The Fate of the CD Bradfords

[isleofthanet]

Looking through the Motor Sport archives there is a letter from the Sept 1965 issue from George Mitchell on the subject above.
He says there were five examples being used at one time by Jowett Engineering Ltd, three pick up trucks, one station wagon and the saloon car. I know of one pick up and assume one could have been built up from the pick up mock up which was a complete front end but were there any others?

Regards

Alan

[george garside]

For what its worth I have never heard any mention of 3 CD pickups. The one George Mitchel aquired on the demise of Jowett engineering was CD3 , a Briggs prototype.

The CD Saloon was built up by Jowetts using some Briggs pressings, probably the front end pictured in The Complete Jowett History.

As far as I am aware Jowett Engineering ran the (later George Mitchell) pickup, a van, the saloon and an estate (also later owned by George Mitchell) .

I have a very poor photo ( not reproducible) of the saloon and van while owned by Jowett Engineering.

That accounts for 4 examples ,anybody any info on a possible 5th??

george

[David Kemp]

Many years ago I think Jack Stiff had a CD Bradford's , He said one had what appeared to be ford zephyr front panels, is this possibly the Briggs cobbled up car?
All according to Jack were rust buckets, he also preferred driving a regular Javelin , thought the driving position was better.
I think at least two survive in New Zealand.

[Jack]

A few pics from Alastair's site, worth checking out if trying to work out which is which or which is missing.
http://www.thegreggsplace.co.uk/CDBradfordPictures.htm

I know of one CD in the UK, unrestored, and also there are a few modifications that were perhaps destined for the CD on the Javelin that the Works Experimental Department were playing with, codenamed "Project B" by us and more detail on the Javelin forum. The seats particularly seem to be CD, but there are other bits that need more research too.

Jack.

[isleofthanet]

This was the article
file:///C:/Users/Alan%20PC/Documents/All%20Transport/cars/Jowett/cars/The%20fate%20of%20the%20CD%20Bradfords%20_%20Motor%20Sport%20Magazine%20Archive.htm

[isleofthanet]

This is the letter,

Sir,

I note the reference to the CD Bradford vehicles which Jowett Cars Ltd. were running in prototype form when car production ceased at Idle in 1954.

I visited the Jowett works on many occasions during the last six years or so prior to the closing of the Batley factory at the end of 1963, and the prototype private-car version of the CD Bradford was in fact in use there by staff up till about eighteen months before the closure at Batley.

About five examples of the "CD" were being used at one time by Jowett Engineering Ltd., as the firm then was- three pick-up trucks, a station wagon and the saloon car.

By this time all of these had been fitted with Javelin engine and gearboxes, all the i.o.e. engines having disappeared. Being prototypes, body parts and some of the running gear were presumably non-existent as spare parts, and one by one each of these vehicles was dismantled to supply parts for the remainder.

When the closure came at Batley late in 1963 only one, a pick-up, remained and this was in poor condition, having been sadly neglected. This example I eventually managed to purchase and intend, when time permits, to restore to good health. At this time, also, the body shell of the saloon car was still lying around outside the factory, and this i tried to obtain also. Unhappily the distance involved in transporting it delayed any decision and the next thing i knew it had been cut up for scrap. A great pity.
About 15 or so CD Models were actually produuced, and a number of them were sold new to New Zealand. Two examples are registered with the Jowett Club of New Zealand, one of them - a station wagon - being fitted from new with an R4 Jupiter engine! It is also rumoured that an example exists in New Zealand still fitted with the i.o.e. engine. Should this be so it will almost certainly be the only example of this unit in existence.

As far as i know the pick-up mentioned above is the only example surviving in Britain.

Kinross
George M.Mitchell

[OzzyMike]

I know of one CD in the UK, unrestored, and also there are a few modifications that were perhaps destined for the CD on the Javelin that the Works Experimental Department were playing with, codenamed "Project B" by us and more detail on the Javelin forum. The seats particularly seem to be CD, but there are other bits that need more research too.

Jack.[/quote]
Looking at the photos of the saloon JKU-399 from the rear it reminds me of a Morris Isis.

The commercials, had potential, and would have been a straight follow on the earlier Bradford vehicles.
The 1950s styling and general update would have taken them into the next era.
I believe if these commercial vehicles had gone into full production Jowett Cars may have survived as a producer of light commercial vehicles.

Regards from OzzyMike

[isleofthanet]

Many years ago I think Jack Stiff had a CD Bradford's , He said one had what appeared to be ford zephyr front panels, is this possibly the Briggs cobbled up car?
All according to Jack were rust buckets, he also preferred driving a regular Javelin , thought the driving position was better.
I think at least two survive in New Zealand.

