up!" They all trooped over for a closer look. "It's a Boxer", said one, To which I replied, "No, not exactly - it is a horizontally opposed engine of four cylinders." Their leader, having not spotted the radiator yet, reaffirmed that it was air cooled and was a faithful copy of the VW Boxer engine. I pointed to the radiator and asked him to explain why water was poured into there, indicating the radiator.

Quick as a flash, he came back with, "Ah, of course the sports models were water cooled to handle the extra performance of the extra carburettor!"

So, now we all know!

Mike Allfrey.

[TedAllen]

Hi gang,
Glad to see that there are so many Jowett 'experts' roaming the world.
I take the Javelin to several shows each year. Four or five of these shows have the same commentator for the parade of old cars. I get thoroughly ....... off with him. Having drooled and gone into extensive detail of the several identical Rolls Royces he then tells the crowd ' Ah, the Jowett Javelin, this was the car with the oval web crankshaft'...thats all ! How does he know? I might still be running an original shaft. I'm sure the crowd don't give a tuppeny f..t.
A pal of my son asked me to do his wedding..'.ok' said I ..pleased to oblige.
Later in the week I was demoted to just carrying the groom as someone at work had offered his vintage open Bentley. 'Fair enough' I thought.
I got the groom to the venue and parked outside, white ribbons gleaming.
Whilst in the hotel, a man came up to me dressed in a grey chauffeurs uniform with cap and leather gaiters, etc. and spent some time enthusing about the Jowett. 'Strange' thought I, until I went out to check on the car and saw his gleaming white convertable stood behind my car proudly displaying its winged 'B' on the radiator.......pity he didn't tell the bride and groom that it was a 1980s Beaufort....yuk. All that glisters is not gold !
Ted

[Keith Andrews]

yrs back was just out for a drive in the flash mint matching numbers 1st gen 400hp '69 camaro, all polished up...and parked up next to a very tidy little morris 1000 with split window, an elderly couple in...
When I got out I asked the guy if I could have a look..it was obvious he most proberly had it from new and loved it.
He was astonded that I could find his car so interesting....
For some yrs after we would pass on the roads and always wave...
I havnt seen them or the car around for a yr or so now.....
would love to see them when Im in the Bradford and give a wave....