David,
Four survive in New Zealand, all originally estate cars, CD2 now rebodied into a sports car after an accident in the early 1960s and rust damage to the original body.
CD11 was in the Ray Win collection in 2009 restored and painted red.
CD 17 with the i.o.e engine under long term restoration, the body seams had rusted and one side fallen off.
CD 18 bad seam rot has the R4 motor, has quarter lights on front doors but been outside since 1958 and again under long term restoration.

[george garside]

~Whilst were on the subject of CD's has anyone any detailed info , particularly on the ioe twin engine veriety?

I understand the bhp was eventualy got up to 34 at what rpm?

I would also be interested in the torque data as when they were run on the lake district tests the performance was ( according to Horace Grimley) as good as or better than the 40bhp Austin A40 van that Jowetts ran on the tests as a comparison vehicle. These tests included several runs up the notorious Hard knott and Wrynose passes with 1 in 3 gradients during which they were loaded to 10cwt so the ioe engine must have had a shedfull of torque to compensate for 14% less bhp than the Austin??

What was the weight of the CD - ? was it a lot lighter than the A40?

george

[The Bradford man]

Many years ago I think Jack Stiff had a CD Bradford's , He said one had what appeared to be ford zephyr front panels, is this possibly the Briggs cobbled up car?
All according to Jack were rust buckets, he also preferred driving a regular Javelin , thought the driving position was better.
I think at least two survive in New Zealand.

David,
Four survive in New Zealand, all originally estate cars, CD2 now rebodied into a sports car after an accident in the early 1960s and rust damage to the original body.
CD11 was in the Ray Win collection in 2009 restored and painted red.
CD 17 with the i.o.e engine under long term restoration, the body seams had rusted and one side fallen off.
CD 18 bad seam rot has the R4 motor, has quarter lights on front doors but been outside since 1958 and again under long term restoration.

I think CD2 was rebodied later than the 1960s.
My father used to own it. I think he sold it to vic in the mid to late 70s or early 80s. I remember a photo of dad had parked in front of his garage. At the time it was far to gone for him to restore the body on it.
Vic build the body on it. I think it has a R4 Jup engine in it?
Neil Moore is slowly working on the two CDs he has got. One with the 2 cylinder and the other one I think has the 4 cylinder in it. The 2 cylinder is missing a barrel.

I remember Dad talking about another CD in Rotorua. But I don't remember much about it.

[isleofthanet]

For what its worth I have never heard any mention of 3 CD pickups. The one George Mitchel aquired on the demise of Jowett engineering was CD3 , a Briggs prototype.

The CD Saloon was built up by Jowetts using some Briggs pressings, probably the front end pictured in The Complete Jowett History.

As far as I am aware Jowett Engineering ran the (later George Mitchell) pickup, a van, the saloon and an estate (also later owned by George Mitchell) .

I have a very poor photo ( not reproducible) of the saloon and van while owned by Jowett Engineering.

That accounts for 4 examples ,anybody any info on a possible 5th??

george

Re the CD saloon, I did'nt know it was built up by Jowett, they must have got all the interior metal mouldings, windows, bumpers, tanks etc from Briggs then? Often wondered why there were two petrol filler caps one either side?
Is your photo the one from Autocar showing the saloon and black van JKW 66?

Alan

[paul wilks]

Re the CD Bradford. Does anyone know what badge was planned for the front? I know a New Zealand red CD Estate has the usual 'Bradford by Jowett' badge just above the grill but I cannot believe this would have been Jowetts plan for a replacement to the earlier Bradford!

I recall seeing pics of CDs with holes in the same place as if ready for a proposed badge. Anybody any idea as to what it would have looked like?

Paul

[george garside]

in the complete Jowett history page esate 186 HKW272 and page 191 pick up HKY566 are shown with a 'bradford' script in joined up writing just above the grille. This is not the same as on the CA-CB-_CC models

george

[paul wilks]

Thanks George. Of course it is! I have the book and should have researched it for myself. With apologies.

Paul

[isleofthanet]

For what its worth I have never heard any mention of 3 CD pickups. The one George Mitchel aquired on the demise of Jowett engineering was CD3 , a Briggs prototype.

The CD Saloon was built up by Jowetts using some Briggs pressings, probably the front end pictured in The Complete Jowett History.

As far as I am aware Jowett Engineering ran the (later George Mitchell) pickup, a van, the saloon and an estate (also later owned by George Mitchell) .

I have a very poor photo ( not reproducible) of the saloon and van while owned by Jowett Engineering.

That accounts for 4 examples ,anybody any info on a possible 5th??

george

You mention the saloon was built up by the factory but on page 144 of the Complete history it states that "Pick -up and car versions were on order, and when they arrived were considered stylistically good."

ATB

Alan